LEADERSHIP: Deacons:

Kawhhran sung hantuantu, pastor, bishop, overseers, elders, le deacon, an zaten Bible thuhrampi “Renmi siloin riantu” (Mathai 20:28) si dingah timi Bawi Jesuh amah ih thu zirhnak parah a hngat aw mi asi. Ziangvek tuanvo le dinhmun in kawhhran sungah Pathian kan rian khal asile kan zaten hnen-um kan tuan dingmi tuan, Pathian in in fialmi tuahtu lawng kan si ringring. “Cuvek thotho in nanmah par khal ah a si ve: tuah uh, tiih an lo timi nan tuah ṭheh tikah ‘Kannih cu lom tlak lo hnen-um men kan si. Kan ṭuanvo a ṭuantu lawng kan si,’ tiah ti uh,” tiah a sim, (Luke 7:10).

I Tim. 3:8-13; Tirh 6:1-7, Phil 1:1.

Kawhhran kaihhruai awknak ah hnatuan, tuanvo zem awk lo theih asilo. Zumtu khrihfa pawl cu bulpak in um loin pawlkom in um dingin retkhawmmi kan si fawn. Cutikah zo in ziangvek tuanvo a nei, ziangtin tuanvo neitu hril, tuanvo pek an si, ziangvek sinak an neih a tul, tvp pawl Bible vekin theihfeng tengteng tulmi asi. Kawhhran sungah abik takin protestant kawhhran pawl in pastor, kawhhran upa (elders) le deacon hi kawhhran hhnatuantu laireltu ah hman an si.

Bible in a zirhmi lakah “deacon” le “elder” timi thu pahnih dinhmun asimmi mi tampi in kan theih sual ruangah kan tuanvo le thuneihnak ah kan buai phah theu. “Elder” laitong in “kawhhran upa” kan ti mi le “deacon”  lai tongin “kawhhran upa” tiah kan kawh thotho mi hi “deacon” cu ziang asi ih “elder” cu ziang asi, ziang an hnatuan asi, ti hi fiang ten thleidan thiam a thupi.  Deacon pawl cu elders (I Tim 3:2) pawl vekin zirhnak lamah lotheihlo in neihtul mi ah a telh lo.

Thuthlungthar sungah deacon tiah a hnuailam pawl ih hnatuan tla a ngan,Timothy (1 Thes 3:2; 1 Tm 4:6), Tychicus (Col 4:7), Epaphras (Col 1:7), Paul (1 Cor 3:5) le Jesuh Christ (Rom 15:8, “servant”) pawl hi an tuanmi simfiangnak ah “deacon” timi tonghman hman asi. Deacon timi hi thuneihnak asi dah lo ih hnatuan, servant siahlawh hnatuan tiah Bible sungah ngan mi asi.

Bible in “elders” le “deacon” hnatuan in fiangten a hran in a sim. “Elder” “Kawhhran upa” tiah Bible in a sim theu mi (Tirh 20:17, 28; I Tim. 3:2, 5:17; Titus 1:9; Heb 13:17; James 5:14; Ephe. 4:11, tvp) pawl hi pastor, lole overseers, bishop dinhmun le hnatuan pawl thu a simmi asi. Deacon thu a simnak hi Tirh 6:1-6; I Tim 3:8-13 pawl hi a sibik.

Kawhhran sungah deacon ziangzat an si ding ziangtin hril an si timi Bible in fiang puppi in a sim lo ruangah kawhhran pawl pakhat le pakhat hmandan a bang aw lo. A fiang mi cu Tirh 6:1-7 kan zoh asile deacon pakhat hnakih tam an si ih an hril tikah local kawhhran milesa pawl an tel ti a fiang.

Cumi lakah kawhhran deacon hnatuan hi ziangvek ciah asi timi Bible in in zirh vekin a hnuailam vekin zoh uhsi.

I.              “DEACON” TONGKAM HMANNAK

1.     Word study : Deacon, Deaconess.

“In Greek writings “deacon” described a waiter, a messenger, a steward, and a servant” Ryrie.

