The Gift of Deacon Ministry
Acts 6:1-7
The church of our Lord Jesus Christ is not simply a charitable organization, it is a living organism. Its origin is divine. Its mission is global. Its aspiration is holiness. Its nature is love. A study of the divine blessing upon the early church in the book of Acts reveals the love and unity among the family of faith. By the time we reach Acts 6, the church has been increasing, and thousands of people have been born into the family of God. It is at this point that God gives a gift to the local church. It is the gift of the ministry of deacons.
They are not called by that name in this passage, but it is clear that this is what they were. These seven were the very first to be appointed to the church ministry that would become the office of the deacon. The word deacon means “servant”, and that is what these men were called to do. They were appointed to the task of serving. In Acts 6:1, the term “distribution” (διακονία, diakonia) is from the same root word as the term deacon. In Acts 6:2, the word “serve” is the related verb form (διακονέω, diakoneō). They functioned as “deacons” serving the church.[1]
But why were they needed?
1. The Problem (Acts 6:1-2)
They were needed because the church experienced a problem. There are no perfect churches – not this one, not the church across town, not that church you watch online. Every church has problems. Acts 6 begins with a problem that the early church faced.
1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. (Acts 6:1).
The church in Jerusalem was experiencing rapid growth. Souls were being saved, disciples were being taught, lives were being changed. But along with this explosive growth came a problem. The problem manifested in “ a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists.” The “Hebrews” were the Aramaic-speaking Jews from the area around Jerusalem and Galilee. The “Hellenists” were Greek-speaking Jews from other nations. There were Jews from both groups who had believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and became part of the church in Jerusalem.
One of the ministries of this church in Jerusalem was caring for the poor and needy “widows” who were part of the church. Many Jews who professed Christ were disowned and disinherited by their unbelieving families. There were no government agencies, welfare systems, or insurance policies to help these poor, believing widows if their families could not or would not. Through their generosity, the church distributed food to the widows daily.
The Hellenist Jews were complaining that “their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.” The Hellenistic Jews were convinced that the Hebraic Jews and the Apostles were showing favoritism to each other and that they were being slighted. Jealousy and division arose within the family of faith. Nothing divides the church more quickly or severely than complaining, grumbling, and murmuring.
The apostles recognized that this was not just a personal, cultural, or financial problem. It was a spiritual problem that put at odds two priorities: preaching the word and serving tables. Acts 6:2 says, “2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.””
Both the ministry of the word of God and the ministry of serving tables were necessary, legitimate, and significant. But they were not equal priorities. If something wasn’t done, division at the tables would hinder the declaration of the word. The apostles were not above serving tables. But their God-given responsibility was to preach and teach the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. It was harmful to the church to allow anything to distract from the proclamation of the word.
Thus, the ministry of the deacon was born out of a potential problem. It finds its instigation in service, in meeting the practical needs of the membership. Why? In order to keep the unity of the family of faith in the bond of peace. Deacons ought to be the best at that of anyone. The primary reason for the ministry of deacons is to maintain love and unity among the family of faith.
Next, we see the …
2. The Solution (Acts 6:3-6)
The twelve apostles “summoned the multitude of the disciples” (Acts 6:2) to propose a solution so that the priorities of the church would not be compromised. Acts 6:3-4 is their proposed solution:
3 “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; 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (Acts 6:3-4).
Prioritizing the ministry of the word, the needs of the congregation, and the leadership of the Spirit shaped the proposal. Their strategy was to have the members minister to one another. The members were to select seven men to oversee the daily distribution to the widows. No single individual was put in charge. The seven men were to work together for mutual support and spiritual accountability. The qualification for leading this work was godliness, not giftedness.
The members were to select men “of good reputation.” Their godly testimony was to be respected throughout the congregation. Likewise, they were to be “full of the Holy Spirit.” This is the normal Christian life. In Ephesians 5, Paul commands all of us to “be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). Worldly, carnal, or self-willed people should not lead the church. The men were also to be “full of … wisdom,” who knew how to make practical decisions in a godly manner. These were high standards. But that’s how it should be.
The congregation was to choose these men so that the apostles could give themselves “continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4). Prayer and the ministry of the word are not the pastor’s job. They’re the pastor’s life. When the deacon performs his ministry, there’s a beautiful integration with that of the pastor. The spiritual and practical needs of the members are met. It’s not just the pastor or elders that are “in the ministry”. Every member is a minister. Every member has a ministry. Every member serves the Lord and His church. We are all joined together in the body of Christ to serve the Lord by serving one another. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12,
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all. (1 Cor. 12:4-7).
Every member of the church has gifts to be used in ministry in various activities for the building up of the body of Christ.
So, Acts 6:5 tells us how the church responded to this proposal by the apostles:
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, 6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them. (Acts 6:5-6).
We see the unity of the church in the seven selected and confirmed. The most crucial detail about this list is that they are Greek, indicating they were Hellenists. The church resolved the problem by protecting the unity, not protecting their turf.
The twelve affirmed these men before the entire church. The fact that they made it through the congregation’s screening process proved they had what was needed for the task. They had a good reputation, were filled with the Spirit, and conducted themselves with wisdom. The laying on hands did not impart any special gift, unction, or ability. It simply affirmed these men in their ministries and set them apart for the purpose for which they had been chosen.
Finally, we see …
3. The Result (Acts 6:7)
Acts 6:7 is a progress report, “Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.” When the church is united in love and devotion, the word of God increases. The Lord put his stamp of approval on this church unity by moving from increasing to multiplying their number.
Conclusion
The ministry of the deacon finds its instigation in Acts 6. Every deacon should ask himself a question…“Why am I a deacon?” The very office of the deacon was born out of a problem. The deacon’s primary task is to serve and to keep the unity in the church. What should characterize the deacon? He should be a true believer of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. How should the church operate? It should function by integrating the ministry of pastors, deacons, and members. It should all be about the business of inspiring unity in the body of Christ which in turn enables the ministry of the word and prayer, which results in a multiplying of men and women coming to faith and growing in Jesus Christ.
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[1] Other evidence for these men being chosen to the “office” of deacon includes: 1) these men had to meet certain spiritual qualifications (Acts 6:3) much like the qualifications of deacons that Paul later outlines in 1 Timothy 3:8-13; 2) They were selected by the church at the direction of the apostles (Acts 6:3-5); and 3) These men were formally ordained by the laying on of hands (Acts 6:6).
