Studies & Actions
of the General Assembly of
The Presbyterian Church in America
BIBLICAL GUIDELINES FOR
MERCY MINISTRY IN THE PCA
[15th General Assembly (1987), Appendix T, pages 506-514 & Historical Survey of the Diaconate.]
A. To what ministry of mercy does Christ call his church?
1. To a ministry that flows from the compassion of Christ
a. Christ's compassion is perceptive, directed toward the needy.
Jesus fed the hungry, healed the sick, and comforted the sorrowing and
afflicted. He gave an illustrative list of such human needs, including
also shelter and personal caring for the prisoner (Mt. 25:35,36).
b. Christ's compassion is active, expressed in deed as well as word.
Jesus was "mighty in deed and word" (Lk. 24:19). His compassion was communicated
by his hands as well as his lips: he healed the leper with a touch, put
his fingers on the eyes of the blind and in the ears of the deaf, broke
the bread with his hands. The Shepherd's great deed of compassionate love
was giving his life for his sheep.
c. Christ's compassion is gracious, directed toward the undeserving.
Jesus ministered to publicans and sinners (Lk. 15:1,2). He defended his
ministry by saying that he came to call, not the righteous, but sinners
to repentance (Mk. 2:17; Mt. 9:13; Lk. 5:32). He came to seek and to save
that which was lost (Lk. 19:10). Christ died for the ungodly (Rom. 5:6).
d. Christ's example and precept call us to compassionate ministry.
(1) The claim of his free grace
Christ teaches us to love our enemies, for God loved us when we were enemies.
Not only does God in his common grace send his rain on the just and unjust
(Mt. 5:45); he demonstrated his own love to us in that while we were yet
enemies Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8, 10). We are not to ask, "How many
must I love?" ("Who is my neighbor"), but "How may I show the love of
Christ?" ("To whom am I a neighbor?" Lk. 10:25- 37).
(2) The example of his ministry
"The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister..." (Mt.
20:28). The compassion of Christ fills his ministry, but is nowhere more
evident than on the cross. He ministers not merely in healing the sick
and washing the disciples' feet, but in giving his life a ransom for many.
Having loved his own in the world, he loved them to the end (Jn. 13:1).
Christ fills his church with manifold gifts of the Spirit to minister
his compassion in word and deed (I Pet. 4:11).
(3) The bond of his body
Jesus binds his body, the church, not only to one another, but to himself.
That union appears in the ministry of mercy. The service that we bring
to the least of his brethren is service to Christ himself (Mt. 25:40).
(4) The thrust of his mission
Jesus sent out his disciples to heal the sick and to proclaim the kingdom
of God (Lk. 10:9). As the church fulfills the Great Commission it continues
to show Christ's compassion in a needy world. The ministry of the Apostle
Paul on the island of Malta demonstrates the concern of the apostle to
show the mercy of Christ as he bore witness in a missionary situation
(Acts 28:8,9).
e. Christ's Spirit conveys his compassion
At the heart of the ministry of compassion is the love of Christ. The
gifts of the Spirit equip us for ministry, but our motivation springs
from the love of God poured out in our hearts, as we are drawn to love
him who first loved us (Rom. 5:5; 1 Jn. 4:19).
2. To a ministry defined by the kingdom/gospel of Christ
a. A ministry of hope
(1) Deeds of mercy point to the gospel promise
Jesus' miracles were signs of the kingdom, pledges of the time of the
restoration of all things. Our deeds of mercy in Christ's name do not
have the authenticating power of his miracles, but they do point in hope
to the consummation triumph of God's saving mercy.
(2) Deeds of mercy provide a foretaste of God's goodness
Our deeds of mercy have a double implication: they point forward to the
promise of the new heavens and earth; they also show the beginning of
the fulfillment of the promise in the pouring out of the love of Christ
through the Spirit. Visiting the prisoner is an example of this: we minister
hope to the prisoner, for we proclaim the liberty to the captives that
Christ will bring (Lk. 4:18). While the final day of Christ's jubilee
is yet to come, it is already present in the saving power of Christ's
Spirit.
b. A ministry in Christ's name
(1) Christ's church must confess his name
"There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must
be saved" (Acts 4:12). Peter's proclamation of the saving power of Christ's
name follows his healing in the name of Jesus. In response to Peter's
apostolic confession of his name, Jesus spoke the foundational words of
the church's charter (Mt. 16:18). To fail to confess Christ's name before
men is to deny him (Mt. 10:32,33). In its ministry of mercy, as in all
its life and ministry, the church must name the name of Christ (Mk. 9:37-41;
cf. Mt. 10:42).
(2) The ministry of mercy is an offering of praise
The sacrificial system of the Old Testament is fulfilled in Jesus Christ,
who put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. In thankful praise, we bring
to him the offering of ourselves and all that we have (Rom. 12:1,2). We
have the privilege of stewardship, using for his glory our time and possessions.
