LEADERSHIP: ELDERS & DEACONS

INTRODUCTION

At The Parish Church, we are Jesus ruled, elder-led, deacon served, and congregationally accountable. Jesus is the
head of our church, as He is the head of every church. As such, He and He alone gets the responsibility of charting the
course for all that we do. Through His revealed Word in Scripture, we have our marching orders, given by the King of
kings. All that we do must flow from that authority and follow the guidance of His Holy Spirit.

In His wisdom, God has given us a role in leading His church. We believe that the fundamental responsibility, under
God, for maintaining all aspects of our public worship belongs to the congregation. It is to the gathered body of
believers that God gives the awesome and weighty role of sharing in His ordinances, unpacking the truths of His
Scriptures, and spreading His gospel to the ends of the earth.

As with any gathered body of people, the church must be led. Those who lead the local church derive their authority
both from Jesus Christ (who alone governs His church) and from the congregation (which holds deacons and elders
accountable for their actions). The congregation entrusts its leaders with the responsibility of pursuing the mission of
Christ in the spirit of Christ. In turn, the leaders honor the congregation by stewarding that leadership trust with
faithful integrity. If either side of this relationship wavers, the church falls into an unhealthy place.

In accordance with the practice of the New Testament, the Parish Church recognizes two distinct offices within the
local church—deacon and elder.

Position Paper: Elders & Deacons

The Gospel Story

SO, LET’S START AT THE BEGINNING WITH THE GOSPEL.

Before creation, God existed in perfection as Trinity. Through an act of freedom, God made creation to share Himself
and to be glorified through what He had made. God made a masterpiece called man. God made man in His image
and God gave man authority over creation. God made man to rule creation, under His supreme reign.

But a rebellion ensued.

Man rejected God’s authority over him. The harmony between God, man, and creation was broken. Where a
relationship of harmony and trust existed, relational discord became the new norm. When looking at “the Fall,” there
are three primary relationships that have been disrupted:

There is now theological discord between God and man.

Where there was once trust and obedience, there is now enmity and insubordination between God and man.

There is now social discord between man and man.

Where there was once harmony and unity, there is now strife and division between people.

There is now physical discord between man and creation.

Where there was once provision and enjoyment, there is now need and toil between man and nature.

Position Paper: Elders & Deacons

As a result of our rebellion, three needs exist for man — theological, social, and physical.

Fast-forwarding in redemptive history, Christ reestablished His kingship by ushering in the kingdom of God on earth
through His perfect life, His atoning death, and His glorious resurrection. Though God has already brought restoration
to man in part, He has not yet brought complete restoration, as He will on the day He returns.

When we consider how God is working now, in the “already” time of the kingdom on earth, we see in Scripture that
He is now working to restore His kingdom, and to meet the needs of fallen man by Christ through the church.

Jesus is the second Adam, the right representative of God’s reign and rule over creation. He lived a perfect life and
paid an infinite price for the sins of men, bringing many sons to glory. Upon His resurrection, God gave Christ power
and dominion over every earthly power, and made Him head over the church. Paul described Christ’s authority and
power in his letter to the Ephesians:

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I
do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having
the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what
are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the im-measurable greatness of his
power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when
he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule
and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also
in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the
church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

(Ephesians 1:15-23)

The church then, as Christ’s body on earth, is re-sponsible for the administration of God’s grace to the needs of fallen
man. Paul elaborated on this principle in his letter to the Colossians:

Position Paper: Elders & Deacons

 24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's
afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the
stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery
hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how
great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present
everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

(Colossians 1:24-29)

The people of God “fill up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions” by suffering like Him to point people to the atoning
death of Christ on the cross. This cross is the place where God makes a way for reconciliation. This death becomes for
us God’s seal and promise to finish His mission to redeem and restore creation. Enduring the cross was Jesus’ mission
on earth. The point of Paul’s teaching is that Christ has dubbed the church to be His physical presence on earth in His
stead. The church, therefore, endures physical suffering to deliver the gospel while Christ is in glory (Acts 7:55-56).

Church Leadership in the Gospel Story

THE CHURCH TOOK SHAPE UNDER THE HEADSHIP OF CALLED,

FAITHFUL, AND QUALIFIED LEADERS.

Luke’s account of the early church in Acts shows the origins of the church’s leadership model:

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.”

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 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.

(Acts 6:1-6)

In an instance when strife was rising up in the church because of a need, Christ’s apostles, the Christ-appointed elder
leaders of the church in Jerusalem, stood up and guided the church to select qualified leaders from among them to
meet that need. The elders, men who are primarily responsible for the ministry of the Word of God and prayer
(addressing the theological need we referenced earlier), appoint another group of men to handle a different kind of
ministry.

Though the church could have responded with a temporary task force to meet the needs of the people, they
thoughtfully and prayerfully were led to initiate a new role in the church leadership.

As a result of God’s leading, the church was provided with called, qualified, and faithful servants to meet the
social and physical needs of the church. At the same time, God upheld the priority of called, qualified, and faithful
elders to continue meeting the theological needs of the church.

