Differentiating “Diakoniai”
The apostles’ response to the need of Greek-speaking widows in the Jerusalem church shows two truths that define how ministry must be done in Christ’s church: (1) Jesus, the Servant-King, demands that all who lead in his kingdom see themselves as servants—not exploiting the perks of power, but embracing their calling to care for “the least of” his brothers and sisters. (2) Because broken people have diverse needs—spiritual, emotional, social, economic, physical—Christ gives his church both servants who speak his Word and servants who enact his mercy.
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