1. Deacons The Office of a Deacon The Work of a Deacon
The Qualifications of a Deacon
Acts 6:1-6

2. Plan & Process for Deacon Appointment
Lessons:
Aug. 14 – Office of a Deacon
Aug. 21 – Work of a Deacon
Aug Qualifications of a Deacon
Sept. 4 – Acts 6:1-6
Names to be submitted – Sept. 4 – 18
Looking for 2-3 new deacons
Names presented Sept 25 – asking for objections
Objections due: Oct. 9
Appoint new deacons – Oct. 16

3. Deacons
The Office of a Deacon

4. Beginning Thoughts Bible says very little about deacons
Office not honored as it should be
Not as careful in selection as with elders
No definite work to do
Elders / preacher do work of deacons
Hardly know what their assignments are
Appoint men w/o work for them to do

5. Beginning Thoughts Bible says very little about deacons
Office not honored as it should be
Misunderstood Office
Deacons are Junior Elders
Elders & Deacons oversee church
Deacons must be able to preach / teach
Deacons have oversight of all material

6. The Office of a Deacon
I. God’s Plan Is For Deacons

7. Phil. 1:1
“Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:”

8. 1 Tim. 3:8-13
8 Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money,
9 holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.
10 But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless.
11 Likewise their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.
12 Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
13 For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

9. Not Deacons - “office of deacon”
Acts 6:2-6
“2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.
3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;
4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word."
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch,
6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.”
Not Deacons - “office of deacon”
Are Deacons - Servants
Parallel in Principle

10. The Office of a Deacon
I. God’s Plan Is For Deacons
II. Term “Deacon” - Means “Servant” or “Minister”

11. Meaning of the words

12. “Deacon” English word means: “Servant”
“Deacon” is an anglicized form of the greek diaconos which means runner, messenger or servant (Easton’s)

13. “Deacon” (Greek: diakonos - dee-ak'-on-os)
Thayer: “One who executes the commands of another, esp. of a master: a servant, attendant , minister” (138)
Strong’s: “probably from an obsolete diako (to run on errands; compare NT:1377); an attendant, i.e. (genitive case) a waiter (at table or in other menial duties); specially, a Christian teacher and pastor (technically, a deacon or deaconess).”

14. Meaning of the words
How Word is
Translated

15. Minister: Mark 10:43; 1 Cor. 3:5;
Word for Deacon:
(diakonos)
Used 30 times in the NT
“Deacon” - 3 times
“Minister” - 20 times
“Servant” - 7 times
Servant: Matt. 23:11; John 12:26
Minister: Mark 10:43; 1 Cor. 3:5;
1 Thess. 3:2

16. Acts 6:1-4
1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a murmuring against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution (diakonia).
2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve (diakoneo) tables.
3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;
4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry (diakonia) of the word.“

17. Meaning of the words How Word is Translated Same Word & Idea
(Not Same Meaning)

18. Same Word
Though Not Same Thing
Christ (Rom. 15:8)
Apostles (2 Cor. 3:6)
Evangelist (1 Cor. 3:5-6)
Any Faithful Christian (John 12:26)
Civil authorities (Rom. 13:4)
Satan’s ministers (2 Cor. 11:15)
Women - Phebe (Rom. 16:1)
Waiters at feast (Matt. 22:13)

19. The Office of a Deacon
I. God’s Plan Is For Deacons
II. Term “Deacon” - Means “Servant” or “Minister”
III. Office - In A Special Sense

20. General Sense Special Sense (Most passages where used) Phil. 1:1
1 Tim. 3:8-13
Deacons are more than just “servants” in the sense that all Christians are (Phil. 1:1).
Qualifications - more than required of faithful
Christians (1 Tim. 3:8-13)
Context of 1 Tim. 3:8-13 suggests
it is an “office”

21. The Office of a Deacon
I. God’s Plan Is For Deacons
II. Term “Deacon” - Means “Servant” or “Minister”
III. Office - In A Special Sense
IV. What Is This Office?

22. No Authority Except - Delegated
Elders
Authority
“oversee”
(Acts 20:28)
“Rule”
(Heb. 13:17)
Deacon
Under Elders
very term
suggests
“submission”

23. No Authority Except - Delegated
Misconception:
Elders over Spiritual / Deacons over Material
Elders have oversight of all the church (1 Pet. 5:1-3)
When dealing with material - sent to elders (Acts 11:27-30)
Instruction about oversight given to elders (Acts 20:17, 28)
No such distinction in the New Testament

24. No Authority Except - Delegated
Misconception:
Elders over Spiritual / Deacons over Material
Office is a Work

25. The Office of a Deacon
I. God’s Plan Is For Deacons
II. Term “Deacon” - Means “Servant” or “Minister”
III. Office - In A Special Sense
IV. What Is This Office?

26. The Kind Of Deacons We Need
A man who can keep a confidence.
A man who finishes a work he starts.
A man who is individually productive.
A man who is spiritually minded.
A man who is able to listen.
A man who has a vision for the church.
A man who is flexible in his submission to the elders and church he serves.
A man who is not dictatorial in nature.
A man who looks for the positive, not on the negative.
A man who is of faith, communicating with God.