“Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money” (1 Timothy 3:8).
Having established the qualifications for overseers in the previous verses of 1 Timothy chapter three, Paul the Apostle will now turn his attention to another area of church leadership- the position of church deacon. In verses eight to thirteen, Paul will go on to identify the right kind of person for this important leadership position.
In the original language of this passage, the word “deacon” conveys the image of someone who runs an errand. It later came to refer to a person who waited upon tables. These word-pictures illustrate the primary difference between overseers and deacons. While overseers are mainly concerned with the church’s spiritual needs, deacons are tasked with the responsibility to meet the church’s practical needs.
As we go on to review the qualifications for this position, it is interesting to note that they will not include a list of job responsibilities. Instead, these qualifications are primarily character-based. In other words, they describe the right person for the job but offer no job description. While this may seem unusual, it is likely due to the fact that a deacon’s role largely involves doing whatever needs to be done within the church community.
Because of this, those who are involved in this ministry have a responsibility that is almost as important as the pastor, bishop, or overseer in certain respects. For instance, those who manage the technical functions of a church service help enable a gifted minister to effectively communicate God’s Word. Those who are responsible for building maintenance and landscaping create an environment that honors God. People who are involved in custodial services work behind the scenes to secure the comfort and convenience of others.
In some instances, the people who serve in such ministries (and others like them) are largely unknown and unrecognized by many within the church. They generally work quietly and faithfully (often during off-hours) with little recognition. Thus, the value of a deacon’s ministry may go unnoticed- that is, until they are no longer available to serve for some reason.
You see, people generally don’t notice when a church building’s sound, lighting, and environmental conditions are properly maintained. The same is true of things like building maintenance and custodial services. However, people certainly take note when those things are missing. In a similar manner, deacons are often involved in doing things that ordinarily go unnoticed- unless those things are left undone.
A pastoral minister may preach a wonderful sermon but if deacons fail in their support roles, it reflects poorly upon the church no matter how inspirational that message may be.