Finding Faithful Elders and Deacons

by Thabiti M. Anyabwile Narrated by BZ Cullins

Overview

Every church leader knows the qualifications for elders and deacons that are spelled out in the Bible, but actually finding other leaders who fulfill the biblical qualifications can be difficult.

Thabiti Anyabwile writes from his expertise as a pastor and elder, showing how to identify and reproduce legitimate leaders and willing servants throughout the ranks of the local church. Balancing thoughtful analysis of pertinent passages with thorough application for practical use in a contemporary context, Anyabwile answers the questions, “Who should we look for to lead and serve in the church?” and “What should they do to fulfill their calling?”

Product Details

BN ID:	2940159995889
Publisher:	One Audiobooks
Publication date:	03/30/2023
Series:	9Marks
Edition description:	Unabridged

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

CHOOSING YOUR WAITER: AN INTRODUCTION TO DEACONS

* * *

I frequent restaurants fairly often. It's where a good deal of one-on-one discipleship happens. I meet with men from the church to discuss the Scripture, our lives, and good Christian books. Aside from the joy of sharing a meal together, having a good waiter helps make these visits fruitful. When waiters enjoy their task as table servers, when they are eager to serve, when they are available but not intrusive, then the experience is quite enjoyable.

The downside, of course, is that restaurant patrons generally don't get to choose their waiters. We arrive, are seated by a host or hostess, and then wait for whichever waiter has been assigned to our zone. We may find ourselves served by a wonderful waiter. But we may not. The server may not know the menu very well, could be experiencing a bad day, might have poor skills, or may be arriving from another table where he or she was treated badly. In secular speak, getting a good waiter is "the luck of the draw." You might not have realized it, but there is at least one aspect of life in the local church that is like eating a meal in a restaurant. The local church, too, has table servers. We call them "deacons." The joy, peace, unity, and fruitfulness of the local church depends in part on having a cadre of faithful table servants who are present when needed, eager to serve without being intrusive.

The next several chapters focus on finding deacons in the local church — faithful table servers who give themselves to caring for the needs of the body. In the last decade or two, more and more churches have adopted the biblical model of eldership, which means the deacon role has either been redefined or neglected. But deacons are an indispensable part of serving the body of Christ and of multiplying the church's ministry.

We see this quite clearly in Acts 6, where the apostles charge the church in Jerusalem to find several men full of the Spirit and wisdom. The word deacons is not used in this passage, but the passage seems to point in this direction.

The opportunity: Acts 6:1 points out that "the disciples were increasing in number." It was a time of spiritual prosperity in the conversion of souls and enrollment in the school of Christ. The Word of God was advanced and produced much fruit.

The threat: Inside the church, however, the Greek or Greek-speaking Jews lodged a complaint against the Hebraic or Hebrew-speaking Jews. The former group didn't believe food was distributed equally among their widows. Nor did this unequal distribution appear to randomly occur. It looked as if the widows were being treated differently because they were either Greeks or Hebrews. It seemed that cultural or ethnic prejudice was threatening the unity of the church and the physical well-being of some members.

The solution: so the apostles did two things. First, they determined to prioritize their own ministry of the Word and prayer, over caring for physical needs. Second, they instructed the church to choose seven men to "serve tables" — to deacon (v. 2). In doing so, the apostles made provision for both the ministry of the Word and the ministry of the widows.

To modern sensibilities, "serving tables" sometimes connotes a low-level, demeaning position. A person waits tables when he or she is working through college, or passing time until a career takes off. people regard it as a necessary sacrifice to make ends meet.

But how different it is in the Lord's church! The apostles under the inspiration of God's Spirit appear to have created an entirely new office in the church for the specific purpose of serving tables. And the loftiness of the office is seen in (a) the character of the individuals required to fill it ("full of the Spirit and of wisdom" v. 3), (b) the fact that it facilitates the ministry of Word and prayer, and (c) the unifying and strengthening effect it has on the whole church. The deaconate is important!

Are there widows in our churches who are not well cared for? perhaps we need to consider our work with deacons. Are there inequities in the distribution of benevolence resources in the church? Sounds like a job for deacons.

Are there cultural tensions and threats to unity in the church? Do we wish to see a more diverse church integrated in Christian life? The position of deacon was established to promote harmony across cultural and language lines.

Is the church threatened by a possible split? Deacons were the early church's "shock absorbers." They absorbed complaints and concerns, resolved them in godliness, and so preserved the unity and witness of the saints.

When Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus were commissioned for the deaconate, "the word of God spread" and "the number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith" (Acts 6:7 NIV). Who among us would not like to see the Word spread, the number of disciples rapidly increase, and large numbers of people become obedient to the faith? An effective deacon ministry facilitated this in the early church since it freed the deacons of the Word — the apostles — to do their work. With this hope in mind, I pray the Lord would guide us in our consideration of deacons and how to find them.

