8 APPENDICES

Biblical Eldership

Shepherd the Flock of God Among You

Appendix 1

Baptist Church Government

Illustrated From Historic

Baptist Confessions

The purpose of this historical survey is to show that, from their earliest beginnings Baptists, have held to the view that the two ongoing church offices presented in the New Testament are elders and deacons, and that only in more modern developments has the eldership largely disappeared from Baptist churches.

A Short confession of Faith in Twenty Articles by John Smyth, 1609

Article 16

The ministers of the church are, not only bishops (episcopos), to whom the power is given of dispensing both the Word and the sacraments, but also deacons, men and widows, who attend to the affairs of the poor and sick brethren.

A Declaration of Faith of English People Remaining at Amsterdam, 1611

Article 20

That the Officers of every Church or congregation are either Elders, who by their office do especially feed the flock concerning their souls, Act_20:28, 1Pe_5:2-3, or Deacons, Men and Women, who by their office relieve the necessities of the poor and impotent brethren concerning their bodies, Act_6:1-4

Propositions and Conclusions Concerning True Christian Religion, 1612-1614

Proposition 76

That Christ hath set in His outward church two sorts of ministers: viz., some who are called pastors, teachers or elders, who administer the Word and sacraments, and others who are called Deacons, men and women: whose ministry is, to serve tables and wash the saints' feet (Act_6:2-4; Php_1:1; 1Ti_3:2-3; 1Ti_3:8; 1Ti_3:11; and chap.5).

The London Confession, 1644

Article 36

That being thus joyned, every Church has power given them from Christ for their better well-being, to choose to themselves meet persons into the office of Pastors,* Teachers,* Elders, Deacons, being qualified according to the Word, as those which Christ has appointed in his Testament, for the feeding, governing, serving, and building up of his Church, and that none other have power to impose them, either these or any other.

* "Pastors" and "Teachers" are omitted in later editions.

Second London Confession, 1677 and 1688

Article 26, paragraph 8

A particular Church gathered, and completely Organized, according to the mind of Christ, consists of Officers, and Members; And the Officers appointed by Christ to be chosen and set apart by the Church (so called and gathered) for the peculiar Administration of Ordinances, and Execution of power, or Duty which he entrusts them with, or calls them to, to be continued to the end of the World, are Bishops or Elders and Deacons.

Articles of the Baptist Bible Union of America, 1923

Article 13

We believe that a church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers . . that its officers of ordination are pastors, elders and deacons, whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures.

Statement of Faith of the Southern Baptist Convention, 1925 and 1963

Article 6

This church is an autonomous body, operating through democratic processes under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. In such a congregation members are equally responsible. Its Scriptural officers are pastors and deacons.

A Comment on Tradition

Of course our only infallible rule for faith and practice is not tradition, either old or new, but rather, is the Word of God. Nevertheless, we believe that humility and wisdom commend the careful consideration of what our fathers in the faith have taught and practiced. We are not the sole possessors of truth. And we are very prone to be blind at the very points where perhaps they saw clearly. The least we can say from this historical survey of Baptist Confessions is that it is false to say that the eldership is unbaptistic. On the contrary, the eldership is more baptistic than its absence, and its disappearance is a modern phenomenon that parallels other developments in doctrine that make its disappearance questionable at best.

Note: The story of the presence and then gradual disappearance of multiple elders from the Congregational churches of New England in the 17th and 18th century is told briefly by Iain Murray in Jonathan Edwards, A New Biography, pp. 344-6.

But in the end, the issue is whether the Bible itself teaches a form of church governance including elders and deacons as the two abiding officers of the church.

Appendix 2

Deacons

What Did Deacons Do?

The word "deacon" comes from the Greek word diakonos. It usually has the general meaning, "servant," in a broad range of contexts.

For example:

The servants at the wedding who carried the water containers.

Joh_2:5; Joh_2:9

His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."

Christ is called servant to the circumcision.

Rom_15:8

Christ became a servant to the circumcision to show God's truthfulness.

