I am amazed at the many assumptions that are involved in most theological discussions that have no biblical proof. The present discussion on church leadership is an example.

            Contrary to nearly every book or sermon on the Church, we insist that Jesus never founded a church in the institutional sense that we use the word “church” today. Our Lord did not start an organization that people “joined.” There were no deacons, elders, or even “members.” There was no formal organization in any sense.  Most of the material and statements about “Christ founding a church” or “joining the church” today are pure nonsense without a bit of textual evidence. We dare not start with our present situation today and read it back into the New Testament. We dare not totally “institutionalize” the church.

            Acts 6:1-6 must be put into context. 

            First of all, a problem arose in Acts 6:1:  “In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.”

            Nobody seems concerned about how such a problem could have arisen. When and why did the Apostles first begin to distribute food? Acts 2:44, 45 answers that question:  “All the believers were together and had everything in common.  45  Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.” The Apostles were given money from individuals and they were distributing the money as needed. Acts 4:34, 35 confirms this.  “34  There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales  35  and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.” 

            Several facts are established in these verses.  First, in Acts 2 the early believers started semi-communal living. Second, the people even sold their property, and gave the proceeds to the Apostles. Third, the Apostles distributed the money as needs arose. The Apostles were without question “table waiters” and they were distributing financial help simply because they had all the money. Four, for a period of time all was well and the Apostles “deaconship,” or “table waiting,” was effective.

            However, a problem arose over the food distribution. The Grecian Jews complained that the Apostles were neglecting their widows.  “In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.”  (Was this the first challenge to “Apostolic authority?”  Was it possible that the Grecian Jews had put more in the pot in the first place?)

            The foundation of the problem dealt with in Acts 6:1 must be seen as growing out of the communal living established in Acts 2. 

            In Acts 6:2-4 the Apostles outline their solution to the problem. “2  So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry [deaconing] of the word of God in order to wait on [deacon] tables.  3  Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them  4  and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry [deaconing]  of the word."

            This text is crystal clear that there is nothing in the meaning of the word “deacon” to indicate that it means waiting on tables as opposed to “preaching the word.” To do so is eisegesis. The word Deacon means minister or servant, ministering or serving, and the context alone determines exactly what is being served or ministered. The contrast in this verse is not between “deaconing” and “ministering,” since both of these words mean the same thing; but the contrast is between “deaconing tables” and “deaconing the word.”  The words exactly the same thing in both cases. The context alone shows what is being deaconed.

            Acts 6:3 makes it clear that the Apostles viewed the problem as one that required “oversight” by Godly men. “Turning this responsibility” over to the men chosen does not mean just carrying soup. It involves essential oversight of a problem that arose in the church’s ministry. The Apostles were not “establishing an office” but solving a specific problem. 

            I personally believe we should consider every person who functions in a specific ministry or service in the church as a “deacon” or “minister.” Every Sunday School teacher along with every choir member, and the person in charge of a food bank, is a “minister.” Scripture use of the word “deacon” simply will not allow for an “office” called Deacon and another “office” called Minister. Scripture does teach that different men sometimes serve tables and other times the serve the bread of life. Sometimes the same men do both.

            You cannot get the “institution” of the “office of table waiter” from Acts 6. The most you can get is the choosing and appointing of some specific men to oversee the solution to a specific problem that arose because of a specific situation created by communal living. In my last pastorate we did not have any so-called deacons. When people asked if we intended to elect some, I replied, “As soon as we get some widows that need to be helped.” We wanted to follow Scripture!

            Acts 6:7 is an interesting verse. “So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.”  One of the reasons the Word spread so rapidly in the early church was a God-sent persecution that drove all the “lay” people out of Jerusalem leaving only the Apostles huddled in Jerusalem (See Acts 8). God will see that, as He commanded, not only Jerusalem, but “Judeo, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the world” will hear the Gospel. If “Go you into all the world” is not fulfilled by the “Clergy” in Jerusalem then it will be accomplished through the Deaconing of the Word by the “scattered abroad” saints. These lay people scattered abroad “preached the Word” where ever they went. One of those non-clergyman, a deacon named Phillip, was used of God to start a church and a revival in Samaria. 

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