We want to point out that though there is a distinction in the roles, roles do not give individuals license to ignore any
aspect of Christian life and practice. People in either role (Elder and Deacon) must, as faithful Christians, remain
responsible for tasks in which the other office specializes. Deacons must still obey God in rightly sharing God’s Word
whenever God opens the door, just as elders must meet physical needs as they walk through life.

Still, the two roles are God’s wisdom expressed in organizing the church to meet all three needs of fallen man
(theological, social, and physical). What the roles free leaders to do is focus on what they are primarily called to do.

Elders can study and pray at peace, because they know the sick are being cared for.

Deacons likewise can serve at peace, because they know the elders are studying the Word of God and praying.

Position Paper: Elders & Deacons

While we see God’s wisdom in the way He has pro-vided the church with leadership, we can also see folly when it is
ignored. In many churches across this globe, the Word of God is being neglected be-cause elders have been required
to be at every event, every mission trip, and every service opportunity. Sadly, in these churches they haven’t been held
accountable to study the Word of God and pray. Other churches err on the opposite side. Every leader is seen through
the lens of Bible teacher. In these churches, the Word is taught regularly, but there is no leadership available to meet
the social or physical needs of the people. These churches are, unfortunately, often seen as uncaring even as they
preach the gospel of our compassionate God.

When we look closely at churches, many tend to err to one extreme or the other. Both extremes miss God’s heart,
however, because God’s aim is to meet all three needs of fallen man — theological, social, and physical. To keep us
from error, God gave us two kinds of leaders, elders and deacons.

An important lesson worth noting is that God’s church leadership model is not divorced from His mission. The church
leadership is not the maintenance crew for a ship being steered by the wind. Under the power of the Spirit, church
leaders are agents of the church’s direction, progress, and display of God’s great gospel message.

Two Kinds of Leaders: Elders & Deacons

HAVING ESTABLISHED the position of God’s leaders in His eternal plan of redemption, we’ll spend some time
expanding on the specific tasks elders and deacons undertake as shepherds and servants of the church.

The church’s responsibility is to declare and demonstrate the rule and reign of God to the world.

As a general rule…

• ELDERS LEAD IN DECLARING.

• DEACONS LEAD IN DEMONSTRATING.

Though as Christians, the people in either role are not absolved from participating in the work of the other, they are
called by God to focus on the work of their role.

Position Paper: Elders & Deacons

ELDERS
THE ROLE OF ELDERS

The elders of God’s flock are presented in Scripture as those who lead God’s people by declaring the rule and reign of
God, primarily by leading his people in the Word. By declaring the character and work of God, elders lead the
community to submit to God’s reign and rule as revealed in His Word. They lead as under-shepherds, guiding people
to obey, not them, but the chief Shepherd. Leading people to submit to God’s Word is the primary work to meet the
theological need of fallen man.

In Scripture, elders are also called pastors or overseers. While some people draw distinctions between these three
roles, the terms are used interchangeably throughout the Bible (cf. Acts 20; 1 Peter 5). Rather than representing three
distinct offices of the church, the triplicate terms reflect three features that all elders should share in common.

They are expected to be mature in the faith (elder); they are expected to shepherd the flock of God’s people (the
Greek word for pastor means “shepherd”); and they are given special responsibility to watch over the doctrine and
practice of the church (overseer). In short, elders are concerned with the spiritual needs and leadership of the church.

The qualifications for the office of elder are given primarily in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:6-9, and 1 Peter 5:1-5. As the most
robust of these passages, Paul’s instructions to Timothy are worth quoting in full:

This saying is trustworthy: “If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble work.” An overseer, therefore,
must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, sensible, respectable, hospitable, able to
teach, not an excessive drinker, not a bully but gentle, not quarrelsome, not greedy. He must manage his own
household competently and have his children under control with all dignity. (If anyone does not know how to
manage his own household, how will he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a new convert, or he
might become conceited and incur the same condemnation as the devil. Furthermore, he must have a good
reputation among outsiders, so that he does not fall into disgrace and the devil’s trap. (1 Timothy 3:1-7)

In this passage, as in Titus 1 and 1 Peter 5, elders are expected to exhibit exemplary spiritual, moral, and social
character. Like deacons, elders live sincere, generous, faithful, self-controlled lives. They are students of Scripture,
holding to sound theology. Their family lives prove that they apply the truth of Scripture in all areas of their lives.

Position Paper: Elders & Deacons

The expectations for elders differ from those of deacons in a one critical way. Whereas deacons are not identified by
any specific talent, elders are described as men who are “able to teach” (1 Timothy 3:2). Paul does little to elaborate
what he means by this phrase, but the picture of elders throughout the New Testament helps to complement the
idea. Elders, as the leaders of God’s people, bear a special responsibility to preach the Word and protect the church
from false teaching. (More on this in the next section.)

The Bible presents an overwhelmingly clear answer to the question of the number of elders. When one looks at the
verses containing the words elder, overseer, and pastor, a consistent pattern of plurality emerges. Luke, Paul, James,
and Peter all refer to the office of elder in the church, with each assuming a plurality of elders per congregation (Acts
14:23, 20:17; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 4:14, 5:17; Titus 1:5; James 5:14; 1 Peter 5:1-5). At The Parish Church, strictly from a
pragmatic standpoint, we would hardly be tempted to limit eldership to one person. But our decision to have
multiple elders stems fundamentally from biblical convictions, not pragmatic concerns.