Paul calls himself a servant (=minister) of the new covenant.

2Co_3:6

God has qualified us to be ministers of a new covenant.

. . .and of the Gospel

Col_1:23

Do not shift from the hope of the Gospel. . . of which I Paul became a minister.

. .and of the church.

Col_1:24

I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister.

See also 1Co_3:5.

Tychicus is called a faithful servant in the Lord.

Eph_6:21

Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister of the Lord will tell you everything.

Timothy is called God's servant.

1Th_3:2

We sent Timothy, our brother and God's servant in the Gospel of Christ.

The disciples are told that if they would be great they must be servants.

Mat_20:26

Whoever would be great among you must be your servant.

The Greek noun that describes what a diakonos does is diakonia and has meanings just as broad.

Martha is concerned with too much serving (Luk_10:40).

The widows of the Hellenists were being overlooked in the daily distribution(Act_6:1).

But three verses later (Act_6:4) Luke refers to the task of the apostles as the ministry of the Word (see Act_1:17; Act_1:25).

The raising of money for the poor saint was called a ministry (Act_11:29; Act_12:25; Rom_15:31; 2Co_8:4; 2Co_9:1; 2Co_9:12-13).

Paul calls his own assignment from the Lord a ministry (Act_20:24; Act_21:19; Rom_11:13; 2Co_4:1; 2Co_5:18).

It is listed in the gifts between prophecy and teaching in Rom_12:7. And "various ministries" is listed between "various gifts" and "various workings" in 1Co_12:5.

The old covenant is called a ministry of death and condemnation as compared to the new covenant which is called a ministry of the Spirit (2Co_3:7-9).

Pastor/teachers are to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry (Eph_4:12).

Angels are sent for ministry to saints (Heb_1:4).

The verb form of this Greek word is diakoneo. It can also have the broad general meaning of "serve."

Jesus came to serve not be served (Mat_20:28).

Therefore he taught that a good leader is one who serves (Luk_22:26 ).

Jesus said that if anyone serves him, the Father would honor him (Joh_12:26).

Timothy and Erastus are described as those who serve Paul (Act_19:22).

But there is a strong tendency of this verb (diakoneo) to refer to the kind of serving that involves very practical acts of supplying material needs, and literally table-service.

Angels came to serve Jesus in the wilderness, that is, to tend to his needs (Mat_4:11).

Peter's mother-in-law rose from her sick bed to serve her guests (Mat_8:15).

The women who followed Jesus served out of their own pockets (Mat_27:55; Luk_8:3).

Martha served from the kitchen (Luk_10:40 Joh_12:2).

Paul's carrying money to Jerusalem is doing service (Rom_15:25; 2Co_8:19).

The serving of Onesiphorus was refreshing to Paul. It was mentioned in connection with his not being ashamed of Paul's chains. This probably implies that he visited him in prison (2Ti_1:16-18). In the same vein, Paul wants to keep Onesimus, the converted slave, with him so he can serve him in prison (Phm_1:13).

The saints of Hebrews are described as serving the saints in love (6:10), and later they are described as visiting saints in prison (10:32-34).

Speaking and serving are treated separately by Peter (1Pe_4:10-11), as though there may have been a word ministry (perhaps the teaching of elders) and a non-word-serving ministry (perhaps the service of deacons) .

Mat_25:44 may be the best summary in the New Testament of the kinds of activities done by one who "serves."

Then they also will answer, "Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not serve thee?"

Summary

The basic meaning of the diakon-word group is apparently practical, active, helping with respect to the basic necessities of life.

From Mat_25:44, we could include dire needs arising from hunger, thirst, alienation, nakedness, sickness, imprisonment. That would imply that the basic notion of "serving" in the sense of being a deacon is to help meet needs for:

food,

water,

welcome, acceptance and hospitality,

clothing,

health,

and whatever needs arise from emergencies and

unusual pressures and stress (like imprisonment).

