The teaching of the New Testament is for the church to be led by a plurality of qualified men who with one mind shepherd the local church. Elders, as the spiritual overseers of the church are to determine church policy (Acts 15:22); ordain others (1 Tim. 4:14); rule, teach and preach (1 Tim. 5:17); exhort and refute (Titus 1:9); and act as shepherd, setting an example for all. (1 Pet. 5:1-3).

1 Tim. 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 give the following qualifications for one who holds the office of an elder:

He must be above reproach. This overarching qualification speaks of having an unquestionable and irreproachable character. There must be no sin that taints his reputation or puts his character in question. He’s not perfect, but there is no obvious defect in his character. 

He must be a one-woman man. He is solely devoted to his wife. A single man is not excluded, but the qualification speaks of his moral purity.

He must be temperate. He is to be well balanced, calm, careful, and steady; not self-indulgent.

He must be sober-minded. He is to be serious about spiritual things, not frivolous. He is to avoid excess so that he can see things clearly, and that clarity of thought leads to an orderly, disciplined life.

He must be well-organized. He must be hospitable. He is to show kindness to strangers; to be generous and caring toward others, using what he has to serve them.

He must be able to teach. He must be skilled in communicating God’s Word and have the integrity to make his teaching believable.

He must not be given to wine. He is not to have the lifestyle of a drinker or be characterized by a belligerent, negative attitude that is associated with drunkenness.

He must not be a fighter. He is not to be quick-tempered or resort to verbal and physical abuse. He must be able to handle things with a cool mind and gentle spirit.

He must be gentle. He is to be patient, considerate, genial, forbearing, and gracious. He must not seek to dominate others. In a practical sense, it is the ability to remember good and forget evil. 

He must not be quarrelsome. He is to be a peacemaker, not contentious or argumentative. He is not to be insistent on his rights. He is to keep his temper under control.

He must be free from the love of money. He is not to have his attention fixed on monetary rewards; or to be preoccupied with amassing material possessions or involved in “shady” business practices.

He must maintain a godly family. He must be able to demonstrate spiritual leadership in the context of his family before he can lead in the church. He is to have an exemplary home life, with his children being respectful and under control.

He must not be a new convert. Rather, he must be a mature believer.

He must be well-respected by non-Christians. His character is to be certified by the testimony of those who are not in the church. He should have a reputation for integrity, love, kindness, generosity, and goodness among those in the community who know him.

He must not be self-pleasing. He is not to be self-willed or arrogant. He is not to be a head-strong, stubborn man who demands his way without regard to others.

He must love what is good. He is to be devoted to all that is good and beneficial. 

He must be just. He is to be upright in his dealings with men. His conduct in relation to others must conform to the standard of right.

The New Testament uses three primary words that refer to deacons: diakonos, which means “servant”; diakonia, which means “service”; and diakoneo, which means “to serve.” While all believers are to be characterized by service, some have been specially gifted by the Spirit of God to serve. Only in 1 Tim. 3 is there a specific discussion of the office of deacon (vv. 8-10, 12).

Deacons are equally qualified with elders in terms of character and spiritual life. The difference between their qualifications is that an elder must be able to teach, whereas the deacon doesn’t necessarily have to be. The elders oversee the work of those who serve the Lord, and they are assisted in their work by deacons. Using Acts 6:1-6 as a prototype, Deacons are called out by the congregation to specific ministry activity as support for the Elders.

He must be a man of dignity. The Greek indicates that this is a seriousness of mind and character. He does not treat serious things lightly.

He must not be double-tongued. He is consistent and righteous in what he says. He knows how to bridle his tongue and is not a gossip.

He must not be addicted to much wine. He is characterized by clear thinking and self-control.

He must not be fond of gain. His goals in life are not to be monetary. 1 Tim. 6:9 says that such a desire corrupts a man.

He must be doctrinally sound. He holds “to the mystery of faith with a clear conscience” (1 Tim. 3:9). The faith simply refers to the whole of Christian truth. 

He must be active in spiritual service. 1 Tim. 3:10 says, “Let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons.” The language speaks of an ongoing test, not a single test or probation period. Before being affirmed as a deacon, he must prove himself to be faithful in serving the Lord. 

He must be morally pure. His life is to be “beyond reproach” (1 Tim. 3:10). Like an elder, a deacon must be morally pure, having an irreproachable character. 1 Tim. 3:12 echoes the standard of moral purity: “Let deacons be husbands of only one wife.” He is to be devoted and totally consecrated to his wife.

He must lead a godly family. Verse 12 also says that he must be a good manager of his children and household. The proving ground for leadership is how a man manages his children and home.

The implication that there may be female servants—deaconesses, is found in 1 Tim. 3:11.  The basic moral qualifications are the same as for deacons (note the “likewise” of v. 11). Paul emphasizes four characteristics for these women:

She is to be dignified. As with the men she is to be serious of mind and character, not treating important things lightly.

She is not to be a malicious gossip. She is not characterized as one who is slanderous, fault-finding, or spreading innuendoes or criticisms. 

She is to be temperate. The deaconess is not to be excessive in any area, except her devotion to God.

She is to be faithful. She is a woman of absolute reliability.