Sermon Central
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Why God Placed Deacons In The Church
Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Feb 6, 2026 (message contributor)
Summary: In this sermon I will be preaching about the ministry and qualification of a deacon. It is good for not only these candidates as deacons to hear this sermon but also everyone here.
Text: and I Timothy 3:8-13
Intro: In our churches today we have all kinds of committees to carry out various things that need to be carried out in the church.
Such as, some churches have:
• Activity Committee
• Finance Committee
• Usher Committee
• Food Committee
• Greeting Committee
• Property Committee
• Flower Committee
• Music Committee
Many churches have all these and some have even more.
However, many pastors have discovered if you want something done it is best you appoint an individual…. NOT A COMMITTEE!
Someone said this about Committees: Committees are a group of men/women who individually can do nothing but as a group decide that nothing can be done.
Many of the committees we have in the churches today or man-made.
WHAT DO I MEAN THEY ARE MAN MADE?
That is not to say they are good or bad but you cannot find any scriptures for their existence.
However, the position of a deacon is God made.
IT IS A LIFE TIME JOB (Commitment)
That is, God does not call men to be deacons and pastors and in a few short years and pull a Donald Trump on them and say, YOU ARE FIRED! It is a lifetime calling.
Romans 11: 29 for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
The ordaining of a PASTOR and a DEACON are lifetime callings.
Illus: Sometime we hear a man say, “I use to be a MINISTER or DEACON OF THE GOSPEL!” Listen, I got news for him, he still is! He might not be carrying out the will of God in is life, but the Bible makes it clear, THE GIFTS AND CALLINGS OF GOD ARE LIFE TIME APPOINTMENTS!
The same for a deacon, it is a lifetime appointment and he will become ordained minister or deacon for his entire life once he has been ordained.
We could say, ONCE A DEACON ALWAYS A DEACON!
Illus: Makes me think of a pastor was bi-vocational pastor.
To provide for his family he was a barber. He had a teenage daughter called Grace that was nineteen years of age.
Sometime when he was not available his daughter would help him.
On one occasion the pastor was sick and his daughter Grace had to run the shop.
A man came in for a haircut and shave. He was pleased with both the hair-cut and the shave.
• But he noticed the next day he still did not need to be shaved.
• And the next day he still did not need to be shaved.
• In fact, several weeks went by and he still did not need to be shaved.
He went back a month later for a haircut and he told the pastor, “I just need a hair-cut, and I do not need a shave. Every since Grace shave me I have not needed to shave!”
The pastor said slowly, “Yea, when Grace shaves you, once shaved always shaved.”
The Bible has a great deal to say about this position in the church. And a Bible-believing, Bible-preaching church will adhere to everything the Word of God says about ordaining deacons.
• Some churches have been literally destroyed because they placed people in the church as deacons that did not meet the scripture requirements.
• However, many churches have been blessed because they placed people in the church that did meet scripture requirements and God used them to enhance His work.
God never does anything unless he has a purpose, let’s look at His purpose for placing deacons in the church-
I. THE PURPOSE FOR DEACONS
God had a very specific purpose when he placed deacons in the church. We do not have to do any surmising as to why God placed deacons in the church, the Bible makes it clear.
Look at Acts 6:1-5, we read, and in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, it is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. BUT WE WILL GIVE OURSELVES CONTINUALLY TO PRAYER, AND TO THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD.
The scriptures make it clear the purpose of placing deacons in the church…A PASTOR CANNOT DO EVERYTHING.
Illus: You ever see one of these western movies where one man in town he is…
• The Mayor – Take care of the town business.
• Sheriff – Take care of those who miss-behaves.
• Undertaker – Take care of the dead.