Thread: What does the Bible say about women in ministry?"
Admin
What does the Bible say about women in ministry?"
Posted : 20 Feb, 2012 04:29 PM
Question: "Women pastors / preachers? What does the Bible say about women in ministry?"
Answer: There is perhaps no more hotly debated issue in the church today than the issue of women serving as pastors/preachers. As a result, it is very important to not see this issue as men versus women. There are women who believe women should not serve as pastors and that the Bible places restrictions on the ministry of women, and there are men who believe women can serve as preachers and that there are no restrictions on women in ministry. This is not an issue of chauvinism or discrimination. It is an issue of biblical interpretation.
The Word of God proclaims, �A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent� (1 Timothy 2:11-12). In the church, God assigns different roles to men and women. This is a result of the way mankind was created and the way in which sin entered the world (1 Timothy 2:13-14). God, through the apostle Paul, restricts women from serving in roles of teaching and/or having spiritual authority over men. This precludes women from serving as pastors over men, which definitely includes preaching to, teaching, and having spiritual authority.
There are many �objections� to this view of women in ministry. A common one is that Paul restricts women from teaching because in the first century, women were typically uneducated. However, 1 Timothy 2:11-14 nowhere mentions educational status. If education were a qualification for ministry, the majority of Jesus' disciples would not have been qualified. A second common objection is that Paul only restricted the women of Ephesus from teaching (1 Timothy was written to Timothy, who was the pastor of the church in Ephesus). The city of Ephesus was known for its temple to Artemis, a false Greek/Roman goddess. Women were the authority in the worship of Artemis. However, the book of 1 Timothy nowhere mentions Artemis, nor does Paul mention Artemis worship as a reason for the restrictions in 1 Timothy 2:11-12.
A third common objection is that Paul is only referring to husbands and wives, not men and women in general. The Greek words in the passage could refer to husbands and wives; however, the basic meaning of the words refers to men and women. Further, the same Greek words are used in verses 8-10. Are only husbands to lift up holy hands in prayer without anger and disputing (verse 8)? Are only wives to dress modestly, have good deeds, and worship God (verses 9-10)? Of course not. Verses 8-10 clearly refer to all men and women, not only husbands and wives. There is nothing in the context that would indicate a switch to husbands and wives in verses 11-14.
Yet another frequent objection to this interpretation of women in ministry is in relation to women who held positions of leadership in the Bible, specifically Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah in the Old Testament. This objection fails to note some significant factors. First, Deborah was the only female judge among 13 male judges. Huldah was the only female prophet among dozens of male prophets mentioned in the Bible. Miriam's only connection to leadership was being the sister of Moses and Aaron. The two most prominent women in the times of the Kings were Athaliah and Jezebel�hardly examples of godly female leadership. Most significantly, though, the authority of women in the Old Testament is not relevant to the issue. The book of 1 Timothy and the other Pastoral Epistles present a new paradigm for the church�the body of Christ�and that paradigm involves the authority structure for the church, not for the nation of Israel or any other Old Testament entity.
Similar arguments are made using Priscilla and Phoebe in the New Testament. In Acts 18, Priscilla and Aquila are presented as faithful ministers for Christ. Priscilla's name is mentioned first, perhaps indicating that she was more �prominent� in ministry than her husband. However, Priscilla is nowhere described as participating in a ministry activity that is in contradiction to 1 Timothy 2:11-14. Priscilla and Aquila brought Apollos into their home and they both discipled him, explaining the Word of God to him more accurately (Acts 18:26).
In Romans 16:1, even if Phoebe is considered a �deaconess� instead of a �servant,� that does not indicate that Phoebe was a teacher in the church. �Able to teach� is given as a qualification for elders, but not deacons (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:6-9). Elders/bishops/deacons are described as the �husband of one wife,� �a man whose children believe,� and �men worthy of respect.� Clearly the indication is that these qualifications refer to men. In addition, in 1 Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:6-9, masculine pronouns are used exclusively to refer to elders/bishops/deacons.
The structure of 1 Timothy 2:11-14 makes the �reason� perfectly clear. Verse 13 begins with �for� and gives the �cause� of Paul�s statement in verses 11-12. Why should women not teach or have authority over men? Because �Adam was created first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived.� God created Adam first and then created Eve to be a �helper� for Adam. This order of creation has universal application in the family (Ephesians 5:22-33) and the church. The fact that Eve was deceived is also given as a reason for women not serving as pastors or having spiritual authority over men. This leads some to believe that women should not teach because they are more easily deceived. That concept is debatable, but if women are more easily deceived, why should they be allowed to teach children (who are easily deceived) and other women (who are supposedly more easily deceived)? That is not what the text says. Women are not to teach men or have spiritual authority over men because Eve was deceived. As a result, God has given men the primary teaching authority in the church.
