Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists

leaders' Christlike lifestyles. "Consider the
outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith"
(Heb. 13:7, NIV). They should pay no attention to
gossip. Paul warned, "Do not receive an accusation
against an elder except from two or three
witnesses" (1 Tim. 5:19).
2. The deacons and deaconesses
The name deacon comes from the Greek
diakonos, meaning "servant," or "helper." The
office of deacon was instituted to enable the
apostles to give themselves fully "to prayer and to
the ministry of the word" (Acts 6:4). Although
deacons were to care for the temporal affairs of the
church, they were also to be actively involved in
evangelistic work (Acts 6:8; 8:5-13, 26-40).
The feminine form of the term appears in
Romans 16:1.[9] Translators have rendered this
word either as "servant," (KJV, NIV), or
"deaconess" (RSV). "The word and its usage in this
text suggest that the office of deaconess may have
been established in the church at the time Paul
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