The Ministry of Deacon

What do Deacons do?

Three ways Deacons serve the church:

They are the Swiss army knife of the church…

1. Deacons serve the church by meeting the physical and practical needs of the members.

This will depend on the physical and practical needs of the church at that time. The deacons in many ways are a responsive group. Responding to the every growing and ever changing physical and practical needs of the congregation.

2. Deacons preserve the unity of the church.

They are the shock-absorbers of the church.

Deacons understand that unity is typically threatened by the needs of members more than the beliefs of members. Deacons don’t work to silence members into submission, but instead work to make sure that the members are cared for in accordance with Scripture.

In Acts 6 the church wasn’t divided over doctrine, it was divided over the care of its members. The task of meeting the needs of members was two-fold. First it met the needs, and second it helped to mend the disunity that existed between two groups in the church. Today’s churches are the same, they are often divided over who is meeting the physical & practical needs; or divided over who isn’t meeting the physical and practical needs. Again, this doesn’t mean that pastors or other church member don’t serve or help meet the needs of others, it simply means we need to understand how God has designed for the church to work for the good of its members and for the glory of His name.

We are all called to love and care for one another, but the deacons have a unique serving and unifying role in the church. The deacons respond, minister, and lead in specific ways to meet particular needs of the church.

3. Deacons support the ministry of the Word.

The ministry of the deacon is significant because it makes the increase of God’s Word possible. Second, it is significant because the needs of the congregation are real and each member is important. Both pastors and deacons serve.

You could say that where the deacons are the servants of the physical and the practical- pastors are the servants of the Word, primarily through praying, preaching the Word, teaching the Word, equipping members with the Word.

If a church doesn’t have deacons who are organized to help support the ministry of the Word by meeting the needs of the members then the church is hindered. In the same way, if a church doesn’t have pastors dedicated to prayer, preaching, teaching, and equipping members to live faithful to the Lord then the church is hindered.

A church that puts the responsibility of meeting the physical and practical needs of the church on the pastor(s) experiences :

i. A steady diet of the Word but few needs are met

ii. A steady diet of met needs but the Word is missing

iii. A mediocre version of preaching and ministry

Four Responsibilities of Deacons at Harrisburg

There are four ministry areas that the church has designated to the deacons. This list is from the HBC Deacon handbook that was last updated with our By-Laws in 2015.

1. Visiting our members in the Hospital

2. Ministering to our widows & widowers

3. Welcoming new members and celebrating salvation & baptism with new believers

4. Caring for our members who are homebound, in nursing homes, and through the grief of losing loved ones.

In addition to this our deacons help with the Lord’s supper, pray for us on Sunday mornings, and many other ways depending on their gifting and our needs. This is why I think the Swiss Army knife is an apt reminder of who they are because of what they do.

The title is the role… Servant

“3 Brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty.” Acts 6:3 (CSB)

“8 Deacons, likewise, should be worthy of respect, not hypocritical, not drinking a lot of wine, not greedy for money, 9 holding the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 They must also be tested first; if they prove blameless, then they can serve as deacons. 11 Wives,, too, must be worthy of respect, not slanderers, self-controlled, faithful in everything. 12 Deacons are to be husbands of one wife, managing their children and their own households competently. 13 For those who have served well as deacons acquire a good standing for themselves and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 3:8–13 (CSB)

1. Deacons are faithful and mature followers of Christ.

Not just men who show up or who are popular… see Barna’s book “Revolutionary”

2. Deacons are godly examples for the church to imitate.

Humble is worth imitating…

1 timothy 3 lists out the character of a Christian, and those who serve as elder and as deacons are example or pace setters for the rest of the congregation.

Why do Deacons do what they do?

1. Deacons serve so that the Word of God may increase.

2. Deacons serve so that the church can make disciples.