 “Deacon” timi cu “siahhlawh” lole “riantu” “hnen-um”, hnatuantu thu simnak ah hmanmi tongfang asi. Thuthlungthar sungah biaknak lamah siseh leiltun khawtlang nun ah siseh “deacon” timi cu hnatuantu, siahhlawh, hnen-um, riantu hnatuan simfiang nakah hmanmi tongkam asi.

Gk. diákonos timi tongfang hi khrihfa hmaisa pawlin “servant” lole “minister” ti ah an rak hmanmi asi ih dungthluntu pawl san ihsin “deacon” tiah an hmang lan vivo. (Matt. 20:26; 22:13; 23:11; Mark 9:35; 10:43; waiter, “cabuai thu,” “hnen-um” cf. John 2:5, 9; Acts 6:2) Paul in amai thu asim tikah siseh Jesuh thu a sim tikah siseh an tuanmi simfiangnakah tongfang a hmang theu: servant or minister (1 Cor. 3:5; Eph. 6:21; Col. 4:7); servant of the gospel (Eph. 3:7; Col. 1:23); servant of the church (Col. 1:25); servant of the new covenant (2 Cor. 3:6); servant of God (6:4); servant of Christ (11:23; Col. 1:7; cf. John 12:26; 1 Tim. 4:6); and servant of righteousness (2 Cor. 11:15). Paul in Jesuh Khrih tla “servant” tiah a kawhnak ah tongfang a hmang (Rom. 15:8; cf. Gal. 2:17). Paul in cozah hnatuan pawl thu simnak ah tla “deacon” timi “servant” “siah hlawh” timi tongkam a hmang (Rome 13:4).

Leitlun sakhua nak pawl khalin an rak hman tikah an puithiam pawl ih fialmi, tirhfung pawl, sakhua puai tuah tikah hnatuantu, rawl zemtu, rawl suang, khual hmuak, cabuai le tohkham kil/remtu pawl, hnatuantu pawl kha “deacon” tiah an kawhmi asi. Mathai 23:11 “Nan lakah a tumbik cu nan zaten sal (siahhlawh) asi ding” tiah Jesuh in in sim vekin “deacon” cu “kawhhran sungah siahhlawh riantu sinak tuanvo kaitu asi.

2.     “Deacon” timi tongfang hman hram thoknak pawl

A hnuailam palw hi Bible sungah “Deacon” timi an rak hman hram thoknak pawl asi.

1)    “Hnen-um” “cabuai kil” “waiter” (John 2:5,9) (mopuai ah Jesuh in tidai wine ah a canter tumah hnatuantu –hnen-um); c5. A nu cun hnen-um pawl hnenah, “A lo simmi poh tuah uh,” tiah a ti. c9. Cuih tidai cu Sabitti ah a cang ih cumi cu a tep. Khuitawkin cuih Sabitti cu a ra ti a thei lo; tidai a suaktu hnen-um pawl cun an thei ko. Curuangah nupi ṭhitu pa cu a ko ih,

2)    siangpahrang hnen-um (Matha. 22:13); . 13Cule Siangpahrang in a hnen-um pawl kha, ‘A kutke ṭem uhla khawleng thimnak ah hlon uh. Cutawkah ṭap raak le hacang rial in a um ding,’ a ti,” tiah a sim.

3)    Satan ih hnatuantu (Satan deacon)–hnen-um (2 Kor. 11”15), 15Curuangah Satan hnaṭuantu a hnen-um pawl khal in dingnak hnaṭuantu pawl vekin an tuah awkter a si khal le an hrangah thil olte a si. A netnak ah cun an hnaṭuan daan vekin an tuar leh ko ding.

4)    Jesuh Khrih ih hnatuantu- (2 Kor. 11:23); 23Khrih riantu an si maw? Kei hi mi aa ka bang, a sinain thungaite in annih hnak cun Khrih riantu ṭha ka si sawn. Annih hnakin ka hnaṭuan a khung sawn; voi tam sawn thawng thlakmi ka si; voi tam sawn vuak ka tong, cule voi tampi thi dok nungngaan in ka tuar.

