by Bret Capranica | Sep 4, 2006 | Deacons, Ecclesiology
While the articles I have provided do not consider every question that could be raised concerning deacon ministry, I hope that what has been presented provides accurate and adequate help in determining the biblical framework from which a local church’s deacon ministry must flow. It is not enough to simply affirm that the Bible speaks about deacons and then produce one’s own program for deacon selection and ministry. Every church’s deacon ministry should reflect the priorities and principles set forth in what Scripture does state concerning such a ministry. Ministries that do not develop and promote and give adequate attention to the role of deacon leadership do an injustice not merely to the position, but to the Word of God that describes the necessity of the position. As a point of review, I will suggest a number of conclusions that reflect the overall biblical parameters for deacon selection and ministry. 1. A local church should determine the specific needs within its ministry that require the work of deacons, so as to assist the pastors and ensure that they are able to give adequate time and attention to prayer and the ministry of the Word. 2. A local church should then determine the areas of ministry that the diaconate will have charge over. This should be clearly stated so that the congregation, the pastors, and the deacons all understand what the responsibilities will be. Again, Scripture is very general when referencing the specific functions of deacons, allowing each unique ministry to develop servant leaders in accordance to the specific needs among them. 3. A local church could then determine how...
by Bret Capranica | Sep 4, 2006 | Deacons, Ecclesiology
Perhaps the most debated and difficult area to interpret in 1 Timothy 3:8-13 is verse eleven and the discussion concerning whether women in general are discussed or wives. It must be noted from the beginning that there is no easy answer and church history from even its early stages has seen both views held.[1] The problem lies within the fact that the term translated “women” (NASB) can also be translated “wives” (KJV, NIV). Greek does not use a distinct word for wives as opposed to women; the context must help one to determine which the author of the passage intended. Knight proposes four prominent viewpoints as to how this has been viewed throughout church history. These four views include: · Women who are part of the deacon body – i.e., women deacons. · A distinct group of leaders from that of Overseers and Deacons known as “Deaconnesses” · Female assistants to the deacons. · Wives of deacons.[2] Arguments for the first view are significant. The use of the word, “likewise” is used in the chapter to denote discussions of new groups of individuals (3:8). Also, the normal manner for Paul to indicate that he is speaking about a wife in contrast to a woman in general is to provide a possessive pronoun so that the phrase would read, “their own wife/wives,” or “your wife,” which he does not do here (cf., Colossians 3:19; Ephesians 5:25). However, the term likewise, while admittedly marking a change in the discussion, does not demand that one see that the verse refer to another leader, but merely that Paul is making a distinction between...
by Bret Capranica | Aug 4, 2006 | Deacons, Ecclesiology
1 Timothy 3:8-13 The final New Testament passage directly addressing the role and function of deacons is found in 1 Timothy 3:8-13. The context of the passage lists the office of deacon along with the office of overseers. As Fee notes, “To designate these men as deacons as over against overseers does not imply that they were not “Ëleaders’ as well.”[1] The overarching emphasis of 1 Timothy 3 is the qualifications needed for those who should serve as overseers and deacons. The qualities are character based rather than functional.[2] These qualifications bear directly upon the subject of the basis of a church’s selection of their leaders. In this article, I will not review all of the details regarding the qualifications of a deacon. Others have done that very well (cf. MacArthur’s commentary on 1 Timothy 3 for a good overview). However, I will pursue specific treatment of two specific issues brought up in the passage, namely, the testing of deacons in verse ten and the subject of “wives/women” in verse 11. Verse ten, as translated in the New American Standard Bible, states, “And let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.” Of note is the fact that Paul indicates that deacons are to be tested “also.” Clearly by including the “also” Paul had in mind another group who was tested in addition to the deacons. In the context, this no doubt refers to the overseers mentioned in verses one through seven. Therefore, there is to be a period or manner of testing the character of those who desire to serve...
