Women do not serve as deacons in the OPC but they do in the RPCNA and ARP.

__________________
Chris Poe--Attending Grace Community Baptist Church, Mandeville, LA

"There never was a man in the world without a creed. What is a creed? A creed is what you believe. What is a confession? It is a declaration of what you believe. That declaration may be oral or it may be committed to writing, but the creed is there either expressed or implied."—B.H. Carroll

May I have some evidence where Calvin believed that and practiced this? (women deacon thing)?

__________________
Andrew
Husband to Dena
Candidate of the MVP in the PCA
MDiv graduate from Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, MS
Pastor (elect) of Tchula Presbyterian Church, Tchula, MS

"What do you think about when you are not thinking about anything else? This is what you worship!"

What it "proves' Scott, is that the one does not lead to the other. The ARP has deaconesses and soundly defeated the idea of women elders. The use of the phrase "but they have also considered ordaining women...elders" implies that the one leads to the other. It does not.

And you are correct the OPC does not have them, it is the RP.

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Kevin Rogers
Sovereign Community Church, PCA
Moncton NB

You may be thinking of our denomination--RPCNA. This was an issue for me when it came time for my ordination. I had to take an exception to the practice of ordaining women to the diaconate, but thankfully was still ordained (but by only one vote!).

Please know that while I personally take exception to the practice, I would not be quick to say that just because a denomination adopts the practice that it automatically means the denomination is liberal. That's hardly the case with us.

I heard Ed Clowney teach on the subject (recorded lecture on "The Ordination of Women" available from WTS). If my memory serves me rightly, I think he was in favor of the practice of ordaining women to the diaconate.

Schwertley wrote a book entitled "A Historical and Biblical Examination of Women Deacons." It's available online here: A Historical and Biblical Examination of Women Deacons

__________________
Pastor Steve Bradley
Trinity Reformed Presbyterian Church (RPCNA)
www.trinityrpc.org
www.sermonaudio.com/trinityrpc
www.reformedvoice.com/trinityrpc
Riva, MD

The ARP allows for their ordination, but it is up to the local congregation to decide if they want to allow them or not. There is no standing mandate from Synod to allow for female deaconesses.

__________________
Andrew DeShazo, Deacon, Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, Memphis, TN
"All of us stumble in many ways, but if anyone is never at fault in what he says, then he is mature, able to control his whole body."(James 3:2)

There are OPC congregations that have deaconessess but they are not ordained. We cannot assume that because a woman is serving in a diaconal role that this automatically leads to her wanting to become an elder. The office of deacon is not a stepping stone to the office of ruling elder or teaching elder. This is certainly an unbiblical teaching.

__________________
Stephen Welch
PCA Teaching Elder
Nova Scotia

It may indeed be unbiblical, but unfortunately that is the mentality that many have, that deacon is a stepping stone to elder.

Andrew, I believe there must be a standing ruling by your Synod that allows for this practice generally otherwise it would be a violation of the standards to ordain women to the diaconate. Synod certainly cannot mandate that women be ordained to the diaconate, that's for sure. But the Synod must have come to the conclusion (as a Synod) that the practice is Biblical in order for them to allow for it to be practiced.

That said, how this is carried out in practice will always come down to the makeup of the congregation. For instance, in our congregation, even if a woman were nominated to the diaconate, it's not likely she would have enough support during the election.

A question, what is the difference between "Ordaining" and "Commissioning" in such an instance? Isn't one given more authority in the role of Ordination and the other not so much so?

Would it be possible to commission a woman to serve in this capacity as opposed to ordaining her in that role?

__________________
Bobbi Clark
Covenant Member
Pinewood Pres. (PCA) Middleburg

When I kept Silent, My bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. Psalm 32:3

In Calvin's commentary on Romans 16 he states that Phoebe held a holy function in the early church and calls her a deaconess. Alexander McGill in his book, Church Government shows that the office of the deacon was restored to the church during the Reformation and says that from Calvin to Charles Hodge there is a succession of men who held to an official meaning of deaconess in its application to Phoebe. Calvin in his Institutes in Book IV makes the case for deaconesses. Berghoef DeKoster in his book entitled The Deacon's Handbook shows the role of the deaconate in church history and states that Calvin used women in Geneva to fulfill various roles of service and ministry.

But who has fostered that mindset in the minds of people in our churches? It is men in positions of leadership. Many churches think that if a man has served as a deacon this automatically qualifies him to serve as a ruling elder. We need to Reform church government and leadership in our churches. I think we cannot assume that every woman who wants to serve or minister in the body has some secret aspiration to become an elder. Remember, that it is not always the women who are pushing the issue, but men

The idea of a "commissioned Deaconess" has no Scriptural warrant and trying to rely on Pheobe to make the case is a weak argument. Even Calvin's argument in the Institutes is not very convincing.

