Deacons are servants necessary for the ministry of the church. They lead by serving. They oversee the physical needs of the body of Christ.

1. A Deacon is a Servant
Acts 6:1-5; I Tim. 3:8-13

2. Servant-Leaders in the Church
• The Bible speaks of two groups of leaders in the
church:
• Overseers, also referred to as Elders, Pastors,
teachers, etc..
• Oversee the spiritual welfare of the body
• Focus on prayer and the ministry of God’s
Word
• Deacons
• Relieve the overseers of duties that would
hinder prayer and ministry of the word.

3. Who were the first deacons?
What did they do?
Why are there deacons?

4. Acts 6:1–5 (ESV)
1 Now in these days when the disciples were
increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists
arose against the Hebrews because their widows were
being neglected in the daily distribution. 2 And the
twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and
said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching
the word of God to serve (diakonos) tables. 3
Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven
men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom,
whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote
ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

5. Acts set a precedent for deacons
• The word deacon means servant.
• Deacons are seldom mentioned in Scripture; far fewer
times than overseers/elders.
• When Paul established churches he appointed
overseers: Acts 14:23 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.
• Deacons were added as churches grew and the need
was felt. When ministry was detoured from prayer and
the word, deacons were added.

6. Acts set a precedent for deacons
• In Acts they were chosen to fulfill a specific need (it
wasn’t an office).
• When Paul spoke to Titus (a minister to a small church in
Crete), only overseers/elders are mentioned (Titus 1:4-
9).
• When he spoke to Timothy (a minister to a larger
established church in Ephesus) he speaks also of
deacons.
• Paul doesn’t define the functions of deacons (we
conclude this from the definition and Acts 6), only the
qualification (I Tim. 3).

7. What are the qualification?
• As we look at these qualifications, remember:
• These are virtues of a servant. In Christ, one
can’t be a leader without the virtues of a
servant.
• Since they are the qualifications/virtues of a
servant, they should be the expectations that
you hold for yourself. What is to follow are
simply standards of what it is to be a good
Christian.
• Use this to judge yourself.

8. 1 Timothy 3:8–13 (ESV)
8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued,
not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9
They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear
conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let
them serve as deacons if they prove themselves
blameless. 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not
slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let
deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their
children and their own households well. 13 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.

9. Virtues of a servant
8 Deacons likewise must
be dignified,
not double-tongued,
not addicted to much
wine,
not greedy for dishonest
gain.
• Dignified –
respectable,
honorable, serious
demeanor.
• Double-tongued -
hypocritical, insincere,
two-faced
• Not devoted to much
wine
• Not shamefully
greedy

10. Virtues of a servant
9 They must hold the
mystery of the faith with a
clear conscience.
• hold fast the deep
truths of the faith.
• Clear conscience Paul
(cf. “good conscience” -
there must be nothing
in the conduct of these
men that was glaringly
inconsistent with their
professed beliefs. In
other words they must
not profess one thing
but practice another.

11. Virtues of a servant
10 And let them also be
tested first; then let
them serve as deacons
if they prove themselves
blameless.
• Don’t jump into
making one a deacon.
Let them show
themselves first.
• They should be free
of accusations.

12. Virtues of a servant
11 Their wives likewise must
be dignified, not slanderers,
but sober-minded, faithful in
all things.
• Lit. “women, likewise
dignified”
• Can refer to wives or to a
group of women who serve
as servants.
• Romans 16:1 I commend
to you our sister Phoebe, a
servant of the church at
Cenchreae,
• Slanderers – diabolous
from which we get the
name “devil” means –
accuser, separator,
complainer

13. Virtues of a servant
12 Let deacons each be
the husband of one
wife, managing their
children and their own
households well.
• Lit. “a one woman
man”
• All agree it prohibits
polygamy and
promiscuity.
• Does it disqualify
someone that has
been divorced and
remarried, or widowed
and remarried?
• Manages children and
household well.

14. Rewards of a servant
13 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.
• Διακονήσαντες – serve
as servants.
• Gain - an excellent
standing before fellow
Christians who
understand and
appreciate the beauty
of humble, selfless,
Christlike service.
• Gain great confidence
(assurance, boldness)
in the faith

15. Deacons (servants) are not:
• Overlords of the church
• Board of directors (the decision makers). They
are included, but not necessarily their function.
• Overlord of the Overseers. Making sure
overseers act as servants (doing deacon’s
chores).
• Chosen: because they are popular, community
leaders, personable, talented, wealthy, powerful,
etc.

16. What does a deacon (servant) do?
• Servants serve
• Though the NT is not specific and clear as to what a
deacon does (flexible), it appears:
• The focus of the deacon is to free up the overseers so
they can concentrate on the ministry of prayer and the
word.
• What areas may deacons serve?
• Taking care of the administrative affairs of the
church, especially regarding widows, orphans and
strangers.
• Care of facilities, visitation, oversight of finances, etc.
• Oversight over ministries other than ministry of the
word

17. Ordination Ceremony
of
Dennis Hostetter, John Griffin, Shawn Moss,
Steve Thompson