Biblical Foundations for the Role of Deacon
Old Testament Background
What is meant by the “poor” in the Old Testament?
The Old Testament uses a variety of words for the English word “poor.” Understanding the breadth of the word helps us to avoid defining what is meant by “poor” too narrowly. There are 3 basic categories of people described:
The Materially Poor (Deut 15:4-5) | Those who lacked basic necessities to exist. Those who were destitute, vulnerable, and without hope unless they received help from others.
The Powerless (Ex 23:3, Ps 82:3, Is 10:2) | Those who had a sharp reduction in prosperity or social status, sometimes resulting from physical or psychological impairment. Also victims of disaster.
The Afflicted and Oppressed (Prov 31:9, Is 3:14) | Those who were being intimidated and exploited by the rich
Who is the focus of care and mercy in the Old Testament?
Of particular note, the Old Testament has a concern for the following situations:
The Landless Poor (Ex 23:11, Lev 19:10) | Those who are particularly powerless and vulnerable to the wealthy. They did not own their own land and were therefore overly dependent on land owners for their livelihood. God’s law protects these people by requiring prompt daily payment of wages, interest free loans, a 7-year remission of debt, and a 50th year Jubilee return of land to original owners.
Widows and Orphans (Deut 14, 16, 26) | A sudden loss put this population in a particularly vulnerable position in society. There are many places in scripture that demand their priority in care (Is 1, Jer 7, Ez 22, etc.).
The Sojourner (Ex 12:38, Num 11:4) | Having moved from a different land, this group of people had to give up their status, relationships, and support structures which left them particularly vulnerable. God calls Israel to care for the sojourner, regardless of their religious status.
Principles for care and mercy in the Old Testament
What are some principles we can derive from this?
God’s law shows systematic legal protection of all those who are vulnerable when typical care systems break down.
God’s intention for this systematic care was to demonstrate his love and caring nature to the surrounding nations through the work of his people.
The motive for care of the poor and oppressed comes from God freeing us from poverty and oppression (as he did in delivering Israel out of Egypt, and delivering us spiritually through the work of Christ).
There is a particular emphasis on restoring. For those who lost basic life necessities (food, shelter, clothing), those necessities should be restored. For those who lost family support structures and relationships, those should be restored or replaced by the collective of God’s people. For those who lost land, or resources to care for themselves, or who lost freedom by the debt they incurred, they should be restored to a place of dignity and self-sufficiency.
That emphasis on restoring and liberating people from bondage is for the purpose of setting people free to serve the Lord their God according to his will.
Finding freedom to serve the Lord
Some are not “free” to serve the Lord because poverty, powerlessness, and oppression prevent them from living freely enough to love God and love others
Others are not free to serve the Lord because they are serving themselves, serving money, desiring more material goods, etc. and they are enslaved to material wealth (you cannot serve both God and money, Matt 6:24)
Therefore, liberation for some looks like being provided with material goods and relief, while liberation for others looks like the giving up of material goods and finances. The collection of offerings was central in this process of receiving and redistributing tithes for the poor.
Stepping in when support systems fail
Because the world is not as it should be, typical support systems and structures break down for some more than others. For example, the Old Testament puts a heavy emphasis on family support networks (Lev 25). Not only does conflict degrade relationships, but death too can break this system (as with widows and orphans).
Society too should be governed by laws that maintain justice for all, and uphold the rights for all. But that system too often falls short in its calling.
Due to the nature of our fallen world, broken by sin, these systems will fall short. God’s people were called to pay particular attention to those who fall victim to these failures. And even, to step in and support the restoration of those broken societal systems.
Emphasis on maintaining dignity
Many of the provisions for poverty in the Old Testament ensure the dignity of those being helped. Land is returned to them so they can provide for themselves. Debt is forgiven so they can begin to build their own wealth and contribute to the economy. Even in extreme cases, food is provided for the poor through the hard work of harvesting or gleaning the fields. They could take out loans and were protected from long term financial dependency. It was important to maintain and restore the dignity of those made in the image of God as they were cared for.
Failure of Israel points toward the need for the office
Interestingly there was no office in the Old Testament equivalent to the Deacon even though the service and care of the poor was so central to Israel’s calling in the Old Testament. And in spite of prophets' admonitions, this continues through the history of Israel.
This reveals that the office of deacon is much needed! Deacons are those who deeply understand God's heart and motives for his care of the poor. Those who can model and spur others on to the work of caring for the poor and vulnerable. Those committed to restoring the dignity and freedom of others so they can serve God. Those who are on the lookout for those most affected by the breakdown of families and society.
