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“What Is a Deaconess?” for the Church to Attend to the Various Needs of Its Peo- Ple

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“What Is a Deaconess?” for the Church to Attend to the Various Needs of Its Peo- Ple VolumePage 6 12, Is LTSPage News 6 “What is a Deaconess?” for the church to attend to the various needs of its peo- ple. The apostles did not say, “we must concern ourselves with preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ, so don’t bother us with com- plaints about physical hun- ger.” Instead, they said that both preaching the Good News and caring for the physical needs of the congre- gation were important, so they appointed deacons to see to the works of mercy. In Romans 16:1-2 Paul calls Phoebe a deaconess, or serv- ant, at the church in Cench- rea. Scholars believe Phoebe assisted Paul by delivering ess is a servant. This speech was given by his letter to the Christians in Deaconess Rome. The service of deacon- Deaconess Rockrohr at Open Let us read from Acts 6. Rockrohr teaches esses continued to be noted Day on 1 September. “Now in these days when the deaconess courses throughout the Church’s his- disciples were increasing in in classroom of the I greet you all on the name of tory. number, a complaint by the Jesus Christ. May the Lord the recently Hellenists arose against the bless our time together so At this point we must make a acquired Hokaai I Hebrews because their wid- that we may be enriched and careful distinction. Some building ows were being neglected in refreshed, strengthened for churches today also have the daily distribution. And service to Him. deacons, and in some the twelve summoned the full churches the deacon is also Many people ask the ques- number of the disciples and trained and called to preach, tion, “What is a deaconess?” said, “It is not right that we lead public worship, and per- so we will begin at that point. should give up preaching the haps even administer the word of God to serve ta- sacraments. We should not The deaconess is a Christian bles. Therefore, brothers, be confused by this current woman specially trained and pick out from among you use of the title ‘deacon’ and dedicated to serving the seven men of good repute, make the leap to assume that Lord. She normally serves full of the Spirit and of wis- a deaconess will also preach, under the supervision and dom, whom we will appoint lead public worship, or ad- direction of the pastor, in to this duty. But we will de- minister the sacraments. This those areas where a woman vote ourselves to prayer and is not work that the deacon- may properly serve. This can to the ministry of the word.” ess does. include works of mercy, al- ways connected to the Gospel Acts 6 describes the first dea- The deaconess does not as- message. cons, who supported the of- pire to the Office of the Pub- fice of the ministry in the lic Ministry (pastor) but ra- The title “deaconess” comes area of mercy works so that ther desires to support and to us from the Greek word the apostles could dedicate extend the work of the pastor diakoneo (servant) in the their time to prayer and the through specific tasks. As New Testament. It was first ministry of the Word. The such, the deaconess does used to describe the attitude book of Acts records the NOT preach, lead public wor- and service of a woman or growth of the early church, ship, administer the sacra- man (deacon) and soon came and some of the challenges ments (Baptism, Holy Com- to be understood as a title as associated with that growth. munion), or the office of the well. The concept of service There were many needs keys (confession/absolution). carried by the word among these new Christians. It is never the aim of the dea- “deaconess” is still useful This passage in Acts chapter coness to cause confusion or today, and for those who bear 6 teaches us two things. First, division in the Church. the title “deaconess” it is also that the primary work of the a reminder to them of the pastor must always be the The deaconess focuses on labor of love to which they ministry of the Word. Se- have been called. A deacon- cond, that it is good and right (Continued on page 7) VolumePage 7 12, Issue 4 LTSPage News 7 that mercy is not just teaching women’s Bible class; an attitude or an emo- providing training to women tion, but mercy is seen in other concerns such as in action. literacy, child care, health, etc, from a Christian/ Jesus also teaches us Lutheran perspective; reli- about mercy. Jesus gious instruction of children, said, “Be merciful, even which might occur in settings as your Father is merci- such as Sunday School, reli- ful” (Luke 6:36). Jesus gious instruction in school, is speaking to believers, assisting with confirmation because no one can call instruction, or other similar God “Father” apart venues; visiting those who from faith. As believers, are sick or in hospital; care we have already re- for the needy of the congre- ceived mercy from the gation or the community; Father, and these ministry to women in prison; (Continued from page 6) words were spoken in the evangelism and outreach; context of a rich history of work in the church’s social Mrs. Karin Neibuhr works of mercy, spiritual the Lord’s mercy and faith- care programmes such as was the substitute fulness to His people care, and teaching the faith. crèche, soup kitchen, women throughout the Old Testa- teacher for the She guides people to the pas- in crisis, HIV/AIDS teaching Deaconess tor who offers Word and Sac- ment. The command to “be or intervention, etc. merciful” describes action Foundations class rament. connected with attitude, and This is a listing of examples while Deaconess Mercy work is a large part of not merely emotion. “Be of the type of work a deacon- Rockrohr recovered merciful” is a summary of all ess may do, always to extend from surgery in the the work of a deaconess, so let us look for a moment at that Jesus said in Luke 6:27- the Lord’s kingdom and the United Sates. the concept of mercy. Mercy 35. Gospel message, to encour- in the Scriptures is always age believers and to evange- oriented toward (connected We have asked, ‘what is a lize those who do not yet deaconess’ and we have with) an action. It is never know Christ as Savior. Not just an emotion. In Exodus looked at mercy, which is one every deaconess will do all of area where a deaconess spe- 34:6 we read, “The LORD these tasks all of the time. passed before him and pro- cifically focuses her work. Rather, she will serve in spe- But, what exactly does a dea- claimed, ‘The LORD, the cific areas depending on the coness do? LORD, a God merciful and needs of the Church in the gracious, slow to anger, and place where she serves. Her The work of the deaconess work will support the work of abounding in steadfast love should be properly matched and faithfulness.’” And also the pastor, and through her to her gifts (skills, abilities) work people will be pointed in Psalm 40:11, “As for you, O and the needs of the Church LORD, you will not restrain to the pastor for Word and in the place where she serves. Sacrament. your mercy from me; your For this reason, the activities steadfast love and your faith- and tasks of a deaconess in fulness will ever preserve The deaconess programme at one place may be very differ- LTS prepares women to serve me!” In both of these passag- ent from those of a deaconess es mercy is described in con- the church as deaconesses in in another place. Think of all congregation, education and text with the covenant faith- of the work within the con- social ministry settings. fulness of the Lord. gregation, building up the There are two strands of dea- A very strong example of community of faith; then coness training available. think of all of the work out- mercy is seen in the Exodus Women may study full-time narrative, beginning with the side the congregation, reach- in a two-year residential pro- ing out into the community Lord rescuing His people gramme, or may enroll in a from slavery in Egypt. He to bring the Gospel and to part-time programme with 2- bring help and hope in a also gave water, quail and week intensive courses twice hurting world. A deaconess manna as food (Ex. 16:4-5, 12 per year, stretching over sev- -13) during their time in the can work in any of these are- eral years. Deaconess Debo- as except those that are re- wilderness, their clothing and rah Rockrohr is the director shoes did not wear out (Deut. served for the pastor. That is, of the residential pro- she can do anything except 29:5), and they were brought gramme, and Deaconess to the land of Canaan that preach, lead public worship, Grace Rao is the director of or administer the sacra- was promised in covenant to the part-time programme. ments. Her service may in- Abraham, even though they sinned many times. So we see clude such things as: .
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