Deacon Ordination

The early church in Acts was growing at a remarkable rate.  Thousands were coming to Christ.  They were adding to the church daily.  It is hard to imagine the constant administration struggle such growth would bring.  The Apostles were having to make decisions daily on a great number of details; however, very few of these decisions show up in Scripture.  It was impossible to record everything so only the most important are documented in the book of Acts.  So, when we see these details given, we should look carefully at what it is teaching us.

In Acts 6, the Hellenist (non-traditional) Jewish widows were accusing the church of not giving them their fair share of the food that was being prepared for those in need.  In order to fix the problem, the Apostles appointed seven men “of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom” (Acts 6:3) so that the Apostles could continue to study the Scripture and pray.  These first deacons served the church but in a very important role.  They would not have needed men with such high character to just serve food.  These highly respected church leaders were given the task of protecting church unity as they took care of the physical needs within the local church.

This tradition continues right here at Eastern Heights as we ordain four new deacons who are charged with the same task.  This is a very important step for the health and unity of our church.  I want to encourage you to attend the deacon ordination Sunday evening at 6:00.  God has provided us with four godly men who have been preparing over the last six months to receive a new title and responsibility within our church.

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