Probably the term is applied to ministries of the Word and apostleship and Christ's own ministry to show that they are to be done humbly and in compassion and for the benefit of others. But when Jesus says in Luk_22:26 that the leader should become as one who serves (as he did!), he does not mean that there are no differences between a leader and a non-leader. He means that the lowliness that is natural for a table waiter should also characterize those in positions of leadership. So even though the highest offices (apostle, for example) are called "ministry" or "service," this does not mean that there is no office in the church with a special focus on practical and more material needs.

It appears that the deacons in 1Ti_3:8-13 and Php_1:1 were that kind of officers.

Were Women Deacons?

Probably yes. There are four observations that incline me to think that this office was held by both men and women.

1. The Greek word for deacon can be masculine or feminine in the same form. So the word itself does not settle the issue.

2. In the middle of the qualifications for deacons in 1Ti_3:8-13 Paul says, "The women likewise must be serious, no slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all things." This could be the wives of the deacons, but could also be the women deacons. The latter is suggested by the fact that no reference to women is made in 3:1-7. Since women were not candidates for the eldership in the New Testament (1Ti_2:12-13) because of its authoritative function in teaching and oversight, the absence of the reference to women in 1Ti_3:1-7 would be expected. But this confirms the probability that the reference to women in 3:11 is to women deacons, not merely to wives of deacons.

3. The deacons were distinguished from the elders in that they were not the governing body in the church nor were they charged with the duty of authoritative teaching. So the role of deacon seems not to involve anything that Paul taught in1 Timothy 2:12 (or anywhere else) which is inappropriate for women to perform in the church.

4. In Rom_16:1, Phoebe is very probably called a deacon. "I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon(ess) of the church at Cenchreae, that you may receive her in the Lord as befits the saints, and help her in whatever she may require from you, for she has been a helper of many and of myself as well."

It appears then that the role of deacon is of such a nature that nothing stands in the way of women's full participation in it. Within the deaconate itself, the way the men and women relate to each other would be guided by the sense of appropriateness, growing out of the Biblical teaching of male and female complementarity.

Qualifications of Deacons (1Ti_3:8-13)

3:8 "Deacons likewise must be serious. . ."

Serious, Earnest, Honorable (semnous)

The idea of "serious" by itself seems inadequate. This would be an unsatisfactory translation of Php_4:8 : "Think on these things . . . whatever is true, whatever is honorable. . ." "Serious" is morally neutral. But this word isn't. The person should not be flippant, but earnest about life.

3:8 ". . . not double-tongued. . ."

Genuine, Authentic (me dilogous)

"Double-tongued" implies saying one thing to be true here and another thing to be true there, according to what people would think. So it implies a lack of love for truth and a fear of human disapproval and a general instability.

3:8 ". . . not addicted to much wine. . ."

Temperate (me oino pollo prosechontas)

Prosechontas implies "to concern oneself with" or "to give attention to" or "to turn one's mind toward." So there should be a freedom from drink, and presumably from all substances that would be harmful if taken too freely.

The picture is of a person under control, not carried along 1) by the opinions of others (genuine, authentic) or 2) by his appetites (temperate) or 3) by levity (serious, honorable).

3:8 ". . . not greedy for gain. . ."

Content with simplicity (me aischrokerdeis)

This word is used in Tit_1:7 of elders and in adverb form of elders in 1Pe_5:2. It corresponds to aphilargon (not a lover of money) in 1Ti_3:3.

It seems to be a fourth dimension of freedom (see "temperate" above for the first three), freedom from the pull of money. Other motives should drive him. There should be a contentment in God and a heavenly mindedness.

3:9 "…having the mystery of the faith in a clean conscience."

Deep Convictions Concerning The Faith

The issue of conscience does not appear to be the general issue as in 1:5; 4:2; 2Ti_1:3; Tit_1:15. But 1:19 is a very close connection: "holding faith and a good conscience."

