Teaching/Exhortation and Vows for Deacon Ordination
What is a deacon?
The teaching/exhortation is original to Christ Covenant Church, it was written by myself. The vows have been taken out of the constitution for Trinity Presbyterian Church in Birmingham Alabama (pastored by Rich Lusk), except edited to use the language of the Three Forms of Unity. The prayers have been taken out of a form used by Pastor Jacob Hanby of Providence Church in Caro Michigan.
Teaching and Exhortation:
Scripture teaches that a deacon is most fundamentally a servant. The word ‘deacon’ comes from the Greek verb ‘διακονέω’, which simply means ‘to serve’. In Acts 6, the 7 men are appointed in the church ‘to serve’ Tables. Given that Timothy and Erastus are later called ‘helpers’ of Paul in Acts 19:22, it would be easy then to regard the men who are called ‘to serve’ in Acts 6 also as helpers to the Apostles, at least in a sense of the word. When we finally hear the separate office of ‘deacon’ specifically instituted in I Timothy 3, the word deacon is clearly used to refer to men who are called to service in the congregation.
This office is generally associated with acts of mercy and the work of administration in the congregation throughout the New Testament. In Acts 6, the specific duty that the Apostles appoint the 7 men for is to serve Tables, that is, specifically to help the church to resolve the problem of the Greek widows being passed by in the daily distribution of money. The institution of deacons is intended to meet a need, to be an aid to the Apostles, as the needs of a young church increase and as they grow. There is a division of duties for the sake of leading the congregation well. There are some similarities when you read I Timothy 3, and you consider Paul’s use of the term ‘overseer’ and ‘deacon’. An overseer keeps a watch on the congregation, he protects the sheep from the threat of wolves, he helps the congregation to learn about the will of the Lord and to grow in holiness. A deacon assists or helps in this task.
We should consider a little more deeply on what it means “to serve Tables”. Table service in the Old Testament was connected with the priesthood and the altar. In the New Testament, there is no longer a specific priesthood and an altar. The Church is a nation of priests. Christ laid down His life and took it up again, once and for all. As a Christian people we are called to offer ourselves as living sacrifices. It is the duty of the deacons to lead the church in that service, as we dedicate our time, our treasures and our talents for the upbuilding of the church and the growth of the kingdom of Christ. They are called to boldly lead us in this service as examples of leadership in service and service in leadership. This doesn’t make any of us less a servant. Together we serve Christ in His Church.
This institution of the office of deacon is meant to teach us something very important about the gospel. Jesus once rebuked the disciples in Matthew 20:25–28 “But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Thus, there is a mutual submission of the overseers to the deacons and the deacons to the overseers (elders) as well as between all the members of the congregation as we submit ultimately to the rule of Christ who came to save us from our sins. We are all teaching each other how to submit to one another in humility.
My exhortation to the deacons today is that you now bear a unique role in helping this to happen in the congregation. As Paul calls the church in Philippi in Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Or as he says in Romans 12:10 “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”
It is for this reason that the Lord has given His Spirit to the congregation. It is for this reason, that the congregation has chosen for themselves men full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom (Acts 6:3). I am personally thankful for this congregation and for each of these men, for Jeremy Barendregt, for Ben Hines, for Josh Driedger, for the work that the Lord through His Spirit is doing in each one of them to serve and lead in this congregation. I see each of their gifts as well, and I am excited to see how the Lord leads as they are ordained to ecclesiastical office.
This is a divine calling and task to fulfill in the midst of the congregation. It is important to recognize that the call comes from God and is affirmed by the congregation. We are insufficient in ourselves to fulfill such an excellent ministry and calling. The Spirit goes before you, He gives you the strength to fulfill your office and calling. And so the conclusion of this teaching and exhortation is a call to the entire congregation, but especially to these three men who are standing for ordination as deacons to serve in the church: “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” (I Cor. 16:13-14)
QUESTIONS FOR THE DEACON(-ELECT)
1. Do you believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, as originally given, to be the inerrant Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice?
2. Do you sincerely receive and adopt in good faith the Three Forms of Unity of this Church, as being true to the system of doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures; and do you further promise that if at any time you find yourself out of accord with any of the fundamentals of this system of doctrine, you will, on your own initiative, make known to your session the change which has taken place in your views since the assumption of this ordination vow?
3. Do you approve of the form of government and discipline of this church, as in conformity with the general principles of biblical polity?
4. Do you accept the office of deacon in this church, and promise faithfully to perform all the duties thereof, and to endeavor by the grace of God to adorn the profession of the Gospel in your life, and to set a worthy example before the church of which God has made you an officer?
5. Do you promise subjection to your brethren in the Lord?
6. Do you promise to strive for the purity, peace, unity and edification of the church?
Answer: I do, God helping me.
ORDINATION
Celebrant Let us pray.
We praise and glorify You, almighty Father, because in Your infinite love You have formed throughout the world a holy people for Your own possession, a royal priesthood, a universal Church. We praise and glorify You because You sent Your only Son Jesus Christ to take the form of a slave; he humbled himself for our sake, and in obedience accepted death, even death on a cross. We praise and glorify You that raised him from the dead, and in every age You send Your Spirit to fill those whom You have chosen, to equip Your holy people for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ. And now we give You thanks that You have called this your servant, whom we ordain in Your name, to share as a deacon in the ministry of the gospel of Christ, who came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. [The elders lay hands upon the ordinand.]
Celebrant: Therefore, Father, through Jesus Christ Your Son, give Your Holy Spirit to _______; fill him with grace and power and make him a deacon in Your church.
Through Your Spirit, heavenly Father, give this your servant grace and power to fulfill his ministry. Make him faithful to serve and constant in advancing your gospel in the world. May he follow the example of Jesus Christ your Son, who washed the feet of his disciples, and set the needs of others before His own. May his life be disciplined and holy, his words declare your love and his actions reveal Your glory, that Your people may walk with him in the way of truth and be made ready for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; to whom, with You and the Holy Spirit, belong glory and honor, worship and praise, now and forever.
QUESTION FOR THE CONGREGATION
Do you, the members of this church, acknowledge and receive this brother as deacon, and do you promise to yield him all that honor, encouragement and obedience in the Lord to which this office, according to the Word of God and the Constitution of this church, entitles him?
Congregation: We do so, God helping us.
Pastor: I now pronounce and declare that ________ has been regularly elected, and ordained, and installed a deacon in this church, agreeable to the Word of God, and that as such he is entitled to all encouragement, honor and obedience in the Lord: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Congregation: Amen!