The Wake Forest University

mascot is known as the Demon Deacons. I once asked a Baptist friend why

such a designation was chosen for a Christian institution of higher learning.

He scratched his head, wrinkled his brow as he pondered the question,

and finally answered, "Well, a school mascot is supposed to inspire

fear and terror in the opposing team."

Since a preacher probably founded

Wake Forest, it really makes sense. To a preacher, the most frightening

creatures on earth are demons and deacons. I guess the old preacher figured

that nothing could inspire fear as much as a combination of those two.

I hasten to say that, in my

previous church in a former denominational life, the deacons that served,

with two or three notable exceptions, were some of the finest, most supportive

men I have ever known. But, like the mythical preacher alluded to earlier,

there were times in the past, at other churches, when it was hard to tell

the demon from the deacon.

It is a cherished and well-guarded

secret among many Protestant pastors that the devil doesn't do nearly

as much damage to the Kingdom of God as do the members of the governing

board of the church.

Leadership magazine printed

a cartoon several years ago that accurately captured how many ministers

view their relationship with their boards of deacons, elders, or whatever.

The cartoon pictured a battleship departing port for the open sea. The

pastor, wearing a captain's hat, is standing on the bow, pointing ahead

to the challenges that lay beyond the horizon, and declaring, "Full

steam ahead!" The deacons are at the stern of the ship, throwing

out the anchor.

Whatever they may say in public

or to their board members, many, if not most, of the nation's pastors

feel that progress comes in spite of, and not because of, church boards.

In fact, books have been written and seminars taught advising pastors

how to move their church into the future in spite of foot-dragging boards.

Most of the pastors that I

have known who have contemplated retirement from active church ministry

have shared that the one thing they look forward to in retirement is fulfilling

their ministry (preaching, teaching, counseling, and so on) without having

their lives dissected and micromanaged by boards.

Deacons (henceforth used to

signify church board members in most Protestant churches, regardless of

what they may be called in a given situation) hire pastors, set their

salaries, control their schedule, discipline pastors, and fire them. The

New Testament knows nothing of such responsibilities being given to deacons.

In fact, the deacon as now

understood by most in the Bible belt and beyond, did not exist for most

of the history of the church. In the New Testament, the word translated

deacon means, a waiter of tables; a servant who serves others. Deacons

served, they preached, they led people to Christ, and they suffered martyrdom.

But they did not rule. No board of deacons ever had the opportunity to

fire an apostle, a bishop, or a pastor.

For 1,000 years the Church

was one; then in 1054 A.D., it became two, with the tragic split between

East and West. In the 1500s, however, the Protestant De-formation began

in earnest. Today, some 40,000 different denominations dot the landscape,

most having delivered to deacons a supervising, controlling role.

A deacon, in the historic pre-De-formation

tradition, neither was nor is a lay position, as in most Protestant communions.

A deacon's ministry in that tradition, which includes Catholic, Orthodox,

and Anglican communions, among others, is, and was, one of liturgical

and pastoral service and involves charitable works of mercy.

A deacon, far from being a

terminator of pastors, is a member of the clergy and is to assist the

presider at the Eucharist (Holy Communion), make prayers of intercession

for the people, invite and exhort people to pray, preside at celebrations

where there is no priest, administer certain sacraments, bless objects

and people within certain liturgical celebrations, proclaim and preach

the Word of God, witness to and win people to Christ, and assist the bishop

in episcopal and cathedral services.

The deacon may be asked to

conduct inquirers' classes, prepare families for Holy Baptism, read the

Gospel at liturgies, and preach. At the Eucharist, or Holy Communion,

the deacon, is to prepare the altar, carry the Gospel in the procession,

and assist in Incensation and sprinkling. The deacon is most often the

person who ends the worship services with the dismissal.

Pastoral care of the aged,

the sick and the dying, is, historically, a prominent activity of deacons.

Deacons were so trusted and valued that they were often chosen to serve

as the bishop's confidant and bodyguard. In history, deacons were often

known as the bishop's men. That's quite a far cry from the Demon Deacons

of Wake Forest.

During the last five years

of my ministry, I have been privileged to serve with several of these

historic tradition deacons, faithful men who are servants to the church

and true friends to the pastor men who would rather pray than rule. It

excites me tremendously to discover that, in spite of the prevailing culture,

it is possible to return deacons to their God-ordained role. Strangely

these days, I find myself praying, O Lord, give me more deacons! I bet

that's a prayer that the founder of Wake Forest never prayed!

[David Epps is rector of Christ

the King Charismatic Episcopal Church in Peachtree City. He may be contacted

at [email protected] or at www.ChristTheKingCEC.com.]

Back

to Opinion Home Page | Back

to the top of the page