The risen body of Christ is not with us so that we might anoint his feet,
but we have the poor with us, to serve in his name (Jn. 12:8). Paul shows
how the offering for the poor saints in Jerusalem abounds to the praise
of God (2 Cor. 9:12-15). The ministry of the Philippian church to the
apostle's needs is "a sweetsmelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well
pleasing to God" (Phil. 4:18). The author of Hebrews describes the sacrifice
of praise of the New Covenant: first, the fruit of our lips, then, "to
do good and to share" (Heb. 13:15,16).
c. A ministry that calls to repentance and faith
(1) The focus of the kingdom cannot be blurred
John the Baptist prepared the way for the coming of Jesus by preaching
repentance because the kingdom was at hand. Jesus called his disciples
to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, trusting in the
Father to provide for our needs (Mt. 6:33). In all its life, the church
must hold to the priority of the kingdom (Rom. 14:17; 1 Cor. 7:29,30).
The caring ministry of the church is in the context of kingdom manifestation
and witness.
(2) The demand of the kingdom cannot be ignored.
Jesus called to repentance and faith those whom he healed ("Your sins
are forgiven" Mk. 2:5; "Sin no more" Jn. 5:14). The witness implicit in
the ministry of mercy must be acknowledged. Mercy flows to the undeserving,
but not indefinitely to the unaccepting and rejecting. The coals of fire
heaped on the head of an enemy should move him to shame and sorrow, but
the overtures of gracious love may be rejected. God's common grace and
his saving mercy must be distinguished, and even his common grace may
be withdrawn in judgment: drought interrupts the rain falling on the just
and the unjust. The disciples are to shake off the dust of their feet
as a testimony against those who will not receive their message (Mt. 10:14).
Jesus worked few miracles in Nazareth because of their unbelief (Mt. 13:58).
(3) The blessing of the kingdom must be represented
The witness of deeds of mercy is to the love of God, not to the goodness
of the benevolent. We seek to show by deed as by word the blessing of
the gospel promise (Matt.5:16).
d. A ministry of Christian fellowship
(1) A mutual ministry of sharing is required by the nature of Christian
fellowship
"Saints, by profession, are bound to maintain an holy fellowship and communion
in the worship of God, and in performing such other spiritual services
as tend to their mutual edification; as also in relieving each other in
outward things, according to their several abilities and necessities.
Which communion, as God offereth opportunity, is to be extended unto all
those who in every place call upon the name of the Lord Jesus." (WCF XXVI:2)
(2) Ordered in the structure of fellowship
Christ has ordered the fellowship of his church to provide for mutual
ministry through the stewardship of his gifts in the bond of love (1 Pet.
4:10-11). Christians minister to Christ and to one another.
(3) Expressive of the welcome to fellowship
"Abound in love on toward another, and toward all men" (1 Thes. 3:12;
5:15). "While we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward
all men, especially toward them that are of the household of faith" (Gal.
6:10). (Malista, "especially" sometimes defines a class more particularly
rather than singling out a sub-class. It may then be translated, "that
is," as in 1 Tim. 4:10; 5:8, and probably Acts 26:3. See T. C. Skeat,
"`Especially the Parchments': a Note on 2 Timothy IV. 13" Journal of Theological
Studies, Vol. 30, April, 1979, pp.173-177. In view of the Thessalonians
passages, however, the translation, "especially" seems better for Gal.
6:10). "Doing good" refers to deeds of benevolence (2 Cor. 9:8; Acts 9:36;
Rom. 2:5-10; 2 Thes. 3:13). Benevolence toward those outside the covenant
is evident in the O.T. charge to care for "strangers" Lev. 19:18,34) and
in the apostolic ministry (Acts 3:1-10; 14:8-10; 16:16- 18; 19:11-13;
28:8-10; cf. Mk. 7:24-30).
e. A ministry in spiritual power
(1) Our weapons are spiritual, not temporal
Although material benefits are offered in diaconal service (food, clothing,
medicines, shelter, care), force is not appropriate, nor are material
inducements offered to secure acquiescence ("rice-Christians"). The church
cannot deliver the oppressed by using force against the oppressor (Lk.
7:19-23; Jn. 18:36; 2 Cor. 10:4).
(2) Our objectives are spiritual, not temporal
Since we are called to minister in the period between the first and second
coming of Christ, we recognize that "the form of this world is passing
away" (1 Cor. 7:31). When we possess, we live as stewards, as not possessing
(1 Cor. 7:30). We do not build bigger barns for ourselves to store up
wealth, nor do we give to others so as to redistribute wealth in the interest
of developing an ideal world order. The kingdom of God does not consist
in material possessions; rather, these are to be used in the service of
the spiritual objectives of the kingdom. In contrast to the inverted priorities
of the Gentiles, we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.
Salvation in Christ cannot be subordinated to, or simply coordinated with,
the cultural mandate. The New Testament church is not promised technical
efficiency or cultural triumphs. Yet human stewardship of the earth and
its resources remains a divine injunction for all humanity. To be renewed
in the image of Christ is more than to be restored in the image of Adam.
It is to inherit dominion in the new creation and to be called through
sacrificial suffering to manifest the love of Christ that purchased such
an inheritance.
3. To a ministry equipped by the Spirit of Christ
a. A ministry of the Spirit, not simply of resources
(1) Christ's ministry in the power of the Spirit
In the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus declared that he was filled with the
Spirit to accomplish the saving, healing and restoring work of the Lord's
Anointed (Lk. 4:16-19; Isa. 61:1,2).