Many women excel in gifts of hospitality, mercy, teaching, evangelism, and helps. Much of the ministry of the local church depends on women. Women in the church are not restricted from public praying or prophesying (1 Corinthians 11:5), only from having spiritual teaching authority over men. The Bible nowhere restricts women from exercising the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12). Women, just as much as men, are called to minister to others, to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and to proclaim the gospel to the lost (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15).
God has ordained that only men are to serve in positions of spiritual teaching authority in the church. This is not because men are necessarily better teachers, or because women are inferior or less intelligent (which is not the case). It is simply the way God designed the church to function. Men are to set the example in spiritual leadership�in their lives and through their words. Women are to take a less authoritative role.
Women are encouraged to teach other women (Titus 2:3-5). The Bible also does not restrict women from teaching children. The only activity women are restricted from is teaching or having spiritual authority over men. This logically would preclude women from serving as pastors to men. This does not make women less important, by any means, but rather gives them a ministry focus more in agreement with God�s plan and His gifting of them.
Sourced ~ gotquestions.com
*** The 1st women "Evangelist" that I am aware of n the Bible is..."the women at the well"...xo
Nice thread, sister Jude. It is very informative and accurately so.
Thank you for your kind words of encouragement and uplifting.
I am grateful to have a wonderful sister in Christ such as you, Jude. I thank our most gracious God above for loving us all enough to give up His position and to show us how to be obedient through His act of love for us and given me the pleasure to be in your company along side Him in heaven.
Number one We are called to be ministers and I am sure you know that Jude, but in essence the title imply.s otherwise.
Can we find one occasion anywhere in the bible where a woman was anointed by the lord in any of the ministry, if so then we have to throw away the whole post.
The new covenant is of the spirit and not the letter of the law.
The scripture that so many follow is totally out of context and not in agreement with what we see in the word of God.
For instance you see it continually on this forum the blatant denial of the ministry gift of the pastor and then all the excuses are given in denial of the simple fact that Jesus has set pastors in the church.
We only need one example of a woman ministering to the body of Christ to prove the myth of women not called of the lord to minister.
Acts 21:8 And the next day we that were of Paul�s company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.
Acts 21:9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.
Who did these four daughter's prophesy to in Philip's house anointed to minister by the will of God under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
1Jo 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
Any and I am saying any Born Again Christian has the supernatural ability to know this truth as his declared in the above scripture.
How many men and women have been affected by the ministry of Joyce Meyer's, the lord Jesus has used her to touch untold million's in the body of Christ and unto the world.
Would we dare argue the million's born again thru the anointing on her and that ministry, I for one will not.....
Jude said: The 1st women "Evangelist" that I am aware of n the Bible is..."the women at the well"...xo
Ella says: Right Jude, I agree, and the greatedt story ever told is that God chose Mary to carry the gospel fo Jesus Christ to His own disciples that He had arisen. she along with the other women were the first to see Jesus after His resurrection, and Mary was the first in ministry carrying the gospel of our risen Savior to speak with Jesus. God is an alighty awesome God and He will use whomever He pleases to get His work done when men he has ordianed and appointed are too busisy in doubt and unbelief and sitting around talking foolishness about the theology fo what they THINK GOd says, instead of the gospel Doctrine of Jesus Christ and what it says.
If God used a donkey to speak to His prophet, and Jesus said the rocks will cry out in praise if we don't prasie Him in spirit and truth, by-grabs, he will use a woman to carry His word, and when all else fails, He has already told us "they will be led by a child. Oh, if only we would spend our time seeking the mysteries of God's word we would find the mind of Christ.
But it is as Paul says, many have become "dull hearted, lazy and still feeding off of milk, and cannot understand the mature things or mysteries of God's word in order to mature and grow up to perfection with the mind of Christ in all things.
Prophesy. And ministering are two different gifts PJ�
PJ shared ~ Any and I am saying any Born Again Christian has the supernatural ability to know this truth as his declared in the above scripture.
