Skip to content

The Role of Women in the Church

A Biblical Study of Women in Leadership As it Relates to Trinity EFC

I. Old Testament Principles and Practice

A. Adam and Eve

  1. Both are created "in the image of God" (Genesis 1:27).
  2. Both are given "dominion over the fish of the sea...etc." (1:26-28) ("let them have dominion," v. 26a)
  3. Adam is formed first (2:7; cf. I Timothy 2:13).
  4. Adam is given responsibility for caring for the garden (2:15).
  5. Adam is given the moral charge to obey (2:16,17).
  6. Eve is formed later, not as an after thought, but to show man his need for a suitable complement (2:18). Eve is formed "out of man"(Hebrew: Ish-sha = woman; Ish = man [2:22]) to be a "suitable helper" (2:20).
  7. Man gives woman her name (2:23).
  8. Eve was first to be tempted and fall (3:1ff.; cf. I Timothy 2:14).
  9. The consequences of Eve's sin were increased pain in childbirth and that "Your desires will be for your husband and he will rule over you" (3:16).

From this overview we see, first, a complementary relationship between man and woman. Both are made in "the image of God" and together they fill out the scope of what the image of God means. There is both maleness and femaleness in God's image.

We also notice, however, that from the beginning, the male leads and the female supports. Adam is created first, receives the charges of responsibility (both moral and material), names the animals and Eve. Eve's only recorded, independent action leads to sin, and the resultant relationshipwith her husband is spelled out clearly. Nevertheless, from even before the fall there is a principle of male leadership/female support.

B. Abraham led and Sara followed (Genesis 12:1ff.; cf. I Peter 3:6).

C. Miriam, "the prophetess," was an assistant to her younger brother, Moses.

After crossing the Red Sea, Moses and Miriam lead the congregation of Israelites in worship. Moses first, then Miriam took up a tambourine and sang as "all the women followed with her, with tambourines and dancing" (Exodus 15:20-21ff.; Micah 6:4 NASB). She is named, after Moses and Aaron, as one of the three whom God sent to rescue the Israelites from the slavery of Egypt (Micah 6:4). Both the Masoritic (Hebrew) and the Septaugint (Greek) texts a give literal reading very close to, "I (God) sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam." The order of names is consistent with the Pentatuech presentation of a hierarchy of command in which Moses is clearly the leader and Aaron & Miriam, primary aids. Hence, the looser but accurate NIV translation reads, "I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam."

D. Deborah, "a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading (i.e. judging) Israel at that time" (Judges 4:4).

We can only surmise that either Lappidoth was no leader at all and therefore Deborah took hold of the leadership or that as the leader in his own home and responsible for his own wife as every Jewish husband was, Deborah was permitted to lead/judgeIsrael under his authority. We believe the latter assumption is the correct one as it explains why Deborah is identified in relation to her husband and it would better reflect existing Jewish culture. Even Deborah herself shames Barak, her general, for not taking the leadership he should have so that the enemy general, Sisera, is sold "into the hands of a woman" (Judges 4:9). Deborah and Barak sang a duet of praise together (Judges 5) in which Deborah is hailed as "a mother in Israel" whom God raised up to lead His people. Let it not be overlooked, then, that operating under the authority of her husband, Deborah exercised great leadership in Israel.

E. Other women are hailed for various reasons.

  1. Ruth - Was praised for faithful devotion to family, particularly, Naomi (Ruth 1:16-18). She is also included in the Matthean genealogy of the Christ (Matthew 1:5) and the only woman other than Esther to have a book of the Bible named after her.
  2. Hannah - Was shown to be a godly and devoted mother who prayed for her child and dedicated him (Samuel) to the Lord's service (I Samuel 1).
  3. Esther - Was the Hebrew Queen of Persia under King Xerxes, who risked her life for her people by her faithful courage (Esther 4:12-16). She also gave birth to Artaxerxes who, as king, allows the Israelites to return to Jerusalem under Ezra (458 B.C.; Ezra 7:8) and Nehemiah (445 B.C.; Nehemiah 2:1).

