The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Female deacons?

In reply to:

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Thus they do not have female deacons as such.

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I have to partially agree with Joe when he said it makes no difference whether or not the women have been ordained. I say partially because it is possible for a church to allow women to be Deacons and grant them the authority which that office includes without officially ordaining them. It's nothing more than a not so clever attempt to evade the biblical qualifications for that office. However, I do believe that women do have a very important role to play as HELPERS of Deacons in their work. Although to call them "deaconesses" can be problematic, nonetheless women can and should be involved in the work of the Deacons. This work is not to be undertaken by them independently of the Deaconate by under their authority and direction as "help mates". I am thinking particularly of situations where other women are in need of help and counsel and it would not be prudent to have a male minister to her alone. And, there are countless other tasks which need to be done that women are far more adept at doing.

Because of the current trend to circumvent the clear teaching of Scripture concerning the offices of Elder and Deacon and those qualified to serve in those offices, I am skeptical of any church that uses the term "deaconess". I'm sure you can appreciate that? After all, isn't it the nature of a Calvinist to be genuinely suspicious of everything, knowing the depravity of man as we do?

In His Grace,