“LIKEWISE MUST THE DEACONS”
“Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre, Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience, And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus” ( 1 Tim. 3:8-13).
The word “deacon” comes from the Greek word “diakonos” which means servant. Not every servant is a deacon, however, because Paul to Timothy, in the above passage, specifically set it apart as a work based on certain qualifications.
The church needs deacons. Men who are willing servants to accomplish work that needs to be done. Before listing the qualifications found in First Timothy another area must be addressed and that has to do with “willingness”. Is the brother and his family willing to do what is necessary to qualify and then to serve in that capacity? There are many men who could become deacons, but do not because they will not give up something or add something to their life to make it possible.
The first indication that a man may be qualified is his faithful attendance to the services. All the services! Most know well the passage in Hebrews, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Heb. 10:25). Be willing! Yes, I will begin to attend all the services so the church will know of my spirit of dedication.
A second indication that a man may be qualified to serve as a deacon is his support of the activities of the local congregation. When an activity takes place in the congregation that man is there to lend his encouragement. There are those who come to every activity of the church and you wish they could be appointed deacons but because they may not qualify in other areas they cannot. Yet, there are those who could qualify but do not support the activities of the church. Wait! Wait! What activities? Work days, fellowships, gospel meeting, and special training sessions. These are important and when a man attends these it shows his support of the work of the church.
Men study 1 Timothy 3:8-13 and resolve to become a deacon.
Larry