Deacons
Teachers
Lesson Summary
Richard Sutton taught the congregation about the biblical foundation and necessity of church leadership, specifically in relation to the appointment of two new deacons, Mike Perkins and Jake Collins. He traced the origin of the diaconate back to Acts 6, where the apostles appointed seven men to serve the rapidly growing Jerusalem church when complaints arose about widows being neglected in the daily distribution of food. The apostles recognized that they could not handle all responsibilities themselves and needed to delegate practical, material concerns to faithful men so they could focus on prayer and the ministry of the word. This established the foundational principle that the church requires both spiritual oversight (elders) and practical service (deacons). Sutton emphasized that Paul later wrote about deacon qualifications in 1 Timothy 3:8-13 and that mature churches like those in Philippi and Ephesus had both elders and deacons working together. He explained that the word "deacon" means to minister or serve, and that deacons function as the "maintenance department" of the church, carrying out responsibilities delegated by the elders to meet material and practical needs. The teacher concluded that this ancient model remains relevant today, with seven elders overseeing the spiritual welfare of Linder Road's congregation while deacons serve in practical ministries, allowing the church to function effectively and mature toward the fullness of Christ.
Key Scriptures
He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, pastor, teachers for the equipment of the saints, to the work of service, to the fullness and the maturity of the body of Christ.
Now at that time, while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose among the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of bread or food... select from among yourselves, brethren, seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, who may be put in charge of this task.