The origin of the deacons

When Satan tried to divide and distract the church over issues of mercy and money, she responded by appointing ‘the magnificent seven’ to take responsibility for practical and administrative concerns, freeing the apostles to pray and to preach.

In this division of labour we see that pattern which later characterised the elders and the deacons. It demonstrates to us the priority of prayer and the ministry of the word, and the importance of the responses - their matter and their manner, never carnal but scriptural and spiritual - we make to the challenges we face as a church.

Today’s deacons ought to be defenders of the priority of prayer and preaching. They should see themselves as such; pastors should encourage them to be such; the church should embrace them as such.