A Woman’s Role in Ministry

You will notice from pictures on our Gospel Outreach website that we have women who minister the Word of God in our meetings. To some, this is just a passing observation. To others, whose backgrounds are different, this may seem rather strange. 

First, let us clearly state that we believe in the headship principle that Paul spoke of in 1 Cor 11. Specifically, we believe that God is the head of Christ, Christ is the head of every man and the man is the head of the woman. We also believe that it is unscriptural for a woman to usurp authority over a man, just as it for a man to usurp authority over Christ, and so forth. In fact, we believe it is equally unscriptural for a man to usurp his own authority over another man. We are taught that elders are to “feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.” 1 Peter 5:2-3.   

Secondly, we recognize that each of us has a servant ministry, and that is ministry is not to be restricted to a public gathering. Neither do we believe in separate classes of clergy versus laity. Jesus taught us in Matthew 25:42 – 45 that being a minister is not a position in the body of Christ, but rather it is a responsibility that each of us share.  

Jesus said:  

“For I was hungry and you gave me not to eat: I was thirsty and you gave me not to drink. I was a stranger and you took me not in: naked and you covered me not: sick and in prison and you did not visit me. Then they also shall answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to thee? Then he shall answer them, saying: Amen: I say to you, as long as you did it not to one of these least, neither did you do it to me”. 

When we view a minister as just a person who publicly proclaims the Word of God at a gathering, we err from the scriptures. 

Next, we are aware of Paul’s teaching in 1Timothy 2:11 and 1 Corinthians 14 where he gave instructions for women to “learn in silence” and “keep silence in the churches”. We believe this to be Paul’s instruction to address a specific problem at a specific time and place. We do not believe that Paul’s instruction to the Corinthian and Ephesian believers was intended to be universally kept as Paul had earlier stated in 1Cor 11:4-5, “Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.”  Here we see that Paul did not have a universal prohibition against women prophesying publicly, he simply instructed them to have a head coverning when they prophesied. In both of these cases, Paul was addressing a young and inexperienced body of believers whose women were even newer to the conduct of Christian meetings. 

Paul himself had labored with many women who were involved in Christian ministry. Priscilla and Aquila were a married couple who Paul acknowledged as: 

•Expounders of the way of God (Act 18:26)

•Helpers in Christ Jesus who were elders in their “house church” and who had “laid down their own necks” on his behalf. (Rom 16:3-5 & 1Cor 16:19). From Paul’s remarks, we can hardly imagine Priscilla being a casual silent observer.

Paul also acknowledged a woman who was possibly gifted as an apostle. Rom 16:7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. While there are differing opinions on this scripture, one thing is for certain; Junia was known among the apostles and even had been jailed at some point. It is doubtful that she was jailed for being publicly silent! 

Paul also makes honorable mention of sister Phebe in Rom 16:1 I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant (deaconess) of the church which is at Cenchrea.  Here we clearly see that Paul had no prohibition against women being involved in servant ministering, as Phebe was a deaconess whose duties included ministering, caring for the poor, having charge of and distributing the money collected for the use of the church. This same word (diakonos) is translated as minister 20 times, servant 8 times, and deacon 3 times in the New Testament (KJV). It is evident that sister Phebe was more than just a silent observer. 

We read of other women in the New Testament who were involved in servant ministry and who prophesied. For instance Act 2:17-18 records that “it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.”  To prophesy means to speak forth by divine inspirations and to utter forth and declare a thing which can only be known by divine revelation. By definition it means to teach, refute, reprove, admonish, and comfort others. 

Are we in the last days and is this prophesy being fulfilled? Certainly. We see this prophesy being fulfilled in Act 21:8-9. “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. And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.”  We also see it being fulfilled in Anna, the prophetess in Luke 2:36. Paul speaks of the gift of prophesy several places in the New Testament, but it is never restricted to men only. In fact, Paul noted in Gal 3:26-29 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. 

The sisters among us have been an encouragement and an inspiration. We have learned and benefited from their lessons and thoughts. Many of the restrictions that are put upon women ministers of our day have been a result of an unscriptural governing system where a single individual is placed at the head of a local congregation. As some men have had difficulty looking to a woman as a sole leader, they have subsequently imposed restrictions on sisters that are not biblical. In an eldership model, no single person is the local head and everyone is free to operate within their God-given calling and gifting.