What are the church offices?

A few weeks ago, we asked the church to recommend men it has recognized as qualified to be an elder or a deacon (please do this!).

For the next few weeks, I would like us to consider in more depth what these offices of the church are and what qualifications Scripture gives for men who fill them.

Biblically, there are two offices appointed in the church: elder and deacon. We see this in two primary places: first, in the opening verse to Philippians where Paul addresses “All the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons.” Second, in the qualifications Paul gives for elders and deacons in 1 Timothy 3:1-13 (v. 1-7 for elders, v. 8-13 for deacons).

The New Testament uses several different titles for the office of elder. It calls them “elders” (Acts 14:23, 20:17, 1 Pet. 5:1), “overseers/bishops” (Acts 20:28, Phil. 1:1, Titus 1:7), “pastors/shepherds” (Eph. 4:11, 1 Pet. 5:2), and “leaders” (Heb. 13:7, 17). Our church primarily uses the two terms “elder” and “pastor” for this office.

The office of deacon is only mentioned explicitly twice in the New Testament, in Philippians 1:1 and in Timothy 3:8-13. However, many theologians see the men appointed in Acts 6:1-7 as, at the very least, proto-deacons (more on that in a few weeks).

Between the two, the office of elder is more foundational for the church. The pattern of the Apostles seems to have been to appoint elders in the churches they planted and as those churches grew and expanded deacons would be added latter according to each church’s needs (Acts 14:23, 15:2-6, Titus 1:5). This does not mean deacons are unimportant! Instead, it is as the church grows that its need for deacons also grows.

We will go into much more detail in the next few weeks, but the main point is that elders and deacons minister the care of Christ to His church. The elders are tasked with the overall care of the church and particularly the spiritual care. The deacons are tasked with assisting the elders in meeting the needs of the church and particularly the physical care.

Godly officers are a means through which Christ leads and cares for His church.

Here’s where we are going in the next few weeks:

• What do elders do?
• What are the qualifications for elders?
• What do deacons do?
• What are the qualifications for deacons?
• How can I prepare myself to serve as an officer?

Please pray for our church as we seek to recognize and equip qualified men and please recommend these godly men to be elders or deacons.