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LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 300

2026 Convention Workbook
265
THEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTS  —COMMISSION ON THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS
“deacon.” Moreover, there has not been complete consensus — in the LCMS or otherwise — about how 
the term is used in the New Testament or its relationship to the Office of the Holy Ministry.  
Most New Testament references to “deacon” seem to refer to general “service” in the church. Two 
passages, however, clearly refer to deacon as an office in the church. In Philippians 1:1, Paul greets “all 
the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons.” No further information is 
provided in this letter about the nature of these offices, their specific responsibilities or the relationship 
between them. In 1 Timothy 3, Paul lists the qualifications for overseers (vv. 1–7) and deacons 
(vv. 8–13), again without providing specific information about the nature of these offices, their duties or 
the relationship between them. Because these offices are linked together in some way in both of these 
passages, some Lutheran exegetes and theologians have concluded that both offices belong to the Office 
of the Holy Ministry, with only slight differences in qualifications and perhaps (therefore) somewhat 
different duties and responsibilities. On the other hand, precisely because of the differences in the list of 
qualifications (“able to teach,” “above reproach” and “not … a recent convert” are omitted from the 
deacon list), other Lutheran exegetes and theologians have come to the opposite conclusion: The office of 
deacon did not belong to the Office of the Holy Ministry, but was created by the Early Church to assist 
those in the Office of the Holy Ministry.   
 
 Complicating matters further is Luke’s account of the seven men chosen to assist the apostles in 
Acts 6:1–6. Some interpreters have identified these seven as “deacons,”
18 primarily because the infinitive 
form of the verb diakoneō (“I serve/minister”) is used in Acts 6:2. Luke, however, never identifies these 
seven using the noun diakonos (“deacon/servant/minister”). He only uses the noun to describe the 
apostles’ “ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4). The 12 apostles state, “It is not right that we should give up 
preaching of the word of God to serve/minister [diakonein] tables. 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. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry/service of the word [tē diakonia tou 
logou]” (Acts 6:2–4).  
 
Even though one of their tasks was “serving/ministering” tables (possibly in the sense of 
administrative oversight
19), it is noteworthy that the description of these seven as being “full of the Spirit 
and of wisdom” (Acts 6:3) implies that they are being set aside for more than serving tables. (This is 
reminiscent of how Joshua was described when Moses had laid hands upon him as his successor in the 
leadership of Israel; see Deut. 34:9.) More importantly, Luke testifies at length to Stephen’s character 
(“full of grace and power” in Acts 6:8 and “full of the Holy Spirit” in Acts 7:55), his preaching 
(exhibiting “wisdom and the Spirit” in Acts 6:10 and in his extensive proclamation in Acts 7:2–53), his 
deeds (“doing great wonders and signs among the people” in Acts 6:8), and even his appearance (“his 
 
18 CTCR, The Ministry, 17, implies that a new office distinct from the Office of the Holy Ministry was begun by the 
church in Jerusalem. While the seven in Acts 6 were not apostles, they clearly did more than wait on tables, as will 
be discussed below. 
19 A Greek Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, ed. Frederick William Danker, 
Third Edition (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000), 230 (definition 5).  
face was like the face of an angel/messenger” in Acts 6:15). Luke also testifies to Philip’s ministry of 
proclamation/teaching, his demonstration of divine signs (exorcisms and healings), and his baptizing of 
the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:5–8, 26–40). While it seems clear that there is some distinction between the 
12 apostles and these seven (the latter were not necessarily eyewitnesses of Jesus’ earthly ministry and 
resurrection), some theologians see this as evidence to suggest that these seven did, indeed, hold the 
Office of the Holy Ministry. Others disagree. 
 
