Biblical Church Leadership (Elders and Deacons)

Healthy Churches, Healthy Leadership

A few years ago, I was having a minor surgery, and the doctor and I got into a conversation about general health. He said that 70% of health issues that he encounters are issues that begin in the mind, in the head. Stress. Anxiety. Depression. Regrets. These are mental problems that lead to physical problems. Weight gain. Energy. Sleep. Immunity. GI. All of these and many more have mountains of medical research that suggest that they are profoundly impacted by your mental health, which then in turn lead to greater physical problems. Mental and emotional duress can destroy you’re body.

The Church is a body and is no different. We know that Christ Jesus is the head of the body, and so, long term, there is hope that the body will be healthy. But, in there here and now, He has placed under-shepherds — leaders — to represent him as the head of the body, and the health of the church will largely be determined by the health of her leadership. You may have a healthy leader without a healthy church, but you virtually never have a healthy church without health leaders.

Who are the leaders?

As we’ve seen already, we need to go to the Bible to determine what this healthy leadership ought not to look like and what it ought to look like.

Who the Leaders of the NT Church Are Not:

Prophets — Ended with John the Baptist and the OC. Jesus is shown to be the prophet greater than Moses. (Acts 3:22)

Apostles — Paul didn’t appoint apostles at each of the churches. He appointed elders. There are still messengers, but they don’t hold apostolic authority, and they cannot add to scripture.

Who the Leaders Are:

1 Timothy 3:1–13 ESV

The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

There are only two offices put forth in the NT for the church, and they are elders and deacons. For a church to be healthy, it needs both, and it needs them functioning in their full capacities. So, let’s look at those together to see what the Bible says about them.

What is an Elder?

Originates in Exodus 18 (turn with me there) (also see Numbers 11)

Jethro recognizes that it wasn’t good (OR HEALTHY!) for Moses to do all the leading alone.

Exodus 18:18 “You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone.”

So, God intends for his people to be led by men who: Exodus 18:21 “…men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.”

And, this had been the governing system essentially for Israel. They had prophets, priests, and kings, and they had elders. In the NT, we have one Prophet, one Priest, and one King — Jesus. But, there are still a multitude of other elders used to lead the church under his authority.

So, elders are under-shepherds. We lead the people in the way that Jesus would lead them. We lead them with Jesus’ heart on Jesus’ mission for Jesus’ glory.

That’s what Peter says: 1 Peter 5:1-4

1 Peter 5:1–4 ESV

So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Now, the reason that we have so many unhealthy churches is that they’re being led by unhealthy shepherds at best, and wolves pretending to be shepherds at worst. This has always been a trouble for God’s people. Their own shepherds, leaders!

Ezekiel 34:1–10 ESV

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them. “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As I live, declares the Lord God, surely because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep, therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.

What are the Qualifications of an Elder?

So, because the health of the leaders determine the health of the churches, Paul outlines some qualifications for those we seek to make leaders of the churches.

It’s very similar to what Jethro recommended to Moses all those years before: Exodus 18:21 “Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.”

Paul says they should be:

Desire the work.

Be above reproach.

A one-woman man.

Sober-minded.

Self-controlled.

Respectable.

Hospitable.

Able to teach.

Not a drunk.

Not violent, but gentle.

Not a lover of money.

Good manager of his own household.

Not a recent convert.

Well thought of by outsiders.

Peter adds in 1 Peter 5 that they must:

Not act out of compulsion.

Not be for shameful gain.

Not be domineering.

How Many Elders Should There Be?

One has become too common. He’s viewed as a man of God who has all authority and speaks as though an apostle or prophet. But, we’ve already seen that prophets and apostles no longer carry forward.

But, how many did Moses have? 70!!! We’re not called to be Moses. Jesus is the fulfillment of Moses (Acts 3). We’re called to be one of the 70!

Lets look up a number of passages together:

We’re going to ask repeatedly: How many? One or more than one?

Acts 11:30 Acts 14:23 Acts 15:2-16:4 , Acts 20:17 , Acts 21:18 , Phil 1:1 , 1 Timothy 5:17, Titus 1:5 and Jas 5:1

Acts 11:30 ESV

And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

Acts 14:23 ESV

And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

Acts 15:2–16:4 ESV

And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.” The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, “ ‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.’ Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.” Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.” So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words. And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them. But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem.

Acts 20:17 ESV

Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him.

Acts 21:18 ESV

On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.

Philippians 1:1 ESV

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:

1 Timothy 5:17 ESV

Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.

Titus 1:5 ESV

This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you—

James 5:14 ESV

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

Reading the NT will also show that some of these men were paid, and some of them were not paid. Some operated other businesses. Some found their vocation in the church.

