Elders (including the teaching elder often called the pastor) and deacons are the Spiritual leaders of the church. The elders lead the church in word ministries and the deacons lead the church in deed ministries. Even among the elders there is a division of labor between the teaching elder(s) and the ruling elders, but both groups of elders are Spiritual leaders who lead in word ministries.
Jesus was the perfect elder and deacon: He was “a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people” (Luke 24:19). His words interpreted his works. Both point to who He was and what He was doing. Our words and works also should point people to Jesus.
As a division of labor – elders focus on leading the church in word ministries and deacons focus on leading the church in deed ministries. But all members do both – all members are ministers in word and deed. And as Paul said, “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Col 3:17). We are ministers out of thanksgiving for our salvation in Christ.
Word ministries respond to the broken relationship that people have with God and with themselves. Thus evangelism (narrowly defined) and counseling are word ministries that elders lead and that the whole church does.
Deed ministries respond to the broken relationship that people have with each other and the ground. Deed ministries include any ministry that addresses physical and social needs – like for fellowship, friendship, food, water, shelter, transportation, etc. Such deed ministries deacons lead and the whole church does.
Both word and deed ministries must focus first on the congregation and then on the community. If we are not taking care of the Spiritual, psychological, social, and physical needs of our congregation, then we will be much less effective at evangelism. Let me broadly define evangelism as ministering to the Spiritual, psychological, social, and physical needs (needs for Christ) of others (our community and the world) or for a shorter definition ministering the good news of Jesus Christ in word and deed to the world. Evangelism is something that elders and deacons lead and that the whole church does.
While there is a difference in emphasis between elders and deacons, both will engage in word evangelism and both will engage in deed evangelism. The words interpret the works. Words without works are just talk, as John said, “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18). And works without words are open to misinterpretation. God creates and interprets all of the good works you will do. In philosophical terms, for Christianity, there are no brute works just as there are no brute facts. The primary misinterpretation is that you are doing good works in order to earn your salvation. We need to offer people God’s interpretation. As Paul said,
By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast, for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Eph 2:8-10).
My thoughts have been influenced by many people and books including:
Harvie Conn, Evangelism: Doing Justice and Preaching Grace (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 1982).
Timothy Keller, “Diaconal Training” (WTSBooks, 1997); and Ministries of Mercy: The Call of the Jericho Road, 2d. ed. (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 1997).
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