So I was looking at a local EPC church website and they have a few deaconnesses. What struck me was that they were deacon of meals and another was deacon of cleaning or something like that.

Growing up in the SBC, the ladies were always in charge of the kitchen and usually in charge of cleaning the building as well, but we never called them deacons. They may have been heads of committees though.

Is it common to call every leader who is in charge of something a deacon in presby circles?

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Boliver
Future Chaplain
EPC
Hankamer, TX

Give 'em a title and they're happy.

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Jim
1689 LBCF
Independent Bible Church
North Texas, USA

No.

However Deacon/deaconess's are often in charge of hospitality.

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Kevin Rogers
Sovereign Community Church, PCA
Moncton NB

As best I know, it's not common to add title extensions to biblical offices in Presbyterian and Reformed circles.

While there is some confusion about this in our generation, most biblical churches do not understand "deacon" to be an interchangeable synonym of "servant" or "helper" but rather as a distinct office, with specific qualifications, part of the fundamental governing structure of Christ's church.

Someone working in the kitchen might typically be on a "helps" committee, or be involved without a formal title. Many jobs in Christ's church are done that way as part of one's spiritual service.

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Scott
PCA
North Carolina


"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)"
Hebrews 10:23

I have never heard of this use of titles before.

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Tim Lindsay
member, Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church, Halifax, NS, Canada
Living in Cape Town, South Africa
"under the Southern Cross, at the foot of Table Mountain, not far from the Cape of Good Hope"

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Amber Feller
Member, First Baptist Church of Weeki Wachee Acres
Spring Hill, FL

The scripture seems pretty clear that a deacon is a...well...deacon. You're either a deacon or you're not. To sub-categorize the office of deacon is at best unnecessary, and at worse unbiblical.

Oh, and don't get me started on female deacons.

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Bill Brown
Elder
Reformed Baptist
Maryland

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In our churches (probably, following the example of the Orthodox Church) deacons are kind of sub-presbyters or under-pastors: to become a pastor you've got to be ordained as a deacon first. Kind of a Sergeant... And in most cases each deacon has his own responsibility. Sometimes in small churches (not very often, though) a deacon's ordination is enough to do the pastoral ministry, especially if he is not full-time. For example, there are four deacons in my church, one of them being the acting pastor.

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Igor
Deacon - Novotushino Baptist Church
Moscow, Russia

Sounds like good intentions that went awry. If it were me, I'd say, don't patronize me with an extra-Biblical title, just let me get my job done!

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JWithnell
Member Bethel OPC
Virginia
http://learningyesican.blogspot.com/

Would "ruling elder" / "teaching elder" be an example of this?

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AV
Baptist
VA