The New Testament Deacon: The Church's Minister of Mercy by Alexander StrauchMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
A good survey and exposition of what the Bible says about deacons. Strauch exposits Acts 6 and 1 Timothy 3 thoroughly. At times it is overly academic and pedantic, but it is solid. Usually predictable, but now and then there are gems in the exposition. Here’s one example:
1 Timothy 3:13 says that deacons who serve well will obtain “great boldness in the faith.” Strauch: “as deacons faithfully serve, they also develop their spiritual lives, particularly their faith in Christ” (pg 151). There is a lot of spiritual insight, there.
I’ve noted a stark difference between my church experience and Scripture in this way: in Acts 6 the deacons are given authority for a field of activity, and then left to do it, while the elders pray and teach the Word. In the church today, deacons don’t do anything unless the elders tell them to! This is as often the fault of the elders being disorganized as it is of negligence on the part of the deacons. Deacons are a key link in the structure of the church, receiving authority from elders to serve, and then coordinating and delegating some of that authority to the body of believers.
The main point Strauch makes topically, in applying to the church scene today, is crucial. At the beginning and end of the book he asserts this:
Most churches make deacons either rulers of the church or janitors. The Bible makes them neither. They are agents of mercy with real authority under the elders, to provide for those in need.
May our deacons aim for this purpose, serving God’s people faithfully.
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