What you should know about deacons at Landmark.

The deacon’s position is guided by the qualifications as set out in the Scriptures (references below). Simply put, the deacons are to be humble servant leaders who serve and support the congregation. Under elder/pastor oversight, the deacons carry out the practical administration of the various ministries of Landmark Church.

As demonstrated in the scripture references above, the title or office of deacon (Gk. diakonos) is undergirded by the act of service. It literally means “to be a servant or attendant,” both literally and figuratively, “one who waits tables.”

Comparing the office of deacon to the office of elder will help us answer this question. The primary spiritual leaders of Landmark are the elders (see What You Should Know About Elders At Landmark), who are also called overseers or pastors in the New Testament model of governance. Deacons, too, have a critical role in the life and the health of the ministry, but their role is different from the elders.

Within the confines of Landmark’s leadership structure, deacons will serve within support roles and in tandem with Landmark staff. Their biblical role is to take care of the physical and logistical needs of the church so that the elders can concentrate on their primary calling.

This distinction is based on the pattern found in Acts 6:1–6. The apostles were devoted “to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (v. 4). Since this was their primary calling, seven men were chosen to handle the more practical matters of the ministry to allow the apostles the freedom to continue with their work.

The Bible does not give a specific number of deacons that should serve a given community nor does it specify term limits. Each church body differs and should exercise wisdom in determining how many deacons would be sufficient to effectively serve the church, as well as how long. The team of elders at Landmark collectively oversee the affairs of the church and make these determinations. 

The Bible does not address this question. However, in our governmental framework, we consider the roles and responsibilities of each deacon and staff-member on a case-by-case basis. Nonetheless, in the case of the non-staff deacon, they must have the time to dedicate to the necessary support and service of the church. As already referenced, the biblical minimum requirements for these church positions are laid out primarily in 1 Timothy 3:8-13. 

Choosing deacons begins with praying and seeking God for wisdom and discernment as to who should serve in this official capacity. Similar to the office of elder, the office of deacon is a high calling and must not be taken lightly by any.

First and foremost, deacons are called and appointed by God. While this is harder to determine, it is observed by the individual’s obvious compulsion to serve the body (often as a volunteer before nomination of deaconship). Eventually they are confirmed by church leadership, per the Scriptures, “But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless” (1 Timothy 3:10).

Upon nomination, the individual responds to the call through several interview and vetting processes: including questions about their testimony, their working knowledge of the Bible (doctrine and duty), and their private/family life.

Once a man or woman has had these qualifications confirmed by the leadership, they may enter a phase of preparation and evaluation for the specific work of deaconship. This phase involves intentional mentorship by the current ministry leader, study related to the roles, responsibilities and functions of deacons, and participation in any team meetings. In addition to preparing the candidate, the primary goal is to determine the candidate’s fitness and fit with the overall team. The time required to complete this phase may vary by individual.

Following the satisfactory completion of all requirements, new deacons will be installed publicly at a worship gathering.  

[This above-mentioned process is not an induction into a secret society, and thus, the candidate’s character, conversation, and conduct are of public importance. Again, if a congregant is aware of any disqualifying sin or character flaw in a deacons life, they are urged to make the matter known to the existing elders so they can investigate the claim]