A deacon (2)

Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, (Mark 10:43)

According to the system of Korean church, there are a deputy deacon (Seori Jibsa) and an ordained deacon (Ansu Jibsa) in the church. Though they are of the same position of deacon, a deputy deacon should be reappointed for another period of one year but an ordained deacon usually remains in his seat the till the end of his life unless and until he commits a serious mistake. So, post of an ordained deacon is called a lifelong duty.

I do not know the detail system of the ordination of a deacon in a church. In general point of view, looking at the ability of the deacon candidate whose capability ostensibly stands between a deputy deacon and an elder, is inducted in the office. The system might be settled because the ability of deacon candidate stands in the middle of a deputy deacon and an elder. Or the system has settled with an intention to fill the vacant post in the church for the number of elders keep rising almost equal to the number of baptized Christians. In this critical point of view, it might be a good idea to increase loyalty to the church through competition by making such order.

Of course such system could be made according to the necessity rises in the church. However, it is hard to understand to divide it into two, a deputy and an ordained, which has practically not much differentiation. From what I heard, it becomes an unwritten rule that someone should give a certain amount as an offering to be an ordained deacon. Outwardly it is taken voluntarily but practically it is done almost by force. Someone was selected as an ordained deacon but he resigned it because he was not pleased with the traditional custom.

Not only the pastors who utilize the system at the pastoral level but the church members who blindly follow the pastors are also responsible for utilizing the system as an ecclesiastical authority in the church. As an ordinary Christian, though I do not have any experience neither exactly know their feelings I wonder why Christians are excessively holding on to the church duty. The duty is nothing but the work of a waiter in a restaurant.