Mike's nuanced conclusion: women were functional deaconesses, possibly wives of deacons serving alongside them

Mike is confident these women did ministry and were officially appointed (hence the requirements). Phoebe was given the term. He's not fully confident they weren't also wives of deacons -- they may have been wives active in ministry with their husbands. But they're not just wives, since elder wives have no requirements. The women are doing ministry in some official capacity. Singleness was also possible since Paul says singleness increases ministry (1 Corinthians 7).