The minority report says,
"With Meyer, therefore, we are inclined to see in Acts 6 the record of the first official appointment ... to help meet the physical needs of the church's poor, which record quite properly guided the church "analogically" in the later development of the diaconate (see Committee report, p. 331)."
They agree with the majority report here! Both reports contend that Acts 6 is analogical or foundational to the office of deacon. Can we now agree that Acts 6 has
something to teach us about the office of deacon?
The Minority Report also says,
"But we do not believe that we need to know for certain the reason why that number was commanded in that situation in order to know that it is not binding for every council of deacons. In like manner, we need not establish definitively the reason for the selection of males only in the appointment of the original Seven in order to believe that this is not a normative regulation for every council of deacons."
We can imagine a number of reasons that the apostles might require seven men. However, can we think of any reasons that they would require men only? BTW, I agree with the majority report that the same headship issues that apply to elders in 1 Tim 3 naturally applies to deacons in that passage as well. Therefore, I think it dangerous to use the it-was-cultural rationale here even though there may be a few places in the NT where it is warranted.
Finally, the minority report states,
"It seems to the undersigned, however, that the Committee's emphasis here is quite contrary to the thrust of the passage's important teaching regarding the role of the Seven, and by analogy later the role of the deacons. As noted above, the Seven are appointed as "assistants to the apostles." Now, there is a certain authority implied in that; but it is clearly delegated authority, authority in a particular area, authority exercised under the authority of the apostles -- even as the deacons, who were appointed later as "assistants to the elders" when the spiritual headship role in the church came to be exercised by the elders rather than by apostles, exercised delegated authority, authority exercised under the authority of the elders whom they helped."
All authority in the church is delegated authority. Christ delegates some of his authority to the elders in the church who then further delegated a more limited portion of that authority to deacons. The majority report agrees that the deacons are invested with some authority.