Many have pointed to Acts 6 as the beginning of the diaconate – and I would generally agree. In Acts 6, you see the Twelve appointing the Seven to care for the church in Jerusalem. While the particular need in Jerusalem at the time was for someone to oversee the distribution of food to the widows, that was not all that the Seven did! Already in Acts 7, you see Stephen (one of the Seven) preaching, and in Acts 8, you see Philip (another of the Seven) preaching and baptizing.
Nowhere in scripture do you have a precise “job description” given for the Deacons. Therefore, if you want a job description for the Deacons, you will have to ask the bishops and elders of the church what the deacons should do.
We, in the PCA, have decided that we want our deacons to focus on the ministry of mercy and service, together with the administration of property and finance.
And that's good. I am delighted that we have given such a high priority to this ministry as to entrust it to a whole branch of the ministry!
But we should never lose sight of the fact that scripture portrays the Seven (the first deacons) as those who give spiritual direction to the church in Jerusalem.
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