|
|
div id="slide">
Biblical Offices, Definitions, and Responsibilities of Church
The Two Offices
Deacon
- Definition. Deacons serve as physical stewards of the church.
- Responsibilities. Contrary to popular thought, deacons are not
responsible for matters of spiritual oversight or for teaching. Rather,
their biblical areas of responsibility include…
- Meeting the physical needs of the church. The phrase used in
Acts 6:2 is literally translated "deaconing tables". The first
deacons were meeting physical needs by distributing food to widows.
- Managing the financial matters of the church. The distribution
of food is one aspect of allocating the resources of the church.
- Maintaining the unity of the body. The reason the Apostles had
to appoint deacons in Acts 6:1 was that there was a dispute between two
groups within the congregation. Deacons, then, carry out their service
in a way that edifies and unites the church, acting in one sense as shock
absorbers - those who absorb the criticisms and complaints of others for
the good of the body and the protection of the eldership.
- Supporting the ministry of the apostles. By serving in physical
and financial ways to unite arguing members, the deacons were also serving
to free the elders up to devote themselves to studying, teaching, and
preaching the word, as well as to spend significant time in prayer on
behalf of the congregation.
/div>
|
 |
|
