What Is A Deacon?

Deacons are the qualified men and women, whom Jesus has called, to serve his church by leading at the discretion of the elders.

The word deacon is the greek word diakanos, literally translated "servant". The office of deacon is first mentioned in the book of Acts, chapter 6. As the burden of ministry grew for the early church, elders, in addition to prayer, study, leading, and teaching, were also taking on large workloads to serve the needy in the church and handle the administrative functions of the church. As a solution, the elders appointed deacons to assist the elders in these responsibilities.

At Anthem, our deacons assist the elders in the day-to-day functions of church administration and activity. Qualifications for deacons are found in 1 Timothy 3 and include integrity, generosity, soberness, a clear understanding of the Bible, a well-ordered home, and a good reputation both in the church and outside the church.