Acts 6:2-6 “Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. (3) Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; (4) but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word." (5) And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, (6) whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.”
I want you to notice in the above quoted passage of scripture that even though these seven men were chosen by the church, it was still the ministry gifts of the apostles that laid hands on them. The reason for that is simply because the Holy Spirit has given the ministry gifts the ability to impart the appropriate aspects of their anointing to the offices of elders and deacons. The impartation that takes place through the laying on of hands to inaugurate elders and deacons is not an impartation of spiritual gifts, but rather it is an impartation of the ministry anointing required by those individuals to stand in those offices.
Michael E.B. Maher
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