(2) Paul's description of gifts of the Spirit for the ministry of mercy
Paul joins the functions of Christians in the church with the gifts of
the Spirit that qualify them for service. Among the gifts listed in his
sample catalogues are those for showing mercy by relieving the poor and
distressed (1 Cor. 12: 28,29; Rom. 12:8; 2 Cor. 9:8ff.)
(3) Relief for the poor is accompanied by personal ministry (Acts 11:30;
20:4,24)
Note the price in suffering that Paul was willing to pay in order to convey
the gifts of the Gentile churches to Jerusalem as his personal ministry
(Acts 20:22-24).
b. Varieties of gifts and ministries
(1) Comforting the distressed (Rom. 12:8)
(2) Supporting the weak (1 Thes. 5:14)
(3) Relieving poverty (Rom. 12:8,13; 2 Cor. 9:8-15)
(4) Healing the sick (1 Cor. 12:30)
(5) Exorcising demons (Acts 16:18)
(6) Supporting and administering benevolence The program of benevolence
in the church requires administrative supervision as well as humble service.
The seven were appointed to administer the distribution of food in the
apostolic church (Acts 6:2,3); representatives of the Greek-speaking community
were chosen for this task since it was the widows of this community who
were being neglected (Acts 20:4); note the assistance that Paul asks of
the Roman church for the ministry of Phoebe (Rom. 16:1,2).
Resulting Guidelines:
1. The ministry of mercy is a necessary part of the calling of Christ's
church. The miracles of Christ, as signs of the kingdom, show us that
the ministry of the church must be in deeds of mercy as well as in proclamation
of the gospel. The ministry of Christ's disciples and of the apostolic
church confirm this.
2. The church's ministry of mercy cannot be limited to Christians. Our
compassion is modeled on the compassion of Christ and the love of God,
directed to us when we were enemies.
3. The church's ministry of mercy must be conducted in Christ's name.
It is a spiritual ministry, not an impersonal provision of resources.
It is performed without public fanfare, but with the loving acknowledgement
of Christ's lordship and to the praise of his name.
4. The church's ministry of mercy must be conducted in spiritual wisdom,
recognizing both priorities of ministry and urgency of need.
a. Ministry to the immediate church family is given first priority. As
a man must first care for his own household, so the church as a family
must first see that immediate needs are met. Beyond the local church,
the bond of the Christian brotherhood calls for compassionate help to
all who are in Christ.
b. The urgency of need may establish temporary priority. Jesus delivered
the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman at a time when the priority of
his ministry was to the lost sheep of Israel (Mk. 7:24-30).
c. Priorities may be established in mission strategy. The priority established
in caring for the immediate household of faith must not be made an excuse
for refusing any exercise of the ministry of mercy as part of the missionary
task of the church. Particular targets of benevolence may be chosen in
developing mission strategy.
5. The church's ministry of mercy cannot ignore the demand of Christ's
kingdom. Christian benevolence is necessarily linked with gospel summons.
The discipline that accompanies the word cannot be absent from the witness
of deeds. To signify the reality of Christ's compassion the strategy of
Christian witness may call for periods of benevolent service among resistant
peoples (or persons). Yet, as is the case with gospel proclamation, such
periods are not to be indefinitely prolonged.
6. The churches' ministry of mercy is benevolent and charitable, not political
or Utopian. The church does not seek to reconstruct social structures
through political pressure; rather, it bears witness to the ultimate new
order that will come with Christ. The witness of the church as salt and
light in the world is advanced by the testimony of benevolence, but the
witness of the church is gospel witness. That witness seeks to make disciples,
and to offer a sample of the new order in the church. Where the church
deems it expedient to cooperate with other agencies in providing resources
for relief of distress it must jealously guard the distinctiveness of
witness in Christ's name.
7. The church's ministry of mercy is a voluntary expression of gratitude
for God's mercies. Even though the giving of time, service, and resources
is an expression of gratitude that God requires, it is nevertheless God's
will that it be freely and cheerfully given. Such gifts are expressions
of a life that is in every part a stewardship of the blessings of God
(2 Cor. 9:5-7).
8. Within the church as the family and household of God, the needs of
the poor and the distressed are to be met from the resources God has provided.
These resources are to be freely given by those whom God has made stewards
of grace and of goods. Giving is in the context of worship and nurture.
It seeks the restoration of the needy, and is a loving ministry, not a
mere dole. It is also in the context of spiritual discipline, a discipline
that curbs the exploitation of benevolence. The obligation of provision
for the needs of the people of God is part of the new commandment of love
reflecting the love of God in Christ.
9. The church is not charged with the support of the poor of the world.
A distinction is necessary between the responsibility that the church
bears for the relief and support of needy people of God and the opportunity
that the church has to show the compassion of Christ to those in need
who are outside the covenant. Even within the church the ministry of mercy
is to be sustained by voluntary benevolence. Ministry toward those without
is to be exercised in wisdom, wisdom that perceives God-given opportunities
for benevolence. These opportunities are providentially provided; the
ministry that seizes them in faith will glorify God by manifesting his
compassion and saving love.
