My heart, as a pastor, has always been to lead the church to
be a New Testament church – to follow the guidelines laid out for us in the
Word. I truly believe that is the only way for us to fulfill the purpose for
which we were created. I also believe that God only blesses those churches that
are faithful to be obedient to His Word. When we read about the early church in
the Book of Acts, we are constantly reminded of that truth. While they were
focused on worship, Bible Study, evangelism, and ministry, thousands of new
converts were added – sometimes daily. We talk about wanting to see those days
again, but we never seem to return to God’s plan. This may seem to be a strange
way to introduce this new section of Paul’s letter, but I believe that one of
the main areas where we have failed to follow God’s directions is in the office
of the deacon. Please don’t misunderstand. I love deacons. I love the office,
and I love the men who faithfully serve in the way God has called them to
serve. I honestly believe that the ministry of the seven men chosen in Acts 6,
those I believe to be the original deacons, was the catalyst that sparked the
amazing growth of the church. Not only did these men oversee the ministry to
the widows within the church, they spread the good news of Jesus everywhere
they went.
In this passage, Paul was laying out for Timothy some very
important information – information that would not only allow the church to
survive but also would cause it to thrive. In this chapter, Paul gave Timothy
instructions about the two biblical offices in the church: pastors and deacons.
Even the names make clear the roles that each is to serve. The word for pastor
is translated as bishop and overseer. His role was to lead the church in every
area. The word for deacon is translated as servant. In fact, in its original
form, the word referred to the person assigned the most menial tasks in the
household from waiting on tables to the man who was to run alongside the master’s
chariot in order to tend to his needs. Truly, God’s plan was clear: pastors
lead the church and deacons help them do the work of ministry.
Sadly, the role of deacons has changed through the years. The
information that I am about to share with you comes from a variety of sources
from Howard Foshee to Jim Henry. If you want specific references, let me know
and I will share them with you. In the very early centuries of the church,
deacons were the benevolence guys – they took care of the widows and the
orphans. As early as the 3rd century, deacons had family ministry
plans. They visited in the homes of church members. They visited the sick and
the homebound. They visited martyrs in prison. They helped train new converts.
They kept watch over the congregation’s physical and spiritual needs and
reported their findings to the pastor so that he could focus on preaching,
teaching, and evangelism.
During the Middle Ages, the roles began to change. Those who
became deacons were only using the office as a stepping stone to become
priests. They took on more authority, usurping the role of the pastor until the
Reformation returned the church to the Word of God. Once again, the deacons
became servants to the poor. This remained the standard of deacons – overseeing
the benevolence ministries of the church – until the last half of the 18th
century. From being servants in charge of ministry functions they became
business managers. Suddenly, benevolence and ministry were no longer the
priority. Instead, the deacons became a board of directors in the church
controlling all secular matters – even exercising oversight of the pastor. By
the late 19th century, the tendency was for deacons to “rule the
church.”
For many churches, that remains the organizational
structure; however, God will not bless the church that does not follow His
plan. If we hope to minister to a lost and hurting world and if we want to see
people being saved and ministry taking place, then pastors must lead and
deacons must serve. God’s plan is always best.
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