Sermon by Pastor Brent Kompelien
March 17, 2024
INTRO
Good morning! I’d like to begin this morning by teaching you a little church history. Today is St. Patrick’s Day. I want to tell you about the real Patrick.
Born in Roman occupied Britain in 389 AD, the same time period of the famous theologian Augustine, Patrick’s original name was Magonus, which means “servant-boy.” He was taught about Christ as a small child because his father and grandfather were active in the church, yet he didn’t have much of an active faith himself.
At age 16, Patrick was kidnapped by pirates and taken across the Irish Sea and held as a slave in Ireland for 6 years. He was forced to work as a shepherd at a time of violence and brutality when pagan Irish religions of the day would even practice child sacrifice. Yet Patrick says these 6 years of bondage was where he met Christ.
He remembered what he had been taught. He finally understood God’s grace, he understood his need for forgiveness, during this time of struggle he learned how to pray, and the Spirit of God brought him to believe that what is revealed in God’s Word about the gospel of Jesus Christ is right and true. Patrick surrendered his life to Christ while a slave in Ireland.
He eventually escaped his captivity and went back to England. Not long after, Patrick had a vision from God. Just like Paul’s vision of the man from Macedonia, Patrick saw a man from Ireland who gave him a letter, and when he opened the letter, Patrick said that heard the multitude of voices of the very people who had enslaved him in Ireland crying out for him to come and tell them about Jesus.
So he returned by boat to Ireland in 431 AD, landing in the same port as he did when he was brought there as a slave at age 16. He began proclaiming the gospel, and he did it in a unique way. You see, Patrick was already familiar with pagan Irish culture. He already knew about their violent and brutal ways, but he also knew the virtues they esteemed: courage, loyalty, and generosity. He didn’t try to import British culture, rather Patrick engaged with Irish culture from within, contextualizing his preaching to explain the gospel in ways the Irish people could understand. You see, Patrick was one of the first cross-cultural missionaries!
And as he took every opportunity to preach the gospel, the Spirit of God moved in the hearts of people, and thousands responded by surrendering their lives to Jesus. He emphasized the Word of God and Prayer in the midst of a spiritually dark culture, and after just a few years, there was a fundamental change in Ireland as slavery, violence, and the practices of pagan human sacrifices were almost completely wiped out. The gospel of Jesus Christ caused a cultural revolution in just one generation.
Because of Patrick’s willingness to go back to the place where he was enslaved to preach the gospel, these new Irish Christians were infused with a missionary zeal. Over the next century, they sent missionaries to Scotland, Italy, France, Switzerland, and other places around Europe, causing a ripple effect of gospel transformation in the 5th and 6th centuries! Now you know the real St. Patrick!
Today, we’ve come to the final week of our brief series on biblical church leadership. So far, we have established that Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, that we must stay focused on the gospel, and that local churches are led by a team of shepherds called Elders.
Now we need to answer this question: How is the ministry of a local church actually carried out? How is the Body of Christ organized and mobilized to serve one another and to accomplish the Great Commission as we make disciples? The answer is: Deacons.
The word “deacon” simply means “servant”. A deacon is someone who serves the needs of the Body of Christ. Deacons play a critical role in carrying out the various ministries of a church: they are the go-getters, the team-leaders, and the ones who translate vision into reality in the day-to-day work of the church.
The role of deacon was originally borne out of need. As the early church started to expand in the first months after Jesus’ ascension, the ministry needs quickly overwhelmed the 12 Apostles. Acts 6 captures this critical moment when a division of labor occurs so that the Apostles can focus on their unique teaching and prayer ministry.
Let me tell you the story. Acts 6:1-4 says, (SLIDE 4 and 5) “In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
Now, the word “deacon” does not occur in this passage. (SLIDE 6, blank) But most scholars see this as a prototype or a foreshadowing of the differentiation between Elders and Deacons. The Elders need to focus on their unique calling and role especially as it relates to teaching and overseeing, but the immense needs within the church require a new team to help the Elders: that’s the Deacons.
We see these two roles show up 20 years later in Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Philippians 1:1-2 says, (SLIDE 7) “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
This text shows two complementary roles: There are overseers and there are deacons in the early church. We’ve already examined the Overseers/Elders. What about Deacons?
(SLIDE 8, title) Who are deacons and what exactly do they do? What are their qualifications? Who can serve in this role? How do they serve within the church? These are the questions we will be answering this morning.
Open with me to 1 Timothy 3:8-12. We are going to do a little extra textual work today. This passage about deacons has some interpretive issues that have been debated throughout church history and have sometimes been misunderstood. We are going to do our best to understand the text and apply it to our church situation today.
