Church leadership structure #3

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11. What is the job of a deacon?

A deacon is a spiritually mature person who directs a serving ministry in the church.

12. What is a deacon?

‘Deacon’ comes from the Greek word diakonos which means servant or minister. The example is probably that of the seven Greek believers who led the benevolence ministry to widows in the church (Acts 6).

13. What are the qualifications of a deacon?

A wise, mature man who is above reproach, husband of only one wife, temperate, respectable, not given to wine, manages his family well, has children in submission, does not pursue dishonest gain, holds to the truth, sincere, tested (1 Timothy 3:1-9, Titus 1:5-9).

14. Can a woman be a deacon?

Quite possibly. The Greek term ‘gynaikas hosautus’ in 1 Timothy 3:11 can be translated “likewise the women”, and may refer to deaconesses instead of deacons wives. Paul speaks of Phoebe, a woman who perhaps had the ministry of deaconess (Romans 16:1). The qualifications of this person include a respectful reputation, not a malicious talker, temperate, and trustworthy.

15. How many elders or deacons are there to be?

There are no guidelines in scripture. The apostles instructed the Jerusalem church to select seven men, but there is no record of how many were in each church. Perhaps this was just a number in proportion to the need.