Identity: Elders as soul carers; Deacons as problem solvers.
In Acts 20:17-38, Paul gives a tearful farewell to the Elders from the church in Ephesus, instructing them to watch out for themselves and the flock that God has placed in their care. He cautions them against the dangerous false teachers who will inevitably come. This foundational story describes for us the original, essential identity of Elders as soul carers.
In Acts 6, the church in Jerusalem is experiencing a culture clash, resulting in some of their members, namely, Greek widows, being neglected in the distribution of food. The apostles call for servants (AKA Deacons) to be appointed to handle the problem. This foundational story describes for us the original, essential identity of Deacons as problem solvers.
Existence: Elders as discerned and appointed by fellow leaders; Deacons as chosen by the congregation and appointed by the leaders.
In Titus 1:5, Paul instructs his emissary, Titus, to appoint Elders. This foundational story describes for us the original existence of Elders as those discerned and appointed by fellow leaders.
In Acts 6, the apostles instruct the congregation in Jerusalem to select twelve persons from among themselves whose lives were marked by wisdom from the Spirit and who had gained the respect of the congregation. This foundational story describes for us the original existence of Deacons as those chosen by the congregation and appointed by the leaders.
Purpose: Elders as those who practice focused service for the church; Deacons as those who practice general service with the church.
In Acts 6, the apostles instruct the congregation to select and appoint Deacons so that the apostles (elders) could maintain focus on the ministry of the Word and prayer. This foundational story describes for us the original purpose of Elders as those having focused service for the church.
In Acts 6, the congregation selects and the leaders appoint Deacons to solve an issue that had come up in the church. This foundational story describes for us the original purpose of Deacons as those having general service with the church.
Question to Consider: How can these original identities, existences, and purposes help us form a biblical governance structure that equips our churches to glorify God in today’s cultures?
First and foremost, both elders and deacons should be appointed based on Godly character outlined in the Pastoral Epistles. Only when we get Godly people in the offices will the church be healthy and effective to those they minister to. The elders need to govern in a way that allows them to focus on feeding, leading, equipping, and protecting their flock by trusting the deacons enough to delegate the worldly tasks that need to be handled. Deacons need to serve to help the flock by being competent in the areas they serve in.
The church needs to realize that each member is a minister on their assigned mission field. The elders and deacons are there to help lead and support them to be effective in their tasks. They need to trust the appointed leaders and simplify the structures to allow more people to do ministry and less time doing worldly tasks.