Deacons as Ministers of Financial Stewardship

As widow-care ministry demonstrates, deacons play a vital role in managing church finances. As God’s people follow biblical principles of financial stewardship and give personal funds to support the ministry of the church, deacons should take responsibility to ensure that these funds are managed and distributed properly, not only to deserving widows.Biblical examples of assessing financial needs and meeting them with church funds extends to a variety of objectives. Churches should provide well-serving pastors with necessary financial support (Gal. 6:6; 1 Tim. 5:17-18). Paul teaches this by alluding to the way that a farmer provides food and housing for the animals that plow his fields and the way that Temple proceeds provided for the material and financial needs of the priests (1 Cor. 9:7-14). Churches should receive, set aside, and distribute offerings to meet one-time, occasional needs of other members, faithful church servants, missionaries, and churches in need (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-35; 11:29-30; Rom 15:25; 1 Cor 16:1-4; 2 Cor 9:1-15; 11:7-9; Phil 4:16-19).Furthermore, churches should ensure proper compliance to taxation and employment laws which do not violate God’s commands (Rom 13:1-7; cf. Acts 5:29). By logical extension, the stewardship of church resources extends beyond finances to other categories of stewardship as well, such as building and property maintenance, mail and correspondence, and legal engagement.