What Is a DEACON?
The Greek word for ‘deacon’ is diakonos (dee-AK-on-os) and literally refers to anyone who performs a service. The deacon is a position in the body of Christ that refers to those officially designated to perform service-oriented tasks at fellowships subordinate to the fivefold ministers in servant-leadership thereof, such as ushers, greeters, secretaries, custodians, sound operators and guards.
These services are “helps ministry” and vary depending on the unique demands of the particular ministry, culture, time period and needs of the people therein. For instance, sound operators are a fairly new position in the scope of Church history.
Notice what the apostle Paul instructed his protégé Timothy on the deacon position:
In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons…
12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife and must manage his children and his household well. 13 Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.
1 Timothy 3:8-10,12-13
Not just anyone who says they’re a Christian can be a deacon. They must first be evaluated by servant-leaders in the ministry and proven to be respectable, honest, not drunkards (or druggies), not lovers-of-money, faithful to his/her spouse and able to effectively manage his/her household. These general qualifications would apply to anyone functioning in a service-oriented position at an assembly. After all, would you want the sound operator or camera person at your fellowship to leave the service and commit adultery or fraud on their off days? Obviously not.
How do you distinguish an official deacon from a believer at the fellowship who’s simply serving in some manner, like serving coffee or distributing food? You could say that the latter, while not an official deacon, is a deacon in spirit; and will likely become a deacon before too long.
Paul’s instructions on deacons in the context of 1 Timothy (above) refer specifically to the church in Ephesus that Timothy was pastoring, which was located in what is today western Turkey. While this cultural context called for deacons to be male in that particular region & time period, it does not exclude the possibility of female deacons in every assembly throughout the Church Age since Phoebe was a deacon at the church in Cenchrea (Romans 16:1); and Euodia & Syntyche were deacons as well (Philippians 4:2-3).
As such, Paul’s instructions in 1 Timothy 3 cannot be interpreted to mean that all deacons must be male during the Church Age. Remember, “there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28 ESV).
If you’re a fivefold minister and live in a part of the world where it’s best to only have males in deacon positions, like Timothy’s situation in Ephesus, then — by all means — do so as led of the Spirit, otherwise having female deacons isn’t an issue. The most important thing is that the person in the deacon position be qualified for it, whether male or female.
Speaking of the gender of deacons, I’ve been to myriad assemblies over the last several decades since turning to the Lord in 1984, and I’ve noticed that certain deacon positions tend to involve males and others females, with some featuring both. For instance, I’ve rarely seen a female usher, but every secretary I’ve known in the church has been female.
Meanwhile greeters and sound operators tend to be both. And, while most security guards might be male, I’ve seen formidable female ones. Jeanne Assam, the strategic security guard at the New Life Church in Colorado Springs during the 2007 shooting incident, is a good example.
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Related Topics:
Church of Christ — What Is It?
The Fivefold Ministry Gifts — Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher
When Did the New Testament Start? When Did the Church Begin?
The Four Stages of Spiritual Growth
Women of the Bible / Women in Ministry
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