All Articles For The Qualifications of Deacons

Rev. Kuiper is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church in Randolph, Wisconsin. In telling His church what kind of men her deacons must be, God sets a high standard. We have examined this standard in the past several articles. The deacon must be full of the Holy Ghost, of wisdom, and of faith; he must hold the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience; he must manifest God’s inworked grace by living a blameless life, being grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; he must be faithful to one wife, ruling his children...

Rev. Kuiper is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church in Randolph, Wisconsin. It is not enough that the deacon be a Spirit-filled believer who manifests God’s grace in how he lives (being grave, not double tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre, I Timothy 3:8). These requirements are important, of course. If a man does not measure up to this standard, he may not be a deacon in God’s church. But the standard requires still more. Also his wife must be godly! This requirement is set forth in I Timothy 3:11-12: “Even so must their wives be grave,...

Rev. Kuiper is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Byron Center, Michigan. One could divide the qualifications for deacons, set forth in I Timothy 3:8-12, into several categories. Some of the qualifications clearly concern their family situation and life. They must “be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well” (v. 12). Furthermore, their wives must be “grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things” (v. 11). One qualification regards the deacon’s personal situation with regard to the church—he must “first be proved” (v. 10). Some of the qualifications regard the basic work of the...

Rev. Kuiper is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Byron Center, Michigan. Because deacons serve as official representatives of Jesus Christ to His church, God requires His church to choose qualified men for that office. We have already noted that they must be men, and that they must be believing men who have received from God the spiritual graces of salvation in Christ. One who receives such grace must and will manifest that grace in his life. With regard to every child of God, this is the case. We must manifest it, to show our gratitude to God for...

Rev. Kuiper is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Byron Center, Michigan. That God sets a high standard for deacons in I Timothy 3:8ff., and that God supplies His church with men who, by His grace, attain that standard, we have noticed. Now we must examine the standard more closely. What are the qualifications for the office of deacon? We ask the question for three reasons. First, because God requires His church to nominate for or vote into the diaconate only those who are properly qualified, we must know in detail what the qualifications are. Second, those who are currently...

Rev. Kuiper is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Byron Center, Michigan. In the last article we emphasized the importance of the qualifications for deacons as set forth in Acts 6:3, 5 and I Timothy 3:8-12. Anyone installed into the office, even nominated for the office, must meet the requirements found in these portions of God’s Word. This is a matter of obedience to God’s command regarding how to behave in His house. As we continue our treatment of this subject of a deacon’s qualifications, let us remember exactly what God requires the deacon to be. I Timothy 3:8-12 reads: “Likewise must the deacons...

Rev. Kuiper is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Byron Center, Michigan. By the time you read this article, most of our Protestant Reformed Churches will have again installed new deacons for the year. For two or three years these men, believing themselves to have been called of God Himself to their office, will devote themselves to the work of administering the mercies of Christ to the poor and needy. A weighty calling! The question is: what kind of men have been put into this office? Councils and congregations, what kind of men did you nominate and elect? Deacons,...