*** Yes !!! A Born Again (from above) knows GOD�s Truth and Truth is Truth�and the Holy WORD of GOD does not state a women is to �Pastor� (lead) over men�Minister ? YES !!!�
An Example is Debra O/T�She was a Judge�Prophetess�Leader in a Disparate time and stood in the Gap so to speak�she was not a �Pastor� �Deacan� or �Elder��
As for the Joyce Meyers comment�True�She has helped many people and I believe she Believes she is called by GOD to �Minister� and I do not judge her in any way�none the less I know she carries a Title of � Pastor � which I disagree with per Scriptural TRUTH in the WORD�
Mary Magdalene �Ministered� unto Christ Jesus as well as MANY other women that followed after HIM�and they continued to �Minister� unto the people�NEVER �Pastoring� "OVER" men�Be Blessed�xo
All vessels are usable to God. God uses and blesses whoever He wants. Emphasis on the word USE. God is unlimited, Paul was addressing and issue in just one church, with a particular problem.
We must not fail to see and understand that God ordianed Adam as HEADSHIP in authority over the garden, which was God's church and man's home, and ths means God appointed men to be head over the church (HIS HOUSE) and placed men to be in headship over their own home, that's a fact.
Therefore, He has assigned certain roles in the church and in the home for men and for women becasue He is a God of ORDER. Just as He did'not n the beginning of His divine plan want men to lead their assigned post in the church, he also didn't want men to leave their assign post in the home and leave women in charge of these roles or positions, but many men have left these posts in the church and in the home in disobedience to what and where GOD has assigned them for many worldly reasons, therefore, God never intended for men to give up their ordained positions as headleaders as He had appointed to them in the home or the church, but they do, and divorce themsleves form the churcha nd from the home.God never intended for the woman to be headlearder of the home, but she is becasue the husband is out of the home. God never intende a woman to take headleardehip over His house, but she is becasue the men have divorced the church and gone their own ways, and the church is filled with women and a few good men.
And if there are no other men available who have been called to know God's word in teaching or preaching who qualifies for the replacements, God will uses whomever He chooses that is qualified to replace the vacant spot, and when a qualified man has come, the woman is to take her place in the church and home and allow the man to take the head role...
We must also take a look at just what the word PASTOR MEANS: The word "pastor" means shepherd. [L. from pasco, pastum, to feed.]
1. A shepherd; one that has the care of flocks and herds.
2. A minister of the gospel who has the charge of a church and congregation, whose duty is to watch over the people of his charge, and instruct them in the sacred doctrines of the christian religion.
Ephesians 4:11 "And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;"
When there are no qualitifed men for the position... keeping in mind the defintiion of the word pastor...The Bible tells us that Rachel was a shepherdess, (pastor) head of her father's flock, and as we see, although she was over in the caring for the flock, her father was her head covering and overseer, but when Jacab came, we are told that she turned that role of leadership position over to him, and took her place.
The Old Testament is our mirror of things that came to pass in the New, and will continue to come in our future, and we find slight clues in the mysteries of God's word.
Jude said: An Example is Debra O/T�She was a Judge�Prophetess�Leader in a Disparate time and stood in the Gap so to speak�she was not a �Pastor� �Deacan� or �Elder��
Ella says: Correct Jude, however, although God did not calle women to be pastors over the church nor did he call women to be elders , he we find that there were women who were deaconess in the Bible who worked closey with Paul in the church,The word comes from a Greek word diakonos (διακονος) as well as deacon, which means a servant or helper, and Paul refers to the as such: Romans 16. I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon (servant) of the church in Cenchreae. I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me. Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus.They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. Greet also the church that meets at their house.
Concerning Priscilla lets us know that as co-pastor withher husband as her head covering she is also recognized by Paul in ministry for the church in their home
Jude said: As for the Joyce Meyers comment�True�She has helped many people and I believe she Believes she is called by GOD to �Minister� and I do not judge her in any way�none the less I know she carries a Title of � Pastor � which I disagree with per Scriptural TRUTH in the WORD�
Ella says: I agree Joyce has help and caused many men and women to come to Christ, and help many people all over the world. However, to my knowledge Joye Meyers is not a pastor as per say of a established church, but she is along with her husband called pastors of her ministry as it relates to her Dream Center Outreach ministry, they are the overseers and founders of this ministry, therefore, they are called pastors for the sake of the word. Joyce as I remember use to be co-pasotr of a church under the headship of a male pastor, when she first came into ministry, but started her own.
Jude said: Mary Magdalene �Ministered� unto Christ Jesus as well as MANY other women that followed after HIM�and they continued to �Minister� unto the people�NEVER �Pastoring� "OVER" men�Be Blessed�xo
Ella says: Again, Jude I agree, Mary was not a pasotr, but an evangosit carrying the gospel of Jesus Christ. And I think this is where confusion coems into play when there are those who think a woman into not to even carry the word of God. The Bible does not teach such, it says IN THE CHURCH there are roles of authirty, but this does not, as you point out, mean a woman has not place in the church or ministry to minister God words as He has called.