10. The church's ministry of mercy is primarily carried on through the
exercise of spiritual gifts. It cannot be measured simply by financial
expenditure or "case-load." The manner in which the ministry is carried
out is essential to its nature. Those with spiritual gifts for showing
mercy are responsible for exercising them, even as those with material
means are responsible for their stewardship. Opportunities for the ministry
of mercy must be sought in prayer, challenges and pleas must be prayerfully
considered. The church's ministry of mercy is part of its spiritual warfare.
(II Cor. 10:3-5).
B. How is the ministry of mercy ordered in Christ's church?
1. In the structure of the general and special office
a. The office of all believers
Every Christian is bound to manifest the compassion of Christ in the love
that he shows to others in Christ's name. Every Christian is a priest
(I Pet 2:9) offering up deeds of mercy and service as a pleasing sacrifice
(Heb.13:15-16). All of us will have the reality of our faith judged by
our mercy (Matt25:35-36; James 2:12-13). Therefore, the work of benevolence
is not primarily a work discharged by special officers on behalf of the
church. It is primarily the loving action of the members of the church.
This is the more evident when it is recognized that benevolence is a stewardship
of grace, not simply of goods. The ministry of mercy is carried out by
Christians individually; it is carried out by Christian households, particularly
in showing hospitality. It is also carried out by groups of Christians
acting corporately. The necessity of parachurch groups being formed for
the ministry of mercy is an irregularity that arises from the complications
of denominational division rather than from any problem with the association
of Christians to discharge the calling of the general office. Christians
who are members of different denominations may and do unite in associations
to carry out the ministry of mercy. In the unity of an undivided church,
groups of Christians formed for ministries of mercy would properly be
under the ruling office of the church, and would either cooperate with
the deacons of the church or be supervised by them.
b. The distinctiveness of the special office
Christians are qualified for ministry by gifts of the Holy Spirit. Some
gifts require formal public recognition for their proper functioning.
Such gifts constitute office in God's calling and in the church's recognition.
Therefore, office does not inherently entail disciplining authority, but
rather the right to act for the congregation in the name of Christ in
the exercise of one's gifts. The gifts that qualify for teaching, for
rule, for service in the church of Christ differ in degree, but not in
kind, between the general and the special office.
2. Through the office of the deacon
a. Distinctiveness: the ministry of mercy
Is the deacon an assistant to the elder, a manager of church property
and finances, or is the deacon called to a special function of showing
mercy? In the history of the church the task of the deacon has been seen
in terms of each of these roles, and these emphases have influenced the
understanding of the diaconate in Reformed and Presbyterian churches.
(See Appendix A.)
It is clear from I Timothy 3:8-13 and Philippians 1:1 that deacons were
officers of the apostolic church along with bishops or elders. (The remaining
passage where the noun diakonos may refer to such an office is Romans
16:1). Although the Apostle gives qualifications for the office in I Timothy
and sets it beside the office of the bishop in his address to the Philippians,
he does not in these passages describe its function. The term diakonos
in its general use means "servant." In the context of Christian ministry
it is used of the service given to Paul by his traveling companions (Acts
19:22). The thought of the deacon as a serving assistant may appear to
be reinforced by the account in Acts 6. When the Greek-speaking widows
were being neglected in the daily serving of food (diakonia), the apostles
who had been in charge of this service sought for seven others to whom
it could be committed. They did not wish to leave the service (diakonia)
of the Word for the diakonia of tables (Acts 6:2,4).
Often this passage is regarded as the institution of the office of the
deacon, and diaconal duties are read out from it. But to call the Seven
"Deacons" poses some difficulties. The word diakonos is not used, though
the ministry given to the Seven is called diakonia. Besides their diakonia,
they are also involved in teaching, disputing, preaching and evangelism
(Acts 7 - Stephen; Acts 8 - Philip). Also, there is no mention of their
continued work of welfare. For example, in Acts 11:30 the gifts to the
poor in Jerusalem are sent to the elders. In short, the seven, full of
wisdom and of the Holy Spirit, seem to have been overqualified for "serving
tables" (Stephen and Philip, at least, also ministered the Word). It may
be that the seven carried responsibilities that later became those of
evangelists, pastors, teachers, elders, and deacons. On the one hand,
they may be viewed as apostolic assistants. On the other hand, they, like
the apostles before them, may have carried general responsibility for
leadership tasks that were later divided among others, specifically the
elders and deacons. This was the first division of official functions
in the apostolic church.
What can we learn from Acts 6? First, that diaconal ministry was an organized
ministry of the church, distinct from the ministry of the Word, and second,
that diaconal ministry can be given to officers who specialize in its
coordination and work.
How do we know, then, what the essence of diaconal ministry is? In favor
of regarding diaconal ministry as focusing on works of mercy is the constant
use of the verb to describe such ministry, often in connection with serving
food (Mt. 4:11; 8:15; 25:44; 27:55; Mk. 1:13,31; 15:41; Lk. 4:39; 8:3;
10:40; 12:37; 17:8; 22:26,27; Jn. 12:2; Acts 6:2; Rom. 15:25; 2 Tim. 1:18;
Philem. 13; Heb. 6:10). When the verb is widened to include the ministry
of other gifts, this original force may still be felt (I Pet. 4:10,11).