5)    Hnen-um: Mathai 23:11. Nanmah lakih a tum bik mi cu nan hnen-um a si ding.

6)    Siahhlawh (Tirh 6:2), 2Curuangah tirhthlah hleihnih pawl in zumtu pawl hmuahhmuah cu hmun khatah an kokhawm ih, “Tangka thuhla tawlrelnak (to serve tables) ah Pathian thusim kan daithlang a si ahcun a dik lo ding. 

7)    Pathian ih hnatuantu (2 Kor. 6:4); Thinlung sau zetin hnaihnawhnak, zinfetnak le harsatnak a phunphun kan tuar ih cuticun Pathian riantu kan sinak kan langter a si.

8)    Kawhhran ah hnatuantu (Kol. 1:24, 25). 24Nan hrangah harsatnak ka tuarmi pawl ruangah hin lungawinak ka nei; ziangah tile ka taksa-ih ka tonmi tuarnak ruangah Khrih in a ruangpum a si mi Kawhhran ai ah tuarnak a tonmi kha ka kimter ve a si. 25Kei cu Pathian in Kawhhran hnaṭuantu ah i tuah zo. Hi hnaṭuan i pekmi cu nanmah ih ṭhathnemnak dingah a si.

9)    Cun cozah hnatuan pawl (Rome 13:4) , ziangah tile nangmah ih ṭhatnak tuahtu dingah Pathian ih siahhlawh a si. Sikhalsehla a ṭha lomi na tuah ahcun thuneitu cu va ṭih aw; ziangah tile mi hrem theinak a nei taktak a si. Amah cu Pathian ih siahhlawh a si ruangah thil ṭha lo a tuahtu pawl parah Pathian ih hremnak a thleng suaktertu a si.

Hipawl pawl hi “deacon” tiah an kawhmi Bible sungah ngan khummi asi.

 

 

II.             DEACON sinak

Deacon pawl sinak cu Bivble in (1 Tim. 3:8–10, 12–13) asim vekin bulpak sinak, zumnak thupom, thlarau mi sinak cekfelmi, insang dinhmun pawl parah hngat in Bible in a sim. Tirh 6:1-6, Deacon cu thlarau pitling nun nei asi ding: Thlarau Thianghlim luahkhatmi, vanlam fimnak in a khatmi, zumnak ah rinsantlak zumnak neitu asi ding thu a sim.

1Caan malte a rei deuh tikah dungthluntu pawl an tam vivo ih Judah mi pawl le Grik ṭong in a ṭongtu Judah mi pawl karlak ah thubuai a um. Grik ṭong a hmangtu Judah mi pawl in nitin a ṭulmi leinak ih tangka zem tikah an nuhmei pawl in an co ding zat an co lo a si, tiah thu a um. 2Curuangah tirhthlah hleihnih pawl in zumtu pawl hmuahhmuah cu hmun khatah an kokhawm ih, “Tangka thuhla tawlrelnak ah Pathian thusim kan daithlang a si ahcun a dik lo ding. 3Curuangah u le nau pawl, nanmah lakah Thlarau Thianghlim le fimnak in a khatmi mi pasarih hriil uhla anmah pawl cu hi thuhla tawlreltu ah kan ret ding. 4Kannih cu kan tikcu zatein thlacamnak le thusimnak ah kan hmang ding,” tiah an ti.5Tirhthlah hleihnih pawlih ruahnak an suahpi mi parah an zatein an lung a awi ih cuticun zumnak le Thlarau Thianghlim in a khatmi Stefen, Filip, Prokhoras, Nikanor, Timon, Parmenas, le Antiok khua ihsin Judah biaknak ih a luttu Zentail mi Nikolaus tla an hriil. 6An pasarih in tirhthlah pawl hnenah an fehpi ih tirhthlah pawl in an lu parah an kut an suang ih thla an cam sak.

I Tim. 3:8-13; Tirh 2:4, 6:3; Ephe. 5:18

1)             Deacon cu thlarau in a khat mi (Tirh 2:4, 6:3), cutin thlarau in khat sunzawmmi (Eph. 5:18) asi ding.

