Comments on: Is a Deacon Just a Servant?

By: Great Article on Deacon Leadership « Chris Aiken

Great Article on Deacon Leadership « Chris Aiken — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:28:43 +0000

[...] hope you enjoy the article found HERE. Please read it and drop back by to share your [...]

By: Marshall Jones Jr.

Marshall Jones Jr. — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 22:56:58 +0000

I’d say servanthood is menial - that’s the point: unskilled, almost useless labor. God’s doing the work; we’re not. Apart from that, a fantastic article.

“The question is not whether deacons serve or lead. Leadership, scripturally defined, is servanthood. The question is in what way do deacons lead.” That’s such an important point for any position in the church. It’s not a matter of serving or not serving or leading or not leading. Everyone does that (or should). It’s a matter of “how”.

And your closing remark: “But ‘just a servant’? There’s no such thing.” Right on.

Marshall Jones Jr.

By: Russell D. Moore

Russell D. Moore — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:52:19 +0000

Garrett and Matt,

I do not think the Scripture permits women to be deacons. I’ll explain why in a post sometime a little later this week.

By: Russell D. Moore

Russell D. Moore — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:51:39 +0000

Ross, I do not believe that elders are lay leadership at all. I think the biblical pattern is that “elder” is synonymous with “pastor” which is synomymous with “overseer” which is synomymous with “bishop.”

That means that an elder must meet all the 1 Tim 3 requirements for pastoral ministry, including a call to the task and an “aptness to teach.”

Now many of these pastors are bivocational (or trivocational) as was the Apostle Paul, so the issue isn’t whether he is “full-time.”
Still, I think the pattern of churches calling out highly gifted “laymen” for the task of elders, without a recognition of them as bona fide pastors with a call to ministry, is an error.

By: Show and Tell: Favorite Links for Week of 9/27/09 | thejakers

Show and Tell: Favorite Links for Week of 9/27/09 | thejakers — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:43:54 +0000

[...] a Deacon just a servant? Russell Moore explore the role of a [...]

By: Deacons: Leaders or Servants? « Simul Iustus et Peccator

Deacons: Leaders or Servants? « Simul Iustus et Peccator — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:56:08 +0000

[...] 2, 2009 Craig Leave a comment Go to comments I have to admit, I hesitated a moment before I read this blog post by Russel D Moore, Dean of the School of Theology and Senior Vice-President for Academic [...]

By: Is a Deacon Just a Servant? « Biblical Paths

Is a Deacon Just a Servant? « Biblical Paths — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:03:04 +0000

[...] To read the whole article, click here. [...]

By: Gordon Batt

Gordon Batt — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:03:10 +0000

In phaze 1 of the administration of the affairs of the church at Jerusalem, the Apostles attended to all matters relating to the life of the community. It was only after the numbers of believers had increased to between 5000 -6000 that the need arose to appoint helpers in the supervision of certain fellowship programs which had been established to achieve their specific purposes and goals. Deacons, per se, were not needed until then and smaller congregations to-day could well combine the functions of Elders and Deacons, as Baptist churches have traditionally done. The biblical model of church administration shows flexibility and development. A particular practise does not establish an universal principle !

By: The Role of a Deacon | Be The Fruit

The Role of a Deacon | Be The Fruit — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:57:05 +0000

[...] wrote an excellent post earlier this week regarding the office of the deacon which can be read here. The way deacons function in churches varies widely as can bee seen in the following quote from [...]

By: Ken Davis

Ken Davis — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:19:56 +0000

“thugocracy” - beautiful. Thanks for the good post especially the magnificent addition to the lexicon. I will find a way to work it into a sermon, or better yet, a board meeting.

By: Arthur Sido

Arthur Sido — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:19:54 +0000

Interesting thoughts. I would ask if Acts 6:2 is really speaking of vocational pastors or if it is just an issue reserved for the apostles?

By: Ross Clark

Ross Clark — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:16:15 +0000

[1] Do the comments about deacons and elders having to be in control of their families, mean that deacons and elders have to be married as well as men?

[2] How does the role of the deacons fit into the role of the elders? (by which is meant: the senior lay leadership of a congregation).

By: Matt Svoboda

Matt Svoboda — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:07:44 +0000

Dr. Moore,

Great post and I am very glad to see that churches are going back to having biblically functioning deacons.

I would like to echo Garrett’s question as well. Women deacons?

By: Garrett Wishall

Garrett Wishall — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:17:25 +0000

Dr. Moore,

Do you think the Bible permits women to serve as deacons? From your article you seem to view deacons as those who have authority over others, though they don’t fill teaching roles. If no to deacons, how about assistants to the deacons (ala, Ligon Duncan’s view)?

By: the role of deacons « native pilgrim

the role of deacons « native pilgrim — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:15:57 +0000

[...] Read the whole thing. [...]

By: Ed Goodman

Ed Goodman — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:14:48 +0000

Very well said! I’ll remember this the next time I feel like I have too much to do in my service unto the Lord…I needed this encouragement. Thanks.

By: A must read regarding Deacons and their purpose…

A must read regarding Deacons and their purpose… — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:41:09 +0000

[...] Recently, or perhaps is best to say, today, Dr. Russell Moore posted an article in His blog, regarding Deacons and this question: "Is a Deacon just a Servant?" [...]