TENET FIVE

Church and Women

Women in ministry is an issue upon which some Bible-believing Christians disagree. The point of disagreement centers on the passages of Scripture that forbid women to speak in church or “assume authority over a man”. The disagreement stems from whether those passages were relevant only to the era in which they were written. We hold to the belief that 1 Timothy 2:12 still applies today and that the basis for the command is not cultural but universal, being rooted in the order of creation.

First Peter 5:1-4 details the qualifications for an elder. Presbuteros is the Greek word used sixty-six times in the New Testament to indicate a “seasoned male overseer.” It is the masculine form of the word. The feminine form, presbutera, is never used about elders or shepherds. Based on the qualifications found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, the role of an elder is interchangeable with the bishop/pastor/overseer. And since, per 1 Timothy 2:12, a woman should not “teach or exercise authority over a man,” it seems clear that the position of elders and pastors, who must be equipped to teach, lead the congregation, and oversee their spiritual growth should be reserved for men only.

However, the elder/bishop/pastor appears to be the only office reserved for men only. Women have always played a significant role in the growth of the church. There is no scriptural precedent that forbids women from serving as worship leaders, youth ministers, children’s directors, or other ministries in the local church. The only restriction is that they do not assume the role of spiritual authority over adult men. The concern in Scripture appears to be the issue of spiritual authority rather than function. Therefore, any role that does not bestow such spiritual authority over adult men is permissible.

1 Corinthians 14:34; 1 Timothy 2:12-14; 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-9; 1 Peter 5:1-4

en_USEnglish