Bible Questions: Can Women be Pastors or Church Leaders?

(Turn to 1 Timothy 1)

“Bible Questions: Can Women be Pastors or Church Leaders?”

Men, can you imagine the kind of world we would have without women?

It’s not a world I would want to live in.

It would be a pretty ugly world.

Every wall would be painted grey.

Etc...

Women are a gift from God!

But what about women leaders in the church?

What does the Bible say about that?

This is not a matter of sexism or discrimination. It is an issue of biblical interpretation.

Galatians 3:26-28 “26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 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.”

1 Timothy 2:9-14 “9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; 10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. 11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. 12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

So Should women be pastors or church leaders?

(Prayer)

5 Bible truths about women’s roles in the church

1. God-given roles between men and women are different. Women are not to teach men publicly (1 Timothy 2:12)

The structure of 1 Timothy 2:11–14 makes the reason why women cannot be pastors perfectly clear. Verse 13 begins with “for,” giving 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” (verses 13–14). God created Adam first and then created Eve to be a “helper” for Adam. The order of creation has universal application in the family (Ephesians 5:22–33) and in the church.

[Eph 5:22-25 KJV] 22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so [let] the wives [be] to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

BTW: Men are not to be a dictator over women. The men are to submit to God and love their wives! The fact that Eve was deceived is also given as a reason for women not serving as pastors or having spiritual authority over men (1 Timothy 2:14). This does not mean that women are gullible or that they are all more easily deceived than men. If all women are more easily deceived, why would they be allowed to teach children (who are easily deceived) and other women (who are supposedly more easily deceived)? The text simply says that women are not to teach men or have spiritual authority over men because Eve was deceived. God has chosen to give men the primary teaching authority in the church.

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 includes women from serving as pastors over men, since pastoring definitely includes preaching, teaching publicly, and exercising spiritual authority.

2. The requirements of a pastor -must be a man

[1Ti 3:1-7 KJV] 1 This [is] a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

11 times =man, he, his.

Transition: Women are not to teach men in the church, not to pastor a church but women have many roles in a church!...

Many women excel in gifts of hospitality, mercy, teaching, Soul-winning, and helping/serving.

Much of the ministry of the local church depends on women.

(Turn to Romans 16)

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).

3. Women can be teachers to other women and to children!

[Tit 2:3-5 KJV] 3 The aged women likewise, that [they be] in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 [To be] discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

ILL: Women’s Fellowships

2 Timothy 1:5 “5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.”

2 Tim 3:14 “14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;”

4. Women can be helpers and workers in the church

Phebe was a servant in a church

Romans 16:1-2 “1 I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: 2 That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.”

Succourer=caring for the affairs of others and aiding them with her resources

there is nothing in Scripture to indicate that Phoebe was a pastor or a teacher of men in the church.

Other Women

Philippians 4:3 “3 And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.”

Paul mentions women that laboured with him in the gospel!

Did they preach? No

Did they pastor? No

They labored. Behind the scenes

ILL: Abbi working on the paint

Priscilla travelled with her husband Aquila and helped Paul on his 2nd missionary journey

[Act 18:2, 18, 24-28 KJV] 2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. ... 18 And Paul [after this] tarried [there] yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn [his] head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow. ..

5. Women can partner with their husbands to teach others

[Act 18:24-28 KJV] 24 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, [and] mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. 25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. 26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto [them], and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. 27 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: 28 For he mightily convinced the Jews, [and that] publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.

Does the Bible ever say that Priscilla pastored a church or taught publicly or became the spiritual leader of a congregation of saints? No. As far as we know, Priscilla was not involved in ministry activity in contradiction to 1 Timothy 2:11–14.

(If time) Objections:

One objection to this interpretation of women in pastoral ministry references women in positions of leadership in the Bible, specifically Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah in the Old Testament.

It is true that these women were chosen by God for special service to Him and that they stand as models of faith, courage, and, yes, leadership.

However, the authority of women in the Old Testament is not relevant to the issue of pastors in the church. The New Testament Epistles present a new paradigm for God’s people—the church, the body of Christ—and that paradigm involves an authority structure unique to the church, not for the nation of Israel or any other Old Testament entity.

Isaiah 3:12 “12 As for my people, children are their oppressors, And women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, And destroy the way of thy paths.”

When God places women and children as a ruler…it is often a curse or because He cannot find a man to do the job!