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Can Ladies Serve as Deacons?

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 **3/7/12 3:29 pm**

1 Tim. 3:12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

Strong's Number: 1249
Original Word Word Origin
diakonoß probably from an obsolete diako (to run on errands, cf (1377))
Transliterated Word TDNT Entry
Diakonos 2:88,152
Phonetic Spelling Parts of Speech
dee-ak'-on-os Noun
Definition

one who executes the commands of another, esp. of a master, a servant, attendant, minister
the servant of a king
a deacon, one who, by virtue of the office assigned to him by the church, cares for the poor and has charge of and distributes the money collected for their use
a waiter, one who serves food and drink

NAS Word Usage - Total: 29
deacons 3, minister 7, servant 10, servants 9

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 16509 **3/7/12 3:31 pm**

I wonder if what Timothy called a deacon is the same as the deacons we have today? Do any COG's have deacons?

Golf Cart Mafia Capo Famiglia Posts: 4955 **3/7/12 3:32 pm**

Yes, the COG decided that 2 years ago. Very Happy

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 **3/7/12 3:33 pm**

Those are good questions, Eddie.

I'm primarily interested in the scriptural case, since Paul in this verse 'clearly' limited the office of deacon in the NT to men, right?

Re: Can Ladies Serve as Deacons?

Golf Cart Mafia Associate Posts: 2118 **3/7/12 3:43 pm**

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 16509 **3/7/12 3:48 pm**

Let the women remain silent!! You have to stick with this command in order for the church to be a real NT church.

I attended a Baptist church years ago that would not allow women to teach a man. They could teach children or other women in Sunday School, that was it. There were women in the choir with the occasional solo. I asked the pastor why a woman could not preach the Word but could sing the Word. So, it is OK if she sings it? He just looked at me and we had a good laugh.

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 **3/7/12 3:49 pm**

Well then Paul directly contradicts himself in Romans 16:1

Romans 16:1 I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant (diakonos) of the church which is at Cenchrea:

http://www.biblestudytools.com/interlinear-bible/passage.aspx?q=romans+16:1&t=nas

Same exact word as is used in 1 Timothy 3 to supposedly restrict deacons/servants/ministers to males.

Golf Cart Mafia Associate Posts: 2118 **3/7/12 3:54 pm**

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 16509 **3/7/12 3:57 pm**

That is ridiculous. There is no scripture that says that when a woman sings, she is not in authority over a man. She is to remain silent, singing or speaking, if you agree with that culture. Do people really spend time making up this crazy stuff?

I guess I always thought...

Hon. Dr. in Acts-celeratology Posts: 5161 **3/7/12 4:12 pm**

That women could be deacons, but not elders.

We don't technically have either so it's not a huge issue around FH.

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 **3/7/12 4:22 pm**

If Paul supposedly restricts ladies from being deacons/ministers/servants in 1 Tim. 3, but clearly recognizes a lady deacon in Rom. 16:1, the entire premise that Paul restricts women's roles in 1 Tim. 3 is undermined.

If Paul actually was fine with women diakonos (and Rom. 16:1 indicates he certainly was, commending the lady Phebe as one), then at the very least 1 Tim. 3's restriction of women's roles in the church needs to be reevaluated by those who would deny ladies the possible role of bishop/pastor/elder/overseer.

Golf Cart Mafia Capo Famiglia Posts: 4682 **3/7/12 4:50 pm**

I was a guest minister at a large church in Manilla, Philippines a few years ago & it consisted of mostly women. The pastor was a woman of about 70 who had started the church in the poorest area of that huge city. The church began to grow & it helped to change the entire attitude of that neighborhood while hundreds were saved. I don't remember seeing very many men in leadership positions & yet they were experiencing an awesome revival Maybe they should have went out & found some men to make it better???? Wink

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Acts-perienced Poster Posts: 11849 **3/7/12 6:17 pm**

Just some thoughts.

Deacon is a position of service, not a position of oversight of other people's souls. One can be a deacon without teaching others.

Of course the Greek word for deacon is a broad term that can apply to other types of ministering as well.
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[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 **3/7/12 6:21 pm**

Nevertheless, Paul just as clearly and directly restricts deacons to being men in 1 Tim 3 as he restricts bishops to being men.

Golf Cart Mafia Capo Famiglia Posts: 4955 **3/7/12 6:40 pm**

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 **3/7/12 7:54 pm**

Yes, that too. I actually have heard of some Baptist churches not allowing unmarried men to serve as deacons based on 1 Tim. 3.

Golf Cart Mafia Associate Posts: 2118 **3/8/12 8:52 am**

Acts-celerater Posts: 854 **3/8/12 8:59 am**

Some can, and some can't. This applies to men as well.
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Senior Pastor Conyers Church of God
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[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 **3/8/12 11:38 am**

Since the same inspired apostle wrote both Romans and 1 Timothy, he quite clearly was not making absolutist statements in 1 Tim 3, but was, at most, giving general guidelines. We certainly cannot reasonably conclude from this that a lady (or, say, a single man or a widower) serving as bishop or deacon would be a sin and definitely not of God, as some insist. If so, then Paul himself did not qualify to serve in these roles. Even JESUS, the Chief Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, didn't.

As Rom 16:1 plainly indicates, ladies clearly could serve and did serve as diakonos (deacons/ministers/servants) in the early church.

Church history indicates ladies served as bishops, elders and deacons up until the fourth century AD, when church councils first began restricting those offices to men.

Acts-perienced Poster Posts: 11849 **3/8/12 7:52 pm**