Deacons Qualifications

  Deacons Qualifications

A man must be qualified in order to fill the office of Deacon. The Scriptures lay down a clear set of attributes a mans life must display in order for him to be considered for the office of deacon.  Qualifications are for two purposes:

1. For the church to evaluate individuals for the office.

2. For the individuals to evaluate themselves for the office.

A common mistake made by some is to look at the list as a check list, and if a man has checks in all the boxes he is given a "green light" to serve. The Bible was not written to give people a set of rules and check lists by which they are to live their life (a sort of instruction manual if you will). While it is true many peoples lives would be greatly enhanced if they would live according to the basic statutes of the Bible, the Bible does not teach "do this" and "do that" rules as a way to live your life. Rather, the Bible teaches principles by which we are to live our lives. These principles (when lived out by a believer) instruct us as to the nature and character of "who God is." The qualifications for deacons are all fixed requirements for the office. If a man does not have these things then he can not be a deacon. These qualifications are also examples that are meant to contain a deeper principle, which a man who aspires to be a deacon must live his life by. The outward working of a biblical principle in a believers life often times looks different in every believer. This is why it is important to identify and be familiar with the principle, rather then try to look for a the same things in every mans life. 

An example of the practical outworking of Biblical principle manifesting itself in different ways can be found in the way we raise our children. People who see the Scripture as a rulebook tend to approach the Bible by looking for laws by which they can erect a large framework of rules and regulations to raise their children. Conformity to this framework often becomes the standard by which one family judges the quality of another families parenting "success". This system offers a moderate amount of false comfort to believers when they ask themselves, "am I doing the right thing?" All they have to do is assure themselves "I am following the rules, I'm okay." The problem with this system is self evident to anyone who was raised in it: legalism replaces grace, conformity supersedes sanctification, and christian growth turns into self righteousness and not Christ righteousness. Raising a family by principle means reading your Bible in context, looking for the deeper principle by which you are to grow in a greater understanding, walking with God, and then teaching what you learned to your family. For example in Proverbs 13:24,  "He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly." The principle behind this passage may look differently in one mans house than it does in anthers. My child may feel the weight of admonishment more from grounding, and another mans child may from a spanking. It is up to every parent to decide what form of punishment gets through to his children. (After all God has uniquely suited each father to know his children). The principle of Proverbs 13:24 is not beat your child with a rod, but that you as a parent must teach your child that this world has rules built into it. The breaking of those rules must result in consequences and they are to live their lives in light of that reality.  The withholding of proper discipline "spoils" a child by undermining a basic understanding of justice. Proper instruction given by a parent prepares a child to see that God has a rule: sin cannot go unpunished.  The breaking of that rule bears it's own punishment. The truth taught rightly, through principles rather than rules, will help instruct a child more then blind obedience to a standard of conduct. 

In the book of Acts chapter 6, the Apostles lay out guides for the men selected to serve. In Acts 6:3 they tell the church "Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business" 

1. "men of good reputation"
• It is important that the men who serve as deacon have a good reputation. The only way you can have a good reputation is by serving in the church. Having a good reputation is different then being well-liked, popular, charming, charismatic, smart, well-educated, or active in the church. The selection of deacons is not a popularity contest. A mans reputation is earned by serving faithfully in ministry over a long enough course of time to put away all doubts as to that persons character. It is important that the man you put in the office of deacon has a proven reputation, because by putting that man in the office of deacon you are putting them in a place of great strain and pressure. As a principle you don't put someone in a position when you do not have justifiable evidence of a favorable outcome. Do not set men up for failure.
• Determining if someone is a man "of good reputation" demands that you need to make a judgement, or evaluation, of a man and his life. 
• The office of deacon is no place for a person without a good reputation, because of the kind of scrutiny they will come under. When two parties are quarreling, the person who steps in between them must be the kind of man that (whatever the outcome) both sides can trust he acted impartially. 
2. "Full of the Holy Spirit "
• The office of deacon requires an evident spirituality and wisdom.
• You must ask yourself: "Do you see that man controlled by both the Holy Spirit and wisdom?"
• This takes prayer and spiritual discernment. One can not identify wisdom unless they are in a position of walking in wisdom. Likewise, one can not judge spiritual matters unless they themselves are spiritual. The Apostle Paul says in I Corinthians 2:13-16, "These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For "who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ." 
• If a man is not spiritually mature he is not qualified to be a deacon. 
• The requirement of an evident working of the Holy Spirit in a mans life in order for him to serve as deacon, proves that the office of deacon is not just a practical office but a spiritual one as well.
3. "And Wisdom" 
• A deacon must display the principles of Biblical wisdom.
• Does he fear the Lord?
• Does he shun the appearance of all evil?
• Is he a scoffer or a fool?

