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Elders -- Deacons -- Comparison of Elder/Deacon Qualifications

Compulsive Personalities -- Three Styles of Church Government -- Leadership Diagram

Comparison of Deacon and Elder Qualifications

1. General

The table below shows that there are 12 qualifications for deacons and 25 qualifications for elders. Seven qualifications are in both lists ("not addicted to wine," "not fond or sordid gain," "tested," "above reproach," "husband of one wife," "managers of children and household," and "good reputation").

Commentators often think of "above reproach" as a subject title under which the rest may fall. It is significant that this qualification is in both lists. Both the candidates for elders and those for deacons must be "above reproach." This implies a similarity in the quality of the canidates of both roles.

2. Spiritual Maturity

With respect to spiritual maturity, the list of qualifications only applied to elder candidates is longest ("temperate," "prudent," "respectable," "not pugnacious," "uncontentious," "not a new convert-pride," "not self-willed," "not quick tempered," "loving what is good," "sensible," "just," "devout," and "self-controlled"). However, the similar spiritual maturity indicators for deacon canidates are more comprehensive ("men of dignity," "clear conscience," "full of the Spirit and of wisdom"). Therefore, the fact there are more indicators of spiritual maturity listed for elders does not mean elder candiates must be more spiritually mature. The elder list is long and specific. The deacon list is short and general. The deacon list includes a means to arrive at spiritual maturity (the filling of the Holy Spirit). The elders list includes the detailed results obtained after the means is applied.

Look at it this way. If you told person A not to rob, not to kill, and not to steal and you told person B not to commit a criminal act, which person is the most restricted? The restriction on person B includes all the restrictions on person A and more. A person who is to be full of the Spirit will also be a person who is not prideful, not self-willed, not quick tempered, and so forth. The restrictions on elders' and deacons' spiritual maturity are esentially the same.

One might be able to successfully argue that elder candidates are to be examined more carefully than deacon candidates because the elder qualifications are more specific.

3. Interpersonal Relations

Both elder and deacon canidates are to meet a standard of interpersonal relations. The elder candidates are to be "hospitable," "gentle," and of "a good reputation." Deacon candidates are to be "not double-tongued" and of "a good reputation." Perhaps one can discern sensitiveness emphasized for the elder and honesty for the deacon.

4. Families

Both lists have indicators relating to the candidates' families. Elders are to have "children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion" and are to be "good managers of children and household," The latter is also a qualification for deacons. Perhaps one could say elders are to be more highly qualified because the spiritual condition of their children is considered. But there is similarity in these qualification lists.

5. Marriages

Marriages are also to be considered. Both deacon and elder candidates are to be "husbands of one wife." In addition, deacon candidates must have "wives who are dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things." In this situation, perhaps one could conclude that deacon candidates are to have better marriages than elder candidates. But it seems illogical that the functionally superior post held by the elder should have a lesser marriage than the functionally lesser post held by the deacon.

Practically it has been observed that the ministries of elders have been ruined by wives whose lives were out of control. How can an elder have credibility with his local church when his wife is a gossip or an adultress or an intemperate person? Perhaps the "above reproach" qualification for elders would cover the circumstances of their wives. Both officer candidates must have high marriage qualifications.

It is not suprising that a church leader and his wife would be required to have similar qualifications since the wife reflects on her husband and influences his ministry.

6. Ministry of the Word

There seems to be one area in which there is significant difference in the qualifications. With respect to the ministry of the Word, elder candidates are to be "learned" and "holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict." There are no qualifications for deacons that deal with the ministry of the Word. This difference is probably due to the different functions of the two leadership posts. The elder is highly involved in the ministry of the Word. The deacon is not. In fact the deacons are to do some of the work of elders in order that the elders may emphasize the ministry of the Word (Acts 6:1-6).

At this point, one must consider the ministries of Stephen and of Philip. They were two of the seven deacons selected by the Jerusalem congregation according to Acts 6:5. Immediately after the installation of the deacons, Luke takes up these two characters. Both of the men had extraordinary ministries of the Word. Stephen preached a sermon that was so powerful that at its conclusion he was martyred (Acts 6:8-8:2).

The persecution that accompanied Stephen's death scattered the church. Philip escaped to Samaria where he preached the Gospel. Multitudes heard him preach including Simon the magician (Acts 8:9 and following). Later Philip had the Divine encounter with the "court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians (Acts 8:27 and following)." Then Philip "kept preaching the gospel to all the cities, until he came to Caesarea (Acts 8:40)."

However, given the function of deacons in Acts 6:2 ("to serve tables") and a function of elders in Acts 6:4 (prayer and ministry of the Word), one would have to conclude that Stephen and Philip were over-qualified. Clearly the ministry of the Word was not a purpose of the deaconate when it was established in Acts 6. Apparently Stephen and Philip were willing to make waiting on tables a priority over their ministry of the Word or their gift in the ministry of the Word was only revealed to them following their installation as deacons.

7. Conclusion

Both elder and deacon candidates must be highly qualified. It is not too much to say that the qualifications for each office are most often similar except that an elder must be skilled in the ministry of the Word. This is optional for the deacon.

© 2001-2002, Ken Bowles -- March 19, 2003, Edition

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