Editorial introduction: This article is the first in a new series that examines the ministry of deacons and deaconesses biblically and throughout history. Awareness of the biblical foundations and historical background of deacons and deaconesses reveals valuable insights into the purpose as well as the significance of the roles and functions of deaconesses and deacons.
The ministry of Jesus as a servant provides the foundation for a theology for the ministry of deacons and deaconesses. Jesus defined His ministry in terms of service by stating that He “came not to be ministered unto, but to minister” (Matt 20:28, KJV). The Greek words for “to be ministered unto” and “to minister” come from the root word διακονέω, which is derived from the word διάκονος (“deacon”). It means “one who renders service to another; an attendant, servant.”1 This implies that deacons and deaconesses are people whose ministry is to render service to others. They are called to follow the example of Jesus.
There are wider implications that can be drawn from the ministry of deacons and deaconesses for the church at large. Deacons and deaconesses symbolize the work of the church. Therefore, every church member is a deacon or deaconess, even though he or she may not bear the title. Jesus calls everyone who becomes a member of His church to a ministry of service.
D. Edmond Hiebert states that “in His earthly ministry Jesus Himself was the ‘Deacon’ par excellence. He set the example not only for deacons but for all believers.”2 James Monroe Barnett likens the deacon as a symbol of the church’s ministry. He says,
The origin of diaconate and its development in the first centuries reveals above all the deacon as symbol. He is the symbol par excellence of the Church’s ministry. In the deacon is seen the indelible character of service Christ put on his ministry and of servant on those who minister. He is the embodiment of the first principle of this ministry which is sent to serve.3
Therefore, it is evident that Jesus’ ministry as a servant provides the theological foundation for the ministry of deacons and deaconesses. As deacons and deaconesses follow Jesus’ example, they are to enlist the members of the church into a life of service.
The deacons of the first-century Christian church were elected based upon spiritual qualifications—an “honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom” (Acts 6:3, KJV). These qualifications enabled them to carry out their responsibilities of solving relational problems among the members, caring for the needs of the poor, and teaching the Word of God. Scriptural evidence and extrabiblical sources indicate that female deacons or deaconesses served the first-century Christian church.They ministered to the women, especially to those who were poor and sick. Deaconesses have continued to serve in various church denominations throughout the centuries.
Although very little is written about the work of deacons and deaconesses in the early history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, these officers did exist and still do. The church has always recognized and embraced the theological grounds for their ministry.
1 Harold K. Moulton, ed., The Analytical Greek Lexicon, rev. ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1978), s.v. “διάκονος.”
2 D. Edmond Hiebert, “Behind the Word ‘Deacon’: A New Testament Study,” Bibliotheca Sacra 140 (April–June 1983), 160.
3 James Monroe Barnett, The Diaconate—A Full and Equal Order: A Comprehensive and Critical Study of the Origin, Development, and Decline of the Diaconate in the Context of the Church’s Total Ministry and a Proposal for Renewal (New York: Seabury Press, 1981), 141.
Vincent E. White, Sr., DMin, is a retired pastor and author of The Twenty-First Century Deacon and Deaconess: Reflecting the Biblical Model, The Twenty-First Century Deacon and Deaconess: Reflecting the Biblical Model Workbook, and Problem Solvers and Soul Winners: A Handbook for Deacons and Deaconesses.