While the book of Acts gives us an early framework of the office of deacon, the book of I Timothy was written for the direct purpose of instructing believers in church polity. For this reason, I Timothy is the greatest resource in the Bible when looking at the office of deacon and it's qualifications. In chapter 3, Paul lays out what God expects out of the individuals who hold the office of pastor and deacon. In Phillipians 1:1 and in I Timothy 3, Paul addresses the offices of pastor and deacon as two separate and distinct offices. 

This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. Likewise their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory. (I Timothy 3)

A bishop (pastor) is one who oversees, and a deacon is one who serves. Both offices require a man to pick up a title of Christ when he takes the office. Christ is the Shepherd, pastors are the under-shepherds. Christ was a servant, deacons are servants. A bishop is one who overseers or rules. A deacon is one who serves. While a comparison is drawn between the bishop and his deacons there is also a connection. Both offices require many of the same qualities.

1. Likewise deacons must be reverent
• The word "reverent" is the greek word "semnos." It means to be to be respected or honored for your character. 
• A deacon must invite respect in their person by their:
• interaction with people
• deeds
• Paul uses the word "semnos" in Phillipians 4:8; "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. "
• "whatever things are noble," is "whatever things are semnos."
• In this world there is a category of things that attract attention because of their virtue. One of those is being worthy of respect or inviting respect from others. Men serving as a deacon need to be the kind of men who invite respect. Different men invite respect in their own way, but the underlying principle is that being respected speaks of a mans character. You can look at what a person does and judge not only the quality of their work, but the quality of their character. The Christlike quality at the root of this qualification is faithfulness. Faithfulness is a prerequisite to the ministry. If a man is faithful in service, and faithful in character it will show. Faithfulness rests on a foundation of confident trust in God. 
2. Not double-tongued
• The word "double tongued" is the word "dilogos." It means saying the same thing twice, repeating, or double in speech. The double tongued person is the kind of person who would say one thing with one person and another with another person. It does not matter if it is done with or without the intent to deceive. 
• Paul was drawing from the Jewish conception of the "talebearer in the book of Proverbs 11:13-14.
• " A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.  Where no counsel is, the people fall : but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety." A "talebearer" is one who hears something one place and tells it another place. Men who are deacons will have to be able to hear something and remain trustworthy about what they have heard, not revealing those things in other places. The things spoken in a deacons meeting stay in a deacons meeting. Churches need men who have a proven ability to keep things were they belong. A balance is needed between being open, and keeping things private that need to be private. In many circumstances, the deacons will be talking to two parties. In those cases, the church needs a man with a trustworthy reputation in this position. When potential problems like anger, hurt feelings, distrust, and instability arise the deacons will be above question. 
• The spiritual principle or discipline Paul is getting at here is peace or harmony. Personal peace and harmony breeds corporate peace and harmony.
3. Not given to much wine
• In the Bible wine is wine, not grape juice. If wine is grape juice, then what is this passage saying? Should a deacon not be given to much grape juice? We must take note of the fact that even though drinking wine was part of Jewish culture, the apostles felt a need to exhort the people about the drinking of wine. Even in a culture where wine was accepted, they identified it as a potential problem and saw a need to warn people about the problem. In the Bible we see a constant exhortation about the drinking of wine. The idea that growing up with something as part of your culture makes it acceptable is not true. Even if you grow up with something evident, that does not mean it can not become a problem in your life. 
• The Apostles felt a need to speak about wine.
• The Bible always condemns intoxication. If you are controlled by the wine (intoxicated), you are affected by the wine.
• Romans 14:21 "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth , or is offended , or is made weak."