New Testament Teaching
The New Testament contains few verses that detail the role and calling of the deacon. We see in Phil 1:1 that Paul addresses both the elders and deacons of the church, and in 1 Tim 3, Paul outlines the qualifications for both elders and deacons. But most of what we assign to the office of deacon is inferred from other passages on our call to serve one another as we follow Christ. While these callings are for all believers, the call to model service and spur others on to service falls to the deacon.
The word “diakoneo,” from which we get the term deacon, is often associated with serving, assisting, waiting tables, meeting immediate needs, encouraging and caring for someone.
Jesus on Service
One thing Jesus makes clear is that our service to the poor does not merit righteousness before God. He comes in and gives a clear message to the Pharisee’s on how their legalistic interpretation of the law does not get at the heart of why God calls us to serve (Matt 23) but we should have a natural desire to serve others in light of the grace and mercy God has provided us.
Jesus models service. In his own words Jesus says he “did not come to be served but to serve” (Matt 20:38). His humility in washing the feet of his disciples models for us the heart we should have in coming to service.
In his ministry he comforted the poor (Matt 5:3), he healed the sick (Luke 7:21), he reached out to the marginalized and despised (Matt 21:21). He called the burdened to find rest in him (Matt 11:28). In order to truly be considered followers of Christ, we would follow him in the way he served others.
Jesus made it clear that a summary of the Old Testament was “to love God and love your neighbor” (Matt 22:36-40) and explains even our enemies are our neighbor (good Samaritan, Luke 10).
Those who feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, visit the sick, those will be the ones known by Christ (Matt 25). Others should see that love and know we are Christ’s followers through those actions (John 13:35).
And Jesus calls those who have material wealth to recognize that all we own is from God and that we must consider ourselves stewards of his wealth, using it for his purposes and glory (as explained in the parable of talents, Matt 25). Stating “where your treasure is, there your heart will be” (Matt 6:21, 24) indicating that the use of our funds shows who we are serving. Even calling the rich young ruler to sell all he has to give to the needy, demonstrating his heart is not ready to serve God with his resources (Luke 12:33).
Deacons help followers of Christ answer these calls to service by modeling it, and encouraging others to live it out in their own lives.
Acts 6
While Acts 6 never says those being appointed over food distribution are “deacons”, throughout church history people have closely associated their role and calling to that of the office of deacon.
Three issues were of concern:
The widows were being neglected, a serious violation of all the OT principles to care for those who were particularly vulnerable and in need.
The neglect was happening to a particular ethnic group, violating the new nature of the church, that all were welcome to the body of Christ, and walls of hostility that society put up were to be torn down in the church.
And the overall purpose for appointing men to this task? They were appointed so the elders of the church did not give up the preaching of the Word of God (Acts 6:2).
Jesus confirmed man does not live by bread alone but by the word of God (Matt 4:4). This means the role of the deacon is to provide for the material needs of the church, ensure the welcoming of those normally overlooked, and provide for those needs in order to draw others to God through his word.
Current Practices: Typical functions of the modern Diaconate
Based on the principles above, the average church sees the need for the Diaconate to serve the following roles:
Mobilize the church to participate in Mercy Ministry in our community (Mobilizing to care for the particular areas of brokenness of our community, ministering to those affected by that brokenness, with particular emphasis on the orphan, widow, poor, and refugee). Helps respond to unforeseen crises (crisis in the life of a church member, but also responding to and organizing a response to a crisis that affects the entire community.)
Offer a church benevolence program. Offering material aid to both those internal and external to the church. (The overall goal is to free the material to poor from burdens that prevent them from serving and worshiping God. Restoring wholeness, and bringing fuller renewal to their lives)
Increase the generosity and service within the church body (Freeing people from serving themselves and money so they can serve and worship God the way he calls them to, as stewards of their time and money, includes helping the congregation discern and employ their spiritual gifts). Not just financially but oversees other various acts of service to help the needy in the congregation (often delegating helpful tasks/errands).
Oversee of financial policies and development of an annual church budget (including creating and maintaining systems to take in and distribute gifts from the congregation)
Minister to those who are in need, to the sick, to the friendless, and to any who may be in distress. (Ensuring any demographic that could be overlooked is included and finds belonging [ethnic minority, single parents, deployed spouses, socio-economic status, single, divorced, disabled, elderly etc.], includes maintaining a referral system for connect those in need with help, visitation and care of the sick)
Often involved in the oversight of church property and oversees the execution of the aspects of Sunday Worship that allows the elders of the church to focus on the preaching of the word.
