August 18, 2026 | Be Connected
Qualifications for Deacons
Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:8-10(NIV)
8 In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.
Devotional
As a young history buff, I read a biography of Alexander the Great. One story that impressed me was as his army was crossing a desert, his men had not had water for several days. A soldier found a small amount of water, only enough for one man and not anywhere near enough for the entire army. He brought the water to Alexander in a helmet. In front of his troops, Alexander poured the water on the ground. He told them, “If you can’t drink, I won’t.” That impressed me as leadership. It is no surprise his troops would follow him anywhere.
I asked a good friend who has had a successful career about leadership development in the corporate world. He told me that at the basic levels of employment, success is about achieving a number. Those who get good numbers get promoted to leadership positions, which doesn’t necessarily make them good leaders. Most of the ones who fail are still trying to do their former job. Bad leaders are good at assigning blame and avoiding accountability. He said that several corporations do have good leadership development programs to help their staff become successful leaders.
Churches need good leadership as much as a business or government, but how does a church find them? Paul addressed this issue in his letter to Timothy where he listed some of the desirable traits a leader should have: Respect, Sincerity, Sobriety, Honesty and Faith.
The Bible offers several examples of leaders, both good and bad. Moses, Joshua, David, and Nehemiah were all good leaders, even if not perfect. Some leaders, such as Sampson and Solomon, were generally effective leaders despite being deeply flawed people. Some leaders such as Rehoboam and most of the kings of Israel and Judah who followed Solomon were bad leaders. Herod was probably the worst of them all if only for the murder of the innocent children of Bethlehem.
Of course, the Bible gives us the best example of a leader in Jesus. He was the Good Shepherd who cared for his flock. He showed true servant leadership by washing the feet of His disciples. Above all, He was a great leader because He developed great leaders. In Matthew 16:18 Jesue said: “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church…” Even though Peter denied Jesus three times, Jesus knew Peter’s value as a leader and redeemed him by three times asking Peter if he loved Him, and commanded Peter to feed His sheep.
Churches need leaders who have the positive attributes listed by Paul and can model Jesus’ leadership style. Can you fill that need?
