DEACONS or MINISTRY
The word "deacon" (diakonos) designates the office of the deacon and the
word "ministry" (diakonia) designates his function. The deacons were set over the
material things of the church. In the early church the people sold all their possessions and had all things in common (Acts 4:32-35). However, some of the
Grecians felt that their widows were neglected. The apostles, who did not believe
that they should leave the preaching of the word to wait on tables, asked the
disciples to choose seven men to minister the material things of the church (Acts 6:1-7). Among the seven who were chosen were Stephen and Philip.
The early church appointed both deacons and deaconesses. Phoebe was a
deaconess in the church at Rome (Rom. 16:1-2). Both the deacons and deaconesses, who are a part of the government or the ruling element in the church,
minister in the material affairs of the church. The positions of leadership or
government in the early church, then, included bishops or elders, deacons, and
deaconesses.
|