• In speaking of those things that man will surrender for conscience sake, Paul mentions two things specifically. Eating flesh and drinking wine. If there was not a rising concern in those days among believers about drinking wine, then why does Paul address the issue? There was a rising sentiment among the early Christians that drinking wine was either wrong, not fitting, or not profitable for a Christian. Paul has to urge Timothy to drink a little wine for medicinal use. " Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities." Even though his culture did it, Timothy has convictions against drinking wine. There is no good reason to drink wine today. There are a wealth of reasons against it. How can you tell another to stop drinking wine if you are drinking it? Above reproach means going above and beyond to avoid being part of a potential problem. As Pastor, I expect a deacon to obtain from wine. I will not tell a man that I can prove it is always wrong from the Bible, but as a pastor the Lord has put me in charge of setting certain discretionary standards. I do not demand that all men agree with me. Certain activities need to be abstained from in order to preserve all doubt about a mans testimony. Gambling is an example. If a man desires to be in a visible position serving, the church has a right to require reasonable standards. Is a man willing to put the needs and expectations of others in front of his own?
• The Christlike principle behind this qualification is humility. If you are willing to accept a position that gives you less freedom then you deserve, then you are displaying a Christlike mind. This particular blend of humility and graciousness comes from a attitude that does not seek it's own, so when it is denied it's own rights (like the opportunity to drink) it thinks nothing of it. 
4. Not greedy for money⁃
• The greek term here is "aischrokerdes." It implies one who is eager for base gain or greedy for money. The King James uses the term "filthy lucre" meaning the man had gotten money that is not come by properly. 
• The idea here is that a man is not fit to serve as a deacon if he is greedy for gain, ambitious, looking to gain on the small things. The underlying question is "What are his interests in any given situation?" The early church had a large wealth gap between the rich and the poor.  Some questions we need to be asking are: "Does he do jobs just for the money?" and "Is he satisfied with what God has given him?" and "Is he content/fulfilled?" This is a rare quality for a younger man. Is he constantly looking around at the world and evaluating himself by what he sees?
• So the next question is "How is money earned Biblically?"
• The answer to this question is found in Proverbs 28:19-27
• "He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough. A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent . To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress .He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him. He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue. Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith , It is no transgression; the same is the companion of a destroyer . He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat . He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered . He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.
• Verse 19 says "He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough." The idea is that dishonest gain is not just stealing. A man should make his bread through honest work and effort and not through empty schemes The kind of person who is taken in by schemes is not the kind of person who should serve as a deacon. Deacons are in charge of dealing with and caring for these people.  They need to be trusted to protect the weak, not use them.
• Verse 20 says "A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent." The principle here is that a man should not work simply to be rich. That kind of lifestyle comes with its own downfall built into it. 
• Verse 21 says "To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress." To have respect of persons means "to take a bribe." Deacons have to be free from all appearance of greedy motivations because the deacons are a group that has to be impartial. Deacons are also associated closely with the collecting and distributing of money (Acts 6).  The church needs to know that the decisions their deacons make are fair. One way you can judge fairness is the way a man treats others when it comes to money.  The church will be called to account for who it elects. God will hold you responsible. If you elect a man knowing he is greedy and in his fall you will become a partaker of his sin. 
• The deeper biblical principle here is joy. If a man attaches his joy to this world and to the circumstances of this world (like money), his joy will come and go as the things of this world come and go. If a man learns to rejoice in the Lord and rejoice in his relationship to the Lord, he will rejoice always because God does not change and his relationship to God does not change, it transcends the circumstances of this world.
5. Holding the mystery of the faith 