ORG SENT — This passage from 1 Timothy 3:8-12 is a list of qualification for deacons that follows a similar pattern to the preceding list of qualifications for Elders that we looked at last week. We are going to do two things today: First, we are going to examine this list and deal with the interpretive issues in the text. Second, we will explore what the role of deacon looks like in our church as we step towards this biblical model of leadership.
Let’s read the text. READ 1 Timothy 3:8-12.
INTERPRETIVE ISSUES (SLIDE 9)
Let’s deal with some of the interpretive issues right up front. There are three ways these verses have been interpreted in church history: (SLIDE 10)
(SLIDE 11) Some view this passage as referring to only male deacons, with verse 11 describing women who assist the deacons.
(SLIDE 12) Others view this passage as referring to only male deacons whose wives serve alongside them.
(SLIDE 13) Still others view this passage as describing both male and female deacons, with Paul acknowledging that both men and women can serve in this role within the church.
I think the evidence lends a strong case for both male and female deacons, the third option. Remember, I said we were going to do some extra heavy lifting in the text today. So, let me explain why this passage describes male and female deacons:
Some argue that because the word “deacon” in verses 8 and 12 is grammatically a masculine noun, Paul must be talking about only male deacons. But this word “deacon” does not have a feminine form in the Greek language. So the word “diakonos” was used interchangeably to refer to men and women (SLIDE 14), just like we use job titles like “pilot” or “principal” or “coach” to refer to a man or a woman. In other words, there was no word for “deaconess” in the Greek language. This term only came up decades later in Latin.
Verse 11 is particularly important here. Some of your Bibles begin this sentence with the words “their wives” rather than the more general term “the women”. The Greek word here can either mean “women” generally, or “married women” more specifically; it depends on the context. Curiously, the possessive word “their” is not in the Greek text (SLIDE 15), but some translations insert the English word “their” because the translators believe that this verse is referring to the wives of the male deacons.
If this were the case, it would be odd for Paul to list character qualification for Deacons’ wives, but not for Elders’ wives earlier in the same chapter. Why have defined standards for the wives of Deacons, but not the wives of Elders?
I believe it is better to view verse 11 as describing women who are deacons; those who serve in special ways within the church.
You see, it is typical of Paul to embed layers of explanation in his writing (SLIDE 16). Scholars who study Paul’s letters see examples of Paul beginning to explain something, then pausing for a moment to add a layer of clarity, then returning to his original explanation to provide more detail.
This is what he is doing here. I think it make the most sense of the specific word choices, but also the placement of verse 11, because Paul is bringing special clarity to the fact that women also serve in this role, unlike the role of Elder. He likely does this precisely because there is no Greek word for “deaconess”.
Paul started explaining the general qualifications for all deacons and the process for public testing and recognition in verses 8-10. Then he pauses to give extra emphasis on the fact that there are women who serve as deacons and what is expected of them in verse 11. Followed by even further clarity for the men who serve as deacons in their unique qualifications in verse 12.
Furthermore, this interpretation of both male and female deacons is supported by the fact that there is ample evidence from church history that women served as deacons.
Romans 16:1-2, (SLIDE 17) “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.” Phoebe helped Paul in his ministry!
(SLIDE 18) Two generations later in 111 A.D., the Roman governor Pliny reported questioning two women under torture who called themselves deacons in their church.
(SLIDE 19) Fast forward to the Reformation, and John Calvin wrote that women deacons are to “discharge the public ministry of the church toward the poor and to strive with all zeal, constancy, and diligence in the task of love.”
(SLIDE 20) Also, the great preacher Charles Spurgeon asserted that both male and female deacons played an important role in the early church as they served the needs of the Body.
And pastors and teachers like John Piper, Mark Dever, Tom Schreiner, and John MacArthur all interpret this passage to refer to male and female deacons.
(SLIDE 21) KEY: The church needs both men and women to use their gifts to serve the needs of the Body of Christ. The equipping of male and female deacons to help provide leadership to practical areas of the church’s ministry actually upholds the good complementarity of men and women as we work together to serve the church family.
Now that we’ve dealt with the more thorny interpretive issues of the text, let’s highlight the qualifications listed here. Then we will apply this to our context.
MAIN 1 — Qualification for Deacons (vv. 8-12). (SLIDE 22)
Go back to the text with me. Just like last week, let me summarize these verses for you. There is a shape to the text: (SLIDE 23) First, Paul describes the qualities for all deacons (vv. 8-9), then he makes a comment on the public testing and recognition of deacons (v. 10), followed by special emphasis on the qualifications for female deacons (v. 11) and male deacons (v. 12). Look at the text with me and follow along as we examine these.
