I know this isn’t specifically dean stuff, but it is running around in my mind, so it counts. Plus, since we train students for servant leadership in the church, it’s helpful sometimes to think about what those categories of leadership are.
Now that I have been a minister, deacon, and elder (ordained three different times!), I have given this some thought, but not done a lot of talking with others about it.
I see deacons as having task leadership (while elders have people/teaching leadership). Three ways deacons exercise task leadership: responsible for task(s) (oversight), helping with task(s) (labor/supplies), and insight concerning task(s) (experience/wisdom). I think we need all three types of deacons, leaving the elders to do the ministry of prayer, the Word, and shepherding.
As for paid ministers, I basically consider them to either be professional deacons (or deaconesses) or professional elders. By virtue of their submission to God’s call in their life, their experience and training, and the amount of time they spend doing that work, they are paid to do the work that the elders and deacons have deputized them to do.
This model works pretty well when thinking about my church, but I’m not sure how it works for other churches. I know it would be a different model for a church plant and/or satellite church than an autonomous, established church. But since I don’t work with those churches, I haven’t thought as much about them.
Are these helpful distinctions, or am I being overly analytical? I’d love to hear your insights.
In the ancient church (ca. 150-600), the deacons did manage the physical plants and the welfare programs of the church. They were generally paid, and, in fact, one of the issues in Rome during Jerome’s days there was that deacons were not eager to move up to presbyter because it usually involved a pay cut. Much of the preaching during this period was done by the presbyters (who were also paid staff); in that function Chrysostom made his reputation while Arius and Nestorius ran into trouble. They also often were in charge of instruction for various parts of the congregation. Before infant baptism became standard, deaconesses often instructed female converts. The bishop could do pretty much what he wanted. Most of them were the senior theologian (e.g., Cyril of Alexandria and a number of popes), ecclesiastical diplomat, senior preacher (e.g., Ambrose and Augustine) and of course administrator. Naturally, he was paid staff as well.
C J
Like you, I have served in multiple capacities in church life, as both an ordained minister and elder. (I can’t remember if I was ever a deacon, but I don’t think so.) I have tended to view ministers as paid elders, but I can see that they also do much of the work of a deacon. There are aspects of the leadership of an elder that accord very well with Carver’s policy governance model, especially those that have to do with “oversight.” However, that model breaks down as a comprehensive view of the work of an elder when one considers the “people”, “prayer”, and “teaching” responsibilities of an elder. I like your categories. The roles you mention are all leadership roles on one level or another and all require a certain set of skills and a commitment level beyond what we would expect of other church members. I recently had a similar discussion with our president. We were talking about our mission to develop Christian leaders who impact the world for Christ. His response: Not all the students we graduate are destined for leadership. Some are followers. My response: We’re still developing their leadership abilities beyond where they are now, and praying that they continue to develop and become leaders in some capacity.
I have also served in all of the capacities which you have mentioned and think that your model is consistent with every Church that I have served in. But I am wondering about the role of Deacons as Church leaders. Although it is true that historically for most of Christendom there has been some kind of an understanding of deacons as implementers of the physical ministries of the Church and the Elders as the ones responsible for the Spiritual needs of the church (based I’m sure on an understanding of Acts 6), I am not sure that this model is either intended for the Church or the best idea to operate in. Gene Getz in “Elders and Leaders” categorizes deacons as “ministry assistants” and beleives that they are intended to carry out functions as variously assigned by elders. I am still thinking about it but I don’t like the idea that in a lot of our Churches, deacons can out vote both elders and paid ministers on boards if they really wanted to get their own way, though I don’t think this is usually much of a problem it does point out an inherent weakness in this leadership structure.