EMAIL QUESTION: “Our deacons seem to believe they are in charge and question our elders authority — thinking the elders only oversee the spiritual side of ministry and the deacons oversee everything else. The elders and staff would like to get rid of the deacons board and go to ministry teams that would report to the minister and elders quarterly. What are your thoughts on elders’ and deacons’ roles in the church?”
ANSWER: The situation described above is quite common in Christian Churches. The Bible calls the elders to oversee the church and direct the affairs of the church but there is no such directive for the office of deacon. Since the word deacon means servant and since the first deacons seem to be the seven chosen in Acts 6, the role of deacon apparently was to serve the church in such a way that the elders would be able (like the Apostles) to give their attention to the ministry of the Word of God and prayer.
When churches have a board of elders and deacons who vote as one body on issues the leadership of the elders is diluted and sometimes undermined. Where this is a long-standing tradition the minister and elders need to be patient and wise in introducing changes. It’s often been said that we overestimate what can be done in a year and underestimate what can be done in five years. I would suggest a long-range program of careful, patient instruction and the appointment of a capable committee to make recommendations about future leadership development. That development should include a plan that all elders and deacons would periodically roll off the “board” and be eligible for reinstatement after a year’s sabbatical. After studying the Scripture the committee should also come to the conclusion that over a period of time the deacons would have distinctive assignments and no longer meet with the elders. The new deacons will understand that and hopefully the older ones will not rebel because it’s not being implemented immediately. Hope this helps a little.
– Bob
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