On the role of a Deacon...
Firstly a Deacon is different to an Elder but both are leaders.
If a Pastor is a chief Elder then what is a Deacon?
Lets start with this idea and then break it down:
Deacons lead tables and Elders lead the word.
Confused?
Lets get even more confused... Deacons are found in Ministry Teams and so are Elders but Elders do very little in the ministry team. Deacons lead teams. Elders support Deacons.
Think and pray about that.
Acts 6:2
Ok in reality its quite simple, we know that a church should not neglect the teaching of the word nor the practical care of her members and community. Both of these aspects of church life and ministry are important and we need both to exist for the health of the church and yet we need to distinguish the two ministries.
In one sense both Deacons and Elders are involved in "deaconing," but that service takes on two different forms.
We find in the first 7 verses of Acts 6 a division of deaconing duties. One is a deaconing of physical service and the other a deaconing of the word. Both are very important to the local church... but they require different gifting.
A deacon usually is a leader who takes on the practical care of the church and her members. This can be in the form of practical helps, this might be a group or dept leader caring and training team members such as childrens ministry or music dept leaders. This also covers administration duties, pastoral care and church maintenance or security. Either way it is ministry.
Elders govern, teach (primarily to the congregation or the ministry team as a whole) and support the church doctrine and team members. We call this function "deaconing the word". This does not exclude other forms of traditional deaconing by Elders but it does distinguish the primary roles for us.
What is often overlooked is the similarity of biblical qualifications for Deacons and Elders. Both very important and required. It would appear that building unity in the church is both in administration and teaching. Without either one of those functioning... church would not be healthy or complete in her vision and mission.
In our church we have a team of Elders (we call them managing trustees but they Elder or deacon the word) and a ministry team (Deacons both practical and able to teach, serve and minister). Governance happens within Eldership and ministry happens at our ministry team level.
If a Pastor is a chief Elder then what is a Deacon?
Lets start with this idea and then break it down:
Deacons lead tables and Elders lead the word.
Confused?
Lets get even more confused... Deacons are found in Ministry Teams and so are Elders but Elders do very little in the ministry team. Deacons lead teams. Elders support Deacons.
Think and pray about that.
Acts 6:2
Ok in reality its quite simple, we know that a church should not neglect the teaching of the word nor the practical care of her members and community. Both of these aspects of church life and ministry are important and we need both to exist for the health of the church and yet we need to distinguish the two ministries.
In one sense both Deacons and Elders are involved in "deaconing," but that service takes on two different forms.
We find in the first 7 verses of Acts 6 a division of deaconing duties. One is a deaconing of physical service and the other a deaconing of the word. Both are very important to the local church... but they require different gifting.
A deacon usually is a leader who takes on the practical care of the church and her members. This can be in the form of practical helps, this might be a group or dept leader caring and training team members such as childrens ministry or music dept leaders. This also covers administration duties, pastoral care and church maintenance or security. Either way it is ministry.
Elders govern, teach (primarily to the congregation or the ministry team as a whole) and support the church doctrine and team members. We call this function "deaconing the word". This does not exclude other forms of traditional deaconing by Elders but it does distinguish the primary roles for us.
What is often overlooked is the similarity of biblical qualifications for Deacons and Elders. Both very important and required. It would appear that building unity in the church is both in administration and teaching. Without either one of those functioning... church would not be healthy or complete in her vision and mission.
In our church we have a team of Elders (we call them managing trustees but they Elder or deacon the word) and a ministry team (Deacons both practical and able to teach, serve and minister). Governance happens within Eldership and ministry happens at our ministry team level.
