Leadership Series – Biblical Roles

The Bible identifies three specific offices of the Church that the ministries fall into.  Those offices are Deacons, Elders and Bishops.  In a later article, we’ll see how these offices and ministries align with the Synagogue structure of the time.

Deacons were first mentioned in the book of Acts, where they were selected to serve the practical needs of the church, such as distributing food to widows and managing the financial affairs of the congregation. Deacons were seen as servants of the church who were chosen for their character, abilities, and spiritual maturity.

Elders, also known as presbyters or ministers, were spiritual leaders who were responsible for overseeing and teaching the congregation. They were typically older, more experienced men who were recognized for their wisdom and spiritual maturity. Elders were responsible for shepherding the church and ensuring that its members were living according to the teachings of the apostles.

Bishops, on the other hand, were overseers of multiple churches. They had the same responsibilities as elders, but on a wider scale. Bishops were responsible for overseeing the work of the elders in their care and for maintaining the unity of the faith in the churches under their supervision.

-Billy Miller
Ahavah Messianic Congregation of Little Rock