Elders at The Parish undergo rigorous scrutiny based on the scriptural requirements listed above. They go through a
process designed to assess whether they meet the moral demands of Scripture, whether they have a passion to
shepherd God’s people, whether they are leading in generosity and service, whether they have the ability to teach,
and whether they agree wholeheartedly with the Parish’s theology. Those who do not meet the biblical standards do
not step into the role.

We believe that the biblical depiction of elders precludes women from serving as elders. Scripture provides no
examples of women who served the church in this capacity, and the consensus from church history corroborates this
perspective. More pointedly, the Apostle Paul forbids women from teaching with elder-like authority or exercising
spiritual authority over men in the church (1 Timothy 2:12), two of the key functions that make up the elder’s role.
Women should be exercising all of the same spiritual gifts as men, including teaching and preaching. In fact, we need
more women stepping up to do so! But in our efforts to promote more women in leadership, we seek to draw the
same lines that Scripture does.

ELDERS: WHAT THEY DO

Scripture calls elders to lead the church (1 Timothy 5:17; Titus 1:7; 1 Peter 5:1-2), teach the Word (1 Timothy 3:2; 2 Tim. 4:2;
Titus 1:9), protect the church from false teaching (Acts 20:17, 28-31; Titus 1:9) pray for the sick (James 5:14), and use
proper judgment in theological and doctrinal matters (Acts 15).

Position Paper: Elders & Deacons

While many people in the church will play a part in many of these functions, elders are uniquely called to lead in these
ways. Every member of the church bears the responsibility to care about doctrinal purity, to teach others the Word of
God, and to pray for others. Elders simply perform these functions with the authority (and weighty responsibility) of
the church.

They are expected to lead primarily by example, calling others to follow them as they follow Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).
Only secondarily are they expected to lead others by using their influence in order to shape the direction of the
church.

Elders at The Parish are expected to devote themselves to prayer and the Word (Acts 6:4, 20:28). No elder can lead the
congregation toward a deeper relationship with Christ unless he is following this path himself. Elders call others along
to follow them as they dive deeper into the gospel, both through prayer and Bible study.

Elders at The Parish are fully-engaged members. They are generous with their money, giving their first and best to the
mission of the church. They are generous with their time, volunteering to serve, whether on a weekend team or
through some other service outlet. They attend and lead during key Parish events, like prayer nights, missional
communities, City Renewal, Leadership Pipeline, and other important events.

Elders at The Parish shepherd their congregation. This includes, but is not limited to, overseeing communion and
baptism, leading components of the worship service, teaching discipleship courses (like Discover or The Connect
Class), coaching missional community leaders, and responding to crises.

Elders at The Parish lead. The congregation has given them the responsibility to guide them, teach them, and
challenge them to pursue Christ more faithfully and more fruitfully. When not given instruction on how to carry out
the mission of the church, elders have the freedom to be innovative and charge forward. But elders stand under
authority. They know that they both subject to the leadership of Christ as well as accountable to the church at large.

As it is the unique responsibility of the elders to steward their leadership with integrity, it is the unique responsibility
of the congregation to submit to the leadership of the church. This does not imply mindless compliance: If members
of the congregation believe that the leadership has deviated from our church’s mission or the clear testimony of
Scripture, we encourage members to speak out according to the process outlined in our bylaws. But unless they
perceive the leadership to be violating integrity and ignoring the counsel of Scripture, congregation members should
allow the elders to exercise the jurisdiction of leadership that God has given them.

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ELDERS: DIRECTION & SHEPHERDING

The elder team is made up of staff members and lay members.

Lay elders on the elder team serve in four-year terms, with one elder rotating off each year. According to our bylaws,
each lay elder can serve two consecutive terms, for a total of eight years. New lay elders are appointed by the existing
elders and announced to the congregation to allow them to speak into their approval. For a period of at least 30 days,
the elders hear from any congregation member who has cause to believe that a lay elder candidate is unqualified. If
no such disqualifications arise during these 30 days, the candidate becomes a lay elder.

Staff elders on the elder team are appointed by the lead pastor, in consultation with the rest of the elder team. Unlike
lay elders, there is no limitation in our bylaws regarding how long a staff elder may serve on the team. However, staff
elders frequently rotate off the elder board to allow a variety of people to serve in that capacity.

The elder team regularly meets once a month for four to five hours. Occasionally, the team will have specially called
meetings or handle matters via email. In addition to the responsibilities laid on elders by Scripture (mentioned above),
our elders (1) offer wise counsel, (2) put on the brakes by saying no, and (3) help in times of crisis.

1. Wise Counsel. The larger the Parish gets, the more we delegate key responsibilities to paid staff. We
consider this appropriate stewardship of the resources and the flock God has entrusted to us, especially since
some of our paid staff also function as elders. However, as our church staff increases, we want to ensure that
our elders are still exercising their biblical authority. When making key decisions that affect the entire church,
the elders offer a perspective that the paid staff can often miss, being so deeply immersed in the everyday
grind of ministry.