1. How do you know if someone "holds the mystery of the faith?" What is "the mystery of the faith?" 
2. The "faith" means our creed, or the body of beliefs, the doctrine we hold on to. That which we share in common with Christ.
1. A "mystery" is not something that is hidden, but something that was previously been hidden and now has been made known.
2. This quality speaks of a mans knowledge of the Word and ability to guide himself correctly using the word of God. 
3. Paul tells us what the mystery of the faith is in I Timothy 3:16 "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory."
4. Paul quotes an early church hymn, the poems structure goes something like this
1. A- God was manifested in the flesh,
2. B- Justified in the Spirit, 
3. B- Seen by angels, 
4.  A- Preached among the Gentiles, 
5.  A- Believed on in the world, 
6. B- Received up in glory."
• Paul uses a literary divide called "Double Chiasm" to compare the lower realm compared to the higher realm. Flesh/Spirit; Angels/ Gentiles; World/Glory
• The poem It starts with God. (Flesh; A reference to the incarnation)
• Justified by the Spirit (Spirit)
• Seen by angels- (Spirit; A reference to the resurrection)
• Preached among the Gentiles (Flesh) 
• Believed on in the world (Flesh)
• Received up in glory. (Spirit, A Reference to the ascension)
• Notice the poem starts with God, coming down to us, then ends with God going back to Glory. It is a short history of the Gospel. The Gospel is the "good news" about one man Jesus Christ. So…what is the mystery of our faith? It is resident, explained, and contained in one person: Jesus Christ. He is the mystery. It is not the mystery about Him, He is the mystery that was hidden in time past and now reveiled. God manifested in the flesh. Immanuel, God with us. Our faith rests and resides with Him.
• How do you know if someone "holds the mystery of the faith?" Do they hold fast to Jesus Christ?
• What is "the mystery of the faith?" It is contained in one person Jesus Christ, who was God in flesh. The fact that God was manifest in the flesh. 
• Because of this truth we know now that we can live our beliefs here and now, God is manifest in us.
• A deacon must believe and practice the reality of an indwelling conviction that shows to all in his life, which is why they get the good name and boldness. 
• When under persecution, do they hold fast to Christ? 
• It's easy to serve and get cynical. You see so much as a minister and you see peoples faults. How does a man see peoples faults and not get cynical?
• He holds on to the reality of Christ in his life tighter then all the circumstances he encounters in this world. Is Christ alive and living in a mans life? Does he live for Christ? This is the taproot of all the other qualifications for the office of deacon. All other qualifications flow out of this one most important truth of Christlikeness that must be present in a mans life. 
6. With a pure conscience. 
• How they will accomplish the mission of "holding fast."
• You are given within yourself an awareness of what is right and what is wrong. It is not an adequate system for godliness, it needs to be purified or cleansed. You are given this awareness by God. As a moral creature, you recognize that which is right and that which is wrong. (The only people who do not recognize this are sociopaths). Many things contribute to the development of our conscience. For example, our parents who represent God to us or other forms of authority, like our peers, our education, and our government. It's molded by that which demonstrated love. When you are saved that conscience needs to be purified. It's not enough for a man to have resident within himself an awareness of what is right and wrong. He needs to have an awareness of right and wrong that is purified, cleansed, washed by the reading of the Word of God and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. That quality needs to be seen in a deacons day to day activities, work, and relationships. 
• Hold fast to the teaching that Jesus Christ was manifested in the flesh, through and in cooperation with a conscience that has been purified.
• "Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned… This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck" (I Timothy 1:5,18)
• Paul ties faith and conscience together.
• When you set aside the faith (your relationship to Christ and sound doctrine concerning His person), you forfeit a good conscience. This is how many become shipwrecked in the faith.
• You want deacons who have evident day to day working framework that has been purified before God, and is clearly seen to all as reality of Christ living within them. This reality looks different in every individual, but is just as noticeable in each ones life. 
7. But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless.
• The Greek word for "tested" is "dokimazo." It means to examine, prove, to scrutinize, to see whether a thing is genuine or not.
• This implies:
• Not everyone can be a deacon. Not even all the candidates for deacon can be deacon. 
• Being a deacon requires not just having the qualities, but also having clear and evident proof of them as well.
• The Greek word for "blameless" is "anegkletos." It implies that a man cannot be called into to account. The meaning is not just: "Is he guilty?", but can someone bring an accusation against a man?
• God does not just want people in positions of leadership who pass, He wants models. He wants people to lead who can be patterned after.
• The emphasis should not be on the lack of sin in a mans life, but on his exemplary Christ likeness. 
• If a man serves as deacon, then he serves as a model.
8. Likewise their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. 
• This is a qualification over and beyond average membership. 
• A fault of a mans spouse may be no problem of his own, but it still can lead to an indictment of a him. 
• The word "reverent" is the same word "sermons" used in verse 11. It means august, venerable, reverend, to be venerated for character, inviting honor on ones self. 
• The Greek word "slanderer" or "diabolos" is the same word used of the devil, because he is the "accuser" of the saints. It implies one is prone to slander, or make false accusations against other.
• When looking at a deacons wife the question must be asked "Does she accuse others or speak wrong of others?"
• The greek word for "temperate" used here is "nephaleos." It means to be sober and is often connected to the abstaining from wine, either entirely or at least from its immoderate use. 
• The Greek word "pistes" or "faithful" is used here. It means trustworthy, the kind of persons who show themselves faithful in the transaction of business, the execution of commands, and the discharge of official duties. 
• When looking at a deacons wife, the question is "Is she reliable?"
• The deeper principle here is that serving as a deacon is a hard job, and we must make sure a man and his wife are fit for the office because the devil will use any and all means to attack them and the church. 
9. Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 
• Deacons lives need to be able to be held up as a model.
• Being the husband of one wife means "being a one woman kind of guy." This impies a man who has been married multiple times, or who currently married to multiple women would not be eligible to fill the office of deacon.
• Being a one woman kind of guy does not mean a single man, or a man who dated before he met his wife would be excluded from the office of deacon.
• Here are some spiritual people who could not be a deacon: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Solomon,  
• Not being eligible to be a deacon is not a slight on a mans pride, it can be a blessing by giving a man direction as to what work God would have him do in the church.
• Ruling their children and their own houses well means being held in a position of honor by their children. 
• If a man rules well his children may still rebel, but the question is "How does he treat them when they rebel?"
• Ruling well will look different in every household, but it can still be seen easily.
• The way a man rules his own home says a lot about a mans ability to rule in other areas.
• A well led house means a mans children are less likely to stir up strife, but if/when they do, people will see it is because of the childrens rebellious hearts, and not the fathers lack of love and discipline. 
10. For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing 
• In I Timothy 3:1, the office of bishop is described as a "good work." Here in verse 13, the same word is used to describe a man who serves well as obtaining for himself a "good standing." 
• Notice a man must first "serve well," this implies the job can be done poorly. 
• The office of pastor is to be held as "good" because, through the teaching for the word, Christ is displayed for all to hear. The standing or reputation of a deacon is likewise to be seen as "good" because, by serving as Christ did, a man displays Christ in his life for all to see. Both offices are about exulting Christ, not the individuals in that office. To the degree a man does that, he can be judged as doing his job "well."
11. And great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
• How does a man earn "great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus?" If a man uses the act of serving as a way of living out his faith in Christ Jesus, then the result of that service will be a greater faith in Christ Jesus. This kind of faith will grow to the point where it is bursting at the seams, and the individual who has this kind of faith will feel like he has to share his faith with others regardless of circumstances. A lack of boldness in deacons may be the result of a lack of service motivated by faith. This is why a man must not serve as deacon because he is motivated by fear, desire for honor, obligation, or just as something to do.