There is a problem among Baptist churches where they have may have deacons but not elders and in such instances, a deacon often defaults to the role of an elder in order to fill this vacuum. It is often the deacons who are the only ones providing any sense of stability in a congregation when there is a "revolving door" of pastors who are coming and going! I therefore believe in a plurality of elders who are chosen from the congregation and are pastoral in their scope. If such is not the case, this ought to be the first priority of a pastor to see that such men are trained and qualified.
Concerning church government by a solitary or lone pastor and a group of deacons, Erroll Hulse maintained that this “had its deficiencies because the men chosen to be deacons had to function in many areas as elders” (Beardmore,
Shepherding, p. 37). Charles Ryrie claimed: “The deacons often function like elders so that in effect there is a plurality of leadership” (
Basic Theology, p. 409). Alexander Strauch affirmed that “in a great many churches, they [deacons] function as a quasi body of elders” (
Biblical Eldership, p. 276). Phil Newton and Matt Schmucker suggested that “some churches have raised the bar of qualifications for their deacons so that they function as elders, even though their title does not reflect it” (
Elders, p. 54).
Andrew Davis, Mark Dever, and Benjamin Merkle wrote: “In many Baptist and Congregational churches, however, a number of spiritual functions, typically the domain of elders, have been assigned to the deacons. They assist the pastor in various ways, especially in distributing the elements at the Lord’s Supper, and have evolved into a kind of executive and financial board for the church, particularly in congregations that no longer have boards of elders” (Dever,
Baptist Foundations, p. 231). In this same book, Andrew Davis wrote: “Quite a common form of Baptist polity usually involves a senior pastor with paid staff that reports to him, a ‘deacon board’ that frequently sees itself as a check and balance to the power of a senior pastor” (p. 291). Benjamin Merkle observed: “There are many churches that have leaders who essentially function as elders, but these leaders are not called ‘elders’” (
Why Elders, p. 24). Benjamin Merkle noted: “In many churches, the deacons function like elders in the sense that they are involved in leading and shepherding the church” (p. 26). Benjamin Merkle again pointed out: “In many churches, the board of deacons provides the spiritual leadership in the church in partnership with the pastor” (p. 96).
Phil Newton and Matt Schmucker referred to where “the deacons were ‘a hybrid’ that existed as a governing board while retaining the name of deacons” (
Elders, pp. 166-167). L. Roy Taylor commented: “One cannot help but ask—if deacons are functioning as elders, why not call them ‘elders’?” (Toon,
Who Rules, p. 163). Roy Taylor asked: “Is it not more accurate to say that in many Baptist churches deacons have a role of spiritual leadership, not just mercy ministry?” (p. 161). In its note for 1 Timothy 3:8, the
KJV Commentary Bible stated: “Deacons fill a second leadership position in the local assembly” (p. 1774).
Perhaps many deacons became involved in a role including spiritual leadership after many Baptist congregations abandoned having a plurality of elders. Perhaps deacons start to fill the some of the role of elders after a pastor fails to teach, disciple, and train faithful men in his congregation so they can serve as leaders or elders who teach others (2 Tim. 2:2). Pastor Lewis Kiger posted on facebook: “In my experience, Baptist churches over the last few generations, have not done a good job of distinguishing between the spiritual gifts of elder and deacon. And men who were actually more gifted for the office of elder, were ordained as deacons … only because the church (and/or pastor) did not rightly understand God’s design for church leadership.”
