1 Timothy 3:8-10 says,...
Today's verses are 1 Timothy 3:8-10, which read,
v.8, 9 - Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
Paul now shifts to another position in the church called the deacons. The word "deacon" means "to serve." In our system, these would be the team leads of our ministry teams. They are leading the action groups that serve some practical function within the body of the church or maybe to the whole church. A good Biblical example are the men selected in the book of Acts to make sure that all the widows were receiving their food in the daily distribution. They carried out and directed a specific ministry. What are the Biblical qualifications of these ministry leaders or team leads?
The first thing to note is that these positions can be men or women. The men are addressed in verse 8 and the women are addressed in verse 11 with a very important word used "likewise" to show that the qualities spoken of one gender is also for the other.
v.10 - These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.
Each deacon or team lead should have someone in the wings that is shadowing them for future leadership in that ministry. There should be a pipeline of Christians being given opportunity to serve fostering maturity to see if they would be another deacon or team lead to the body of Christ. This testing is important to see the heart of the individual. Is their heart for themselves or is it for God and His people?
When someone is identified and tested to be genuine in their love for God and others and fitting of these qualifications then let them lead. This might be the hardest part of the passage. We tend to become territorial. We tend to make things our own. We tend to struggle with this because it involves change and releasing personal control over the situation.
Turning over the reins. It is hard and I know it because I have had to step back so that others could feel the call of God to serve. Maybe this is a message as a deacon or team lead that you need to hear today. Let's pray.
"Lord, thank You for the overseers who over see the totality of the local church but also thank You for the deacons, or team leads that lead those ministry teams in different areas of the church. Help them to lead with the qualifications given here and also to see others through opportunities given be tested for future deacon or team lead positions. May our church be known for godly leadership on every level and providing for others to be used of God even in the places in which we now stand. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.8, 9 - Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
Paul now shifts to another position in the church called the deacons. The word "deacon" means "to serve." In our system, these would be the team leads of our ministry teams. They are leading the action groups that serve some practical function within the body of the church or maybe to the whole church. A good Biblical example are the men selected in the book of Acts to make sure that all the widows were receiving their food in the daily distribution. They carried out and directed a specific ministry. What are the Biblical qualifications of these ministry leaders or team leads?
The first thing to note is that these positions can be men or women. The men are addressed in verse 8 and the women are addressed in verse 11 with a very important word used "likewise" to show that the qualities spoken of one gender is also for the other.
- dignity - There is a seriousness about this person who is leading the ministry and they show through their actions the importance of that ministry.
- not double-tongued - The communication of the team lead needs to be consistent. They are not speaking one thing to one person and then speaking something else to another. This would be a picture of the modern day politician that we have experienced all to often.
- not addicted to much wine - The self-control of the team lead or deacon keeps them from allowing other substances to cloud their judgment. Alcohol can become a problem and the deacon knows that and therefore takes measures to make sure that what he or she is drunk with is not wine but the Spirit of God to complete the task.
- not fond of sordid gain - This position is not for financial gain. This position is not about you. This position is about serving God by serving others. It is very easy to fall into the thought that I should get some kick back from all that I am doing and then that becomes the motivation for doing more or less. Be on guard to who you are serving because it is easy to go from serving God to serving yourself.
- holding to they mystery of the faith with a clear conscious - The deacon or team lead has the gospel ever before them as they lead their group. They may be serving tables but they are doing this for the gospel's sake. They may be taking care of property but they are doing this for the gospel's sake. They may be attending to the physical needs of others but they are doing this for the gospel's sake. This is the gospel that they believe in and hold to as they serve others.
v.10 - These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.
Each deacon or team lead should have someone in the wings that is shadowing them for future leadership in that ministry. There should be a pipeline of Christians being given opportunity to serve fostering maturity to see if they would be another deacon or team lead to the body of Christ. This testing is important to see the heart of the individual. Is their heart for themselves or is it for God and His people?
When someone is identified and tested to be genuine in their love for God and others and fitting of these qualifications then let them lead. This might be the hardest part of the passage. We tend to become territorial. We tend to make things our own. We tend to struggle with this because it involves change and releasing personal control over the situation.
Turning over the reins. It is hard and I know it because I have had to step back so that others could feel the call of God to serve. Maybe this is a message as a deacon or team lead that you need to hear today. Let's pray.
"Lord, thank You for the overseers who over see the totality of the local church but also thank You for the deacons, or team leads that lead those ministry teams in different areas of the church. Help them to lead with the qualifications given here and also to see others through opportunities given be tested for future deacon or team lead positions. May our church be known for godly leadership on every level and providing for others to be used of God even in the places in which we now stand. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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