{"product_id":"2940013932333","title":"The Deacon and His Work","description":"Some may think that the eldership is so important that there is no need to be concerned about the deaconship. Thus some congregations exercise care in selecting elders, but give little thought to the selection of deacons.  However, this office also is important; or God would not have instituted it.  One should be as careful to follow God’s will in selecting deacons as they are in selecting elders. In other words, churches should select qualified deacons as well as qualified elders.  Thus the church needs to study the deaconship.\u003cbr\u003eThe fact that the church has special servants who, among other things, look after the needs of others is proof that the church is concerned for the welfare of man.  L. B. Buchheimer affirmed that “there had been nothing like the deacon and deaconess work before. It was a revelation to the heathen world.  The church proclaimed through such service of love the brotherhood and equality of men. She knew no national distinctions, such as Hebrew or Greek, no social differences, embracing the poor, the destitute, in the systematic charity of the church.  As her Lord had died for all, so she was come to care for all.” As to whether there was an office of deaconess, we shall discuss later; but certainly there were female servants of the church, as was Phoebe (Romans 16:1–2).\u003cbr\u003eAt times we have enlarged on subjects which are raised in connection with the qualifications of the deacons; such as the question of conscience, and also the question of drinking wine.  A study of these naturally brings in a number of questions which while not bearing solely on the qualifications of deacons, yet are related to a discussion of these qualifications.  Then, too, since there are no moral and spiritual qualifications of a deacon which any Christian should neglect, a discussion of the qualifications of deacons easily develops into a discussion of these principles as they relate to the life of every Christian.\u003cbr\u003eAlthough the church needs elders and deacons, it must be emphasized that the church is made up of many people in addition to the officers.  All are not elders and all are not deacons.  But no one should feel that he, or any other Christian, cannot do anything to advance the kingdom of Christ just because he is not an officer.  One does not have to be a deacon in order to serve the church in countless ways.  If it be thought that someone is qualified, but he has never been selected, we should not be disgruntled or start a steam roller campaign to put him in office.  Instead, we should be content, and so should he, to do all we can where we are.  If one will not work because he has not been appointed to an office, he thereby proves that he was not qualified for the office.  One should do all he can whether he is an officer or not; and if he is not an officer, it may be that through his work for the congregation he is gradually developing the qualifications, and demonstrating to the congregation that he is becoming qualified. When he is qualified, it will often be recognized and he may be asked to serve as a deacon. There may be qualified individuals, however, who may have reasons which justify their continuing to serve the church in ways other than in the office of a deacon.\u003cbr\u003eDoes the deacon occupy an office? He does not have authority over the church, but he does have an office for he has a position of trust, a ministry, or a service. Not everyone has his position; for not everyone is qualified or appointed to the work of a deacon.","brand":"Sunset Institute Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47070539514096,"sku":"2940013932333","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940013932333_p0.jpg?v=1763597382","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940013932333","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}