Deacon

Deacon (from Greek diakonos, servant or minister) designates a recognized office of the early Christian church, first implied in the appointment of the seven men in Acts 6:1–6 to oversee the distribution of food to Greek-speaking widows, freeing the apostles for prayer and the ministry of the word. The qualifications for deacons are formally stated in 1 Timothy 3:8–13: blameless character, not double-tongued, not given to wine, not greedy, holding the faith with a clear conscience, and tested before appointment. Deacons and overseers (bishops/elders) are addressed together in Paul's greeting to the Philippians (Philippians 1:1), indicating a two-fold office structure in the earliest churches. The diaconal office became foundational in subsequent church governance across all Christian traditions.