This article is revised from an essay first published on April 11, 2022. For a podcast discussion of the original essay, see “Recovering the Biblical Office of Deacon.”
Good Christians disagree on exactly how the church should be governed. Churches part ways on the finer points of polity. But these differences make it all the more significant that across time and in every major Christian tradition, there is universal consensus that Christ ordained at least two permanent offices in his Church: the offices of Elder and Deacon.
Most would agree that a church needs Elders (also called “Pastors”) to be healthy. Yet comparatively little attention is given to the place of Deacons. This article seeks to establish from Scripture and early church Tradition that the office of Deacon (also called the Diaconate) is worthy of greater honor and attention. It concludes with an urgent call for every local church to make a serious investment in the calling and ordination of qualified Deacons.
The Office of Deacon in Scripture
1 Timothy 3:8–13: The Office and Its Qualifications
The letters of 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus are commonly called the pastoral epistles because they were written by Paul to church leaders. They provide a wealth of teaching on how the church is to be governed. Of particular interest is 1 Timothy 3, where Paul lays down qualifications for two offices in the local church: “the office of overseer” (1 Tim 3:1), and “deacons likewise” (1 Tim. 3:8)
In verses 1–7, Paul gives the qualifications for Overseers, also called “Elders” (Titus 1:5, cf. 1:7) or “Pastors” (from poimainō in 1 Pet. 5:1–2 and Acts 20:28, cf. 20:17). Then, in verse 8, the Apostles writes,
8 Deacons [diakonos] likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons [diakonos] if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons [diakonos] each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons [diakoneō] gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
There are definite qualifications for being a Deacon. They follow the qualifications for holding “the office of overseer.” Clearly, “Deacon” is a second, clearly defined, God-ordained office in the Church. Like Elders, Deacons must have high moral character and hold fast to the faith (1 Tim. 3:9). Unlike Elders, Deacons are not required to be skillful teachers (1 Tim. 3:2; cf. Titus 1:9), indicating that their office does not consist in doctrinal teaching or theological leadership.
The word translated as “Deacon” (diakonos) is the common word for “servant.” This, along with the call to “serve” (diakoneō), indicates that the office is one of serving, helping, and assisting. Strong defines diakonos as it is used in 1 Timothy 3: “a trusted officer of helps and service in the local church” (G1249). Since Elders must have the spiritual gift of teaching (1 Cor. 12:28; Rom. 12:7), we may presume that Deacons are chosen from among those with the spiritual gifts of service, helps, or administration (Rom. 12:7; 1 Cor. 12:28).
Everything in Paul’s writing conveys the gravity of the office. Deacons are not to be ordained quickly; they are to be carefully examined (“tested first”) and “prove themselves blameless” (1 Tim. 3:10). Faithful Deacons “gain a good standing for themselves” in the church—honor and appreciation from the Elders and the congregation.
Philippians 1:1: An Ordinary and Perpetual Office
The same two offices that Paul described to Timothy, pastor of the church at Ephesus, were established at the church in Philippi:
1:1 To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
“All the saints” refers to all the members of the Philippian church. From among the members, some were ordained as “overseers” (Elders/Pastors), and others were ordained as “deacons.” This confirms that the office of Deacon is ordinary and perpetual—ought to be in every church, and ought to continue in the Church until Christ returns.
Acts 6:1–6: The Institution of the Diaconate
While 1 Timothy 3:8–13 and Philippians 1:1 assume the existence of the Diaconate, Acts 6 is generally recognized as its institution:
6:1 Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. 2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.
While the seven are not explicitly called Deacons, they are appointed to diakoneō or “serve” tables; clear qualifications are given (Acts 6:3), consistent with those in 1 Timothy 3; and they are ordained with the laying on of hands. There is an early and long tradition of viewing Acts 6 as the institution of the Diaconate. For example, Irenaeus (who knew Polycarp, a disciple of the Apostle John) identifies Stephen as the one “who was chosen the first deacon by the apostles” (AH 3.12.10), and notes, “He was one of the seven deacons who were appointed in the Acts of the Apostles.”
The early Methodist rite for “The Making and Ordaining of Deacons” begins with a prayer that alludes to Acts 6:
Almighty God, who by your divine providence has appointed various orders of ministers in your church, and inspired your apostles to choose into the order of deacons the first martyr Saint Stephen, with others; mercifully behold these your servants now called to the like office and administration; replenish them with the truth of your doctrine, and adorn them with innocency of life, that both by word and good example they may faithfully serve you in this office, to the glory of your name, and the edification of your church, through the merits of our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and with the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.
The early Deacons were extraordinary men. Stephen performed great signs and wonders (Acts 6:8) and spoke with irrefutable wisdom (Acts 6:10). When the council resisted him, they saw his face shine “like the face of an angel” (Acts 6:15). Acts 7 records Stephen’s sermon before the high priest, one of the greatest in the history of the church, which concludes with his vision of Christ in the heavenly places, and subsequent martyrdom. Many churches commemorate the first martyr (a Deacon!) by observing the Feast of Saint Stephen every year on December 26th.
