Each ordained officer has vowed, “Do you approve of the form of government and discipline of the Presbyterian Church in America, in conformity with the general principles of biblical polity?”…We must not strike at Christ’s structure or remove the officers He has appointed.

As I continue to unpack my arguments for why I believe my brothers in the PCA should stop the practice of non-ordained commissioned deaconesses, I want to quickly state that while I believe each of these arguments is valid and stands on their own volition, I see these as arguments that accumulate and should be seen together. I do not assume that one of these arguments alone will convict and challenge this practice. I hope sessions can discuss this together and reconsider their practice, at least in how it could be perceived as confusing or in other aspects unconstitutional. Or that they will use the terminology found in our Book of Church Order 9–7 of diaconal assistants.

In my first article, I expressed seven arguments in which I plead with my brothers in the PCA to stop using the term non-ordained commissioned deaconesses and instead use the term diaconal assistant or assistant to the diaconate (BCO 9–7). The following two articles examined the first two arguments, focusing on the term’s semantic range and the confusion it causes. In this article, I will unpack the third argument, which I believe is one of the most significant weaknesses of this practice, as it explicitly or implicitly diminishes the function of the diaconate. Again, I want to point out that this practice varies from church to church, and how it is practiced in the extreme would strengthen this argument. This article argues that the practice of non-ordained commissioned deaconesses either (1) replaces the diaconate entirely or (2) weakens its authority by creating a parallel role without clear accountability in PCA polity.

God Ordained

As Christ is the head and king of His church, He has established how His church is to be run (See more). As the Preface to the BCO states, “Christ, as King, has given to His Church officers, oracles, and ordinances; and especially has He ordained therein His system of doctrine, government, discipline, and worship, all of which are either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary inference may be deduced therefrom; and to which things He commands that nothing be added, and that from them naught be taken away.” Or as the Westminster Confession states, “It belongeth to synods and councils, ministerially to… set down rules and directions for the better ordering of the public worship of God, and government of His Church” (WCF 31.2).

Objection: The Westminster Confession does not mention deacons.

While this statement is technically correct, it overlooks the historical work of the Westminster Assembly and American Presbyterianism. Throughout history, the Westminster Standards and a form of government have been adopted together as an integrated framework for the church. The Westminster Form of Government affirms deacons as a distinct and perpetual office: “The Scripture doth hold out deacons as distinct officers in the church, whose office is perpetual. To whose office it belongs not to preach the Word, or administer the sacraments, but to take special care in distributing to the necessities of the poor.”

American Presbyterians upheld this in their 1788 Form of Government: “The Scriptures clearly point out deacons as distinct officers in the church.” Though not mentioned in the Confession, Presbyterianism has consistently recognized the diaconate as a distinct and biblical office.

The PCA continued this understanding, holding that God gifts His church with two offices: Elder and Deacon. Elders serve in the ministry of Word and prayer, and deacons serve in the ministry of mercy. God blesses His church with men who carry out these duties. The BCO then provides what these men are called to do in a particular church. The BCO spells out the duties of the diaconate in BCO 9–2, giving three general heads of their responsibilities:

1. Minister to those in need, showing mercy.
2. Develop the grace of liberality, including devising the collection of gifts and distributing those gifts.
3. Care for the property of the congregation.

These functions fall under the responsibility of the diaconate. If the diaconate is unable to carry out these duties, the responsibility falls upon the ruling elders (not non-ordained members). While a church can exist without a diaconate, this is not the ordinary or preferred structure, nor is the diaconate an optional office in Christ’s church (Phil 1:1, 1 Tim 3). The BCO states that if it is impossible to secure deacons for any reason, the ruling elders shall assume their responsibilities (BCO 9–2).

The phrase impossible to secure means that no deacons or qualified, called active male members are available to serve. This clause does not grant the session the discretion to forgo having a diaconate. The 1879 PCUS Constitution clarified this principle, stating, “In churches where it is impossible to secure the appointment of a sufficient number of Deacons, the duties of this office devolve on the Ruling Elder.” While the 1879 version emphasized the lack of a sufficient number of deacons, the current BCO broadens the language to account for any reason that makes it impossible to secure deacons. However, this expansion does not create an open-ended exception; the BCO still limits the circumstances under which ruling elders assume diaconal duties, applying only when securing deacons is truly impossible, not when it is simply inconvenient or undesired. The PCA is a two-office denomination, and the diaconate is not an optional office.

To this point, I hope I have not stated anything controversial within the PCA. I pray that we all recognize that Christ has blessed His church with the offices of elder and deacon. Christ also blesses his church with officers who serve in those offices. Both the office and officers are true blessings from Christ for His Church. If God had established the office but not provided officers to serve, the church would never fully experience that blessing.

Read More