This week, Mike talks about deacons and the role they play in the Lord’s church.

The word that we translate “deacon” is the Greek word diakanos, which literally means “servant.”

In Acts 6, the early church needed someone to take on the responsibility of feeding a group of widows that were being overlooked. The apostles did not assume that responsibility since they needed to give their attention “to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

So, the apostles appointed seven men to serve (diakanos). They recognizing that different people have different gifts (apostles have a role, deacons have a different role, and each role requires different gifts). Most importantly, they allowed those men to do the job (“we will turn this responsibility over to them”)

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic [Greek] Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.

So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

Acts 6:1-6 (NIV)

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)