2. Brakes. The elder team provides an extra layer of accountability for the Lead Pastor and the staff. Should
anything go amiss with the staff of the church, the elders have the authority to immediately apply the brakes.
They do not micromanage the staff’s expenses or programming decisions, since they desire to empower our
staff to lead according to their giftings. But they are given an open book for everything that we do as a
church, and are encouraged to step in at any time, if they see something unwise or patently sinful arise.

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 3. Crisis Team in Waiting. The Parish needs a group of godly and wise people who have both the experience
and the wisdom to work through the tough calls, sharp disagreements, and dicey issues that come with any
major crisis. The nature of these crises varies. Some of the most common are tragedies in the lives of our
members, public media needs, and instances of church discipline. By the time these urgent needs arise, it’s
too late to assemble a response team. The elder team is prepared to act as just such an urgent crisis team,
handling situations as they arise or delegating them to the appropriate ministry leaders.

While the elders exercise authority in our church, they do so under the accountability of the congregation. Thus, the
entire congregation is given a direct responsibility to vote on certain matters (such as the purchase of property, the
approval of our annual budget, or changing our bylaws). The congregation is also given the right to call any decision
of the elder team into question—according to the process outlined in our bylaws.

The Parish Church elders assist the pastors and staff as they shepherd the people of that church, equipping the saints
there for the ministry. Their primary role is executing the spiritual mission of the Parish. As mentioned above, these
elders are chosen according to the biblical standards set out in Scripture and are interviewed by other elders to assess
these qualifications.

The elders are frequently consulted, are encouraged to assist the staff, and (most importantly) are given the power to
execute the vision of the church. Thus, for instance, if an instance of church discipline arises, elders will generally be
the ones meeting with the member, counseling him, presenting him to the church, and determining whether his
membership should be revoked—but all of this activity comes under the authority of our Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

ELDERS: ADVANTAGES OF HAVING A PLURALITY OF ELDERS?

The Bible teaches a leadership consisting of a plurality of elders (bishops/overseers) along with a group of deacons
who serve the church. But it is not contrary to this plurality of elders to have one of the elders serving in the major
“pastoral” role. God calls some as “pastor/teachers” (even as He called some to be missionaries in Acts 13) and gives
them as gifts to the church (Ephesians 4:11). Thus, a church may have many elders, but not all elders are called to
serve in the vocational pastoral role. Below, you will find some of the advantages to having a plurality of Elders.

1. Biblical Accountability. Godly fellow elders are a great means for holding the pastor accountable to live,
teach, and lead faithfully. In addition, sharing authority among a number of men can keep one man from
wrongly lording over the congregation.

Position Paper: Elders & Deacons

 2. Wisdom. There is more wisdom to be found in a multitude of counselors (Prov. 11:14; 24:6).

3. Balance. No one man has all the gifts that are necessary to build up the church. Having a plurality of elders
serves the church by bringing men with different gifts into the church’s leadership who can complement the
pastor’s strengths.

4. Burden Sharing. Caring for the whole church is a burden God does not intend one man to bear alone. Even
the most faithful, gifted pastor needs help from other godly men in order to pay careful attention to himself
and to all the flock (Acts 20:28).

5. Set an Example for the Church. Having a plurality of elders demonstrates that the work of ministry is not
reserved for a select few. Rather, it provides an example of maturity for every man, particularly when some of
the elders are men who work ordinary jobs and are not paid by the church.

DEACONS
THE ROLE OF DEACONS

The deacons of God’s church are presented in Scripture as those who lead God’s people by demonstrating the rule
and reign of God, primarily by serving the body. They lead as servants, guiding people to obey and to treasure King
Jesus. Living out the Word of God is the primary work to meet the social and physical needs of fallen man. Going back
to Acts 6, the tasks of deacons can’t be narrowed as far as the elders. What can be said in sum is that the role of
deacons is to do whatever service is required to demonstrate the kingdom, while freeing the elders to do the work of
shepherding and ruling. Finally, they lead others to demonstrate God’s kingdom to others.

The word “deacon,” (diakonos in Greek) simply means “servant.” Deacons are the servants of our church, men and
women (cf. Romans 16:1) who are qualified for the ministry of caring for God’s people. They handle many of the details
of the church, allowing elders to focus on shepherding and teaching the church. Their role is to work closely with the
elders as they both build the body of Christ up into all maturity.

At The Parish Church, deacons are selected by the elders. The elders determine if a person is suitable for this position.
There is no limit to the number of deacons we may have at The Parish Church.

Position Paper: Elders & Deacons

While the book of Acts lacks the word “deacon,” many scholars believe that Acts shows the appointing of the early
church’s first deacons. In Acts 6, seven men are chosen to assist the local church in its ministry to widows.

Apparently the spiritual and physical needs of the church in Jerusalem had grown too expansive for the elders to
manage on their own. The elders, wanting to remain faithful to their appointed ministry of prayer and the Word,
appointed godly men to fill the need of the hour.