by Bret Capranica | Jun 24, 2006 | Deacons, Ecclesiology
Philippians 1:1 Objections and Answers Outside of 1 Timothy 3, Philippians 1:1 is the only passage in the New Testament that specifically mentions an official group known as “deacons.” MacArthur takes issues with the view that the office or position of “deacons” is spoken of in this passage, stating: The word here could refer to officers in the church, but the context does not seem to warrant such an interpretation. . . . The most natural interpretation of this verse is that Paul was addressing his letter to the whole church. . . . including the leadership and those who serve. To say that Philippians 1:1 refers to the office of deacons might be correct, but it is an arbitrary choice. There is not enough evidence to be dogmatic about what Paul is saying.[1] It is true that Paul is addressing his letter to the entire church in the city of Philippi. Paul states, “to all the saints in Christ Jesus, those who are in Philippi . . .”[2] It is further agreed that the following phrase, “with the overseers and deacons,” is not viewed as those outside the church but within. However, this writer finds several reasons why “overseers and deacons” both refer to official leadership positions within the church in Philippi. First, the term translated “overseer” is used three other times in the New Testament to refer to those within the church who were official leaders (Acts 20:28; 1 Timothy 3:1, 2; Titus 1:7). In one of these passages (Titus 1:5-7) these leaders are also called by the synonymous term “elder.”[3] Elders and overseers, in the sense...
by Bret Capranica | Jun 17, 2006 | Deacons, Ecclesiology
The Diaconal Ministry in Acts 6:1-6 Acts 6:1-6 provides the church with an originating account for the office of deacon. Its description is invaluable to see several aspects of diaconal ministry, especially in the issues of roles between pastors and deacons (the Twelve and the Seven), pastors and congregation (Twelve and the multitude), and deacons and congregation (the Seven and the multitude). The passage begins with the setting of an ever growing group of disciples and the emergence of a complaint arising from one segment of the burgeoning church, namely the Greek speaking Jews.[1] The language barrier between the Hellenistic Jews and the Hebrew Jews seems to have been causing an oversight to occur in meeting the needs of the Greek speaking widows in the Christian community. Luke expresses that the complaint was that an ongoing oversight was being felt by the Hellenistic widows and that the complaint was no mere contentless murmuring.[2] The widows were being neglected in the daily “service,” which may indicate that there was more involved than the mere handing out of food. It is possible that the term used here (diakonia) refers to a very broad sense of service and might have included monetary as well as food assistance.[3] This oversight may have been also related to the inability of the Twelve to be able to adequately administrate the daily service of the widows as well as their need to give themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word (6:2, 4). The church at this time may have numbered close to 20,000 people in Jerusalem, thus making the leadership and administrative needs enormous...
by Bret Capranica | Jun 3, 2006 | Deacons, Ecclesiology
Parallels Between Acts 6 and Later Deacons Acts 6:1-6 can be seen as the demarcation of the beginning of what would eventually and officially be termed deacon ministry. First, there is a linguistic parallel. The key problem in Acts 6:1-6 is a diakonia (service) problem. The Hellenistic widows were not being served (6:1, diakonia). It was not agreeable to the apostle’s to forsake the word of God in order to serve (6:2, diakonein) tables, because the ministry (6:4, diakonia) of the Apostles would be devotion to prayer and the word. Acts 6:1-6 is fundamentally a passage about diakonia (service). As noted previously, the term diakonia or diakonos can have a very broad range of ministry including physical service as well as the service of preaching and teaching. It clearly has both senses here. However, the focus of the passage is not upon the diakonia of preaching but upon the diakonia of serving the widows, because the Apostles needed assistance so as not to neglect the diakonia entrusted to them. The question remains then in the remaining two passages in the New Testament that directly refer to an official group of leaders who serve alongside the overseers (Philippians 1:1 and 1 Timothy 3:8-13), as to why they are called by this term (diakonoi)? When this linguistic parallel is seen in light of the yet to be mentioned structural/functional and selection parallels, it becomes much more clear that Acts 6 is referring to a deacon body; unofficial as of yet in the development of the church, but nonetheless, an acting body of servants. Second there is a structural and functional parallel...
