What is the role of the seven deacons?

Automatic Transcript Generated:

Speaker 1

And yeah. Wendy, are we ready to start with our first question?

Speaker 2

Let’s do it. Let’s get our first question up. All right, so Mary is asking what is the function of the seven deacon?

Speaker 1

I’m going to guess you’re meaning the seven deacons mentioned in the Book of Acts, chapter six. This is kind of mentioned in just the first six we’re verses of this chapter. So I’ll go ahead and read that really quick. And in verse five, it kind of mentions who these special deacons were. And so if you go with me to the Book of Acts, chapter six, just to get some context, it says now, in those days this is talking about the early church. Soon after, Jesus had gone back to heaven and Jesus had given his disciples a great commission and the word was going out. Thousands of people were being baptized and coming into the church. And so it got to the point that the twelve apostles, they might have needed some help at this point. And so starting in Acts chapter six, verses one through six, it says, now in those days when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenis they were a group of Greeks because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. 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.

Speaker 1

It says, Therefore, brethren, seek out among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business, but we will give ourselves continually to prayer into the ministry of the Word. So basically, we see here that the twelve apostles, they had a lot going on as far as doing evangelism and ministry. And there came up this concern in the church where there were widows that had needs in the church. And they were like, as much as it is a worthy cause to support these women, they also had a very important job to do, which was to spread the Gospel. And they said, well, why don’t we get seven people, seven men who can kind of help with the affairs of the church basically? And that’s what the deacon’s service was for. And so if you keep reading in verse five it says, and the saying please the whole multitude. And they chose Steven, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit. And then these six other men, philip, Procoras, Niconor, Timon, Parminus, nicholas, the prostitutet from Antia, Antioch, whom they set before the apostles. And when they had prayed, they lay its hands on them.

Speaker 1

And so these were seven holy men of God appointed for this special service of being a deacon in the church. And so basically the purpose of the seven deacons, again, was to take care of the affairs of the church. Now, if you’ve ever been in a church you know that things come up, it’s like, who’s going to take the offering? Who’s going to make sure things are clean, make sure the bathrooms are upkept? There’s so many things, and let’s make sure our members are taken care of. There might be people who have needs in our church. And so as much as we are one body of Christ, as the Bible says the same thing, it doesn’t matter what you do for the Lord as long as God has called you to that service. And so for some people, it’s to preach. That’s the purpose of some people in the church. But that doesn’t mean that’s the only thing you can do to be active in church ministry. There’s many other positions, many of the roles that you can take in God’s service and one great role is to be a deacon, or even a deaconist.

Speaker 1

I’ve been a deaconist for, I don’t know, 20 plus years, where it’s just helping out with the affairs of the church, whether it’s just making sure there’s potluck or food ministry going on or if there’s members that need visiting, if there’s just tasks around the church that need to happen, that’s what a deacon is for. And so it’s a really good service. And it was a very wise decision for the apostles to appoint these seven deacons over the affairs of the church. Now, in your church, you might have more than seven you might have less than seven deacons or deaconesses. There’s not really a set number that there needs to be. It’s just based on the need of that church. So I just pray that if God has called you to this ministry that you would pray for me. Consider it because it is a very worthy cause to take care of the needs of your local church. And that’s a very important role you.

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In His Service
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