2)             Upat tlak ( I Tim.3:8). Deacon cu kawhhran upa vek thotho “upattlak” ( I Tim.3:2, Tirh 6;3), hminsiatnak neilo mi a si dingmi asi.

3)             Lailan mi, hrawkhrawl lo (not double-tongue) (c8). Tongkam thleng hniaihniai lo mi, mi pakhat hnenah a simmi siseh mipi hmaiah a simmi le midang bulpak hmai khalah a simmi bang aw ringring mi, tongkam thianghlim ten tong theutu asi ding.

4)             Zu rit hmang lo (c8). Zurit hmang hrimhrim cu deacon hnatuan tuanter asile Bible kalh asi.

5)             Diklo in sumpai ngahnak hmang lo (c8). Sumpai thu ah duh am asilo ding.

6)             Pathian thutak hnget zetin zumtu nunpitu (c9). Thinlung thenhnih aw zetin Pathian thutak zumnak thurin ah dinghngettu asi hrimhrim ding.

7)             Soiselnak um lo mi (c10). Deacon cu tuantlak asile silo hniksak, Bible tehfung thawn teh hmaisak mi, Bible thurin kalh zawngin a nung lo ih Bible thu vekin a nundan asi ti fiah hmaisak hnu ah soisel ding um lo asi a tul.

8)             Nupi pakhat ih pasal (c12). Nupi pakhat nei asi ding, timi thuah a neih lai mi ah nupi pakhat lawng neimi asi ding tiah sim duhnak si in a lang.

9)             Mai insang fingkhawi thei tu (c12). Mai insang Pathian thu thawn kilkhawi fingkhawitu asi hrimhrim ding.

10)          Pathian mi nupi: (c11) Pathian tihzah nupi a nei dingih a nupi cu mi relsiat hmanglo, tong tamlo, thintawi lo, zaingkim ah mifel rin um asi ding.

I Tim. 3:8-11, 8Kawhhran Upa pawl cu ziaza ṭha a neimi le ṭong tam lo thinlung tluangtlammi si haiseh. Zu in le tangka a duh tukmi an si lo pei. 9Pathian ih a run phuanmi thutak kha a siaṭha thleidannak thinlung thiangte in hngette ih a pomtu an si ding. 10Upa ṭuan a duh pawl cu hniksak hmaisa an si pei ih soiselnak um lo an si le an ṭuan pei. 11An nupi khal * ziaza ṭhami an si ding ih mi relsia ih ṭong tammi an si lo pei. Zu in lomi an si ding ih ziangtinkim ah mifel an si ding. 12Kawhhran Upa cu nupi pakhat lawng a neitu * a si ding ih a innsaang le a faate pawl ṭhatein a uk theitu a si ding. 13An hnaṭuan felteih a ṭuan theitu upa cu upat an co ih Khrih Jesuh an zumnak thu kha ralṭha zetin an phuang ngam a si.

 

III.         DEACON HNATUAN

1.     Bible thuhram. TIRH. 6:1-6 ah sim vekin Pastor (Aposltes) pawlin Pathian Thuthangtha simnak hrangah an tikcu can an pek thei nak ding hrang ah kawhhran sung tuantul mi hnatuantu siahhlawh an si.

