Deacons and Ordination

Recently, on a Sunday, since that is the day my church holds services, we had in addition to the full service of songs, announcements, more songs, sermon-- we had an ordination service for a new minister to the office of Pastor/Teacher-- and to also ordain a few Deacons.
 The sermon was on the leadership obligations, both for the Pastor, who is also a Teacher, and of the Deacons. It was pointed out, and I have mentioned this earlier in this blog, the deacon is not the head leader in the fellowship. He is only to help the pastor care for the congregation. It was pointed out the Pastor is like a doctor who sets a broken bone. The Deacon then is the nurse who changes the dressing and sets the splint.
  As for the question of ordination--I firmly believe the ordination sets the person apart for the office.
   The deacon should not be a warm body who fills a hole. I had been called to the Deacon board of a fellowship who treated the office that way. I served my three years as a missions person and so I was stuffed in the Deacon office after my three years was up. On that board I only dispensed money without any investigation on the part of the board and discussion.
   Now in the new fellowship I help in the Lord's table, I can investigate stated needs, and bring to the attention of the Deacons the suggestion of financial help, I can visit shut-ins, and so on. And this one is an ordained office. And I report to the Pastor.
   Yes, 1Timothy talks about the Deacon and what to look for before placing the man in the office. Deacons are spoken of in Acts six. Table waiters and not church leaders. At least not the Pastor but the one who make it possible for the man called to be Pastor to preach and study the Word.

Every Church Should Have Some Deacons

 

Table Servers

   Let me slow down and talk about a group of men that each church should have. They aren't the pastor but they are very important people. I am talking about the group of people known as Deacons.
   In scripture they show up in the book of Acts when there is a need of table waiters The church was made up of Hebrews and Hellenists- those who spoke Greek. It was over the feeding of the widows. The apostles decided that seven men full of the Holy Spirit were to be chosen for this task.
   Today the  Deacons are there to help the pastor of the church in areas of service such as serving communion, handling the money used for meeting needs of the people.
    Paul thought this so important that he tells Timothy, a pastor of a church in Ephesus, the things to look for in  choosing a man to be a Deacon. This is recorded in 1Timothy 3. Trustworthy, above reproach, not a drunk. The husband of one wife-- gentle not quarrelsome. not in it for the money, You can read it for yourself
    They are very important people.   Pastors work with deacons. Deacons serve the people. Pastors preach the word. Deacons free them up to do so.
    In fact, you can do a study of deacons using a concordance and a Bible dictionary. Doing a word study on the term Deacon should be an interesting Bible Study for you.