Deacons and/or Elders

[Cow Poke]

I used the "and/or" in the title because I know of a number of Churches that have both.

This should not be a contentious thread, as I'm only asking opinions and anecdotal 'evidence'.
If you state an opinion, bonus points for scriptural backup.

I've always been in Churches that utilized deacons, and not elders.
I always (as a youngster, anyway) thought "elders" was a weird thing that only "high church" had.

Lately, I've seen a number of churches that have BOTH deacons and elders.
I've also seen some variance in the way a church will deploy deacons and/or elders.

In some, the deacons do the "servant" stuff as outlined in the Bible (imagine that) and the elders do the spiritual leadership stuff.
In some, the deacons serve "as a board", pretty much controlling everything, including finances (I mis-typed fiances ), buildings and grounds, etc.

The last few Churches where I've served, there really seemed to be a sense among the deacons that "we're here to serve, not to boss".
Baptist churches (my myopic experience) often have deacons who "boss", and don't so much serve.

What say you?

[Littlejoe]

I'm A/G (but raised SBC). When I joined the first A/G church, they had both deacons and elders. Elders did more administrative type work and advised the Pastoral staff in matters of discipline I guess, is the best way to say it. Deacons served as ushers, taking up the offering, serving communion, counting the money, setting up for events etc...much more servant roles.

My current church does not have elders. The deacons serve in both capacities, advisers to the Pastoral staff and always ready to lend a hand when needed. A/G also doesn't have the active vs. inactive deacons. You are either on the board or not. But you can serve more than once on the board, but you have to have 1 year off before being eligible to be reelected to board.

[Cow Poke]

I'm A/G (but raised SBC). When I joined the first A/G church, they had both deacons and elders. Elders did more administrative type work and advised the Pastoral staff in matters of discipline I guess, is the best way to say it. Deacons served as ushers, taking up the offering, serving communion, counting the money, setting up for events etc...much more servant roles.

My current church does not have elders. The deacons serve in both capacities, advisers to the Pastoral staff and always ready to lend a hand when needed. A/G also doesn't have the active vs. inactive deacons. You are either on the board or not. But you can serve more than once on the board, but you have to have 1 year off before being eligible to be reelected to board.

Thanks.....

Another thing I've noticed is that, particularly in Bible Churches, the Pastor is an elder. There are typically no fewer than 3 elders, one of whom is the Pastor, and he's the "lead elder" or "teaching" or "preaching" elder.

I've never been a deacon OR an 'elder'. (Though I'm getting a lot older - which reminds me, Mormons can be elders when they're still popping pimples!)

[Thoughtful Monk]

Most churches I've been in have had both deacons and elders. I was a deacon in two. One church, on the smaller side, just had a leadership team and the pastors with helpers did the deacon work. In the churches I've been in with both, the split has been as you said deacons lead the activities and outreaches and elders handled the administration and over sight. For the most part, I've not really seen elders really do spiritual leadership.

[One Bad Pig]

In some, the deacons do the "servant" stuff as outlined in the Bible (imagine that) and the elders do the spiritual leadership stuff.

This is how my college fellowship (affiliated with the Christian & Missionary Alliance) worked. I was elected an elder (half-way through my sophomore year, IIRC). I'm not likely to become an Orthodox deacon, since my wife has been previously married (though I'm somewhat unclear on this, since they weren't church-sanctioned marriages, which may or may not make a difference).

[Cow Poke]

...my wife...

That part truly makes me smile.

[One Bad Pig]

That part truly makes me smile.

Me too!

[DesertBerean]

I'm A/G. We have a two part Church Council composed of deacons and trustees. The deacons serve the spiritual and physical needs on behalf of the lead pastor while the trustees handle the financial part (tithes, offerings etc). The executive pastor signs the checks and prepares whatever reports are required.

We use 1 Timothy to define the moral requirements of the pastors (bishops) and deacons. Also 1 Corinthians on divorce. At present we have as I recall two divorced and one remarried deacons but they were all bad situations or long separations. The A/G have made the rules for pastors very strict now regarding even divorce without remarriage... a pastor friend had to offer documentation and full story behind marrying the same spouse three times before it all stuck.

Oh - no elders.

[Cow Poke]

I'm A/G. We have a two part Church Council composed of deacons and trustees. The deacons serve the spiritual and physical needs on behalf of the lead pastor while the trustees handle the financial part (tithes, offerings etc). The executive pastor signs the checks and prepares whatever reports are required.

We use 1 Timothy to define the moral requirements of the pastors (bishops) and deacons. Also 1 Corinthians on divorce. At present we have as I recall two divorced and one remarried deacons but they were all bad situations or long separations. The A/G have made the rules for pastors very strict now regarding even divorce without remarriage... a pastor friend had to offer documentation and full story behind marrying the same spouse three times before it all stuck.

Oh - no elders.

Interesting - yeah, we have Trustees, too, but they don't do much except when we have to sign property documents or open or change checking accounts, etc...

[DesertBerean]

Interesting - yeah, we have Trustees, too, but they don't do much except when we have to sign property documents or open or change checking accounts, etc...

Our pastor was looking at various issues of churches being embezzled etc as well as lack of accountablilty when he decided to be proactive about those things in our organization. He never wanted deacons or pastors to handle money so he made the trustees much more involved with that aspect. The Church Council comes together as one for huge major church issues and when there is no pastor - both of which happened once several years ago as I mentioned before.

[Cow Poke]

Our pastor was looking at various issues of churches being embezzled etc as well as lack of accountablilty when he decided to be proactive about those things in our organization. He never wanted deacons or pastors to handle money so he made the trustees much more involved with that aspect. The Church Council comes together as one for huge major church issues and when there is no pastor - both of which happened once several years ago as I mentioned before.

Yeah, I never EVER handle church money, and we have a rule that there will always be two - not related - people to be with our financial secretary when she does the count.
On Sunday, when the offering is collected, it goes immediately into a floor safe in the sound room where the two ushers who put it there are witnessed by the guys in the sound booth.
The save is open and unlocked prior to the service, then when the money goes in, it is locked, and only our financial people know the combination.
It can stay in that safe til they arrive on Monday morning to do the count and deposit.

[Esther]

I used the "and/or" in the title because I know of a number of Churches that have both.

This should not be a contentious thread, as I'm only asking opinions and anecdotal 'evidence'.
If you state an opinion, bonus points for scriptural backup.

I've always been in Churches that utilized deacons, and not elders.
I always (as a youngster, anyway) thought "elders" was a weird thing that only "high church" had.

Lately, I've seen a number of churches that have BOTH deacons and elders.
I've also seen some variance in the way a church will deploy deacons and/or elders.

In some, the deacons do the "servant" stuff as outlined in the Bible (imagine that) and the elders do the spiritual leadership stuff.
In some, the deacons serve "as a board", pretty much controlling everything, including finances (I mis-typed fiances ), buildings and grounds, etc.

The last few Churches where I've served, there really seemed to be a sense among the deacons that "we're here to serve, not to boss".
Baptist churches (my myopic experience) often have deacons who "boss", and don't so much serve.

What say you?

James 5:14 describes elders as being spiritual guides and gives one of their very important functions.
14 Is anyone among you sick? He should call in the church elders (the spiritual guides). And they should pray over him, anointing him with oil in the Lord’s name.

[Cow Poke]

James 5:14 describes elders as being spiritual guides and gives one of their very important functions.
14 Is anyone among you sick? He should call in the church elders (the spiritual guides). And they should pray over him, anointing him with oil in the Lord’s name.

Yup.