Should women serve the Church through mercy ministries? You bet!! Any Diaconate that would refuse help, whether male or female, is being short sighted. Gifts for serving the Church have been distributed to all in the Church by the Holy Spirit including women. But does this mean that we need to have a special "commissioning" for women? Do they need a special title like Deaconess? Why the need to have some special "commissioning" for folks who just want to help out??

What about men who have not been called by Christ to be Deacons but they also want to be apart of the Diaconal ministry? Can we "commission" them as well? What would be their title?

BJ asked what's the difference between "ordaining" and "commissioning". The answer is the PCA and OPC BCO. A church cannot ordain a woman but is silent about "commissioning". Basically its a word game. Its like what's the difference between "exhorting" and "preaching"? not much (if anything).

Unfortunately, this idea of "commissioning" Deaconesses and going so far as having these women give the same vows as Deacons give (at least as far as Redeemer has done) is very telling about the state of the Presbyterian church. IMHO, this resolution reflects the low opinion that the office of Deacon holds within the church.

__________________
~Wayne Wylie~
Member, Mid Cities Presbyterian Church (OPC)
Ruling Elder - Inactive
http://www.mcopc.org
Bedford, TX

Job 28:28 - And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

The OPC does not have deaconesses. There are some who would favor the practice, but even the few I know who would favor it in theory, would not favor it in practice, given our cultural context. They fear it would be a dangerous move....and they are correct.

Women play a vital role in the life of the body of Christ, and they don't need an ordained office to use their gifts! A woman does not need the title "deaconess" to show mercy to others, to bring meals to the sick, etc.

Moreover, the lack of office does not in any way lessen the value or importance of the labor!

__________________
Andrew Moody
Pastor - Christ Covenant OPC - Amarillo, TX
Director - Amarillo Theological Institute
Owner - Reformation Art
Amarillo Reformed Fellowship

Amen, Andrew!!

Why must we always find compromises in order to "show that we value" someone. Why not just value the person (in this case, women) and tell them that. Support women laboring in the church. Use them in your mercy ministry. Use men. Use children. Remind your congregation that they are valuable. Remind them that the Lord uses them. Remind them that their work counts for eternity.

__________________
Fredrick T. Greco
Senior Pastor, Christ Church PCA (Katy, TX)
Christ Church Blog

"The heart is the main thing in true religion...It is the hinge and turning-point in the condition of man's soul. If the heart is alive to God and quickened by the Spirit, the man is a living Christian. If the heart is dead and has not the Spirit, the man is dead before God." (J.C. Ryle)

Good point, brother

Good discussion, everyone. I especially appreciate the insight of Pastor Greco and the ladies who've chimed in.

One thing that I'm not quite clicking on just yet is the notion that the office of deacon necessarily includes "authority" (at least spiritual authority). Could someone help me out?

__________________
Rae W. | Elder @ Grace Central Presbyterian Church | Columbus, OH
not another blog, v2.0

Greetings Rae,

The office of deacon is instituted in Acts 6, as follows:
Acts 6:2-6 2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." 5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.

These men must meet certain qualifications, and they are ordained, set apart for a specific task and duty. They are vested with the authority to carry out that task, and set aside for it in a way that non-ordained believers are not.

The high calling of the office is seen also in the qualifications listed in 1 Tim. 3, as follows:
1 Timothy 3:8-13 8 ¶ Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

The authority of the deaconate differs from that of the elder. The elder exercises spiritual oversight (authority), while the deacon exercises authority over the physical needs in the mercy ministry.

So you see the original purpose in Acts 6, the apostles needing to focus on spiritual oversight, so the office is instituted to care for the physical needs of the body.

Exactly, Andrew.

The very existence of an office assumes authority, since that is the nature of an office. Christians are not prohibited from doing acts of mercy (indeed, the contrary is true: they are commanded to do so). If this is true of all Christians, then what is the office of deacons for? It must be (as Acts 6 clearly implies) to oversee (that is, have authority over) the acts of mercy being conducted by the church.

The Standards of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church

Form of Government

Chapter VII - Concerning Deacons, p.196 and 197, 2006 Ed.

2. To this office should be chosen persons* of good character, honest repute, exemplary life, brotherly love, sympathetic nature, and sound judgement, and who are qualified under the standards recorded in Scripture.

"*Circumstances of the local congregation shall require each session to determine the meaning of the word "persons."

The Synod leaves it up to the local congregation to define persons.

*Disclaimer: I am not saying I agree with this practice, but that this is the practice of the ARP.*