*This is part of our Why We Do What We Do series at Faith Bible Church. At FBC, we have elders and deacons who work together to equip and serve the church. We begin to examine the functions, roles, and characteristics of elders and deacons in this short series.
WHO CAN SERVE…
As an Elder
In short, men who meet the biblical qualifications of an elder as outlined in 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1, and 1 Peter 5 and are assessed by current FBC elders as fitting the character, competency, capacity, chemistry, and calling of an FBC elder. These five areas are not additional hoops to jump through outside of Scripture but rather our process and framework for praying through elder candidates, seeking discernment from the Spirit on their calling, and assessing whether their current stage of life permits them to devote the amount of time necessary to serve as an elder in our current context.
We do not find any evidence in Scripture that supports women serving as elders in the church. This is in no way intended to devalue the role of women or their capacity to lead. On the contrary, women are extremely instrumental throughout Scripture, even in a time and culture that valued women less than our current one. To deny the unique gifting of women and the critical leadership they bring to the church would be foolish. However, we recognize that equality does not necessarily mean uniformity, nor does it negate the unique calling of roles.
As a Deacon
Both men and women who meet the biblical qualifications of a deacon. Though the qualifications in 1 Timothy 3 are specific to men (i.e., v. 2 – “husband of one wife”), the qualifications for deacons include women (v. 11). The original language here may also be translated as “women likewise” rather than “their wives likewise.” Additionally, Romans 16 seems to mention a woman named Phoebe as a deaconess (vv 1-2).
We believe women can and should serve as deacons when they meet the character and calling requirements. This is where the church benefits from the unique and diverse gifts that many females offer under the headship of biblically qualified male elders.
QUALIFICATIONS OF ELDERS & DEACONS
The qualifications Paul lays out for elders are very similar to those of deacons, except for the ability to teach, which is the most significant distinction between the two. Most of these qualifications relate to the character of the individual, but Scripture also provides us with qualifications in other areas.
QUALIFICATIONS OF ELDERS
Male
Husband of one wife
Sober-minded
Self-controlled
Respectable
Not a drunkard
Not a lover of money
Manages household well
Able to teach & rebuke false doctrine
Hospitable
Not violent or quarrelsome
Not arrogant
Not a recent convert
Thought of well by outsiders
QUALIFICATIONS OF DEACONS
Male or Female
Healthy marriage to one person
Sober-minded
Not double-tongued, devious in speech, or slanderers
Dignified
Not addicted to wine
Not greedy for dishonest gain
Manages household well