It seems that the conscience bears directly on the "faith in good conscience." This inclines me to think that the issue is the sincerity of the faith. Do the deacons really have faith rooted in their hearts or are there sneaking doubts? Are their consciences clear when they make a public profession of their faith?

3:10 "And let them also be tested first. . ."

Tested (dokimazesthosan)

The test is not specified, but it is to precede the work as deacons. The test would be two-fold: the life they have lived and the assessment of it by those who know them and by some appropriate body of the church.

This would surely apply to all the leaders including elders and deacons.

I see three usual steps in the testing and selection of leaders.

1. The elders would take responsibility to see that the testing and approval is done in accord with Biblical criteria since they are responsible for the general oversight of the church and for the doctrinal purity of the leadership.

2. They may need to involve representatives of the congregation who have a wider knowledge of some people than they do.

3. The congregation itself would be the final test of approval, as they are the last court of appeal in matters of church discipline (Mat_18:17; 1Co_5:4). Therefore, all would be approved by the church as the final step of "testing" and "approval."

3:10 ". . . then if they prove themselves blameless let them serve as deacons."

Blameless (anegkletoi)

Blameless in the sense that no blame is discovered that has not been settled in a Biblical way. It does not mean perfect, but free from ongoing guilt for some unsettled wrong.

3:11 We will come back to this verse.

3:12 "Let the deacons be the husband of one wife. . ."

One Woman's Husband

See section 1Ti_3:2 (p. 34-35).

3:12 ". . . and let them manage their children and their households well."

This would seem to imply some measure of administrative ability, but note well, unlike the case with the elders in 3:5, it does not say, "for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for God's church?" General oversight does not appear to be in view as with the "overseers" of 3:1-7.

Rather, the point is probably the general truth that much of a man's true character and gifts come out in the way he leads his family. Something is significantly wrong if the man appears religious and able at church but has a disorderly home.

Again the home is the proving ground for all fitness for leadership in the church.

3:13 "For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith which is in Christ Jesus."

This is not a qualification but a promise of what comes with the faithful execution of the diaconate.

A good standing for themselves may mean a respectable place in the Christian community or a safe place in the last Day of Judgment as in 6:19.

And great confidence is the subjective boldness that rises with the faithful performance of duty.

(Now back to 3:11 and the question of the women.)

3:11 "Likewise the women. . ."

Is this a reference to the wives of the deacons or a reference to women who were deaconesses? See pages 56-57 for a slightly fuller treatment of this issue.

In Favor of "Deaconesses":

The use of "likewise" to introduce the group in the same way the deacons were introduced in verse 8 suggests a new order, namely, deaconesses.

2. The women are not mentioned in verses 1-7 where overseers are being discussed. If wives are in view, you would expect that they would be. But if women as a distinct order are in view, you would not, because the elders are given responsibilities which Paul says women should not assume. So the absence of women among the overseers and the presence of the women among the deacons suggests an order, not wives.

3. Phoebe in Rom_16:1-2 appears to be a deaconess.

4. The deacons are not charged with any duties that in themselves would contradict what Paul says is appropriate for women to do in the church.

In Favor of "Wives":

You would expect that they would be called "deaconesses" instead of women or wives.

Paul returns to the qualifications of deacons in the next verse, which seems strange if he had begun to discuss a new order.

It seems that the decision will not be made with confidence simply from this text alone but will be made on the basis of the wider considerations of what is appropriate for women to do according to all the New Testament teachings.

3:11 ". . . must be serious. . ."

See above on 3:8, Serious, Earnest, Honorable.

3:11 ". . . no slanderers. . ."

Not Slanderers, Gossips (me diabolous)

A woman who has itchy ears and a loose tongue will not be a good deaconess. Her words must build up. She must keep confidences and not be addicted to scuttlebutt.

3:11 ". . .temperate. . ."

See above on 3:2, Temperate.

3:11 ". . . faithful in all things."

Honest, Trustworthy, Reliable, Loyal (pistas in pasin)

See above on Tit_1:6, Honest.

'a9 1999 Bethlehem Baptist Church

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