The men in Acts 6 are described as being “of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom” (Acts 6:3 CSB). Later, the
Apostle Paul would offer a more expansive list of requirements for deacons. In his letter to Timothy, Paul writes,

Deacons, likewise, should be worthy of respect, not hypocritical, not drinking a lot of wine, not greedy for
money, holding the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. They must also be tested first; if they prove
blameless, then they can serve as deacons. Wives, too, must be worthy of respect, not slanderers, self-
controlled, faithful in everything. Deacons are to be husbands of one wife, managing their children and their
own households competently. (1 Timothy 3:8-12)

Nearly all of the qualifications Paul offers revolve around moral character. A deacon is to be respected, sincere,
generous, faithful, and self-controlled. Additionally, they must be students of the Bible, holding to sound theology. Of
course, these qualities are not unique to deacons, but are expectations for all believers.

The responsibility of the deacon is not fundamentally different than that of the average Christian. As followers of
Christ, we are all called to emulate the spirit of servanthood that he embodied during his time on earth. Deacons lead
the way in this spirit of servanthood, which is why we often refer to them as “servant leaders.”

A discerning reader may recognize that the list of qualifications for a deacon looks remarkably similar to the list of
qualifications for an elder. Indeed, while deacons and elders function in distinct roles, very little separates them in
terms of their moral expectations. Those who minister to the local church, whether as leaders (elders) or as servants
(deacons), must be those who allow Jesus to take lordship over every aspect of their lives. As the Scottish pastor
Robert Murray M’Cheyne once said, “The greatest need of my people is my personal holiness.” The greatest need of
the people of The Parish Church is the personal holiness of its deacons and elders.

Conspicuously absent from Paul’s list is any consideration of specific talents. This is not because deacons lack such
talents, nor because they are expected to do only the most menial work. Rather, by focusing on character, Paul opens
the door for men and women with all spiritual gifts to serve the church.

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At The Parish Church, we believe that the role of deacon is biblically encouraged for both men and women. We
recognize that this question is parsed differently in various Christian traditions. Much of this difference arises from the
fact that the biblical evidence is admittedly scant (on either side), and in most cases deals with descriptive rather than
prescriptive details.

For instance, Paul mentions a woman named Phoebe as a “diakonon of the church” (Romans 16:1), which can be
translated either “servant” or “deacon.” Phoebe may have been a deacon of the church in Rome, fulfilling the office
we are describing here. But she also may simply have been a house servant that Paul knew. The context of Romans 16
is too vague to make any determinative conclusions from this passage alone.

Despite the small amount of biblical material, however, the evidence indicates that the role of deacon is not restricted
to a single gender. Women were integral to Jesus’ ministry from the beginning, and were key players in the early
church—all in the context of a society in which women would generally have had no voice or influence at all. We
believe that women can (and should) serve as deacons without subverting biblical fidelity or undermining an
appropriate complementarian view of men and women.

Much of the resistance to women as deacons, we have found, comes from situations in which deacons are not
functioning as they should. Many churches have “deacons” who function as a board of directors, telling the pastor
how he should be running the church. Situations like this, though common, do violence to the role of deacons, often
preventing churches from pursuing a healthy, elder-led structure.

DEACONS: WHAT THEY DO

Deacons have been referred to as the table servants or waiters of the church. They are concerned with the practical
details of church life, including administration, maintenance, and the care of church members with physical needs.

As Acts 6 demonstrates, the first deacons served the church by distributing food to widows. While this specific
application may arise in churches today, the responsibilities of a contemporary deacon vary according to the needs of
the local church.

From the qualifications, we can infer that deacons will generally be handling church money, managing church
systems, meeting mercy needs, and interacting with some of the most intimate details of people’s lives.

At The Parish Church, our deacons serve in a variety of areas. They make hospital visits to members who are sick or
injured. They distribute meals to families in times of difficulty. They respond to a variety of other “benevolence” needs
within the church—advocating for the needy and assisting them (when appropriate) financially on behalf of the
church.

Position Paper: Elders & Deacons

Our deacons also serve through the weekend worship service. They collect, count, and transport the weekly offering.
They prepare and distribute the bread and cup for communion. They handle logistical details related to baptism. They
serve on one of our many ministry teams at the church—students, kids, production, First Impressions, prayer, etc.

Beyond these areas, deacons serve the church in a myriad of other ways. Some recruit and manage volunteers. Some
lead the way in local outreach. Some advocate for international missions, either by leading trips or partnering with our
missionaries overseas. Others create systems that make it easier for us to shepherd our people well.

In short, if the church has a need, chances are you will find deacons in the thick of things, serving the church by
meeting that need.

WOMEN AS DEACONS
The Parish Church is a church striving to restore a biblical form of church government. As such, we are restoring the
biblical role of elders, and we are restoring the biblical role of deacons. We are taking our lead from Scripture and are
committed to practicing church leadership the way God commanded.

In doing so, we obey God in appointing a plurality of men to eldership. Furthermore, we are committed to appointing
qualified men and women to the diaconate. Although our ultimate authority on the issue of leadership is the
Scripture, we follow in the example of great churches and leaders. With respect to our view on deacons, we are in
agreement with John Piper of Bethlehem Baptist in Minneapolis and Tim Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian in New
York. We are thankful for their work on this issue.

Deacons are vital servants in the life of any biblical, gospel-centered, missional church. They aren’t grunt workers; they
are mobilizers and servants in the advancement of the gospel ministry, like we see in the prototype of Acts 6.

