Question: "What are the qualifications of elders and deacons?"
Answer: The Bible has a clear set of
qualifications for a deacon and an elder and
their positions in the body of believers. The
office of deacon was developed to deal with a
practical issue in the church: “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’” ( Acts 6:2 ). The word translated “wait
on” is the Greek word diakonein , which comes
from a word meaning “attendant, waiter, or one
who ministers to another.” To “deacon” is to
serve. The first deacons were a group of seven
men in the Jerusalem church who were
appointed to work in the daily food distribution.
A deacon, therefore, is one who serves others in
an official capacity in the church.
The Greek word translated “ bishop” is episkopos
(the source of our English word episcopal). The
bishop is the superintendent, the overseer, or
the officer in general charge of the
congregation. In the Bible bishops are also
called “elders” ( 1 Timothy 5:19 ) and
“pastors” ( Ephesians 4:11 ).
The qualifications of the bishop/elder/pastor are
found in 1 Timothy 3:1–7 : “Here is a trustworthy
saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer
desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be
above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate,
self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to
teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but
gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.
He must manage his own family well and see
that his children obey him, and he must do so in
a manner worthy of full respect. (If anyone does
not know how to manage his own family, how
can he take care of God’s church?) He must not
be a recent convert, or he may become
conceited and fall under the same judgment as
the devil. He must also have a good reputation
with outsiders, so that he will not fall into
disgrace and into the devil’s trap.” Paul also
instructs Timothy on the things that exemplify
the teaching of a good minister. Beginning in 1
Timothy 4:11 and continuing through 6:2, Paul
gives Timothy twelve things that he should
“command and teach.”
The apostle Paul repeats the qualifications of a
bishop/elder/pastor in his letter to Titus. “An
elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife , a
man whose children believe and are not open to
the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since
an overseer manages God’s household, he must
be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-
tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent,
not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be
hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is
self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He
must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as
it has been taught, so that he can encourage
others by sound doctrine and refute those who
oppose it” ( Titus 1:6–9 ).
The qualifications of a deacon are similar to
those of a bishop/elder/pastor. “In the same
way, deacons are to be worthy of respect,
sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not
pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of
the deep truths of the faith with a clear
conscience. They must first be tested; and then
if there is nothing against them, let them serve
as deacons. In the same way, the women are to
be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but
temperate and trustworthy in everything. A
deacon must be faithful to his wife and must
manage his children and his household well.
Those who have served well gain an excellent
standing and great assurance in their faith in
Christ Jesus” ( 1 Timothy 3:8–13 ). The word
translated “deacon” in this passage is a form of
the same Greek word used in Acts 6:2 , so we
know we are talking about the same office.
These qualifications are simple and
straightforward. Both the deacon and the
bishop/elder/pastor should be a male, the
husband of one wife, of sterling character, and
one who rules his own home in a biblical way.
These qualifications also presuppose that one
seeking such an office is a born-again believer
and walks in submission to God’s Word. The
only substantial difference between the two
sets of qualifications is that the bishop/elder/
pastor must be “able to teach,” whereas
teaching is not mentioned as necessary for
deacons.
The Lord Jesus Himself is called the “ Shepherd
and Overseer of your souls” ( 1 Peter 2:25 ). The
titles are interesting. The word Shepherd is a
translation of the Greek word poimen, translated
“pastor” elsewhere (e.g., Ephesians 4:11 ). This
poimen is someone who tends herds or flocks
and is used metaphorically of Christian pastors
because pastors should guide the “flock” of God
and feed them the Word of God. The word
translated “Overseer” is the same word,
episkopos, used by the apostle Paul in 1
Timothy and Titus.
Clearly, the offices of elder and deacon are
important in the church. Ministering to God’s
people in word and deed is a serious
responsibility for a man to take on, and it should
never be done lightly. A biblically unqualified
individual should not occupy either the office of
elder or deacon; the church deserves better.
