2. Deacons Under appreciated by many. A blessing to the church. –Function. –Fabric.

3. Deacons Office. Purpose. Qualifications.

4. Deacons Definition. –“One who executes the commands of another, esp. of a master; a servant, attendant, minister” (Thayer). Office

5. Deacons Definition. –“Diakonos…whence the Eng. Deacon, primarily denotes a servant, whether as doing servile work, or as an attendant rendering free service, without particular reference to its character” (Vine). Office

6. Deacons Examples. –Apostles, Mk. 9:35 –Household, Jn. 2:5 –Disciples, Jn. 12:26 –Government, Rom. 13:4 Office

7. Deacons Examples. –Christ, Rom. 15:8 –Phoebe, Rom. 16:1 –Satan’s ministers, 2 Cor. 11:15 –Preacher, 1 Tim. 4:6 Office

8. Deacons Distinct. –Not a preacher. –Not an elder. –Not a “pastor-in-training.” –Not symbolic. Office

9. Deacons Physical responsibilities of the church. –Needy Rom. 15:25-27; 1 Tim. 5:1-16 –Assemblies Jas. 2:2; 1 Cor. 11:18, 20; Acts 20:7 –Finances Acts 11:27-30; 1 Cor. 16:1-3 Purpose: Support Spiritual Goals

10. Deacons Address physical, spiritual unhindered. –Chief purpose: teaching 1 Tim. 3:15 –Hindrances Neglect, Acts 6 Want, Acts 2:44-46; 4:32-37 Purpose: Support Spiritual Goals

11. Deacons Address physical, spiritual unhindered. –Hindrances need to be removed Elders, Eph. 4:11-16; Acts 20:28 Evangelists, 2 Tim. 4:2; 1 Tim. 4:13- 16 Purpose: Support Spiritual Goals

12. Deacons Desire. –“To stretch one’s self out in order to…grasp something…” (Thayer). –“To reach…longing after it” (Vine). –Not coerced. Qualifications

13. Deacons Reverent. –“August, venerable…” (Thayer). –“…serious, grave” (Vine). –Dependable, trustworthy. Qualifications

14. Deacons Not double-tongued. –“double in speech…” (Thayer). –“Saying a thing to one person and giving a different view of it to another” (Vine). –Consistent, accurate. Qualifications

15. Deacons Not given to much wine. –Bible “wine.” Intoxicating, Prov. 23:31-32 Non-intoxicating, Isa. 65:8 –If fermented, greatly diluted. –Some cite gluttonous connotation. Qualifications

16. Deacons Not given to much wine. –Parallels. Not given to much murmuring, Phil. 2:14 Not given to incessant lying, Eph. 4:25 Not given to continual cursing, Eph. 5:4 Not given to persistent drug use, Gal. 5:20 Qualifications

17. Deacons Not given to much wine. –Control Senses. Desires. Qualifications