Luther, for his part, held that “the diaconate is the ministry, not of reading the Gospel or the Epistle, 
as is the present practice, but of distributing the church’s aid to the poor, so that the priests may be 
relieved of the burden of temporal matters and may give themselves more freely to prayer and the Word. 
For this was the purpose of the institution of the diaconate, as we read in Acts.”
20 Others, such as 
Chemnitz, suggested a variation of Luther’s view: Deacons such as Stephen and Philip were originally 
appointed to the more mundane task described in Acts 6 but, after proving themselves, were later 
entrusted with “more important duties of the ministry [i.e., preaching and teaching] conferred with greater 
benefit.”
21 Theodore Graebner is representative of a view that is common in the LCMS tradition and 
relates to our forthcoming discussion of what the LCMS has historically referred to as “auxiliary offices” 
created by the church in Christian freedom: 
 
The seven elders performed such services as the twelve apostles were unable to do for want of time. 
In order to emphasize the fact, we repeat that this office of eldership was not divinely appointed, nor 
instituted by God’s command, as is the office of the ministry. It simply was inaugurated to supply 
help for the office of the ministry; it is an auxiliary office thereof, instituted by the Church.
22 
 
Many more examples could be given, but to summarize and reiterate: No consensus exists among 
Lutheran exegetes and theologians, past or present, about the nature of the office of “deacon” in the New 
Testament — specifically, whether this office was a “help ing office” created by the church or whether it 
was an office that belonged to the one divinely instituted Office of the Holy Ministry. In view of these 
differing exegetical and historical perspectives, it is important that when the term “deacon” is used today 
in the LCMS we strive to be as clear and consistent as possible in our usage of this term, especially if and 
when it is used in “official” ways to designate a particular office of service in the church (see Parts II and 
III of this report).
23   
 
20 “The Babylonian Captivity of the Church” (1520), AE 36:116. 
21 Walther, The Church and the Office of the Ministry, 293. 
22 Theodore Graebner, “Elders and Deacons in the Lutheran Church,” trans. W. Cook, The Lutheran Witness 15 
[1916], 222. 
23 The single text that might possibly be understood as a biblical basis for a woman holding the office of “deacon” 
(or “deaconess”) is Paul’s statement about Phoebe in Romans 16:1, “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a 
servant/deaconess [diakonon] of the church at Cenchreae.” Although most translators render diakonos here as 
“servant,” some English translations render it as “deaconess” (e.g., RSV, JB and NJB). Some scholars think it is 
premature to speak of an established office of diaconate being referenced here, yet 1 Timothy 3:8 –13 is evidence of 
the existence of such an office for males during the mission carried out by Paul. While all early Christians — male 
 
G. Other Related Nomenclature 
 
There are a few terms used in the New Testament and in the church that are related to the Office of 
the Holy Ministry but are not exclusively used as titles for this office. These terms include slave, 
servant/minister, steward, father, reverend and priest. Each will be discussed very briefly here. 
The Apostle Paul refers to himself as a “slave” (doulos) or a “servant/minister” (diakonos) in his 
epistles (e.g., Gal. 1:10; Rom. 1:1; 1 Cor. 1:23), but he does not use either term as a specific title for his 
office as apostle. These terms function as descriptors of his life in the office of apostle. They simply 
describe his life and ministry as one of service to Christ and others. Every apostle and pastor is to be a 
slave and servant/minister of Jesus. By using the term “servant/minister” (diakonos) to describe himself in 
1 Corinthians 1:23, Paul is not implying that he is in both the office of apostle and the office of deacon. 
Because the term “minister” is often used in the LCMS for those who serve in the Office of the Holy 
Ministry and is also sometimes used as a title for those in the auxiliary office of deacon, it must be 
carefully defined when used.
24  
 
As noted above, “steward” (oikonomos) is sometimes used by Paul as a description of what holders of 
the Office of the Holy Ministry do as well as what they are (“stewards of the mysteries of God,” 1 Cor. 
4:1; cf. Titus 1:7). Although there are New Testament texts about the importance of respecting those with 
spiritual authority over others (e.g., 1 Thess. 5:12), the title “reverend” is not used in the New Testament. 
While Paul refers to himself as a spiritual “father” (patēr) on occasion (e.g., 1 Cor. 4:15b), “father” is not 
used as a title for the Office of the Holy Ministry in the New Testament. Each baptized Christian is said to 
have the status of a “priest” (hiereus) in various texts (e.g., 1 Peter 2:9; Rev. 1:6), and Jesus is our “high 
priest” (e.g., Heb. 4:14). “Priest” is not used in the New Testament, however, as a title for those who 
serve in the Office of the Holy Ministry, even though those who serve in this office clearly have some 
priestly roles (e.g., service at the altar by offering prayers and administering the Lord’s Supper). 
 
