CAN A CHURCH HAVE DEACONS WITHOUT ELDERS?

Dear Bro. Waddey:
I visited a congregation last Sunday that has a preacher and six deacons, but no elders. Must there be elders in order for there to be deacons? Where in the New Testament can I determine this? Bradley

Dear Bro: Bradley:
The following are points worthy of consideration:
1. God wants every congregation to have elders and deacons (I Tim. 3:1-13).
2. Most brethren would agree that neither can be installed unless and until qualified men are available.
3. Most would agree that a congregation can have elders even though it has no deacons.
4. Although it is uncommon for a church to have deacons without elders, I see nothing contrary to Scriptures in those that do so.
a. For example, we  have no problem in having a preacher without elders.  Yet he is expected to operate under the authority of elders just as deacons would.
b. It would have to be made clear that deacons whose job is to serve the church would have no authority to act in the place of elders.  They would just be brethren doing the daily tasks that need attending to.
c. The men of the congregation would make decisions affecting the congregation.
5. While the Bible does mention deacons and tells us how to select them, it says nothing about business meetings to carry on the business of the church in the absence of elders.  Yet few people question the rightness of such meetings.
6. In the absence of elders some congregations select committees to take care of the various needs of the church.  It seems it would be more Biblical to have deacons doing those jobs that deacons would normally do, if elders were in place.

In my judgment you should have no hesitation to worship with that church because of this arrangement.  May the day quickly come when they will have elders to lead them.