The Deacon: Biblical Foundations for Todays Ministry of Mercy

Book Description:

The office of deacon is God's gift to His church, but today it is often undervalued, misunderstood, and perceived to be of little importance. In The Deacon, the author considers the Old Testament background for this calling, the deacon in New Testament times and in church history, and the current function of the office. You will rediscover the high and privileged calling of deacons and come to a better understanding of what God requires of them.

Table of Contents:
Part 1-The Old Testament Background 1. The Poor in Israel 2. Providing for the Poor
Part 2-New Testament Times 3. Christ's Teaching on the Poor and Needy 4. Ministering to the Poor in Acts 6 5. The Office of Deacon 6. Female Deacon?
Part 3-The Office of Deacon in the History of the Church 7. The Testimony of the Early Church and the Heritage of the Reformation 8. Women and the Diaconate
Part 4-The Current Functioning of the Office 9. The Official Position of the Deacon Today 10. Enabling and Prioritizing 11. The Diaconal Ministry within the Congregation 12. The Diaconal Ministry outside the Congregation 13. The Blessing of the Poor
Questions for Study and Reflection Resources for Further Study on Deacons

Author:

Cornelis Van Dam is emeritus professor of Old Testament at Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary in Hamilton, Ontario. He is the author of The Elder: Today's Ministry Rooted in All of Scripture.

Endorsement:

"Dr. Van Dam's book is an excellent treatment of the work of deacons. Writing from a Reformed perspective, he discusses the biblical foundations (both Old and New Testament), church-historical developments, and practical aspects of the work of deacons today. I plan to prescribe this book as a textbook for diaconal studies at seminary. While the content is rooted in scholarly research, it is written in such a way that deacons, deacons-in-training, and interested church members will enjoy reading and studying the book." - Arjan de Visser, professor of ecclesiology and diaconiology, Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary

"In Christian literature on the offices of the church, eldership has usually received the lion's share of reflection and discussion, an understandable situation in view of the amount of material on this subject in the New Testament. Yet the other New Testament office, the diaconate, is also an apostolic institution and well deserving of significant ecclesial reflection, especially in view of its service to the poor. This new study by Cornelis Van Dam provides such reflection, covering, as it does, the Old Testament roots of the office, the entire range of material about deacons in the New Testament, and the varied historical expressions of the diaconate. This is a solid, well-argued study that will be of great benefit to the church as a whole and to deacons in particular. Highly recommended!" - Michael A. G. Haykin, professor of church history and biblical spirituality, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary 

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