1 Timothy 3:8–13 (ESV)
8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
This passage parallels the previous passage, but here we’re reading about Deacons instead of Elders or “overseers.” The difference is that Deacons are servants of the church who organize and help with the very practical issues of the community of faith. Deacons make their first appearance in the Bible in Acts 6.
There are a few things in this passage that really stand out. First, there is the instruction for Deacons to be people who are single-minded in their speech and their thoughts (vs. 8, 11). Not to say they are stuffy, puffed-up people, but focused and centered; not easily distracted or prone to being distracted by things that present as urgent or a crisis. In other words, these folks can stay the course. There is also the call to make sure that their families are sound. That doesn’t mean that they are perfect people with perfect families (which we all can attest doesn’t exist). It means that they have families and children who respect each other. And it’s not as though Deacons are only to serve others and can’t teach. Look at verse 9. Like elders, they need to know and hold the mystery of the faith. That means that they should have a strong grasp of scripture and faith in Christ.
What is intriguing about this passage, and the previous one, is the call to test those who desire to serve in this manner. As I was thinking about the call to test those who desire to serve, I was reminded of my time in a previous church. This church purchased a scissor lift to fix and install things in high places. That purchase necessitated that all who ran the lift acquire a license to be an “aerial lift operator.” So, since I would be one of those using the lift, I went to the training. It took about six hours to go through the class, but it seemed like more. I would divide the class into two parts.
Part one of the class was all about what not to do with the lift so that a person doesn’t get injured or killed. You would be amazed at how often people don’t follow the rules for operating these lifts. Failure to follow the rules frequently results in serious injury and even death! Part two of the class was all about making sure the lift was in proper working order before operating the lift. We were to test everything, and again, this was for the purpose of avoiding injury or death.
There was a comprehensive list of tests to take to ensure the lift was in proper working order. If any part of the operating system was not in proper working order, we were told not to operate the lift. Now most of the operating systems are critical, but there are some non-critical things that don’t affect performance, like a light not working or the horn not sounding. But the rule is, test everything and don’t use the lift if anything isn’t working properly—better safe than sorry.
Better safe than sorry - that’s how I see this list in this passage; these standards are to be applied to Elders, Deacons, and all church leaders. Remember, those in leadership are held to a higher standard simply because they are more public in their ministry. Their character counts when it comes to trust. So with those who are being considered for leadership, it’s imperative to discern together whether a leadership role is a good fit for someone.
Our leaders do loads of work in the church, and frankly, I’m grateful for all that they do.
This leads me to one last thing we must consider regarding our church leaders. We must constantly pray for them. In our post-pandemic times, their leadership challenges are especially difficult, so let’s be sure that we’re praying for the leaders of our churches on a regular basis.
God bless you, and know that I am constantly praying for you.
Scott