In a similar way the noun diakonia often refers to ministry to physical
needs (Lk. 10:40; Acts 11:29; 12:25; I Cor. 16:15; 2 Cor. 8:4; 9:1,12,13).
This is particularly the case when service to the saints is spoken of.
When Paul writes of his ministering to the saints (diakoneo, diakonia),
he has the ministry of mercy in view (Rom. 15:25,31; 2 Cor. 8:4,19,20;
9:1,12,13). When, on the other hand, he thinks of his apostolic ministry
of the Word, he describes it as a ministry to God rather than a ministry
to the saints (2 Cor. 6:4). Paul does, indeed, speak of his apostolic
service as being rendered to the church (2 Cor. 11:8). Yet a difference
remains between the use of diakonia terminology in its more literal sense
(ministry to the saints in their physical needs), and the use of diakonia
in a more figurative sense (to describe the spiritual ministry of the
Word).
Further, in distinguishing gifts of the Spirit, Paul mentions gifts for
ministering mercy, and does so in passages where office is in view (Rom.
12:8,13; I Cor. 12:28,29). Then the term for "helps" in I Cor. 12:28 appears
as a verb to describe "helping the weak" with the income from labor (Acts
20:35). It should be noted, too, that Paul asks the church at Rome to
assist Phoebe in what is clearly her ministry of mercy, a ministry in
which she was a diakonos of the church in Cenchreae, having helped many,
including the Apostle himself (Rom. 16:1,2). The term diakonos is here
directly joined with the concept of ministering to physical needs.
The use of the diakonia terminology in close connection with the ministry
to the saints leads us to conclude that the deacon is so called, not because
he is the servant of the bishop or elder, but because he is the servant
of the saints, ministering to their needs. The deacon is not an assistant
bishop, but one called to minister to the saints by showing mercy and
relieving their needs. There is, therefore, a focus to the ministry of
deacons.
b. Leadership in the ministry of mercy
Diaconal gifts are recognized in the New Testament, and diaconal ministry
is included in church office. This implies that deacons serve and represent
the whole congregation as they provide for the needs of some from the
resources of many. In Jerusalem arrangements were made for equitable distribution
of food on a daily basis to impoverished widows. In a famine situation,
funds for food were provided from outside the community. Under the leadership
of the Apostle Paul, representatives of the Greek churches accompanied
their gifts to the poor saints in Jerusalem. Diaconal ministry requires
especially the graces of liberality (devoted singleness of purpose) and
cheerfulness (Rom. 12:8). The forms of this ministry include the provision
of gifts for the poor, caring for the sick and afflicted, visiting the
prisoner, and affording hospitality to strangers; in short, offering help,
counsel and friendship to those in need and distress.
In view of the responsibility of the teaching office to equip the saints
for ministry (Eph. 4:11-16), it would appear that the same principle should
apply to diaconal leadership. While deacons do not have the shepherding
and disciplining authority of elders, they do take the lead in the ministry
of mercy. They have a respected role to fulfill (I Tim. 3:13). Acts 6:3
indicates that diaconal ministers should be full of spiritual wisdom,
which is always the qualification for spiritual leadership (I Kings 3:7-11;
cf. II Sam.14:17). As leaders, deacons should not only minister in the
name of the church, but should encourage the church by their example to
fulfill the ministry of mercy to which the Lord calls all.
c. Goals of the ministry of mercy
(1) In relation to the ministry of worship
Paul describes the giving of the Gentile churches to the poor saints at
Jerusalem as a service to God, and receives gifts from the Philippians
as sacrifices offered to God (2 Cor. 9:11-15; Phil 4:18). Deacons and
other church officers must keep the doxological aspect of benevolence
before the hearts of the congregation. The receiving of gifts for diaconal
purposes in the setting of the worship service helps the church to realize
that these offerings are for the praise of God.
(2) In relation to the ministry of nurture
Demonstrating brotherly love and caring for those in need is a mark of
growth in grace (I Pet. 1:22; 4:8-10). It manifests our love for Christ,
and proves out in obedience the will of God for us. The blessings of God's
kingdom, do renew the whole man, spiritually, physically, socially (Deut.7:12-16).
It is within the covenant that we receive the benefits of both the ministry
of the Word and of deed.
(3) In relation to the ministry of witness
Deeds of mercy, accompanying the gospel words of mercy cause men to "see
your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven" (Matt. 5:16).
Diakonia is not just a means to the end of evangelism, nor is diaconal
ministry a work independent from evangelism. Rather, both word and deed
are means to the end of the spread of the kingdom. Diaconal ministry cannot
be done without evangelism, for it would then cease to truly be kingdom
endeavor. Like the elders, deacons should encourage the giving of the
church to world mission; they have a particular responsibility to evaluate
opportunities for works of mercy to accompany words of grace.
d. Scope of the office of deacon
The office of deacon focuses on meeting human need. Yet while the focus
of mercy is to be preserved, the kinds of service the deacon may render
are varied indeed. Within spiritual norms, the broad mandate of Scripture
for the work of deacons opens the door to the development of forms of
service to care for the varied needs of men and women in many times and
places. Since deacons are called to comfort distress as well as to provide
for physical needs, spiritual counselling is one form of diaconal ministry.