CHAPTER 2

FULL OF THE SPIRIT AND WISDOM

Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.

ACTS 6:3

* * *

Because God is gracious and kind, he has allowed me to serve in pastoral ministry as an elder and senior pastor for several years now. The longer the Lord allows me to serve in pastoral ministry, the deeper he impresses upon me the importance of praying for faithful men to serve as deacons in the church.

At a recent members' meeting, the congregation celebrated the ministry of a brother ending his term as our deacon of personnel. At the time, our deacon headed the country's largest telecom corporation. He was a very busy man. Yet person after person remembered him for his humility, spiritual focus, eagerness to serve, and wisdom.

The congregation's thanksgiving reminded me of the Spirit-given wisdom and insight of the apostles in Acts 6. The apostles instructed the young and rapidly growing church in Jerusalem to "pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom" (v. 3). Our deacon of personnel certainly met those qualifications, and all churches need such men.

When looking for deacons, churches must look for men full of the Spirit. The office is a spiritual office. Its discharge is a spiritual work, even if your church organizes deacons around specific practical tasks. The church and the gospel receive no advantage from our appointing those who are not full of the Spirit. Deacons are to be men known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.

QUESTIONS AND OBSERVATIONS

1) Does the prospective deacon have a reputation for being filled with the Spirit and wisdom?

The apostles recommended men who were known for these characteristics. They did not recommend taking chances on people of unproven character. Deacons must be people who are controlled by God's Spirit rather than their own flesh or sinful nature. Moreover, the office requires people who live in the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 1:7). Deacons should be people who know how to live by God's precepts, and apply them to life's situations. That is the essence of wisdom. So ask, does the prospective deacon have the reputation of keeping in step with God's Spirit and living wisely before the Lord?

2) Does the person put the ministry of the Word and prayer above the practical needs of the church?

The primary purpose for which the apostles appointed deacons was to make sure the ministry of the Word was not neglected. Therefore, you want to make sure that the potential deacon understands his role as an opportunity to free up the ministry of the Word and prayer, not to compete with it. Does he recognize the facilitating aspect of his role, or is he an advocate for more attention to this or that practical need? Martyn Lloyd-Jones, commenting on Acts 6:3, noted three ways in which the deacon must recognize the priority of spiritual matters and the ministry of the Word:

It is wrong to put "serving tables" before the preaching of the Word of God because it is always wrong to put man before God. That, in a nutshell, is the real trouble with the world. Man is at the center; man is everything....

So it is wrong to put man before God, and, second, in exactly the same way, it is wrong to put the body before the soul. In other words, we are not only wrong about God, we are wrong about man. What is man? According to the modern theory, man is only body, and so you must attend to everything to do with the body; give it plenty of food, plenty of drink, clothing, shelter, medical care, plenty of sex. Oh, the tragedy that humanity should think it is complimenting itself and exalting itself by turning its back upon God to concentrate on physical needs. And this is what this Word of God encounters, what it denounces....

Finally, is it not the height of folly and indeed the greatest tragedy to put time before eternity? The feeding of the body only belongs to time. A day is coming in the life of all of us when we will not be interested in food, and when food will not be able to help us at all; we will be beyond that.

A solid deacon prioritizes God over man, the soul over the body, and eternity over time even while he attends to the important practical and bodily needs of people.

3) Is he a servant?

Though our culture thinks of table service as demeaning and lowly, we Christians should not miss the fact that such lowliness and willingness to serve reflects Christ's life and humility. He came to serve, not to be served, and to give his life as a ransom (Mark 10:45). He made himself of no reputation, humbled himself, and took on the form of a bondservant (Phil. 2:3–8). Does the potential deacon see service as a necessary part of following Christ? Is he happy to accept menial tasks and duties that lack glamor? Or, does he want applause and recognition and attention for "his" ministries?

4) Does he evidence the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22 — 23)?

You want to ask whether the virtues of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are evident in how someone serves and in his general conduct. Deacons attend to any number of thorny frustrations and problems in the local church. So, they need to be people full of grace, able to address issues with the Spirit's power and qualities. They should be able to "keep in step with the Spirit" and "not become conceited, provoking and envying" others (Gal. 5:25 — 26 NIV). Potential deacons should not stir up strife but settle it. So ask, is the person a talebearer or is he able to keep appropriate confidences? Does he know how to end murmuring and complaining? Do others feel genuinely loved and gently treated when interacting with him?

5) Does he demonstrate Spirit-inspired wisdom?

