1 Timothy 3:8

Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

Paul shifts from overseers to servants.

Not the men up front teaching every week, but the ones making sure the lights are on, the tables are set, the widows are cared for, the needs are handled. In Acts 6, deacons were appointed because someone had to make sure the practical work got done while the apostles gave themselves to prayer and the Word.

And Paul says those men matter just as much.

They must be grave. That does not mean gloomy. It means steady. Solid. The kind of man you would trust with something fragile.

Not doubletongued.

That one is simple and sharp. A man who says one thing to one group and something different to another can split a church in half without even raising his voice. A loose tongue in spiritual leadership is like a spark in dry grass. It spreads faster than anyone expects.

Not given to much wine.

Paul does not lay down the same absolute restriction here that he does for elders, but the principle is still clear. A man whose judgment is dulled cannot serve clearly. In our culture especially, wisdom leans toward restraint. When people look at those who serve in the church, there should be nothing foggy about them.

Not greedy of filthy lucre.

That is plain language. No sticky fingers. No quiet skimming. If a man handles offerings, benevolence funds, or business decisions, his integrity must be clean. Money has a way of exposing what is in a heart.

The men who carry trays, count funds, fix plumbing, set chairs, and visit the hurting are not second tier.

They are the backbone.

If their character is weak, the ministry will wobble.

But when they are steady, truthful, sober minded, and clean handed, the church rests on something solid.