We must not fail to see and understand that God ordianed Adam as HEADSHIP in authority over the garden, which was God's church and man's home, and ths means God appointed men to be head over the church (HIS HOUSE) and placed men to be in headship over their own home, that's a fact.
Therefore, He has assigned certain roles in the church and in the home for men and for women becasue He is a God of ORDER. Just as He did'not n the beginning of His divine plan want men to lead their assigned post in the church, he also didn't want men to leave their assign post in the home and leave women in charge of these roles or positions, but many men have left these posts in the church and in the home in disobedience to what and where GOD has assigned them for many worldly reasons, therefore, God never intended for men to give up their ordained positions as headleaders as He had appointed to them in the home or the church, but they do, and divorce themsleves form the churcha nd from the home.God never intended for the woman to be headlearder of the home, but she is becasue the husband is out of the home. God never intende a woman to take headleardehip over His house, but she is becasue the men have divorced the church and gone their own ways, and the church is filled with women and a few good men.
And if there are no other men available who have been called to know God's word in teaching or preaching who qualifies for the replacements, God will uses whomever He chooses that is qualified to replace the vacant spot, and when a qualified man has come, the woman is to take her place in the church and home and allow the man to take the head role...
We must also take a look at just what the word PASTOR MEANS: The word "pastor" means shepherd. [L. from pasco, pastum, to feed.]
1. A shepherd; one that has the care of flocks and herds.
2. A minister of the gospel who has the charge of a church and congregation, whose duty is to watch over the people of his charge, and instruct them in the sacred doctrines of the christian religion.
Ephesians 4:11 "And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;"
When there are no qualitifed men for the position... keeping in mind the defintiion of the word pastor...The Bible tells us that Rachel was a shepherdess, (pastor) head of her father's flock, and as we see, although she was over in the caring for the flock, her father was her head covering and overseer, but when Jacab came, we are told that she turned that role of leadership position over to him, and took her place.
The Old Testament is our mirror of things that came to pass in the New, and will continue to come in our future, and we find slight clues in the mysteries of God's word.
Jude said: An Example is Debra O/T�She was a Judge�Prophetess�Leader in a Disparate time and stood in the Gap so to speak�she was not a �Pastor� �Deacan� or �Elder��
Ella says: Correct Jude, however, although God did not calle women to be pastors over the church nor did he call women to be elders , he we find that there were women who were deaconess in the Bible who worked closey with Paul in the church,The word comes from a Greek word diakonos (διακονος) as well as deacon, which means a servant or helper, and Paul refers to the as such: Romans 16. I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon (servant) of the church in Cenchreae. I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me. Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus.They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. Greet also the church that meets at their house.
Concerning Priscilla lets us know that as co-pastor withher husband as her head covering she is also recognized by Paul in ministry for the church in their home
Jude said: As for the Joyce Meyers comment�True�She has helped many people and I believe she Believes she is called by GOD to �Minister� and I do not judge her in any way�none the less I know she carries a Title of � Pastor � which I disagree with per Scriptural TRUTH in the WORD�
Ella says: I agree Joyce has help and caused many men and women to come to Christ, and help many people all over the world. However, to my knowledge Joye Meyers is not a pastor as per say of a established church, but she is along with her husband called pastors of her ministry as it relates to her Dream Center Outreach ministry, they are the overseers and founders of this ministry, therefore, they are called pastors for the sake of the word. Joyce as I remember use to be co-pasotr of a church under the headship of a male pastor, when she first came into ministry, but started her own.
Jude said: Mary Magdalene �Ministered� unto Christ Jesus as well as MANY other women that followed after HIM�and they continued to �Minister� unto the people�NEVER �Pastoring� "OVER" men�Be Blessed�xo
Ella says: Again, Jude I agree, Mary was not a pasotr, but an evangosit carrying the gospel of Jesus Christ. And I think this is where confusion coems into play when there are those who think a woman into not to even carry the word of God. The Bible does not teach such, it says IN THE CHURCH there are roles of authirty, but this does not, as you point out, mean a woman has not place in the church or ministry to minister God words as He has called.
The Bible verses can be taken out of context if it stands alone, the word is like a spiders net, they areall connected.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians in
1 Corinthians 14:34-35 but most people focused on this to write articles about women in ministry, but the real answer is in
1 Corinthians 14:36 "Was it from you that the word of God first went forth? Or has it come to you only?
Paul was telling them that the word of God is spoken to all, and not men only.
That is why we should read the Bible ourselves for God's revelation not articles written by men to explain the wisdom of God. Serach for the truth in the word of God, then you have freedom.
God or the word Of God is not limited to one interpretation.
