Nuut gedink oor die wese en inhoud van die dienswerk van die diaken

Abstract

In many congregations, there is great uncertainty about the precise duty of the deacon within the congregation. Nowhere in the Bible is the essence and content of a deacon’s service clearly spelled out. The suitability of the Scriptural passages that are often referred to to determine the essence and content of a deacon’s work is widely questioned. Through the ages and in various traditions, the deacon has been entrusted with a wide variety of duties. All of the above necessitates a revisitation of the essence and content of the deacon’s service. This article aims to extract the applicable aspects of the latest research on the diakon word group and apply its meaning to the work of the deacon within the overall ministry of the congregation. In order to achieve this objective, the applicable findings within research, conducted over the last 20 years, on the diakon word group is provided. Then the traditional Biblical substantiation of the essence and content of the deacon’s service is critically reviewed. In conclusion, recommendations are made concerning the meaning of the latest research on the diakon word group for the deacon’s service within the overall ministry of the congregation.