Many pastors

refer to their deacons as demons. I understand. Many deacons see their

role as being in charge of the blade over the pastor's jugular vein. They

think it's their role to keep the pastor in line and if he gets out of

line to give his neck chain a firm jerk. This concept of the role or position

of deacon is so very foreign to the true New Testament proscription for

deacon. My mentor in ministry, Dr. Jess Moody, would often say that the

bane of the church today is the deacon heresy deacons perverting their

true Biblical role.

Simply put,

a Biblical deacon is a servant not a supervisor. He or she is the servant

of the church and senior pastor (known Biblically as bishop). The Greek

word for deacon is "diakonos" and is derived from a simpler

Greek word "dioko" that means to hasten, literally "to

raise dust." New Testament deacons are men and women who, eager and

committed, kick up dust running to meet whatever needs may present themselves

in and through the church. No where can it be found where deacons "run"

the pastor.

Our church

has two deacons and another who is a deacon-candidate. These men have

given our church examples of true, humble servants. Just this past weekend,

these men spent hours upon hours at the church house painting, cleaning,

and setting the church house in order. Although October is Clergy Appreciation

Month, I also want to recognize those many deacons who serve the church

and serve as examples of genuine servanthood. Let me applaud our deacons:

Robert Ivey, Michael Chancey, and Joe West.

What many of

us pastors discover as we seek to implement ministries is that the church

has a whole lot more chiefs than Indians. More and more church members

understand authentic participation as one of membership on a committee

where they meet, often eat, and decide what someone else will do inevitably

the pastor and staff ministers. Why is this the trend?

I believe it

all started with the evolution of the role of deacon. The perversion of

the office is rather recent, even with the advent of corporate America

with its reliance upon boards of directors. In order to give a corporation

balanced wisdom and leadership, many formed boards of directors who made

ultimate decisions that were implemented by the Chief Executive Officers.

The CEO became a functionary of the board. It worked for corporate America.

Some of the

same men (you know men because until recently women were not invited to

serve on corporate boards) hit upon the idea likely with some pastors'

assent - that churches could benefit from a board of directors. But since

it was church, they should be called a Board of Deacons. Consequently

deacons became models for supervision rather than models for servanthood.

Church members, therefore, got the idea that church life was about making

decisions rather than rendering service. Therefore, the monthly church

business meeting, often called church conference, became the focus of

church life. Not visitation. Not prayer meeting. Not church workdays.

But a business meeting.

Some denominations

have tried their very best to dislodge the misconception of deacons as

dictators, mainly through unfolding programs like the Deacon Family Ministry

Plan. Through such plans, deacons have been instructed that their role

was one of ministry not management.

I believe every

church that's liberated from deacon domination will realize a whole new

crop of ready and willing servants as their deacons become models of humble

service and ministry in the kingdom. Remember, even our Lord Jesus Christ

said that he had come to minister. And, remember, Jesus did not regard

equality with God a thing to be grasped, but rather took on the form of

a servant. Jesus never took charge; he just did what the Father told him

to do.

The Rev. Dr. John Hatcher is pastor

of River's Edge

Community Church in Fayetteville.

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