Diaconal Ministry
Click on one of the following links for more information:
- The Church as God's Servant
- The biblical grounding
- A theological perspective
- The 'diakonia of the church'
- Licensed Diaconal Ministry
The Church as God's Servant
The Church of Christ is called to be God's servant in the world.
Baptism marks the entry of a new christian into 'the body of Christ' (the church), which is alive and active in the world today. The whole assembly of Christians down the centuries, referred to as the 'communion of saints', has been, and still is, that body of Christ – the Church.
No hands, no feet on earth but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which he looks
compassion on his world
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good.
John Michael Talbot's para-phrased words of St Theresa
The Body of Christ is called to be Christ the Servant (Gk: diakonos) in the world; Christ whose life on earth was given to the service of God.
The biblical grounding of diaconal ministry
Mark 9:35
Mark 10:43-44
Mark 10:45
These statements are echoed throughout the gospels as clear teaching to the community of followers. The ways of the world are not the ways of God's kingdom. Power and status are not important. Paradoxically, greatness in the kingdom of God comes through letting go of status and being willing to serve, to receive everyone for their own sake, as we would receive Jesus.
A theological perspective
John N Collins in 'Deacons and the Church' (pub. Gracewing) points out that the Greek wording offers no ambiguity as to who Jesus is serving:
'The diakonia of Jesus… was to serve the One whose voice called to him at his baptism, and the Son of Man would perform this service by carrying out the mission to which that voice had consecrated him.' (ie the mission which would lead him to the cross).
'Jesus moves on from rebuking the twelve (Mark 9:36 ) to 'set a little child in the centre of their circle' and 'taking him into his arms, he said, "Whoever receives one of such children in my name receives me". The child does not participate in the decisions which shape the adult world and yet, powerless, flourishes in the relationship of love and dependence with its parents. Incapable of deploying power, the child enjoys the fullness of life, and becomes another illustration of the paradox of the kingdom.'
'The sayings are not a call to abstain from the management of affairs and the deployment of authority. They are a call to recognise that (these) are activities of this world, whereas the kingdom of God establishes itself in a community of relationships. The community will no longer provide communion when power distorts the dynamism of relationships.'
The 'diakonia of the church'
Through entering into the body of Christ we accept the call to live in a loving relationship with God. This means being prepared to be God's servants, spreading the love of God through being attentive to others, rather than being attentive to our own possessions or status. The church, the body of Christ, is called to live out relationships of love within (and beyond) the community of the faithful, working collaboratively with others. Through our baptism we are called to diaconal discipleship.
Licensed Diaconal Ministry
Order or structure within the church is intended to facilitate the church in its diaconal ministry. Those who are specifically called and licensed to operate as ministers or public representatives of the church, are licensed not simply to 'do' the work, but to encourage and enable it; not to have personal status, but to raise awareness within the church community of where there are needs and facilitating appropriate action.
Different traditions have developed different ways of 'ordering' such public ministry. The Church of England recognises and licenses diaconal ministry in a variety of ways.
Click here for more information on vocation.