For a man to serve as a deacon in the Lord's church, he must meet the qualifications given by the Holy Spirit. These qualifications are found in First Timothy 3:8-13 and Acts 6:3. This article will be a short study of these qualifications. Unless otherwise noted, all quotations come from the New King James version.

In First Timothy 3:8, Paul transitions from talking about the qualifications of elders to talking about those for deacons by saying, "Likewise deacons must be..." This tells us that the qualifications for deacons must be taken just as seriously as those for an elder, and that the men who serve as deacons must already possess these characteristics. They are not to have the potential for these qualities, nor be appointed with the hopes that they grow into them. Deacons must be...

Reverent (grave - KJV, men of dignity - NASV). This term is translated from a Greek word that refers to one who is venerated because of his honorable character. Deacons are to be honorable men, noted and respected for their good character. They must be serious, trustworthy, and dignified.

Not Double-Tongued. Deacons must be men of their word. He cannot talk out of both sides of his mouth, saying one thing while meaning something else. The elders have to be able to trust these men.

Not Given To Much Wine (addicted to - NASV). Many have questioned why there is a difference between the qualifications of elders on this point (not given to wine - v. 3) and the qualifications given to deacons (not given to much wine - v. 8), as if the deacons can drink a little, while elders cannot drink at all. A few things need to be considered. First, the Greek word translated wine is a generic term that refers to the juice of the grape in any form, even while still in the cluster. Any legitimate lexicon will acknowledge this fact. Second, we know that no Christian is to partake of intoxicating drink. Such violates the principles of sobriety (1 Thess. 5:6, 8, 1 Peter 1:13, 5:8). Finally, I suggest that the thought of this qualification is one that stresses moderation, which is a characteristic of a person who can practice self-control.

Not Greedy For Money (not greedy of filthy lucre - KJV, not fond of sordid gain - NASV). This qualification is not a condemnation of a love of money as much as it stresses the means of gaining money. A man who is serving as a deacon must be honest in his dealings. He cannot be guilty of using unrighteous or dishonest methods of gaining and increasing his income, neither can he be guilty of using his office and influence as a means of personal profit. He must have no desire for ill-gotten gain. Such a man would not have the time to devote to the work of a deacon.

Holding the Mystery of the Faith With a Pure Conscience. Deacons may not possess the authority or responsibilities that are possessed by elders, but they will be men of influence in the congregation. Paul states that those who serve well as deacons will "obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith" (v. 13). Just because he is not in a leadership role does not mean that a deacon can be weak in the faith or hold to false doctrine. Deacons must be strong and faithful Christians. They must be men who hold to the doctrine of Christ, who have a good and sound attitude towards the truth. Those who do not can cause great problems for the elders and the church.

But Let These Also First Be Tested (proved - KJV); Then Let Them Serve As Deacons. A church needs to know whether or not a man is qualified before he is appointed to serve. Jesus said that a tree is known by its fruit (Matt. 7:15-20), and fruit is not born overnight. Deacons must be men who have established a good track record of honesty, self-control, and faithfulness. Churches have been harmed by the sinful conduct of deacons who were appointed before they had proven themselves.

Being Found Blameless (If they are beyond reproach - NASV). This word does not require sinless perfection. Otherwise, there would never be any deacons. Deacons are public figures, and as such they will be held up to a standard of conduct in the eyes of the congregation and the community. He must be a man who can go about his work unhindered by accusations.

Husband of One Wife. The Greek literally says "a one woman man." This qualification shows that a deacon is to be a man (not a woman), that he must be married, and that he cannot be married to more than one woman.

Ruling Their Children and Their Own Houses Well (good managers of their children and their own households - NASV). A deacon must be a father, a family man. The reason for this qualification is set forth in verse five: if a man cannot take care of his house, he is not to be given responsibility in the house of God, the church. He must show that he can manage both his children and his household. The fact that he is said to be "ruling" his children indicates that deacons can be younger men with young children. Older men are not disqualified from serving as a deacon. One needs only consider how he "ruled his children" while they were under his roof.

Acts 6:3

Men of Good Reputation (honest report - KJV). Deacons must be men of good reputation, having a good report among those in both the church and the community.

Full of the Holy Spirit. This does not mean that a deacon must have miraculous abilities, otherwise the office would have become obsolete in the First Century. Deacons must be men who walk by the Spirit (Rom. 8:1), and who are bearing the fruit of the Spirit in their lives (Gal. 5:22-23).

Full of Wisdom. A deacon must possess wisdom, practical knowledge and ability. Remember the purpose for their office. Deacons need to be men that can be trusted to carry out specific tasks, thus relieving the elders so they can focus upon spiritual matters. A man cannot be trusted to serve as a deacon if he has not shown himself to be in possession of wisdom. Such a man will not be a relief to the elders, but an added burden.

The Deacon's Wife - First Timothy 3:11

The qualifications of the deacon's wife need to be considered as seriously as those of her husband. A man cannot take on the task of serving as a deacon without the support and encouragement of his wife and family.

Likewise. The qualifications for the wife are very similar to those of her husband.

Reverent (grave - KJV, dignified - NASV). This is the same qualification that applies to the deacon in verse eight. She must be a woman who conducts herself in a manner that is worthy of respect and honor.

Not Slanderers (not malicious gossips - NASV). Because of his work, a deacon can become aware of matters that need to be concealed. If his wife has trouble keeping her mouth shut, and even worse, blowing things out of proportion, she will be a hindrance to her husband, the elders, and the entire church.

Temperate (sober - KJV). She has a well-balanced life. She abstains from those things that would be harmful and uses those things that are good in moderation. She practices self-control and self-restraint.

Faithful in All Things. She is trustworthy person, as well as a strong and faithful Christian.

Final Thoughts

A willingness to serve the congregation. While not specifically stated, I believe we can appreciate the fact that a man should not be appointed to serve as a deacon unless he is willing and ready to do the work of a deacon. The "office" of a deacon is not the position of a figurehead. It is an opportunity for service.

These are all of the qualifications that the Holy Spirit sets forth for men who serve as deacons. We are not to add to them nor take away from them. Neither are we to make allowances for one candidate while being unrealistically strict upon another ("Doing nothing with partiality" - 1 Tim. 5:21).

If a man is qualified, he should be appointed to serve. If he is not qualified, he should remove his own name from consideration and work towards meeting the qualifications in the future.