Wednesday, October 10, 2001
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Wednesday, October 10, 2001 |
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Role of deacons often misunderstood ... By REV JOHN HATCHER Many pastors refer to their deacons as demons. I understand. Many deacons see their role as being in charge of the blade over the pastor's jugular vein. They think it's their role to keep the pastor in line and if he gets out of line to give his neck chain a firm jerk. This concept of the role or position of deacon is so very foreign to the true New Testament proscription for deacon. My mentor in ministry, Dr. Jess Moody, would often say that the bane of the church today is the deacon heresy deacons perverting their true Biblical role. Simply put, a Biblical deacon is a servant not a supervisor. He or she is the servant of the church and senior pastor (known Biblically as bishop). The Greek word for deacon is "diakonos" and is derived from a simpler Greek word "dioko" that means to hasten, literally "to raise dust." New Testament deacons are men and women who, eager and committed, kick up dust running to meet whatever needs may present themselves in and through the church. No where can it be found where deacons "run" the pastor. Our church has two deacons and another who is a deacon-candidate. These men have given our church examples of true, humble servants. Just this past weekend, these men spent hours upon hours at the church house painting, cleaning, and setting the church house in order. Although October is Clergy Appreciation Month, I also want to recognize those many deacons who serve the church and serve as examples of genuine servanthood. Let me applaud our deacons: Robert Ivey, Michael Chancey, and Joe West. What many of us pastors discover as we seek to implement ministries is that the church has a whole lot more chiefs than Indians. More and more church members understand authentic participation as one of membership on a committee where they meet, often eat, and decide what someone else will do inevitably the pastor and staff ministers. Why is this the trend? I believe it all started with the evolution of the role of deacon. The perversion of the office is rather recent, even with the advent of corporate America with its reliance upon boards of directors. In order to give a corporation balanced wisdom and leadership, many formed boards of directors who made ultimate decisions that were implemented by the Chief Executive Officers. The CEO became a functionary of the board. It worked for corporate America. Some of the same men (you know men because until recently women were not invited to serve on corporate boards) hit upon the idea likely with some pastors' assent - that churches could benefit from a board of directors. But since it was church, they should be called a Board of Deacons. Consequently deacons became models for supervision rather than models for servanthood. Church members, therefore, got the idea that church life was about making decisions rather than rendering service. Therefore, the monthly church business meeting, often called church conference, became the focus of church life. Not visitation. Not prayer meeting. Not church workdays. But a business meeting. Some denominations have tried their very best to dislodge the misconception of deacons as dictators, mainly through unfolding programs like the Deacon Family Ministry Plan. Through such plans, deacons have been instructed that their role was one of ministry not management. I believe every church that's liberated from deacon domination will realize a whole new crop of ready and willing servants as their deacons become models of humble service and ministry in the kingdom. Remember, even our Lord Jesus Christ said that he had come to minister. And, remember, Jesus did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but rather took on the form of a servant. Jesus never took charge; he just did what the Father told him to do.
The Rev. Dr. John Hatcher is pastor of River's Edge Community Church in Fayetteville. |