And at The Parish Church, we see a valid interpretation for the diaconate ministry to be open to women who meet
the qualifications given by Paul in 1 Timothy 3:8–11.

Deacons, likewise, should be worthy of respect, not hypocritical, not drinking a lot of wine, not greedy for
money, holding the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. They must also be tested first; if they prove
blameless, then they can serve as deacons. Wives, too, must be worthy of respect, not slanderers, self-
controlled, faithful in everything. Deacons are to be husbands of one wife, managing their children and their
own households competently. (1 Timothy 3:8-12)

Position Paper: Elders & Deacons

A SURVEY OF THE QUALIFICATIONS
Let’s begin with the qualifications that Paul lists in verses 8–10, as he addresses the men.

Dignified. They are worthy of respect. People respect them, and would respect them as a leader. They are worthy of
being imitated.

Not Double-tongued. This means they are not a gossip or slanderer. More pointedly, they don’t talk like Satan—they
don’t have a snake-like tongue. They aren’t two-faced and insincere.

Not addicted to much wine. Paul is basically saying, “They have control with alcohol.” Greek literally means, “They
pay attention to their wine.” Not drunkards.

Not greedy for dishonest gain. They aren’t always looking for a quick buck, not looking for cash no matter the cost.
And they aren’t involved in get-rich quick silliness. This is especially important for deacons who serve with the
church’s finances and benevolence ministry.

Hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. They hold to the pure gospel. They aren’t required to be able
to teach, like the elders (v.2), but they must clearly hold to the gospel, and walk in accordance with that gospel of
grace. They are still doctrinal people.

Tested. Observed, assessed, and trained by the elders—and then approved for installation. This means that there’s an
actual process to becoming a deacon.

WOMEN DEACONS?
Now, let’s get to the reason you are reading this section. Is Paul talking about the wives of deacons or women
deacons when the text says, “their wives,” in 1 Tim. 3:11?

A quick reading of 1 Timothy 3, comparing the elder and deacon qualifications two things jump out.

1. Deacons don’t have to be able to teach.

2. It looks like Paul is giving qualifications for deacon’s wives and not elder’s wives. That’s odd.

Position Paper: Elders & Deacons

Now, the phrase, “their wives” is not the most helpful rendering of the Greek. If you have an ESV Bible, footnote
number four shows that this phrase could, and we think, should be rendered, “Women likewise”. The CSB has it as,
“Wives,” with a footnote saying, “The women.” The Greek word translated “wives” in the text, is simply “women”.
Additionally, the word “their” is not even there.

The Greek literally reads, “Women, likewise,” or, “The women”. The translators made an interpretive decision with,
“Their wives likewise,” and like a faithful translation should, they provided the alternative translation possibilities.

So if Paul isn’t addressing the wives of deacons, Paul is giving qualifications for women deacons—and that makes a
lot more sense. Why would deacon’s wives need qualifications and not elder’s wives, when elders are the overseers of
the church?

Look at the qualification structure of 1 Tim. 3 The repeated likewise is important to the flow of the text. Paul is
establishing two groups, male and female deacons, who will serve the church in similar ways, with similar character.

The qualifications parallel each other. He is applying the qualifications, not to deacon’s wives, but to female deacons.

Position Paper: Elders & Deacons

You could look at Paul’s section on deacons and summarize the teaching as:

• Male deacons addressed (1 Tim. 3:8–10)

• Female deacons addressed (1 Tim 3:11)

• Male deacons addressed (1 Tim. 3:12)

• Male and Female deacons addressed (1 Tim. 3:13)

What about when Paul says that deacons must be the husband of one wife?

A few things are at play here. First, the Greek word for deacon can be masculine or feminine. Paul uses the plain word
for women to address the women, and the normal word for deacon to address the male deacons — so it wouldn’t be
confusing. Additionally, it is seen through church history that women deacons tended to be older widows. But these
principles for women deacons should still be considered, but not mandated since it isn’t in God’s Word.

But we ought to apply the principle. Women deacons, they must be faithful to their husbands — they must be one-
husband kind of ladies, who manage their tasks in the household well. The Proverbs 31 Woman’s character and
actions don’t fly out the window in the diaconate. They matter. They are for the purpose of godliness and for glorious
service in the life of the local church.

We think that Paul is teaching about women deacons, and that the Bible has the office of deacon open for women.
We want to show you other places in the Bible where it seems to be the case, and throughout Church History.

PHOEBE: DEACON OR SERVANT?

Paul writes at the end of Romans:

“I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in
the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a
patron of many and of myself as well.”

(Romans 16:1–2 ESV)

Phoebe is called a servant, the same Greek word used for deacon in 1 Tim. 3 and Philippians 1:1.

Position Paper: Elders & Deacons

The ESV text has a footnote on the word “servant” — it could say deaconess, or really deacon, since the Greek word
can be masculine or feminine. But it would make sense to say deaconess since the context reveals Paul is writing
about Phoebe, a woman. But that alone doesn’t mean she is a deacon.

Paul could just be calling her a servant, but the context does seem to say that she is a deaconess. Why? Because Paul
mentions a specific church, “of the church at Cenchreae.” That structure, when used in the rest of New Testament is
noting a specific person in an official office.

