Yes, deaconesses may be elected in the church (ecclesia). In fact, the Bible mentions one sister who served in that capacity, although it doesn’t say whether or not she was elected. Romans 16:1 (NIV), “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon (servant) of the church in Cenchreae.”
The word “deacon” is from the Greek diakonos, which means “servant.” A description of their qualifications is given in 1Timothy 3:8-13 (NIV), “In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything. A deacon must be faithful to his wife and must manage his children and his household well. Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.”
The context here is referring to males who serve in the church, while verse 11 applies to female deacons. Some translations of verse 11 read “wives,” not “women,” but the Greek word is “women.” If an ecclesia choses to elect deaconesses, females should have similar character and behavioral qualifications.
Finally, any service of a deaconess would be along temporal lines only – since Scripture definitely prohibits teaching in a meeting context. “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, ….” 1 Timothy 2:12.