Now, I want to establish that each man carries with him, paid and unpaid alike, the same level of Biblical authority in leadership of the church.  That is, there is no Biblical position in which one elder has more authority than the other elders, but they all share this authority collectively.  First of all, consider Jesus’ example in establishing church leadership.  He chose a plurality of men, who ultimately became the apostles of the church.  Of course, there were leaders within the group, but none had ‘official’ authority that was greater than the others.  Building upon Jesus’ prototype for church leadership, consider the following examples of shared authority among the elders in the NT: Acts 15.  The elders gather to collectively handle a doctrinal crisis in the church. Acts 20. ul does not call a pastor aside to discuss the threats and protection of the church; he calls the ‘elders’ aside to exhort them.  They all bore the responsibility. 1 Peter 5:1-5. Peter commands all of the elders to collectively ‘shepherd the flock of God.’

Should We Have a Lead Pastor?

I think this presents with a fair and serious question (especially for me): if the church is to be co-shepherded by a plurality of elders, do we still need a lead pastor? I do not think that this form of polity negates the role of lead pastor.  I do think the word ‘lead’ versus ‘senior’ is an important one, and it is intended to communicate the difference.  A ‘senior’ leader is indicative of a CEO type of leader working with a board of directors and subordinates; a ‘lead’ pastor instead is a first among equals with whom the decision and deliberation finally lands. A decision must be made at the end of the day and there must a spokesman for the group that communicates with clarity and boldness the vision and positions of the leadership body to the congregation.

There is biblical precedent.  I think Jesus’ disciples give us the perfect example of how this looks.  None of the men were designated as the official leader.  They were on equal footing as disciples.  As a matter of fact, when Jesus was approached about leaders among the disciples, he rebuked them saying, “He who is least among you all is the one who is great (Luke 9:48)."  But, there were some of them that gained greater influence.  James, John, and Peter were the ones of greatest influence, and Peter became the one of greatest influence.  Turn with me to Acts 15 and notice Peter.  So, I think the helpful way to think about it is that each elder will be the same in regards to authority but they will be different in terms of influence.  In the context of ICBC, the Lead Pastor, or lead elder, would be the one of greatest influence, not greatest power, and would speak with a voice of solidarity and vision on behalf of the elders.  Though the voice of the lead pastor may be the most influential and the final decision-making may ultimately land on him, the other elders should not be viewed in any way as his subordinates and should be recognized as carrying equal authority.

What Are the Advantages of a Plurality of Elders for Healthy Churches?

Accountability.

Acts 15:1-2. Peter is probably the most important leader in church in history. Yet he had gotten things terribly wrong. He was over to the heresy of the Judaizers, requiring that Gentile Christians be circumcised to be considered Christians. Paul confronted him, and they assembled a council to officially repudiate this heresy. If Peter needed accountability, then I know I do. “Only when there is genuine authority among equals in leadership is there any hope of breaking down the terrible abuses of pastoral authority that plagues many churches.” Strauch. Too many churches have too little accountability. As Lord Acton said, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” And, no man is beyond it. Not me. You need to be protected from me as much as I need to be protected from me. I would be terrified to hire a man that avoided accountability. Only dictators fear accountability.

Collective Wisdom.

Acts 15:6. We see here a very difficult doctrine being developed and so all of the elders of this body, along with the apostles, assembled as to pool their wisdom together. Every elder is a sinner with an incomplete view of God and a partially incorrect theology. And, we are faced with the challenge of shepherding complex people through complex struggles in complex times. We are fighting against rulers and cosmic powers of a world we can’t even see. Brothers and sisters, the stakes are just too high to put all of this on the shoulders of one man. We need a team of men, young and old, paid and unpaid to pool their wisdom together and chart the future path of ICBC. And nobody is left holding the bag when a paid elder leaves. It wasn’t just HIS vision. There’s continuity for the long haul.

Balancing weaknesses.

In Acts 15, we see Peter as the voice, Paul as the testifying missionary, and James as an influence for clarity. Each of them had to come together with what they were skilled at doing to arrive at the best solution. CS Lewis wrote that every man has a fatal flaw. There is something in you, that you do not innately see, that frustrates others with you as much as you are frustrated with others. There has never been a leader, never been a pastor, never been a human since Genesis 3 that did not have a fatal flaw. We have to balance one another in the church, bringing together our strengths and compensating for one another’s weaknesses and in no place is this more important than in leadership. A church’s leaders should be a microcosm of the church itself, demonstrating diversity in background, ability, and wisdom united by a common passion for the Gospel. This is the NT picture of elders.

Sharing the burden.

Acts 15:6; 22. Ministry is a paradox. It is filled with a joy most profound and at the very same time an inescapable sorrow. My personal testimony. Steve Mann: “We all (pastors) carry that burden.  I have always felt the same way.  This insecurity is the cross we all bear as pastors, and it reminds us every, single day that we can’t do it without him.” But, the truth is that most pastors live their entire lives without having someone to pastor them. A plurality of elders allows every single pastor to have a pastor themselves. ICBC has never had a pastor longer than 7 years in her 129 year history. It is the sincere desire of my heart to exceed that by many fold. I think this is one of the answers.