Dr. Svigel, at Dallas Theological Seminary, says:

First, Paul describes Phoebe as a ‘diakonos of the church at Cenchreae,’ specifying her function as diakonos to that
specific church. This may seem insignificant until we realize that whenever the Greek phrase “________ of the church”
is used in the New Testament and the earliest Christian literature (where “________” is a personal designation or title),
the personal designation refers to an office, not just a generic function (Acts 20:17; Eph. 5:23; Jas. 5:14; Rev. 2:1, 8, 12, 18;
3:1, 7, 14; Ignatius, Trallians 2.3; Philadelphians 5.1; Polycarp 1.1; Shepherd of Hermas, Vision 2.2.6; 2.4.3; 3.9.7; Martyrdom
of Polycarp 16.2; 19.2). Therefore, if Phoebe is merely a “helpful assistant” of the church at Cenchreae in Romans 16:1,
this is the only time the construction is used this way in the earliest Christian literature.”

Phoebe is great deacon, an official servant from the Church at Cenchreae.

Now, this is all of the Biblical evidence for women deacons. I don’t think the exegetical waters are muddy. I think it is
more than safe to say there is room for women to be deacons. However, this is all of the New Testament’s cards on
this matter.

So, what is the best way to resolve this matter?

A few things must be said. We don’t think this is an issue of division or argument. This isn’t an essential doctrine.
Having women deacons, or not, doesn’t compromise the integrity of local church like having women pastors/elders
does. “According to Paul, women can serve as deacons because a diaconal ministry is supportive and does not involve
teaching or exercising authority over men.

The office of elder or overseer is restricted to men, for qualifications for pastoral ministry include being able to teach
and to lead (1 Tim. 3:2; 5:17; Titus 1:9) — the very two activities prohibited for women, according to 1 Tim. 2:12.” [2] Now,
of course women aren’t prohibited to teach (Titus 2:3–5). What Paul means in 1 Tim. 2:12, which Schreiner references,
is that women are not to be the teaching authority (preaching to the church), or the leadership authority
(governing/overseeing) in the local church, which is reserved for the pastors.

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The teaching of the New Testament is limited on deacons and one could take it either way. Great scholars and pastors
land on both sides of this discussion. Dr. Russell Moore doesn’t think women should be deacons. While, Dr. Tom
Schreiner of Southern Seminary thinks they can.

He says:

It is also quite likely that women served as deacons in the early church. The NRSV reflects this view in
identifying Phoebe as “a deacon of the church at Cenchreae” (Rom. 16:1 NRSV). The reference to a particular
church after the term “deacon” suggests that an office is in view… Whether women are identified as deacons
in 1 Tim. 3:11 is disputed, but there are a number of reasons to answer in the affirmative.

• First, the word “likewise” suggests that Paul continues to speak of deacons.

• Second, the qualifications listed are remarkably similar to what is required for male deacons (1 Tim. 3:8).

• Third, a reference to wives is improbable, for then Paul would be addressing the wives of deacons and saying
nothing about the wives of elders, which is quite unlikely because elders had greater responsibility than deacons.

• Fourth, it is evident from an early period in church history that there were female deacons.

There is much room for charitable disagreement and co-laboring for the Kingdom on this matter.

SO WHAT HELPED THE PARISH ARRIVE AT OUR CONCLUSION?

When we are uncertain what the Bible teaches, not because of the Bible, but because of us — we should consider
Church History. Historical Theology shows us what the Body of Christ before us has done. This practice may not
always lead us in the right direction, but it may help us see more clearly. We should always hold exegesis and texts in
our hands, and Church History as a voice in the background. The historical evidence here is overwhelming.

CHURCH HISTORY
In A.D. 111 Pliny, Governor of Bithynia, reported questioning, under torture, two women who called themselves
deaconesses concerning Christian rites. He arrested them as Christians, they said they were deaconesses, and he
tortured them. So right at the end of the Apostolic Period, there are deaconesses in the church. These are churches
that were planted by the Apostles and those were disciples by the Apostles.

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EARLY CHURCH
We find evidence of deaconess in the second, third, and fourth centuries.

Here is a quote from the third century from the Constitutions of the Holy Apostles, a guidebook written for church
plants, based on the teaching of the apostles.

“Let the deacons be in all things unspotted, as the bishop himself is to be, only more active; in number
according to the largeness of the Church, that they may minister to the infirm as workmen that are not
ashamed. And let the deaconess be diligent in taking care of the women; but both of them ready to carry
messages, to travel about, to minister, and to serve…Let everyone therefore know his proper place, and
discharge it diligently with one consent, with one mind, as knowing the reward of their ministration.”