Not only must a deacon resolve problems, but he also must be able to anticipate problems so that the unavoidable bumps along the way do not completely derail the church in its mission. To do this well, a person needs wisdom. Is the potential deacon known for his discernment, insight, and sound judgment when interacting with people? Is he known for wisdom when addressing problems? Is he slow to speak, quick to listen, and slow to become angry (James 1:19 — 20)? Does he consider the ideas of others, or is he committed to his own thoughts more than others' (Phil. 2:3)? Does he show wisdom in not only arriving at decisions but also in implementing and helping others to understand the decision?

CONCLUSION

One cannot overestimate the importance of Spirit-filled persons serving in the office of deacon. If the apostles themselves — men with unique calling and gifts — saw the crucial importance of having Spirit-filled Christians serve in this way, how much more do we need such partners in the gospel? Learning to identify and pray for such people strengthens our local congregations.

CHAPTER 3

SINCERE

Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.

1 TIMOTHY 3:8

* * *

Having narrowly escaped Vanity Fair, John Bunyan's hero, Christian, in Pilgrim's Progress falls into the company of a certain Mr. By-ends from the town of Fairspeech. Christian questions By-ends about the town and By-ends assures Christian that Fairspeech includes wealthy and noble people. He mentions a list of his relatives residing in Fairspeech:

Almost the whole town. In particular, My Lord Turn-about, my Lord Timeserver, my Lord Fairspeech, from whose ancestors that town first took its name; also Mr. Smoothman, Mr. Facing-both-ways and Mr. Anything. And the parson of our parish, Mr. Two-tongues, was my mother's own brother by her father's side. And, to tell you the truth, I have become a gentleman of good quality, yet my great-grandfather was only a waterman, looking one way and rowing another. And I got most of my estate by the same occupation.

The gentry of Bunyan's fictional Fairspeech all suffer from the plague of insincere speech.

DEACONS AND SINCERITY

How would you like to live in a town with a parson deservedly known as "Mr. Two-tongues"? However well respected such persons may be among people sharing in their habit of flattery and half-truths, Bunyan's Mr. Two-tongues would never be a suitable candidate for the office of deacon.

Why?

Not only should deacons be men full of the Holy Spirit, but it follows that they should also be "dignified" or "sincere" (NIV). Deacons must not be "double-tongued" or "twofaced" or "indulging in double talk." They must mean what they say and say what they mean. They must avoid the sin of flattery and speak the truth in love.

people may be double-tongued in two ways. They may say one thing to one person and another thing to someone else. Or, they may say one thing but do another. In either case, forked tongues make such people unreliable and unqualified for serving as deacons. A deacon's "yes" must be yes, and his "no" no (2 Cor. 1:17–18).

Sincerity reflects the character of Christ. Our Lord never spoke with guile. He did not shade the truth or mislead others. He did not flatter. He was sincere in all his dealings with men, from revealing their desperate need because of sin, and addressing self-righteousness, to holding out the promise of eternal life. In all his dealings he was pure. Likewise, he calls his servants to be sincere (1 Thess. 2:5) and to put away flattering lips (Ps. 12:2–3; Prov. 26:28). False teachers and divisive persons employ flattery (Rom. 16:18; Jude 16) — but not the servants of Christ.

Have you ever had the experience of talking with someone about something important but then after leaving the conversation feeling unsure that you spoke with a "good faith partner"? How did it leave you feeling afterwards? perhaps a bit unsettled, if not anxious. When we think someone has been insincere in their interaction with us, it erodes our trust.

God intends deacons to be people who solve problems, sometimes by involving themselves in intimate matters of a person's life. Not surprisingly, then, sincerity in a deacon goes a long way in helping to calm distress and resolve issues. Even if the resolution is not what one would hope for, people receive immense help if they have been dealt with sincerely and lovingly. "The word of a deacon ought to be one of the strongest guarantees in the church. people both inside and outside the church must be able to take deacons at their words."

QUESTIONS AND OBSERVATIONS

1) Does the potential deacon have a reputation for keeping his word?

Does he follow through on his commitments? The deacon should have a track record for completing assignments and tasks in keeping with his word. So ask, is the prospective deacon's word his bond?

2) Does the potential deacon speak consistently to different parties?

You want to have some measure of confidence that what the person says in one setting is what he will say in other settings. Deacons must be people who successfully fight against the fear of man. After all, deacons will be sent into troublesome situations, so they cannot be vulnerable to the faces of men or to the pressure sometimes felt in tense or uncertain circumstances.

3) Does the deacon speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15)?

It is one thing to say the same thing consistently. But that will not be helpful if what is consistently said harms others or fails to edify them. "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear" (Eph. 4:29). The deacon should clothe all of his speech in the greatest of all virtues: love (1 Cor. 13:13; Col. 3:14).

(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "Finding Faithful Elders and Deacons"
by .
Copyright © 2012 Thabiti M. Anyabwile.
Excerpted by permission of Good News Publishers.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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