Not every Deacon was expected to preach, however, and the key point in Acts 6 is that they were ordained to assist the Apostles—the church’s primary teaching officers. As the Apostles passed off the scene, their teaching responsibility was entrusted to Elders, whom they ordained over the churches. In 1 Timothy 3 and Philippians 1:1, we see that Deacons were already being named with the Elders/Overseers. The writings of the apostolic fathers confirm that Deacons were trusted assistants of the Elders. Deacons serve under the authority of the Elders/Overseers, assisting them with the practical burdens of ministry so that they can focus on doctrinal and spiritual oversight of the flock. Acts 6:7 records the result:
6:7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.
Romans 16:1: A Female Deacon (Deaconess)
In Acts 6:3, the Apostles appoint seven male deacons: Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus. But in Romans 16:1, Phoebe, a woman, is also called a diakonos. Some translations opt for “servant” (KJV; ESV; CSB; LEB; NASB), allowing the reader to decide whether or not an ordained servant (“Deacon” proper) is intended. Other translations simply say “deacon” (NIV, NLT, RSV).
ESV 16:1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant [diakonos] of the church at Cenchreae,
NIV 16:1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon [diakonos] of the church in Cenchreae.
It is unlikely that Paul would call Phoebe a generic servant of a particular church; she was almost certainly an officer of the church in Cenchreae. John Wesley notes, “A servant – The Greek word is a deaconness. Of the church in Cenchrea – In the apostolic age, some grave and pious women were appointed deaconnesses in every church. It was their office, not to teach publicly, but to visit the sick, the women in particular, and to minister to them both in their temporal and spiritual necessities.”
Further support for female Deacons may be found in 1 Timothy 3:11. While most Bible versions translate gunē as a reference to the Deacons’ “wives,” it seems odd that Paul would give qualifications for the wives of Deacons but not Elders. Perhaps Paul assumes that Timothy will also apply these qualifications to the wives of the higher office of Elder, but if Paul is simply referring to “women” (female deacons), the anomaly is resolved:
ESV 11 Their wives [gunē] likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things.
NIV 11 In the same way, the women [gunē; i.e., female deacons or deaconesses] are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.
Deacons and Christ Our Deacon
Although Elders hold more authority in the church (e.g., 1 Tim. 5:17, “the elders who rule”), authority is not what makes someone great in God’s kingdom. Jesus warned against seeking power or lording it over others, and taught that “whoever would be great among you must be your servant [diakonos]” (Mt. 20:26; cf. 23:11; Mk. 10:34; Lk. 22:26). He taught the twelve, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant [diakonos] of all” (Mk. 9:35). It is those who serve (diakoneō) his disciples when they are hungry, thirsty, estranged, naked, sick, or imprisoned that will be saved in the judgment (Mt. 25:44). Even the Apostle Paul was quick to call himself a “deacon” or “servant” (1 Cor. 3:5; 2 Cor. 6:4).
Lest anyone despise the office of Deacon, the Lord himself came as a Deacon: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve [diakoneō], and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mk. 10:45; cf. Rom. 15:8). Others sought riches and recognition; Jesus said, “I am among you as the one who serves [diakoneō]” (Lk. 22:27). Matt Smethurst puts it well: “Jesus is both King of kings and Deacon of deacons.” Elders and all Christians are called to be deacons (servants) first and foremost because we follow the Suffering Servant.
When the church ordains Deacons, we are saying, “These are model servants. They are living, breathing examples of Jesus for the whole congregation. If you want to know what real servanthood looks like, look to them, and follow their manner of life.” The office of Deacon, while subordinate, is thus supremely honorable in the church of Jesus Christ.
The Office of Deacon in Early Church Tradition
While Scripture is our primary source and final authority in matters of faith and practice, Scripture should be read in light of the consensual faith and practice of the Church, which Jesus promised to guide into all truth by his Spirit (Jn. 16:13). This section considers the place of the Diaconate in the writings of the apostolic fathers—those writing at the same time as or shortly after the apostles.
A Perpetual Office
First, early Tradition confirms that the office of Deacon is perpetual in the Church. The Didache, likely written around the turn of the second century, provides one of the earliest historical summaries of the Apostles’ teaching:
Appoint for yourselves overseers and deacons worthy of the Lord, men who are gentle and not lovers of money and truthful and well-proven, for to you they themselves also minister the ministry of the prophets and teachers. Therefore you must not disregard them, for they are your honorable ones. (15.1–2)
Clement, in his first epistle to the Corinthians (81–96 AD), identifies the ordination of overseers and deacons as a crucial purpose of Christ’s Apostles:
The apostles received the gospel for us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus the Christ was sent out from God. Therefore the Christ is from God and the apostles from Christ. Therefore both came forth in good order from the will of God. Therefore, having received the commands and being fully convinced by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and full of faith in the word of God, they went forth with the full assurance of the Holy Spirit, proclaiming the gospel, that the kingdom of God was about to come. Therefore, preaching among regions and cities, they appointed their first fruits, testing them by the Spirit to be bishops [overseers] and deacons of the future believers. And this is nothing new, for much time since then has been written about bishops [overseers] and deacons. For somewhere the scripture says as follows: “I will appoint their bishops [overseers] in righteousness and their deacons in faith.” (First Letter of Clement to the Corinthians, 42.1–5)
While Clement’s use of Isaiah 60:17 is questionable, the crucial point is that Clement viewed the office of Deacon as basic to Christ’s plan for church government, not as an incidental or temporary invention of the first-century church.