What is a Deacon?

Deacons are not spoken of with near the frequency of the elders in the NT, but there are two passages that mention them together, implying that a healthy church has both types of leadership coexisting and complimenting one another. The first is Philippians 1:1, and it is a very brief mention in Paul’s introduction of his letter to the church at Phillipi. He simply addresses the letter to the church in general and to the elders and deacons. So, we see the church in general and then two groups, those of elder and deacon, set apart from the congregation at large as the leadership.

The word “deacon” literally means servant. Both the noun and verb forms of the verb are used almost exclusively to describe someone who serves practical, physical needs. It’s a person who is not too proud to do the most menial task for the good of the church and the glory of God. But, the office of deacon is reserved for those who lead out in service.  They are the “lead servants.”

What Are the Qualifications of a Deacon?

1 Timothy 3:8–13 ESV

Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

As a matter of fact, in regards to the moral, ethical, and spiritual we should understand that neither of these lists is exhaustive and these moral and spiritual qualifications can be seen as applying to both elders and deacons. So, we could say that a deacon should be above reproach just as an elder must hold to the mystery of the faith. If the wives of deacons must be dignified, then wives of elders must certainly be held to the same standard. In fact, these should not only be the expectations for elders and deacons; they should be the expectations of every, single Christian. They must be especially true of our church leaders, but this is the shape every Christian life should take. Church leaders are not a separate class of super Christians; they are, instead, living the same life with the same mission in a position of leadership. These are not to be considered as exceptional in the church, but as standard in the church.

What is considered extraordinary behavior in the world should be considered standard behavior for the church.

Integrity is extraordinary in the world, but it should be standard in the church.

Sober-mindedness is extraordinary in the world, but it should be standard in the church.

Marital commitment and fidelity are extraordinary in the world, but they should be standard in the church.

Greed is standard in the world, but selfless generosity should be the standard of the church. After all, where do you think Paul got these qualifications? Is Paul not describing a person that looks like Jesus? Why is it that this type of person should be standard in the church? Because Jesus is our standard. If we are becoming like Jesus, these things will be true of us.

“hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience” If we look at how the qualifications are particularly worded for the deacons, we might summarize them as all largely revolving around the theme of integrity. That is, Paul seems particularly focused on setting aside deacons who are not hypocrites.

He says, “Don’t be double-tongued.” To be double-tongued is to say one thing to this person and then something completely different to this person. It means that you tell people what they want to hear, whether it’s the truth or not and whether you believe it or not.

He mentions “dishonest gain.” Most people believe that it was the deacons who managed the finances of the early church; so, he’s saying make sure they are not managing the sacrificial offerings of others if they aren’t willing give sacrificially. Elect men that you can trust with the money of the church.

Then, he says that “they must hold to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.” “Yet, this qualification does not merely involve one’s beliefs, for he must also hold these beliefs ‘with a clear conscience.’  That is, the behavior of a deacon must be consistent with his beliefs.” 9 Marks, Merkle The qualifications of elders and deacons can largely be summed up as live out what you believe.  Don’t be a hypocrite; be the man or woman that Christ set you free to be.

Not one of these qualifications is based upon gifting. It is our responsibility to elect the most qualified, not necessarily the most gifted. “let them also be tested first” We're looking for character, not charisma. We must test the men we call! (This is why we are requiring someone be a member for 3 years prior to being eligible.) The goal here is not to elect men who are prominent or popular, but men who are faithful. Let us test them!

What do deacons do?

“(not) able to teach”

First, I want us to notice what they don’t do. In the qualifications that Paul gives us in 1 Timothy 3, I think there are two significant omissions that Paul makes when he gives the qualifications of deacons in comparison to those of elders. Omission #1 is “able to teach.” I think this is perhaps the most significant one. You’ll notice that in the midst of all of the moral qualifications that Paul gives a very functional qualification for them. He says that an elder must be “able to teach.” But, he does not say that about a deacon, does he? The church is intended to be led primarily from the pulpit by the Spirit through the word of God, and this is the primary function of the elders. James 3 teaches us that this responsibility of teaching is so profound that they will give a greater account before God for what they’ve taught. So, when Paul omits this from the list of deacons, it is purposeful, as a deacon will not bear this responsibility of teaching or the accountability that comes with it. They are freed from this great responsibility so that they might properly fulfill their other responsibilities.

