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Deacons
What Is The Role Of A Deacon?
The pattern of church leadership that the New Testament follows finds its seeds in the earliest period. In Acts 6:1-6 we read of the frustration of some members of the early church for not having their needs attended to. Because the church had grown so large, the twelve apostles were not able to handle all the physical needs of the body and proclaim the word. They knew that if they neglected the ministry of the word the church would suffer.
"It is not right for us to give up preaching the word of God to serve tables" (v 2). They asked the congregation to choose seven men of good reputation and sound character to perform this task of serving tables.
Theses men were called deacons. It simply means "servant" in many passages (e.g., Matt 20:26; 22:13; John 2:5; Rom 13:4), "minister" in others (e.g., 2 Cor 3:6; Eph 3:7; Col 1:25).
Who Are The Deacons?
Deacons in 1 Tim 3:8-13 are to be godly men apparently in charge of the physical and financial well-being of the church is a strong indicator that the pattern set forth in Acts 6 is no accident.
In Phil 1:1 Paul addresses the saints at Philippi "together with the bishops and deacons." Thus, a twofold division of leadership is clearly seen. (Incidentally, Bishops were the same thing as Elders.) The church at Philippi was probably not very large, though it was well-established. Paul established the church on his second missionary journey. The Jewish element in the city was small enough that no synagogue was found. But Paul found some women who were responsive to the gospel. The church began. By the time he wrote the letter to the Philippians, the church was already ten years old.
Also in 1 Tim 3:8-13 the third chapter of 1 Timothy addresses two categories of leaders in the church, bishops (elders) and deacons. We have already noted the connection between this text and Acts 6. Suffice it to say here that deacons were assumed to be part of the leadership of the church at Ephesus.
The deacons are: Allan Clements, Benrick Coats Sr., Dwight Davis, Stan Henry, Sam Johnson, H.J. Jones, and Calvin Nobles, Sr.
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