Philip: The Deacon and Evangelist

In Acts 6, the church faced a challenge with food distribution. The apostles, understanding their core mandate, proposed the appointment of deacons to help with the food distribution while they (the apostles) focus on the ministry of the word. This proposal pleased the whole group. As a result, “they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.” (‭Acts 6:5-6). The seven deacons were men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom (Acts 6:3 KJV‬). These deacons were entrusted with the responsibility of the food or hospitality ministry. However, we see that beyond the ministry of food distribution, these deacons were also engaged in ministry work. We encounter how Stephen boldly defended the Gospel before the religious leaders. The religious leaders could not stand the wisdom with which Stephen spoke and ended up killing him.

When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. ‭(Acts 8:6)

After Stephen’s death, those that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word (‭Acts 8:4 KJV‬). The persecuted church members spread the message of the gospel in their flight. Thus, what was meant to crush them ended up propelling them into greatness. Among those who scattered abroad was Philip, one of the seven appointed to serve tables. In his flight, Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them (Acts 8:5 KJV‬). Not only did Philip preach Christ, he also performed miraculous signs. In Acts 8:6-8, we are told that “when the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city. Like Stephen, Philip was in charge of food distribution, a task that we might all consider mundane. However,  in the house of God, no activity is mundane. Every department requires members that are in tune with the word of God and the presence of God. Philip did not abandon his faith during his flight. Afterall, his ministry of food distribution was obviously not needed in Samaria. Yet, his faith as a believer was still relevant to cause changes.

The great work Philip did in Samaria necessitated that the apostles in Jerusalem visit. According to ‭Acts 8:14, “when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria.” The presence of Peter and John in Samaria was important for the new church. When Peter and John arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. (See ‭Acts 8:15-17). Philip’s evangelical ministry necessitated the arrival of the apostles. Like Philip,  wherever we go, we should be ambassadors of Christ. We don’t need fancy titles to let the world know what we carry. Other than the church in Samaria, Philip also played an important role in the church in Africa (Ethiopia).

We have all been called to transform our world and communities. It doesn’t matter where you are. What is required of you, is your availability and willingness to be an agent of transformation. Where will you start? Your neighbourhood can be your Samaria. Don’t allow fear and doubt to hinder you. Go out and transform your world.

The seven deacons in charge of food distribution

Every organisation is susceptible to internal conflict if compliant, quarrels and disputes are not managed and dealt with in a timely and well-organized manner. No matter how minute a complaint, a quarrel or a dispute is, if left unhandled, it has the likelihood to become a big albatross around the organisation’s neck. No wonder most organisations have specialized departments that focus on human resources and public relations. It is important that the internal temperature of the organisation is well-controlled so that it affects the public image of the organisation. Dealing with issues that hinder the growth and development of a group is therefore necessary for the overall well-being of the group. The early church had an exponential growth that attracted people of all backgrounds. As the church became more diverse, their needs also became diverse. A complaint arose in the church concerning food distribution. Let’s see how this was handled.

Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them ‭(Acts 6:3)

According to Acts 6:1, “In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.” First, the complaints arose as a result of church growth. The diverse congregation demanded diverse attention. The Hellenistic Jews had an issue: their widows were not ignored in the daily food distribution. This complaint was raised specifically against the Hebraic Jews. First we need to understand that the Hellenistic Jews were made up of Jews who spoke Greek and adopted to some extent, the Greek way of life. The Hebraic Jews were traditionally Hebrew speaking Jews. Important to note is that Greek was a dominant language and culture during the time of the New Testament. In this complaint, we see cultural neglect and discrimination. This matter, if not dealt with, could have jeopardized the growth and development of the church. The apostles understood this and they immediately put measures in place to resolve the issue. What was the apostles’ resolution?

First, the apostles understood that if they do not delegate the responsibility of food distribution, it might affect their ministry. They knew that although sharing food is good, they as apostles would be more productive if they were committed to their own call. In Acts 6:2,  the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.” After identifying this, the second step was to create a separate department for food distribution. This department had specific requirements for the workers. In Acts 6:3, the apostles made this suggestion: “Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them.” To qualify as a food distributor, the appointee should be known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. This credential is important as Spirit-filled and wise distributors are likely to know and understand the needs of all the different people groups in the church. One might wonder why food distributors needed to be anointed and wise. In the house of God, nothing is mundane. Even food distribution is a ministry that requires specific attention.

The suggestion of the apostles was accepted in good faith. Their proposal pleased the whole group and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism (Acts 6:5). Those chosen were presented to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them (Acts 6:6). What was the result? The word of God spread and the number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. ‭(Acts 6:7).

When we respond to internal conflicts in a timely manner, it results in safe conduct and peace within an organisation. Don’t ignore any complaint, show concern, try as much as possible to resolve issues and don’t allow any internal complaints to become an external disaster. Fix your backyard before it gets too busy to control.