It is consistent with the diaconal care of the sick to add physical means
to our prayers. The Lord may bless our pouring in oil and wine and binding
up wounds. Christian medical missions and services may be developed out
of diaconal concern. The financial abilities required to manage funds
given for the poor may be of service to the church in other ways. Then
financial counselling and agricultural instruction can be as expressive
of the care of deacons as the provision of seed in an area that has exhausted
its supply through famine. No narrow boundaries can be put in the injunction
to do good in Christ's name.
The limits of so varied a ministry are not easy to determine. Of course,
the work of the deacons will be limited by the resources, spiritual and
financial, of those who engage in it. It will also be limited by the opportunity
in God's providence for a spiritual form of benevolence to be exercised.
In view of these limits, spiritual wisdom is needed to determine priorities
and to seize opportunities (Acts 6:3). Limits appear when the assistance
becomes merely temporal rather than essentially spiritual, or when spiritual
aims are sought by means of coercion. This may occur through the growth
of a diaconal project in size and influence, even apart from any corruption
of its principles. Secular governments have taken over mission hospitals
and educational institutions. This has often been unjustly done, and to
the detriment of Christian witness. Yet there has sometimes been another
factor: the institutionalizing of Christian benevolence to the point where
its operation was perceived in terms of secular power.
Wisdom is also needed to determine when the objects of the ministry of
mercy can best be achieved through para-church organizations or through
cooperation with secular agencies. Since the work of the church must always
be in Christ's name, and since the clear witness of the gospel must not
be muffled, there are evident limits to the use of such channels or allies.
3. In the pattern of church office
a. Ministry of the Word and of mercy
The ministry of the Word on the part of the teaching elder is linked with
the service of the deacon in many ways. The teaching too, is a diakonos
who must not only advocate but exemplify the ministry of mercy. Paul charged
the Ephesians elders with this responsibility and pointed to his own example
(Acts 20:33-35). The teaching elder must instruct the congregation in
the ministry of mercy that all share, and show from Scripture the importance
of the special work of the deacon. Further, he must labor with the deacons
to equip and train them. He must also guide them to join with him in equipping
the saints for their ministry of mercy.
The deacon, on the other hand, must support the pastor, and show particular
concern for the personal and family needs of those who labor in the Word
and in teaching. Deacons must avoid usurping the role of the elder by
using the leverage of financial administration. Yet they should serve
the church by showing genuine concern for the needs of undershepherds
as well as sheep of the flock.
b. Ministry of order and of mercy
The office of the deacon is not one of rule, but of sympathy and of service
(BCO 7:-2). While deacons have the authority to administer their own services
and the benevolent funds committed to them, they are not called to participate
in the disciplinary government of the church. The distinction between
the "overseers" who govern and the "servants" who minister (Phil. 1:1)
does not demean the calling of the deacon but it does indicate a marked
difference in function. The session of the church has authority over all
the work of the deacons as over other matters concerning the spiritual
government of the house of God.
At the same time, the session should exercise its supervision in a manner
that respects the responsibility of the diaconate in the conduct of its
work. Deacons differ in enduement of abilities, not in spiritual maturity.
We do not see in I Timothy 3:8ff. an unseasoned man who "has good potential
to be an elder". Rather, Paul tells us that a deacon must already be tested
(I Tim.3: 10). The elders, therefore, should regularly solicit the advice
and response of the diaconate in matters affecting their own shepherding
of the flock. To this end, joint meetings of the session and the diaconate
should be regularly scheduled.
c. Diaconal ministry and broader assemblies
Presbyterians recognize that the church of Christ comes to expression
at more than one level: in the house church and the city church as well
as in the church throughout a province or country. It is appropriate that
deacons as well as elders should benefit from mutual counsel and encouragement
in seeking to fulfill their ministries.
As the local diaconate is under the authority of the session, so, too,
are broader conferences of deacons under the authority of presbyteries
or general assemblies.
Resulting Guidelines:
1. The work of benevolence in Christ's name is the calling of every member
of his church. In their own households, in their local household of faith
and as members of different church fellowships, Christians may and do
associate to carry out the ministry of mercy.
2. The Scriptures define the office of deacon and provide guidelines for
the qualifications and functions of deacons. The wide variety of forms
of diaconal ministry indicated in the Bible is adaptable to every place
and every age.
3. While the church entrusts to deacons the management of various temporal
affairs and may call upon them to provide administrative support to pastors
and elders, the primary responsibility and purpose of the office is the
ministry of mercy.
4. The leadership of deacons in the church furnishes example and encouragement
to the whole church in ministering help, counsel, and friendship to the
poor, the afflicted, and others in need and distress. In this helping
role deacons gain "good standing and great assurance in the faith" (I
Tim. 3:13).
5. The work of the deacons assists the ministry of the church in worshiping
God, nurturing the saints and witnessing to the world. Deacons and other
church officers must keep before the congregation the praise of God as
the ultimate aim of benevolence; they must encourage growth in demonstrating
brotherly love and in showing to the world by deed as by word the love
of Christ.
