Deacons in the Church: Financial Stewardship and Voluntary Activity
Truths to Discover
A Ministry 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 money to support the ministry of the church, deacons should take responsibility to ensure that these funds are managed and distributed properly. 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 how 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.
Questions to Discuss
- How do we know that deacons play a vital role in managing church finances?
- On what basis do churches provide for the financial and material needs of pastors?
- Describe at least three examples from Scripture of a church meeting one-time, occasional needs of other believers.
- Why is it important for churches to comply with taxation and employment laws?
- What are some other kinds of stewardship and material resource needs and functions which deacons should help to meet?
Truths to Discover
A Ministry of Voluntary Service
In contrast to the pastoral office, there is no biblical evidence to suggest that deacons received remuneration for the services they rendered to the church. However, it is important to provide them with the necessary freedom and resources to complete the tasks which the church has assigned to them, without encumbrance.
Pastors should provide general leadership and take ultimate responsibility for the services that deacons provide. But after they define such duties, they should refrain from micromanaging these affairs. Failure to cooperate with deacons this way will undermine their fundamental function, which is freeing up pastors from over-involvement in the financial and material affairs of the church.
While it is true that deacons (and the congregation) should show general respect to the preaching and teaching ministry of pastors (Heb 13:17), it is also true that pastors (and the congregation) should show general respect to the serving ministries of the deacons. The key is that both fulfill their duties in submission to the clear teaching of the Word of God (Acts 17:11; 1 Cor 11:1; 2 Tim 2:15; 3:16-17; 4:2).
Questions to Discuss
- Why is it important for pastors and deacons (and a church) to show respect to one another in fulfilling their respective roles?
- What is the key for pastors and deacons fulfilling their duties properly?
