It’s a Debate Worth Having. And This Baptist Says “No”
The Baptist Faith & Message 2000, speaking of the church, says, “Its two scriptural offices are that of pastor/elder/overseer and deacon. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor/elder/overseer is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.”
This article is biblically accurate and aligns with historic Baptist practice. I am thankful for the clarity in our confession on the issue of female pastors/elders/overseers (even if Baptists are still debating how to best enforce this doctrinal standard in practice, and others continue to try to undermine it).
But what about deacons?
For churches that do not have elders, deacons often function as such. In these churches, having female deacons would be a significant mistake. But what about female deacons in churches that are clearly led by a plurality of spiritually qualified male pastors/elders/overseers? The question is debated, and most of my pastor friends believe in female deacons.
However, I think Scripture teaches that only men should be deacons.
There are only three passages to consider regarding deacons. The first is Acts 6:1-6, which many believe is the formation of the ministry of deacons. All seven deacons appointed are men. In fact, when the disciples asked the church to select seven men, the word used is anēr, which is the word used to distinguish men from women. The more generic term is anthrōpos, sometimes used to speak of mankind. If it were the Lord’s will for female deacons, this would have been the prime place to institute them. The issue at hand involved females! But God clearly institutes only men in Acts 6.
The second passage is Romans 16:1: “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae.” The word for “servant” is diakanos, but this does not demand the office of deacon. The noun diakanos is used 29 times in the New Testament. Only Philippians 1:1, 1 Timothy 3:8, and 1 Timothy 3:12 clearly use the term to refer to an office in the local church. Usually, it just means servant. For example, in the immediate context of Romans 16, the government is called a diakanos in Romans 13:4, but no English translation uses deacon. In Romans 15:8, just before 16:1, Jesus is called a diakanos to the circumcised. Again, no English translation uses “deacon.”
Colossians 1:7 and 1 Timothy 4:6 both use diakanos with a person, but no translation uses “deacon.” All translate diakanos as “servant.” Advocates for female deacons point out that the noun diakanos is masculine in form in Romans 16:1, and therefore points to an office. I would reply that a feminine form did not exist. Female deacon advocates also note that this is the only time diakanos is used with reference to a local church. I would simply respond that this may just be due to the fact that she was sent on official business by Paul, so he needed to mention which church she was from. Romans 16:1 seems inconclusive and not sturdy enough to develop an entire church office without other significant exegetical support.
The third passage is 1 Timothy 3:11. The verse begins with the plural form of the noun gunē, which can be translated either wives or women, depending on context. When gunē is used with husband, it is clearly “wife.” In 1 Timothy 3:11, is it “women deacons” or is it the “wives of deacons?” The immediate context translates the same noun as “wives” two times, in 3:2 and 3:12. Thus, the natural way to take verse 11 is also as “wives.”
Paul could have been clearer had he wanted to introduce a new office. He could have invented the word “deaconess,” said “women deacons,” or “women who serve as deacons.” Paul knew a lot of words. There is no clear indication that this is what Paul is doing here.
Advocates of female deacons point out that the word “likewise” in verse 11 introduces a new office, due to the way it is used in verse 8 to transition from overseers to deacons. However, “likewise” cannot bear that much weight and could simply introduce a new person, i.e., their wives, rather than a new office.
Advocates for female deacons ask why Paul would include qualifications for deacon wives but not overseers’ wives? They say the work of overseeing is more important than serving, so why would the deacon’s wives receive attention and not the overseers’ wives? One may quibble with the value of assigning the relative level of importance to each, but additionally, the wives of deacons could be involved in handling benevolence needs and funds, so they would need to be qualified. Much of the work is widow work, so it makes perfect sense that ladies be involved. Since deacons are not selected to teach, but rather to serve, their wives can more easily be involved in their ministries than the wives of overseers/elders/pastors who are leading and teaching.
Additionally, if it were a distinct office, it seems unlikely that Paul would lump in their qualifications in the middle of 3:8-13, rather than on their own. It seems convoluted for Paul to speak of male deacons in 3:8-10, then change the subject to female deacons in verse 11, then switch back to male deacons in 3:12-13. Why would he shift back to men without any clear indication that he has changed the subject? The natural flow of thought seems to stay with male deacons from 3:8 to 3:13. First Timothy 3:8-10 focuses on his personal character, then 3:11-12 focuses on his family life, which is why Paul mentions their wives. If 3:11 was meant to introduce a new church office, it seems that there would be more clarity.
If verse 11 refers to female deacons, why are there only four qualifications mentioned? Overseers receive fifteen, and deacons receive nine (or ten). If female deacons were being introduced, one would think they would receive more than four qualifications, and one would expect their marital fidelity to be mentioned since it is so important for male elders and male deacons. When talking of widows in 1 Timothy 5:3-16, their marital fidelity is a big focus of their character.
Additionally, one must also mind the larger context of 1 Timothy 3. First Timothy 2:8-3:16 is concerned with the leadership of the church. This section is about how God wants his house ordered (1 Tim 3:15). Since 3:11 is embedded in this context, 1 Timothy 2:12 must have a bearing: “I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; she is to remain quiet.” While deacons are servants in the church, they are part of the leadership. They are set apart, given a title, and vetted with qualifications. Elders serve by leading and deacons lead by serving.
The deacons of Acts 6 are clearly given oversight of ministries and would have been perceived as those in authority by the members of the church. There is inherent authority in a recognized office of the local church.
For these reasons, I believe that churches should not install female deacons. However, the wives of deacons should be heartily involved in their ministries. The church of the Lord Jesus Christ is to be led by a plurality of spiritually qualified male elders and served by a plurality of spiritually qualified male deacons. Of course, beyond these offices, there are a host of ways godly women can and should use their gifts to build up the body of Christ.
This article is adapted from A. Blake White’s Biblical Male Headship (Abilene, TX: Canon Sense, 2024).
