What Deacons Do

Our church faces a leadership situation we've never known. We've lost four of five deacons for various reasons. So we have one and we have one to be ordained.

The number who attend our church is probably not too large for two deacons to serve. That's if we view the ministry of deacons from a biblical perspective. I've learned from my thirty-two years in ministry (and ten more as the preacher's kid) that what the church thinks deacons are supposed to do and what the Bible says they are to do aren't always the same.

To make sure Cross Road moves forward with the healthy biblical perspective, I'm meeting with these two men each week to discuss "The Deacon I Want to Be" by Johnny Hunt. We have met twice and both meetings have been productive. I'm thankful for Bob and Forrest for their willingness to serve and their desire to serve biblically.

I don't know why expectations of many modern churches do not mirror the biblical pattern for deacon ministry. Some of what they should do is neglected. So of what they actually do is not necessarily a responsibility of a deacon.

Maybe the line is blurred between being a man in the church and being a man who serves as a deacon in the church. Every man has responsibilities to serve and minister in a broad range of ways. Building maintenance, yard work, ushering, and member care are things every man can do based on his giftedness. You don't have to be a deacon to mow the yard or paint a classroom or check on a member who is sick.

(Ministry and service are open to everyone in the church. Age, gender, or experience don't really make difference. So anyone can mow the yard or paint a classroom or check on a member who is sick. In a vibrant church, that will be the case.)

The deacon ministry is a calling a man receives from God and is affirmed by the church. These men serve not in the position of deacon but in the ministry of deacon. If we took a survey of deacons and church members, what would they say deacons do? Does that really matter? I guess so but only for the purpose of providing suggestions for improvement and correction and providing a basis for praise and thankfulness.

What really matters is the Bible's description of what deacons do. Unfortunately, God did not give us a definitive list but he did give us guidelines throughout the New Testament, especially in Acts 6. Here are the five things deacons do (taken from "The Deacon I Want to Be.")

1. Handle Church Growth - the necessity of choosing the seven men to serve in Acts 6 was the growth of the church.
2. Protect Church Harmony - the threat of a church split makes the ministry of deacons of utmost importance.
3. Provide for the Needy - the inability of the Apostles to meet the needs of the growing Christian community led to selecting men to serve in this way.
4. Prioritize the Ministry - the Apostles couldn't serve believers and spread the Good News alone: they needed co-laborers.
5. Ensure Gospel Penetration - the result of effective ministry was a greater spread of the Gospel and the further growth of the church.

A growing church must have a biblical deacon ministry; a church must have a biblical deacon ministry in order sustain growth.

I'm not looking to add to the body of deacons today. Maybe not even this year. We'll let the Lord lead us to this. But I am looking to guide the two deacons we have to serve biblically and I'm looking to teach the church what the Bible says deacons do.