Deacons

In the same way, deacons^[a] are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. (1 Timothy 3:8)

This threatens to be a boring article. In fact, congratulations for reading the first sentence. To the uninitiated, the word deacon probably brings up either blank or stereotypically negative images perhaps gleaned from a television show or a novel which may have placed them in the legalistic old-fogey religion category. None of these are true. Deacons are the most important people in any Christian fellowship that has even a breath of life. So here we go. This is an exciting subject. 

I discovered deacons in my fifth year of pastoral ministry, already a seminary grad and into my third (yes) position as pastor. Previous tenures had been brief not because I got ousted but because I ousted myself, thinking I needed to pursue further training (I took on my first position before seminary). Anyway, my real discovery of deacons did not happen among all that further training. It was not learned at seminary, but on the job shortly thereafter.

I landed a position that was good for the ego - lead pastor of a brand new church in an urban setting. I was youthful, excited, the people were excited … and then I promptly got nervous, not quite sure what to do with all this. This congregation seemed to have been made in heaven, or at least standing at the edge of the promised land. It was begun in an environment of ultimate cooperation and oversight from a mothering congregation, and deacons were on the menu in the new organizational bylaws and constitution being worked on – our template of officers not all that different from mother church (very important when you need the mothering support😉).

I confessed my nervousness in an early meeting with the freshly appointed deacons, some anxiety that I might screw it up and it could be a bad dream for all of us! They smiled and they rallied, confessing some similar things, and just like that there was a melding. We were a team, on the same page supporting each other, and what’s more they became the experts on what was going on among the people. All we needed do was have some conversations – listening and speaking and some prayers. Deacons became the heartbeat of a caring growing loving fellowship of believers.

This morning’s devotional reading (Rejoice, Vol 58, no 1, MennoMedia, 2022) was from Acts 6, the initiation of deacons in the early church. It seems like my story. Deacons were appointed because the apostles, the preachers were not getting around to the depths of need among the people – and they did something about it! Needless to say the New Testament goes on with the many adventures of those early apostles: PauI, Peter, James and John with fellow adventurers like Barnabas and Silas and Timothy, and much reference to decisions needing to be made as the new fellowship took shape. Deacons were part of that, especially as varying gifts within that group of believers were discovered and recognized (eg 1 Cor 12; Eph 4; Rom 12). The new fellowship experienced all the challenges of people finding each other in a new way (1 Cor 14). Deacons were there, not making all the speeches, but undeniably at the heart of the new communities (see also 1 Tim 3). Not unlike the early church, I know from personal experience at that early kairos meeting, my ministry could not live without these persons.

So why does the Deacon image slip into the boring boring category? Why? I think it is because we are addicted to stimuli, entertainment, distractions. Within this environment of appetite sin can take root (James 4:17). Jesus would refer to this as wheat and tares growing together. It can easily show up among leaders, often allowing strong personalities or rank to rule so that preachers become strategic (careful) in their preaching (2 Tim 4:2-3). Deacons, very important here, may not be the first to be chosen as the speakers or spokespersons or those 'up front,' yet absolutely essential especially if the gathered group is composed of humans! 😊Deacons are needed to hang in with us – not as people pleasers but as truth seekers. “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (Jn 8:32); “you always have the poor with you” (Mk 14:7); “blessed are the poor in spirit” plus that full row of beatitudes (Matt 5:3-12). Jesus has endless encounters with the beggars, the sick, the evil-possessed. At the heart of encounters with ‘less than’ circumstances we need not only the answer man. We need the Jesus person (Jn 14:6), and the way to encounter this Jesus was with help of those around him, namely the disciples during his earthly ministry among the people, and by deacons in the early church. This becomes ever so clear for anyone who will take the time to read chapter after chapter of the New Testament epistles.

Unfortunately, this biblical truth is kind of optional these days. The dirth of deacons is especially evident in today's North American preacher-centred pop Christianity. Even churches encountering the present shortage of pastors seem to forget the biblical model for church that is administered from within rather than from without. The secular business model has become the mode operandi. So instead of calling to the best of resources within, there is a search for just the right pastor, often administered by a human resources committee!

Similarly the current trend of hiring for every task to be performed. Recently my wife and I visited an urban trendy church. Before an usher got to us, we were already met by a Pastor of something (forgot her specialty) who gifted us with a Tim Horton’s gift card! I would have preferred a plain old deacon or even a volunteer greeter. Rather than smiley associates, youth pastors, children’s pastors, outreach pastors, teaching pastors, preaching pastors, etc. I'm on lookout for those at the heart of congregational living, not necessarily the ones paid to  smile at me in the foyer. A number of years ago I visited a Catholic Church in Jamestown, North Dakota (passing through town on a Sunday morning). I found a sanctuary alive with warmth and friendliness, an atmosphere that continued throughout the service. Even the Eucharist, fully blessed by the young priest as per Roman Church requirement, was served by a group of deacons! It was a blessed occasion, blessed sacrament, blessed worship, a service this low-church Mennonite could easily relate to.

The trend in almost all churches is to digitalize. Everything appears on screen - announcements, sermon titles, Bible texts, responsive readings, pictures, etc. to the extent that the mind goes blank. These digitalized services depend on professionals or at least those with the technical know-how. Similarly, office work in these churches is taken care of by employees not necessarily in the know of congregational life. And so the message or the fellowship spirit can easily go AWOL among all the Eventbrite or Facebook happenings!

“The Medium is the Message”, said Marshall McLuhan about a half century ago, Understanding the Media (Sage Publications, 1964). Checking this out on Google, I was surprised to see my point being made precisely. Says Google, “… the form of a medium embeds itself in the message, creating a symbiotic relationship by which the medium influences how the message is perceived.” The essence of our faith can easily become stilted towards the media savvy, the pew sitters, or virtual sitters, and of course controlled by those who 'hold office.' When the meeting is dominated by screen, the essence can easily be lost. For example, This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Ps 118:24) or I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” (Ps 122:1). These are Calls to Worship, not something to be nuanced on a screen!

Deacons have and must continue to represent the divine Life within a community of believers. This is an everlasting required presence in season and out of season. They will not be enamored by latest fads, but uphold preachers and congregants alike, helping all to walk in accountability to one another and in faithfulness to the one who is Lord of all.

Boring? Not at all. Thank you for reading to the end here. 😊 Deacons are the ones, regardless of denomination, whether in high church or low church congregations, whether of systematic, historicist or new age theology. They are the ones with the biblical diakonos mandate to walk with all of us, every variety of personality and giftedness or neediness, not only to minister to those within, but also to pray for and equip all, including the preachers, to reach out with that good gift of new life in Jesus.