6. Deacons serve the church in witnessing to the gospel of the kingdom
through deeds of mercy which accompany the proclamation of the Word. Witness
in word and deed go together. On the one hand, to show mercy in Christ's
name is to open a door for the gospel. On the other hand, wherever the
gospel is offered to the nations, deeds of mercy support its message of
God's grace.
7. The primary responsibility of deacons is to minister to the needs of
the household of faith in their own and other churches. They also have
the privilege of ministering mercy to others in need as the Lord opens
opportunities to serve them in Christ's name.
8. Because the expression of mercy on behalf of Christ's church is a spiritual
service, diaconal assistance must not be limited to material provision.
Further these spiritual goals must not be sought by means of coercive
actions or inducements. Deacons must manage the relation of their ministry
to the services of the state and other social agencies so this principle
is maintained.
9. The teaching elder should instruct the church regarding the duty and
privilege of diaconal ministry. Pastors should not only train and equip
deacons for the discharge of their calling; they should also labor with
other elders and the deacons in equipping the saints for their work of
mercy ministry.
10. The office of the deacon is not one of rule, but of sympathy and service
(BCO 7:2). Deacons do not exercise disciplinary authority over the membership,
but they are authorized to administer the areas of service committed to
them. Deacons do not differ from elders so much in degree of Christian
maturity as in differentiation of gifts and calling. The diaconate is
not a proving ground for the eldership, but a distinct office requiring
mature wisdom and gifts for service. In the areas of responsibility delegated
to them, deacons function under the authority of the elders, who must
encourage them in initiative and faithfulness, giving honor to their office.
11. In accordance with BCO 9:6, deacons may confer and cooperate with
diaconates of other churches when this is desirable for the proper performance
of their tasks.
Respectfully submitted, |
TE Fred Marsh, Chairman
RE Hadley Mitchell
Deacon Frank Harder
TE Jim Hatch
|
TE Ed Clowney, Secretary
TE Tim Keller
TE Jimmy Lyons
|
Adopted as the Biblical Guideline for Mercy Ministry in the PCA
Appendix A
A Historical Survey of the Diaconate
[This survey is based on a much longer documented article
produced by the
Study Committee and available to commissioners.]
The longer study is found in Box 357, File 13 at the PCA
Historical Center,
and can be ordered from the Historical
Center for $17.50, post paid.
THE EARLY CHURCH
It can be seen from the earliest writings, such as the "Didache" (A.D.120),
that each congregation had multiple elders/bishops and deacons, all elected
by the people. Deacons were ministers of mercy to the poor and widows.
They were clearly patterned after "the Seven" of Acts 6, even to the point
that many churches appointed only seven. Early deacons visited to find
needs and meet them (see Pseudo-Clement). They cared for the widows and
supervised the "agape" fellowship meals. In addition, Justin Martyr tells
us they were helpers with the Eucharist and other worship meals, since
they took the gifts to the poor. Deacons were also assistants to the elders
and especially the bishops. As time wore on, the deacons' main purpose
becomes to serve the bishops as secretaries and helpers. In brief, the
function of "helps", which was always a purpose of the deacon, eventually
came to eclipse all others. As the diaconal office became deformed by
the mid-3rd century, deacons became nothing more than liturgical assistants.
THE REFORMATION
Luther envisioned a diaconate in each town carrying on distribution to
the city's poor as its main focus (see The Babylonian Captivity of the
Church). For various reasons, however, the Lutherans did not carry this
out and the diaconate disappeared from the Lutheran scene.
John Calvin was the most clear in explaining the theological connection
between almsgiving and worship. He placed almsgiving in the liturgy after
the sermon and as part of the Supper liturgy. He stated categorically:
"Thus we ought always to provide that no meeting of the church should
take place without the word, prayers, partaking of the supper, and almsgiving." Institutes, IV. 17. 44.
The Catholic exegetes taught that deacons were primarily helpers who assisted
the priest in his work of teaching and worship. Calvin, however, was quite
careful to say in his exegesis of I Tim.3:8ff. that the deacon is a representative
of the church, not of the pastor. Therefore, the diaconate has an integrity
all its own. They are not mere "domestic servants". For example, the diaconate
should not ordinarily be a stepping stone or trial arena for junior elders.
They do not merely carry out orders, but they are a holy office in which
they look for needs and make decisions. Deacons are subordinate to Elders,
but they are not the immediate subordinates of the elders, in a chain
of command. Calvin allows that deacons are "Levites" and do give assistance
to the elders and pastors, but he insists on the primacy of mercy and
on the distinctiveness of the office (Institutes IV. 19. 32)
Calvin established two orders of deacons. First there were those who administered
alms for the poor ("procurators"). They were to receive, dispense, and
hold funds, possessions, rents and pensions for the poor. The second order
("hospitallers") consisted of deacons who actually ministered to the sick
and to the poor. Their chief work was the administration of a "hospital"
in which there were not only those too sick to work, but also the aged,
widows and orphans, and "other poor creatures".
LATER DEVELOPMENTS
Scotland.