1Caan malte a rei deuh tikah dungthluntu pawl an tam vivo ih Judah mi pawl le Grik ṭong in a ṭongtu Judah mi pawl karlak ah thubuai a um. Grik ṭong a hmangtu Judah mi pawl in nitin a ṭulmi leinak ih tangka zem tikah an nuhmei pawl in an co ding zat an co lo a si, tiah thu a um. 2Curuangah tirhthlah hleihnih pawl in zumtu pawl hmuahhmuah cu hmun khatah an kokhawm ih, “Tangka thuhla tawlrelnak ah Pathian thusim kan daithlang a si ahcun a dik lo ding. 3Curuangah u le nau pawl, nanmah lakah Thlarau Thianghlim le fimnak in a khatmi mi pasarih hriil uhla anmah pawl cu hi thuhla tawlreltu ah kan ret ding. 4Kannih cu kan tikcu zatein thlacamnak le thusimnak ah kan hmang ding,” tiah an ti. 5Tirhthlah hleihnih pawlih ruahnak an suahpi mi parah an zatein an lung a awi ih cuticun zumnak le Thlarau Thianghlim in a khatmi Stefen, Filip, Prokhoras, Nikanor, Timon, Parmenas, le Antiok khua ihsin Judah biaknak ih a luttu Zentail mi Nikolaus tla an hriil. 6An pasarih in tirhthlah pawl hnenah an fehpi ih tirhthlah pawl in an lu parah an kut an suang ih thla an cam sak.

A tawizawngin sim asile deacon pawl cu local church ah pastor bawmtu an si.

2.     Deacon hnatuan

i)               Kawhhran sung rawngbawlnak ah pastor bawmtu

ii)             Kawhhran tumtah tuansuak dingin riantu

iii)            Zumtu zumlotu hnenah Thuthangtha karhzai nak hrang pumpe in rawngbawltu

iv)            Kawhhran members le community sungah mipi pawl riantu

v)             Peknak ah kawhhran in peknak thuthlung a neihvekin rin um ten pe tu

vi)            Local church program pawl ah thlacamnak thapetu, tuanvo latu, teltu

vii)          Kawhhran sung damlo, tulsam, le harsatnak nei pawl vehvaih in bawmtu

viii)         Kawhhran mithar le lungawi riahsiat theihpi in atuldan in riantu

ix)            Deacon thlatin meeting kai

x)             Pastor in kawhhran sung hnatuan a tul timi pawl bawm dingin pumpe tu

xi)            Zarhkhat sung deacon tuanvo pekmi pawl tuantu

xii)          Kawhhran thilleri, biak inn bungrua fingkhawitu asi ding.

xiii)         Sumpai thu ah kawhhran upa (pastor) ih fingkhawinak hnuai ah nitin hman tul pawl tawlreltu asi ding.

xiv)         Ushers: Kawhhran khawm tikah bulletin zem, khual hmuak, khawmkil, khawm le kawhhran program ah riantu asi ding.

xv)          Kawhhran pastors in Bible zirnak, Pathian thu thawn kawhhran kaihhruainak ah deacon cu bawmtu si in pumpe aw tu asi ding.

 

IV.          DEACON ORDINATION

Kawhhran lungkimnak in deacon hi ordain pek theih asi. Kawhhran hrek khat ahcun “ordain” tiloin “dedication” thlacam saknak in apnak thawn deacon hnatuan tuanvo pek an si theu. Deacon ordain pek tikah I Tim. 3:10 ah asim vekin hniksak hmaisak hnu lawngah tuah ding asi. Deacon ordain hlanah thusutnak a san tul mi pawl:

A hnuailam thusuhnak pawl Bible vekin siseh nangmah lungput le hmuhtawnmi vekin sang aw.

1)    Jesuh Khrih cu nangmah bulpak rundamtu, Bawi le Lal, Rundamtu ah na co hlang zo maw? Hrinthar na si maw? (John 3:3-6)

2)    Pathian Thu (Bible) hi ziangtin na pom? ( II Tim. 3:16, II Peter 1:20)

3)    Rundamnak a hlo thei maw, thei lo? ( Eph. 2:8; John 3:16; I John 5:11-13)

4)    Kawhhran ih mission, tumtah ziang asi? (Mathai 16:18; Evangelism, Mathai. 28:18-20; ministry Eph. 4:12-13; II Kor. 5:11-21)

5)    Thlarau in khat, thlarau rah timi ziangtin na thei? ( Eph. 5:18; Kal. 5:22-25)

6)    Thlarau raldonak ziangtin na thei? (Eph. 6:10-18)

7)    Na umnak kawhhran sungah dikten rin um ten Bible in pek ding mawi atimi, le na umnak kawhhran in peknak in peksuah ding atimi na pe maw?

