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Must a church have deacons?

Discussion in '2000-02 Archive' started by PackerBacker, Jan 17, 2002.

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  1. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    I agree with the principle that at times there may not be any deacons. But only briefly, perhaps because the church body needs deacons so badly.

    A deacon is a man chosen by the congregation for special service to that group. He is a helper to the elder(s) of the church, and no congregation should EVER put all the burden of the deaconate on their pastor.

    There is much to do in our modern churches. Widows and the poor need feeding. Facilities need upkeep. Programs need leadership and the deacon is that servant/leader.

    This frees the pastor for ministering in the Word and prayer. I know in my years as a senior pastor, I never spent less than 40 hours per week in preparation for all the preaching and teaching ministries.

    That doesn't leave much time to fix a hot water tank.

    Even in a small church, deacons will be a great blessing to the pastor. Don't rob them of that opportunity.
     
    #21 Dr. Bob, Jan 19, 2002
  2. Chris Temple

    Chris Temple New Member

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    <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by TomVols:


    No. Acts 6:4 teaches that the elders are to give themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word and the rest of the early part of Acts 6 teaches us that service in (as J.L. Dagg called it) "secular matters" must be handled by servants or deacons. Even a church with 10 members will have these matters, within and without.    <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

    Agreed Tom.
     
    #22 Chris Temple, Jan 19, 2002
  3. PackerBacker

    PackerBacker New Member

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    Sorry I have not been back to this thread in a few days. Priorities dictated otherwise.

    Have seen some good discussion on this. It still seems that some are acting from the assumption that all churches have thousands like in Acts 6 or many as in many "churches" in the states. Since many of the early churches met in houses did that mean that every house church had official deacons?

    Some of you seem pretty dogmatic on the fact that a church must have deacons. I'd be curious of your approach if God led you to be a missionary in a place where there was no local group of believers. When you start from scratch would you rush to put people into a position just for the positions sake? There are numerous mistakes made by many missionaries who hand out positions so they can move on and say, "We started a church." I'm in a place where there is a type of Protestant religion that models the RCC in many ways.

    Deacon titles are coveted positions and mean, respect, authority, a good job, etc in the place I'm at. A deacon position in the place I serve guarantees you will not only go to heaven but that you will have a better standing than the masses below you. New religions get a fast start by passing out these kinds of titles. It's the fastest way to grow a religion where I am at. One side group of 100 people has 6 pastors and bunches of deacons. A title buys a whole family.

    There has been a waste land of previous Baptist missionaries who came into this place, never took the time to understand the culture or religion, appointed deacons and pastors right away so they could say they "planted a church," and many of these works are gone now or filled with unregenerate men who are trusting in their title to get them to heaven.

    I'd rather be out of order, if that can really be proven, than to rush and put false professors or novices into an official position, which has been distorted and misused for over 100 years in the place where I am serving. You should see the shock of new believers when we study Acts and they see that deacons are servants. That is a complete opposite for them. One guy laughed and laughed when he realized what the deacons did in the early church. He said, "they'd never do that here, the people serve them because of their title."

    This will give you a better idea of my situation and where I'm coming from on this. I'll be out of country for a week and will check out the thread when I get back.

    Take care.
     
    #23 PackerBacker, Jan 21, 2002
  4. TomVols

    TomVols New Member

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    Packer,
    Sounds like you've had some odd experiences which have strongly influenced your views. I understand that. But culture doesn't negate the Bible's teaching on the diaconate.

    <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> I'd be curious of your approach if God led you to be a missionary in a place where there was no local group of believers. When you start from scratch would you rush to put people into a position just for the positions sake? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

    No, and I don't think anyone has said they would do that.

    <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> Since many of the early churches met in houses did that mean that every house church had official deacons? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

    All the more reason to have deacons in the early church, which the early church probably did.

    <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> You should see the shock of new believers when we study Acts and they see that deacons are servants. That is a complete opposite for them. One guy laughed and laughed when he realized what the deacons did in the early church. He said, "they'd never do that here, the people serve them because of their title." <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

    Unfortunately, this is pretty typical. But it starts when the elders properly teach the Biblical nature of the diaconate and seek to reform the local church.
     
    #24 TomVols, Jan 21, 2002
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