Timothy was one of Paul's co-workers and proteges. In this letter, Paul instructed him in all kinds of things concerning the household of God, from elders and deacons to widows and quarrels. Today, 1 Timothy is like a manual for navigating the extended family of God that is the church. Cole and Terry do an overview of the book, talk about difficult texts, and apply the letter to today. 

For more on deacons, see this white paper.