And again:

“Ordain also a deaconess who is faithful and holy, for the ministrations towards women. For sometimes he
cannot send a deacon, who is a man, to the women, on account of unbelievers. Thou shalt therefore send a
woman, a deaconess, on account of the imaginations of the bad. For we stand in need of a woman, a
deaconess, for many necessities; and first in the baptism of women…”

Here we have those who were discipled by the Apostles, installing women deacons in local church. They even wrote a
prayer for the installation of women deacons:

O Eternal God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator of man and of woman, who didst replenish
with the Spirit Miriam, and Deborah, and Anna, and Huldah; who didst not disdain that Thy only begotten
Son should be born of a woman; who also in the tabernacle of the testimony, and in the temple, didst ordain
women to be keepers of Thy holy gates,—do Thou now also look down upon this Thy servant, who is to be
ordained to the office of a deaconess, and grant her Thy Holy Spirit, and “cleanse her from all filthiness of
flesh and spirit,” that she may worthily discharge the work which is committed to her to Thy glory, and the
praise of Thy Christ, with whom glory and adoration be to Thee and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.”

Greg Allison, professor of Historical Theology at Southern Seminary, in his book, Historical Theology, writes about a
generous deaconess at the church in Constantinople. “Olympias, a widowed deaconess of the church in
Constantinople, leveraged her immense wealth to become a generous patron of the church. She donated many of
her estates to the church, supported the ministries of such church leaders as John Chrysostom and Gregory of
Nazianzus, ransomed exiled captives, sustained a community of 250 virgins, and cared for the poor.”

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[8] And a woman named Salvina, Jerome tells us, served as a deaconess under Chrysostom’s ministry. “Salvina,
however, consecrated her life to deeds of piety, and became one of Chrysostom’s deaconesses.”

When Chrysostom preached on 1 Timothy 3, he echoes the same exegetical approach of Dr. Schreiner. Paul isn’t
talking about women in general, he’s talk about church leaders. “Some have thought that this is said of women
generally, but it is not so, for why should he introduce anything about women to interfere with his subject? He is
speaking of those who hold the rank of Deaconesses.”

SPURGEON
When we see all of this evidence, we can’t help but echo Spurgeon, who said, “Deaconesses, an office that most
certainly was recognized in the apostolic churches.” Spurgeon never gave a defense, as far as we can tell, for
women deacons; he merely stated it as if it were a known fact. “It would be a great mercy if God gave us the
privilege of having many sons who all preached the gospel, and many daughters who were all eminent in the
church as teachers, deaconesses, missionaries, and the like.”

CALVIN
He too saw women deacons in God’s Word.

“For deaconesses were appointed, not to soothe God by chantings or unintelligible murmurs, and spend
the rest of their time in idleness; but to perform a public ministry of the Church toward the poor, and to
labour with all zeal, assiduity, and diligence, in offices of charity.”

MODERN DAY – JOHN PIPER, MARK DEVER, TIM KELLER, JOHN MACARTHUR
When Piper was leading Bethlehem through clarifying church structures and changes he purposed a restructuring of
the deacons, including women deacons.

The revision aims to unite men and women in one body of deacons. We believe that God calls men to bear the
primary leadership and teaching office in the church (elders) but that he calls both men and women to a broad array
of ministries including the body of deacons elected by the congregation. In the present structure the main governing
board is a Council of Deacons distinguished from a Committee of Deaconesses. The revision would replace the
Council of Deacons with a Council of Elders, made up of men, and would create one body of deacons including both
men and women. The deaconess committee would no longer exist.

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Jonathan Leeman affirms female deacons at 9 Marks, the ministry of Mark Dever. Redeemer Presbyterian’s website
shows that Tim Keller holds to female deacons too.

And, to our surprise, John MacArthur also sees the exegetical and historical reasons for women deacons.

The office of deaconess is clearly implied. The “likewise” in verse 11 ties the qualifications of these women to those
already given for the offices of overseer and deacon. In verse 11, Paul did not refer to those women as deaconesses
because diakonos has no feminine form.

During the first few centuries of the church, the role of a woman servant (diakonos) was to care for fellow believers
who were sick, for the poor, for strangers passing through, and for the imprisoned. They also were responsible for
helping baptize and disciple new women converts and to instruct children and other women.

CLOSING – WOMEN AS DEACONS

In closing, we are never to bring creative license to the church of Jesus. He died for her. He let his flesh be ripped open
on the cross, and he rose from the dead to forgive all of our sins and to give us new life, and to call the Church to
himself. We don’t treat the church lightly. We don’t bring a new spin to Christ’s Bride and Body; we follow Christ’s
word for Christ’s Bride.

In a culture that treats women in sinful ways, it is in the Church of Jesus Christ where they can be powerful servants
for the cause of Christ. Maybe we should join our brothers from the Early Church and pray great things over and for
our women deacons.

Praise the Lord for deacons, male and female.

CONCLUSION

Whether we are elders, deacons, staff, or partners of The Parish, every one of us looks not to human authority, but to
the “Chief Shepherd” (1 Peter 5:4) who exercised his authority by laying down his life for his sheep. In his eyes, none of
us are shepherds or elders or leaders; all are sheep, desperate recipients of his grace.

This reality should instill humility and gratitude in us all. Our Chief Shepherd sends us out in his mission, distinctly
equipping each of us to fill a needed role as we take the gospel to the ends of the earth. May we be found faithful in
that mission, striving together as one flock, so that the voice of the Good Shepherd might be clearly heard—and that
those not yet in his fold might come to know the saving grace of our glorious King.

Position Paper: Elders & Deacons