Ignatius writes of deacons as those who are “entrusted with the ministry of Jesus Christ” (Ignatius to the Magnesians, 6), and always includes them in the order of ministers:
Let everyone respect the deacons as Jesus Christ, as also the bishop is an example of the Father, and the presbyters as the council of God and as the band of apostles. Without these things a group is not recognized as a church. (Ignatius to the Trallians, 3.1; cf. 2.3; 7.2)
… whom I greet in the blood of Jesus Christ, which is eternal and abiding joy, especially if they are in unity with the bishop and with the presbyters and deacons with him, who have been appointed in the purpose of Jesus Christ, who, according to his own will, he securely established by his Holy Spirit. (Ignatius to the Philippians, Preface; cf. 4.1; 7.1)
While Ignatius differentiated Bishops from Presbyters/Elders in a way that is now rejected by many Protestants, Ignatius was in agreement with his contemporaries about the essential role of Deacons.
Assistants to the Elders
Second, early church Tradition confirms that Deacons provide practical assistance to the Elders, freeing them up to focus on their duties. For example, in his First Apology, Justin Martyr provides one of the earliest accounts of the weekly worship of the early Christians. He reports that in churches throughout the world, Deacons were responsible for passing out the bread and wine of the Eucharist and carrying away a portion to those who were absent or housebound (First Apology 65, 67).
Qualifications: Blameless Servants
Third, early Tradition confirms the church’s high moral expectations for Deacons. In his epistle to the Philippians, Polycarp echoes 1 Timothy 3:8–13 and Acts 6:3, urging Deacons to follow Christ’s example of wholehearted servanthood:
Likewise, deacons must be blameless in the presence of his righteousness, as servants of God and Christ and not of people, not slanderers, not insincere, not lovers of money, but self-controlled in all things, compassionate, careful, walking according to the truth of the Lord, who became the servant of all. (Polycarp to the Philippians, 5.2)
Ignatius likewise emphasizes that as official servants of the church, Deacons must be blameless:
And it is also necessary that those who are deacons of the mysteries of Jesus Christ please everyone in every way. For they are not deacons of food and drink but servants of the church of God. Therefore they must guard against accusation as against fire. (Ignatius to the Trallians, 2.3)
Order and Submission
Finally, early Tradition confirms that Deacons, under the oversight of Elders, are authorized to perform certain duties, and ought to be honored by the church. Like Polycarp, who wrote that Christians should be “subject to the presbyters and deacons as to God and Christ” (Polycarp to the Philippians, 5), Ignatius is best known for his emphasis on order and submission in the church: “All of you follow the bishop as Jesus Christ follows the Father, and follow the council of elders as the apostles. And have respect for the deacons as the commandment of God” (Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans, 8.1).
The Diaconate Then and Now
The office of Deacon continued into the late patristic and medieval church and was upheld by the Protestant Reformers. For example, when John Calvin discussed the primitive church and its government before the papacy, he argued that Deacons are the second order of ministers (Institutes of the Christian Religion, 4.4.1, 5). Statements on the Diaconate can be found in the confessions, catechisms, liturgical documents, and systematic theologies of every major Protestant tradition. Deacons’ duties have ranged from distributing funds to the poor, visiting the sick, and managing the church’s property, to helping with the distribution of the sacraments, reading Scripture in public worship, and catechizing the young.
Biblical and historical practice highlight several urgent issues:
- In some churches today, there are no Deacons at all. This is a historical anomaly and violates Scripture’s expectation for a permanent office of Deacon in the church.
- The title of “deacon” is sometimes loosely applied (e.g., to anyone who takes up the offering). This violates God’s command for Deacons to “be tested first” (1 Tim. 3:8–13), then formally appointed to an office—ordained with the laying on of hands, according to apostolic example (Acts 6:6; cf. 2 Thess. 2:15).
- In many churches without faithful Deacons, Pastors are exhausted by the practical/external needs of the church. Their teaching ministry suffers (e.g., they do not have much time for sermon prep or theological development), and many burn out. This is “not right” (Acts 6:2) and does incalculable damage to the health of the church, since a healthy church requires healthy pastors.
- In some contexts, Deacons have a reputation for being more of a nuisance than a help. They are known for being busybodies and gossips who seek to operate independently of the Elders’ authority. This violates the servant character of their office and Scripture’s expectation that Deacons will bless (not further burden!) the Elders/Pastors.
These problems must be remedied in the church today, starting with a more robust practice of calling and ordaining Deacons. For the health of the church, and in obedience to the head of the church, the honorable office of Deacon must be recovered.