The First Book of Discipline (Heading VI.) established deacons as the
chief financial officers of the church. They supported the pastor, the
schools, and the poor within their parishes. Their functions are administrative
and financial. Deacons were to care for the poor in their parishes. On
the one hand, the Second Book of Discipline mentions the diaconal ministry
as being directed to the saints, yet later it speaks of aiding the poor
and the strangers within a parish (See Chapters VIII. and IX.) This indicates
that the church's whole neighborhood was envisioned as a ministry area
for the deacons.
Deacons were not admitted to church councils and were completely under
the authority of the Session. Mercy was one of their duties along with
general administration.
The Netherlands.
The Dutch churches spoke more emphatically that mercy was the prime purpose
of the diaconate. At the Synod of Dort (1574) deacons were charged to
cooperate with the civil magistrates and others who were seeking to help
the poor in their communities. Article 25 of the Church Order of Dort
(1618-19) tells deacons to distribute alms not only among the members
of the church, but also to the poor among "inhabitants and strangers".
The deacons of the 17th century Reformed churches in many cases formed
the central social service agency of the city, supporting orphanages,
homes for the elderly, schools, several clothing manufacturing shops and
bakeries for distribution to the poor.
Deacons in the Dutch churches definitely wielded more authority and oversight
over the congregation than deacons in the Presbyterian churches. They
sat on the Church Council or consistory with the elders. Thus, deacons
took part in the nomination procedure of both elders and had a regulative
voice together with the elders in electing a pastor. No pastor could leave
a field without consent of the consistory, which included deacons.
England.
Many of the Puritans saw Presbyterianism as the truest Scriptural church
order. In The Second Parte of a Register, deacons are described as those
whose office "consisteth only in the oversight of the poor". Deacons were
to be elected in every church. The Westminster Assembly, though it discussed
the elder and powers of presbytery for months, spent only one day on the
diaconate, and provided only the briefest of statements. "The Scripture
doth hold out deacons as distinct officers in the church, whose office
is perpetual. To whose office it belongs not to preach the word or administer
the sacraments, but to take special care in distributing to the necessities
of the poor." (The Form of Presbyterial Church Government)
THE AMERICAN REFORMED CHURCHES
Presbyterian.
The first American General Assembly pronouncement regarding the duties
of deacons was that of the 1833 Assembly which stated that the deacons
of a congregation primarily were to care for the poor of their own church.
Secondarily, the "temporalities of the church" (care of general care,
maintenance of property, etc.) could be committed to them. This latter
pronouncement was balanced by a 1752 Assembly statement allowing for trustees
who could handle "temporalities" instead of deacons. In this, the Americans
followed, not the Dutch churches (which made mercy the exclusive purpose
of the diaconate) but the Scottish Books of Discipline, which gave deacons
all financial affairs of the church. Giving deacons the trusteeship, however,
was definitely an addition to the statement of the Westminster Assembly.
Under the influence of Thornwell, the Southern Presbyterian Church, trustees
were discouraged and the "trusteeship" duties of deacons became mandatory.
As for the scope of the diaconate, we have seen that the earlier American
understanding was for deacons to care for the poor of their congregation
only, not of the neighborhood in general (e.g. Samuel Miller's "Essay"
on the Office of Ruling Elder). This was not the unanimous position of
the Old School Presbyterians, however (e.g. Thomas Smyth of South Carolina).
By the 1871 General Assembly, however, deacons were charged to give charity
to non-Christians "as will aid in ... opening the door for more direct
spiritual ministrations."
As for the authority of the diaconate, American presbyterians forbade
deacons to sit on any church courts. The 1715 Assembly stated that deacons
had "no juridical power". However, in the area of work among the poor,
deacons had surprising policy making power. The 1857 Old School General
Assembly answered in the negative the question "Has a Church session any
original or direct control over the management and distribution of the
fund collected and in the hands of the Deacons for the benefit of the
poor of the Church?" Instead, they pronounced that the Session "may advise
respecting use of the funds". In addition, it was left up to local congregations
whether Deacons could officiate the Sacraments.
In the final analysis, it cannot be said that the diaconate has flourished
in American Presbyterianism at all. All the General Assembly pronouncements
and guidance on the subject from 1706-1873 fill only a page and a half.
Very little unity of mind existed on the function and scope of the office.
At no point during the 19th century did the majority of Presbyterian churches
have deacons.
Reformed.
The Dutch Reformed churches in America maintained from their fatherland
a clearer concept of the deacon as a primarily a minister of mercy. Unlike
the Presbyterian Forms of Church Government, their Church Order Article
on the Ministry of Deacons does not include the duties of Trusteeship
at all. And though in some Reformed churches deacons assume the duties
of trustees, the prevailing force of all Church pronouncements was to
define diaconal ministry as mercy ministry.
As stated above, the Dutch Reformed churches have been much more inclined
to encourage the ministry of deacons in their communities as well as their
congregation. R.B.Kuiper of the Christian Reformed Church wrote: "Does
it follow that deacons should never extend aid to needy persons outside
the fold of the church? The answer must be negative. Did not the merciful
Christ heal the daughter of a Syrophoenician woman and thus permit a Greek
to eat the crumbs that fell from the table of God's covenant people (Mark
7:24-30)?" |