Qualifications for all deacons (vv. 8-9)
Worthy of respect = honorable, having moral character that evokes esteem from others.
Sincere = having integrity with words are not deceitful, manipulative, or untrustworthy.
Not indulging in much wine = doesn’t abuse alcohol or any other substance.
Not pursuing dishonest gain = a humble person who is not greedy or dishonest.
Keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience = a person whose life and doctrine match up in word and deed.
KEY: Similar to last week’s qualification for Elders…these are simply the qualities expected of every Christian. Deacons are not super-Christians either!
Public testing and recognition (v. 10)
Paul emphasizes that deacons should be vetted, likely by announcing the candidates to the church, making sure a deacon is known and trusted by the church.
Special emphasis on what is expected of female deacons (v. 11)
Worthy of respect is repeated here, grammatically providing emphasis
Not malicious talkers = using speech that is loving and constructive, not manipulative, destructive, or full of gossip.
Temperate = self-control, stable character, and balanced judgment.
Trustworthy = reliable, faithful, and focused on Godly things.
Special emphasis on what is expected of male deacons (v. 12)
Faithful to his wife = married life that exemplifies God’s design for exclusive and Christ-centered marriage.
Manages his children and household well = demonstrates godly character and leadership by fathering well and by overseeing a household well.
Summary of the wonderful privilege of serving as a deacon (v. 13)
Gaining an excellent standing = honored in the community of faith.
Great assurance of their faith = personally encouraged by serving the Body of Christ.
I don’t believe these qualification are exhaustive. There are certainly other good and godly qualities we’d expect from deacons. But these are recorded here in Scripture to paint a picture of what is expected of deacons: that like Elders, they would demonstrate godly character and be able to serve the church in a way that honors the Lord.
MAIN 2 — Contextualizing Deacons Today.
We need to discuss how we apply these leadership roles in the church.
KEY: Something we need to grasp is that the Bible tells us that the roles of Elder and Deacon are imperative, but the shape of exactly how they function is often contextual; (SLIDE 24) it is not dictated in detail by the text of scripture, but is flexible to adapt to different time periods of history and different cultures.
For example, Elders are imperative for the church. But Elders in a western context today may meet in a board room and have a written agenda and use Robert’s Rules of Order, whereas Elders in a church in a rural village in India may sit around a fire late at night to discuss issues in their church, whereas Elders in a church in Victorian England would have worn coattails to their Elder meetings!
Likewise, the New Testament makes it very clear that the church needs Deacons. But what do Deacons look like in our context today?
Here is the biblical principle we must follow: Going all the way back to Acts 6: Deacons serve the practical ministry needs of the church (SLIDE 25), leading in ways that help the Body of Christ organize and mobilize, as a complement to the Elder so that they free up the Elders to focus primarily on the Elders’ unique role of teaching and overseeing.
Deacons are the servant-leaders, the organizers, the chair-stackers, the volunteer coordinators, the strategists, the administrators, and the ones who deliver meals. They can lead teams, coordinate Bible studies, take care of the facility, teach the kids, and achieve the myriad of ministry goals that our Elders discern we are called to pursue.
In other words: Deacons are those who take ownership over an area of ministry, under the guidance and oversight of the Elders, and who mobilize others to use their gifts to carry out that ministry so that the whole church is cared for.
Another way to put it for our context: Deacons are the critical pivot-point between Elders and Volunteers. (SLIDE 26) Deacons free up the Elders to elder by mobilizing Volunteers to volunteer. Deacons receive vision from the Elders and make it come alive. They bring organization and action to the mission of the church so that the needs of the church are met and the world hears about Christ.
In our context, Deacons are going to be called “team leaders” (SLIDE 27) who serve different ministries with an Elder who is assigned to encourage, guide, equip, and pray for that leader. We have 13 different ministries such as facilities, finance, missions, youth, kids, prayer, growth groups, music, men’s ministry, women’s ministry, care team, welcoming, seniors, and more.
These need organization and they need teams of volunteers who are mobilized to use their gifts so that we benefit from the whole Body of Christ serving one another.
We already embody this with our current teams and leaders, but this year we want to be more intentional about pursuing this. It may take time, so be patient.
Our Elders believe that following the biblical model of Deacons who serve the ministry needs and have biblical qualifications and a process of testing and recognition will enable us to move forward in a healthy and Christ-honoring way as we spread the gospel here in our community and around the world.