8)    Na nupi in deacon tuan ding a lo lungkimpi maw?

9)    Na umnak kawhhran constitution, thurin, church leadership & admin policy pawl na siar, na thei in na pom maw?

10) Kawhhran thu thawn pehpar in na nuntu kahwsak, khawruah, lairel, Pathian rennak cu kawhhran constitution, dan le dun vekin si dingin na co hlang maw?

 

Elders, Bishop, Overseers, Pastor, Deacons.

 

Dungthluntu san lai kawhhran sungah tuanvo (office) pahnih cu fiangzet in a sim: kawhhran upa (elders) le deacon ti in. Tuisan kawhhran sungah ziangvek tuanvo kaitu (office) a um ding timi thu ah Scholar le theologian pawl ruahnak a bang aw theh lo. Baptist system in a hmanmi ahcun pastor (pakhat lolepakhat hnakih tam) le deacon ti in a hmangih deacon cu pakhat hnakih tam asi tlangpi. Presbyterian system cun “elders” “kawhhran upa” a hmangih pastor cu kawhhran upa lakah rawngbawltu pakhat asi. Kawhhran hrek khat in “kawhhran upa” “elders” timi tlun ah “bishop” ( 1 Peter 2:25) hnatuan (office) dinhmun pakhat an ret. Paul in kawhhran upa (elders) pawl kha “bishop” “overseers” (Tirh. 20:17,28) tiah a ko ih an hnatuan le tuanvo cu pastor, tuu khal an si (c28) tiah a sim. Cukhal cu Bible ih a simmi khaikhawm asile “elder” “bishop” “overseers” timi pawl hi tongfang bangrep tuanvo bangrep dinhmun bangrep in a hmang tlangpi in a lang. Ziangtin dinhmun hmin vuah khal asile  elders, bishop, overseers pawl kawhhran sungah an um a tulnak, an hnatuan cu kawhhran sungah lungrualnak pumkhat sinak, dungthluntu pawl ih zirhmi zumnak kenkawh ding, Pathian zangfahnak thuthangtha simsawng vivo ding asi.

 

Khaikhawm asile ziangti vekin rawngbawltu hnatuan dinhmun (office) cu pahnih lawng  a um: kawhhran upa (elders, bishop, overseers, pastor) le deacon (Ryrie-Basic Theoloy).

 

Deacon le elders an hril tikah Tirh 6:1-7 ahcun deacon pawl kha local kawhhran pawlin an hril ti a fiang. Paul in Titus kha Crete ah kawhhran upa (elders) appoint (Tits 1:5-7) tuah dingin tuanvo apek.

 

Kawhhran sung hantuantu, pastor, bishop, overseers, elders, le deacon, an zaten Bible thuhrampi “Renmi siloin riantu” (Mathai 20:28) si dingah timi Bawi Jesuh amah ih thu zirhnak parah a hngat aw mi asi. Ziangvek tuanvo le dinhmun in kawhhran sungah Pathian kan rian khal asile kan zaten hnen-um kan tuan dingmi tuan, Pathian in in fialmi tuahtu lawng kan si ringring. “Cuvek thotho in nanmah par khal ah a si ve: tuah uh, tiih an lo timi nan tuah ṭheh tikah ‘Kannih cu lom tlak lo hnen-um men kan si. Kan ṭuanvo a ṭuantu lawng kan si,’ tiah ti uh,” tiah a sim, (Luke 7:10).

 

 

Thurawnmi pawl:

i)                Bible Thiang (Falam, KJV, NIV).

ii)             Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (p. 589). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

iii)             Trenchard, W. C. (2000). Deacon. In D. N. Freedman, A. C. Myers, & A. B. Beck (Eds.), Eerdmans dictionary of the Bible (p. 325). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.

iv)              Ryrie, C. C. (1999). Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth (p. 484). Chicago, IL: Moody Press.

v)             The Biblical Qualifications and Responsibilities of Deacons, 9marks.org

vi)            Qualifications and responsibilities of Deacons and Trustees @ 1976 General Council of the Assembly of God (www.ag.org)