Through the Dust
W. Carl Ketcherside
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The most common word for "minister" in the new covenant scriptures is diakonos. It is also transliterated to become our English word "deacon." The original is a combined form of dia, through, and konos, dust. It is sometimes said to mean "to kick up dust," that is, of a runner speeding on an errand at the behest of another. A more logical meaning is one who walks through the dust while leading a camel on which another rides, thus serving the need of the rider.
The word has both a general and specific sense. In the latter it refers to the functionaries called deacons (Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:8). Thus if any are to be designated the ministers of a congregation it should be the deacons. These were the almoners, or those who administered to the needs of the distressed and indigent.
However, the word was never employed in such a manner as to designate any specific or exclusive form of service. One cannot determine the function of another from the word minister, for it is used to designate every form or type of service. There must always be other terms by which one learns the nature of the ministry to which reference has been made. Every Christian is a minister if he serves God and his fellows.
One enters the ministry by baptism into Christ. He cannot be made a minister by a diploma from a school nor by the imposition of human hands. One can decide to "take up the ministry" but to do so is a tacit admission that he has been neglecting the Christian life. He cannot go away to college to become a minister although one who has become a minister may go away to college. A minister of Christ may study engineering, psychology, science, business administration, or automobile mechanics, in order to better his ministry. This depends upon how he expects to support himself in his vocation, which must always be living for Jesus.
But should he not specialize in Bible? My reply is that every minister should do this regardless of how he expects to make a living. The weapon is not merely for the officers but for all the soldiers. And there is a difference in living of the gospel and making a living off the gospel. The gospel must be preached but it must never be peddled. (See 1 Corinthians 2:17 in the Revised Standard or New English New Testament translations).
We must either recapture the primitive concept of the universal ministry involving all of the saints or we will continue the inane practice of enrolling students who never intend to learn, enlisting soldiers who never intend to fight, and delivering infants who never intend to grow. And the stands which once were filled with heathen watching the Christian race will be thronged with Christians watching professional entertainers perform a pulpit adagio.
As a meager contribution of deep conviction I have resolved never to allow my name to appear on a signboard or letterhead as the minister of a congrega-
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