Gospel Topics, ‘Deacon’; “An office of the Aaronic Priesthood. A boy is normally ordained a deacon when he is 12 years of age or older. Some of a deacon’s responsibilities are to pass the sacrament and collect fast offerings from the members.”
1 Timothy 3:10, 12-13; “10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. 12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
It’s always important to look at things in context and that’s what we’re doing here in our investigation of what it means to be a deacon.
You’ll notice in the LDS reference, they have 12 year old boys filling the office of deacon which seems outlandish in light of what the Bible says!
As I read over the description provided by Holman’s Bible Dictionary I couldn’t help but think of an incident I witnessed at my ward when I was in junior high.
One Sunday before Sacrament Meeting began, I, along with a group of kids, were standing around talking, and a few of the deacons whose turn it was to serve the Mormon Sacrament were in the crowd. They apologized for having to serve the ‘icky’ bread because their father had gone to the grocery store late in the day and the store didn’t have the much coveted Wonderbread® everyone preferred.
It was the first time I realized the supplies for Sacrament weren’t specially prepared for the holy event. It brought it down to an ordinary level that left me thinking twice about its importance in our lives as Mormons. Why were my classmate who made fun of a girl in our class on Friday (and no, it wasn’t me), responsible for a sacred ordinance on Sunday we were supposed to take seriously?
The significance of this event in Mormonism shouldn’t be overlooked. It’s a sad day when the true office of a deacon is tossed out the window because another 14 yr. old boy (Joe Smith) said he heard from God.
Now let’s compare what the Church has said with a reliable definition found in Holman’s Bible Dictionary.
OFFICES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT Positions of leadership in the New Testament church including deacons, elders, pastors, apostles, bishops, and evangelists. In the New Testament, the concept of “office” speaks to functions and tasks, rather than status and position. Consequently, offices are dynamic rather than static…
… Two offices which apparently appeared in almost every church, at least by the end of the New Testament period, were elder and deacon. Although the evidence is not clear and is variously interpreted, the office of bishop was probably originally equivalent to that of elder…
…The word for deacon is derived from diakonia, the basic term for Christian ministry in the New Testament. The qualifications for deacons (1 Tim. 3:8-13) imply that they performed a wide variety of important services in their churches, including visiting the sick and administering relief funds.
The name of the office also leads to the conclusion that deacons assisted in serving the Lord’s Supper. The account of the appointment of the seven, who are not called deacons, may indicate the origin of the office (Acts 6), although some of the functions of the seven fit other offices equally well. Fred A. Grissom”
The description here isn’t remotely close to the model we find in the LDS Church. How can a Mormon be sure they’re doing the right thing if LDS deacons aren’t qualified in a biblical manner, nor are they performing the same duties as those in the early church?
What 12 year old boy in the LDS Church is out visiting the sick, or administering funds to the needy? The answer of course is zero.
If you’re LDS, I’m asking you carve some time out of your packed schedule to compare the two. Have you ever researched a history book to find out how the early Christian church operated? You’ll find the two stories are vastly different from each other! Don’t just take the word of the Church and be fine with that – investigate it for yourself!
Know that you’re being prayed for and if you have any questions, or want further info, don’t hesitate to contact us!
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