II. Nomenclature for Auxiliary Offices in the LCMS Today 
 
 
and female — were to be “servants” in their respective congregation, Phoebe appears to serve “the church at 
Cenchreae” as one holding a position that assisted the man who held the Office of the Holy Ministry. We will 
discuss briefly the LCMS office of deaconess in the next section of the report. 
24 Within the LCMS, the terms “ordained minister” and “commissioned minister” are used to distinguish between 
those in the Office of the Holy Ministry and those in auxiliary offices; see Constitution Article V B in the 2023 
LCMS Handbook. An example of the confusion that use of the term “minister” without clear definition can cause is 
seen in Oscar E. Feucht, Everyone a Minister: A Guide to Churchmanship for Laity and Clergy (St. Louis: 
Concordia Publishing House, 1974). The natural question arises: If only some are called to be ordained ministers, 
and some others are called to be commissioned ministers, then how can everyone be a minister? Because of the 
technical use of “minister” for specific offices in the church, “servant” is a better translation to use as a label for 
every Christian (i.e., everyone is a servant).  
Note: The LCMS has for nearly its entire existence used the concept of “auxiliary offices” to 
describe the vocation of those church workers (among others) who do not hold the Office of the 
Holy Ministry. That concept emerged from the eighth of C.F.W. Walther’s synodically adopted 
1851 theses on the ministry, which argued that all such helping offices in the church stem from 
the pastoral ministry, as the highest office in the church. Since that time, these other offices — 
primarily teachers, but also all those now presently grouped under the classification of 
“commissioned ministers” — have been considered as functioning in a way that supports the 
pastoral office in its ministry of Word and Sacrament. This has understandably raised concerns 
from different corners of the Synod. For some, the very fact of referring to those in helping 
offices as “ministers” seems to detract from or confuse them with the one Office of the Holy 
Ministry. For others, especially those serving in auxiliary offices, being placed in this category 
gives the impression that their work is somehow less important than or spiritually inferior to the 
pastor’s. The Commission acknowledges that the concept itself is limited and not altogether 
helpful (as will be discussed later), and it concedes that the historical tensions the concept has 
produced on both sides of the debate are valid and reflect legitimate concerns. The description 
of auxiliary offices in what follows is not meant necessarily as an endorsement of the term or 
concept of “auxiliary office,” but rather it is an attempt to use the category the Synod has used 
throughout its history — one that has shaped and continues to shape our church polity — and 
apply it to the present question regarding deacons and evangelists.
25 
The LCMS uses the language of “ordained ministers” for those who hold the Office of the Holy Ministry 
and “commissioned ministers” for those who hold an officially recognized auxiliary office in the Synod.
26 
Although it is possible to have an ordained minister called to and serving in one of the auxiliary offices 
(e.g., an ordained pastor serving as a kantor or a Lutheran school principal), these offices are ordinarily 
filled by Synod-trained laity who are commissioned ministers. Some LCMS congregations and districts 
use the nomenclature of deacon and evangelist, even though these are not officially recognized auxiliary 
offices in the Synod at the present time. Therefore, usage of this nomenclature will also be discussed 
below. 
 
 
25 “The pastoral ministry [Predigtamt] is the highest office in the church, and from it stem all other offices in the 
church,” C.F.W. Walther, Church and Ministry, trans. J.T. Mueller (St. Louis: The Lutheran Church—Missouri 
Synod, 1987), 289. Note also Walther’s explanation of this concept of an auxiliary office: “Every other public office 
in the church is part of the ministry of the Word or an auxiliary office that supports the ministry, whether it be the 
elders who do not labor in the Word and doctrine (1 Tim. 5:17) or the rulers (Rom. 12:8) or the deacons (the office 
of service in a narrow sense) or whatever other offices the church may entrust to particular per sons for special 
administration. Therefore, the offices of Christian day school teachers, almoners, sextons, precentors at public 
worship, and others are all to be regarded as ecclesiastical and sacred, for they take over a part of the one ministry of 
the Word and support the pastoral office,” 289–290. 
26 LCMS Bylaw 2.6.1.1 (2023 Handbook) lists these current commissioned offices: “The roster of commissioned 
ministers shall admit eligible teachers, directors of Christian education, directors of Christian outreach, directors of 
family life ministry, directors of parish music, deaconesses, parish assistants, and directors of church ministries.”