deacons and deaconesses

Qualifications for Deacons, Deaconesses, and Those Serving in General Ministry

The following qualifications for a deacon apply to all who serve in general ministry and should also be considered as the qualifications for deaconesses.

In the New Testament, three main Greek words are used in connection with deacons. The word diakonos means servant. The word diakonia means service. The word diakoneō means to serve. At first, these words may have referred in a more specific way to serving food or waiting on tables, but over time they came to be used more broadly for all kinds of service.

All Christians are called to be servants. Service is part of faithful Christian living. Yet Scripture also shows that some believers are especially gifted by the Holy Spirit for this kind of ministry. Paul says, “or if service, in his serving” (Romans 12:7, LSB). The office of deacon itself is addressed most clearly in 1 Timothy 3:8–10, 12.

From 1 Timothy we learn that deacons must be men of godly character and sound spiritual life, just as elders must be. However, unlike elders, deacons are not required to be able to teach. Elders are called to oversee and shepherd the church, especially through prayer and the ministry of the Word. Deacons come alongside the elders in a vital supporting role, helping in practical and necessary service. The qualifications for deacons can be grouped into two areas: personal character and spiritual character. These qualifications for servant-leadership apply to both deacons and deaconesses (cf. 1 Timothy 3:11).

​

Personal Character

The following qualifications for servant-leadership apply to both deacons and deaconesses (cf. 1 Timothy 3:11).

He must be dignified

A deacon must be a man who is worthy of respect. He should be serious in the right way, steady in his conduct, and not careless about holy things. Paul says, “Deacons likewise must be dignified” (1 Timothy 3:8, LSB). This does not mean gloomy or severe, but it does mean he should be thoughtful, dependable, and honourable in how he lives.

​

He must not be two-faced

Paul says a deacon must be “not two-faced” (1 Timothy 3:8, LSB). That means he must be truthful, consistent, and trustworthy in his speech. He must not say one thing to one person and something different to another. He should know how to control his tongue and must not be a gossip or a divisive speaker.

​

He must not be indulging in much wine

Again Paul says deacons must be “not indulging in much wine” (1 Timothy 3:8, LSB). A deacon must be marked by self-control and clear judgement. He must not be mastered by drink or by any other appetite. A servant of Christ must be sober-minded and disciplined.

He must not be fond of dishonest gain

Paul also says a deacon must be “not fond of dishonest gain” (1 Timothy 3:8, LSB). He must not be greedy or driven by money. His heart must not be set on material gain. Scripture warns us that sinful desire for riches is spiritually dangerous: “But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction” (1 Timothy 6:9, LSB). A deacon must be a man whose priorities are spiritual, not financial.

​

Spiritual Character

He must be doctrinally sound

Paul says that a deacon must be one who is “holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience” (1 Timothy 3:9, LSB). “The faith” refers to the truth of the Christian gospel and the teaching handed down in the New Testament. A deacon must know the truth, believe the truth, and hold firmly to the truth. But it is not enough merely to understand doctrine in the mind. He must also live it out with a clear conscience before God. Sound doctrine and a godly life must go together.

​

He must be actively serving and tested over time

Scripture says, “And these men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach” (1 Timothy 3:10, LSB). This testing is not simply a one-off examination or short trial period. It speaks of an ongoing assessment of a man’s life and service by the church. Before a man is recognised as a deacon, he should already be showing a faithful servant’s heart. He must prove over time that he is dependable in serving Christ and His people.

​

He must be morally pure

Paul says that deacons must be “beyond reproach” (1 Timothy 3:10, LSB). Like elders, they must be men of upright and blameless character. Their lives should not give just cause for accusation. Verse 12 strengthens this same standard, saying, “Deacons must be husbands of only one wife” (1 Timothy 3:12, LSB). This means a deacon must be a one-woman man, wholly devoted to his wife in faithfulness, purity, and covenant love.

​

He must lead his family well

Scripture also says that deacons must be “leading their children and their own households well” (1 Timothy 3:12, LSB). The home is the proving ground of a man’s character and leadership. The way he cares for his wife, leads his children, and manages his household says much about his maturity. If a man is not faithful in the home, he is not ready to be entrusted with recognised service in the church.

​

A Word to the Whole Church

Although Scripture gives specific qualifications for those who serve in the offices of elder and deacon, that does not mean the rest of the church is free to aim lower. These qualities should be desired by every believer. They are not merely official standards for church officers; they are marks of Christian maturity.

Every Christian should seek to be dignified, truthful, self-controlled, spiritually sound, morally pure, and faithful in service. Whether a believer holds office in the church or simply serves quietly in the body of Christ, these are qualities we should all pray for and pursue by the grace of God.

The church is healthiest when those in office meet the biblical standard, and when the whole congregation also grows in these same graces. In that way, Christ is honoured, the church is strengthened, and the gospel is adorned before the world.