Should churches appoint deaconesses?

Welcome to Midway Church of Christ

What’s your question? for Sept. 29, 2010

The word deacon is used in a special way and a general way. It means a servant so may apply to anyone who serves (Jn. 12:26). Jesus was a servant (Rom. 15:8), the apostles were servants (2 Cor. 3:6), preachers are servants (1 Tim. 4:6), and Phoebe was a servant (Rom. 16:1). In a special sense, men who meet the qualifications are appointed for special work in the local church (1 Tim. 3:8-13). The church in Philippi had elders and deacons (Phil. 1:1). Paul gave some qualifications for the wives of deacons (1 Tim. 3:11), but there are no special qualifications for a deaconess. All faithful women are servants, thus deaconesses in the general sense, just as all men are deacons in this sense. There are special qualifications however for the office of deacons, but not for the office of deaconesses.