“(not) care for God’s church”

The other noticeable omission comes in verse 4. For the elders, Paul says that they must manage their households well as evidence that they will provide proper oversight to the church. If they don’t give proper oversight to their home, how can we expect them to do so for the church? If they do give proper oversight in their home, then we can be confident they will do the same in the church? But, Paul removes this from the deacons qualifications. Though he does mention the importance of a deacon properly managing his home, he does not connect it with the oversight of the church. Why? Deacons don’t bear this responsibility. Oversight of the church is not in the purview of the deacons. The NT doesn’t give any ruling authority to the deacons. The church doesn’t function like congress with two bodies, the elders and the deacons, forming a bicameral house of authority; instead, they form a complimentary partnership that allows each to do their job well. During this process, I remember very clearly what one of our deacons said. He said that he searched the whole NT to try to see what authority was given to deacons in the church. He said that upon his search, he found that the NT didn’t give deacons any. It was a profound moment for me.

Having seen what is not the responsibility of a deacon, I want us now to see what is a responsibility of a deacon. Turn with me to Acts 6. In Acts 6, no one is designated as an official deacon, per se, but the verb form of the word that’s translated to deacon is used. It appears as though Acts 6 serves to give us the prototype of the NT deacon and the clearest picture of how a deacon functions. In Acts 6, there is a conflict in the church. The Jewish widows who speak Greek are being passed over for the Jewish widows who speak Hebrew. The Hebrew speaking ladies are receiving preferential treatment. The conflict in this young, growing church was becoming a distraction for the Apostles who needed to keep preaching and keep reaching people with the Gospel message. So, the Apostles instruct the congregation to choose for themselves 7 men to help meet the needs of the women who were being forgotten.

Distinction: God calls and sets aside elders; Churches call and set aside deacons. This is how our bylaws are structured.

Lead unifiers.

Based upon Acts 6, there’s two words that I think we can use to describe the function of deacons. The first is that they are shock absorbers. What’s the first function of the seven chosen in Acts 6? They are chosen to be peacemakers, aren’t they? They are chosen to help alleviate tension in the church and to promote unity within the body. Perhaps, the most important skill that a deacon can possess is that of peacemaker. Tony Snider, who has been a deacon here for a long time, once told me that for a long time he prayed and searched to figure out what a deacon was supposed to do. He said that when he read Acts 6, he realized that his responsibility as a deacon was to put out fires.

The most incredible part about the church is that it’s built out of sinners. The most difficult part about the church is that it’s built out of sinners. I tell people all the time, “If you’re looking for the perfect church, please keep looking. We’re not it.” And, the bigger the church becomes, the more sinners there are, the more problems arise. This is what’s happening in Acts 6. If all of the responsibility for unity and the meeting of needs falls on to the shoulders of the elders, it will consume all of their time and will create neglect of their most primary duties, preaching, prayer, and oversight. You can see that this is what’s happening in Acts 6. They designate these men so that the Apostles can focus on preaching the word and prayer. “The deacon office exists to assist the leadership of the church by relieving the elders of distractions and pressures that would divert them from the ministry of the Word and prayer and the general, visionary oversight of the church.” Piper Now, maybe you would say, “You mean all an elder is supposed to do is preach and pray?” No! It’s that elders don’t involve themselves in the peacemaking of the church; it’s that this isn’t their primary responsibility. And,  do we really view the preaching of God’s word so lowly as to say “Is this ALL they do?” This is worth their lives. All of their energy! It is the revelation of God to his people we’re talking about! So, deacons function as shock absorbers around the elders to help them take guard and promote the unity of the church. APPLICATION: Be a unifier in your church. This responsibility doesn’t just fall to the leaders of the church. It’s a responsibility that every single member holds.

Lead Servants.

What is the primary way that deacons promote unity in the church? Servanthood. The word “deacon” literally means servant. Both the noun and verb forms of the verb are used almost exclusively to describe someone who serves practical, physical needs. It’s a person who is not too proud to do the most menial task for the good of the church and the glory of God. But, the office of deacon is reserved for those who lead out in service.  They are the “lead servants.”

Deacons serve the body by removing potential obstacles to unity by meeting basic needs. Deacons are to be an army deployed for the purpose of serving the body. Finances. Facilities. Congregational care. Benevolence. Visitation. “Just a servant?"  Perhaps, you hear this and you say, “So, a deacon’s just a servant?”  As Russel Moore points out, “There’s not such thing for followers of Christ as

“just a servant.”  Servanthood is not menial.  Our Lord Jesus himself is the servant of all, and is thus Emperor of the Universe.”  To come Christ is to come to servanthopd. To embrace the cross is to take embrace servanthood. After all, every leader in the NT was, at the very same time, a servant also.  Jesus himself said, “I did not come to be served, but to serve.” Every christian is to be a deacon in its most generic sense, as every Christian is to be a servant.

Do you want a healthy church? The you need healthy church leadership. And, that likely means you’ll have to want your church to glorify Jesus more than you want to hold on to power.