F. Proverbs 12:4: "A wife of noble character is her husband's crown."

  1. 31:10: "Worth far more than rubies."
  2. 31:11 "Her husband has full confidence in her."
  3. 31:13-15: Domestic responsibilities including providing food and clothing.
  4. 31:16: A business transaction, considering a field and buying it "out of her earnings."
  5. 31:18: "Sees that her trading is profitable."
  6. 31:23: "Her husband is respected at the city gate where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
  7. 31:25: "She is clothed with strength and dignity."
  8. 31:26: "She speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue."
  9. 31:27: "She watches over the affairs of her household."

II. First Century Gentile Practice

Suffice it to say that women were treated better than property but almost never as equals in their male dominated world. About the only women who regularly asserted themselves were prostitutes, religious and otherwise. Religious prostitutes made up a big percentage of the participants in the Greek and Roman mystery religions. Men, largely ignored these religious cults, except for the sexual encounters. Hence, women in the mystery cults found a social niche in which they could assert themselves.

This is not to say that there were no business women and no assertive wives. Only that they were exceptions in a society which greatly restricted women in legal, social, educational, financial, and other spheres.

III. First Century Jewish Practice

A. The strict rabbi was not to talk to a woman in public, not even his wife, daughter, or sister.

B. Women had no part in the synagogue worship, shut apart in a section of the synagogue where they could not be seen (cf. I Timothy 2:12; I Corinthians 14:34).

C. It was absolutely forbidden for a woman to teach in a school (cf. I Timothy 2:12).

D. Few nations gave a bigger place to women, however, in home and family things.

E. Elizabeth, as well as Zechariah, is described as "upright in the sight of God" (Luke 1:5-6).

F. Anna is described as "...a prophetess...(in the) temple" (Luke 2:36-38).

G. Mary, not just Joseph, receives a visit from Gabriel (Luke 1:26ff.).

IV. Jesus' Practice

A. He chose 12 men to be His students and the future leaders of the church (Matthew 10).

B. He had women attending to Himself and the apostles in complementary/supporting roles (Luke 8:1-3; cf. 23:55).

C. He spoke publicly to women (John 4:7ff.) and this surprised his disciples (4:27).

V. Post Resurrection and Early Church Practice

A. Mary Magdalene is granted the first encounter with the resurrected Christ (Mark 16:9-11).

B. Women joined with the men in prayer after the ascension and before Pentecost (Acts 1:14).

C. Mary, mother of John Mark, opened her home as an early "house church" (Acts 12:12ff.).

D. Priscilla worked alongside her husband, Aquila, in their ministry and at times appears in a more prominent position than her husband (Acts18:24-28; Romans 16:3; I Corinthians 16:19).

E. Lydia is a business woman and she opens her home to Paul and Silas (Acts 16:14-15).

She may have been instrumental, along with the jailer, in starting the Philippian church.

F. The daughters of Philip were described as "four unmarried daughters who prophesied" (Acts 21:9).

G. Phoebe was "a servant (deaconon) of the church in Cenchrea" (Romans16:1).

"Deaconon" is the masculine and feminine form of the title given to the men chosen in Acts 6:1ff. to assist in the daily distribution of charity. These were to be "men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom" (6:3). More broadly, the word simply means "server/servant" and is often in the New Testament translated "helper", "minister", "servant", and so forth. The official position of deacon in the early church was assumed to be filled by a man ("men...the husband of one wife," I Timothy 3:8,12Nevertheless, women, sometimes wives of the deacons and sometimes not, assisted and were also considered deaconon, as Phoebe was, only not in the official capacity (I Timothy 3:11). Paul names several other women who assisted and helped in his ministry:

  1. Mary - Romans 16:6
  2. Tryphena - Romans 16:12
  3. Tryphosa - Romans 16:12
  4. Persis - Romans 16:12
  5. Euodia - Philippians 4:2,3
  6. Syntyche - Philippians 4:2,3

These were leaders, perhaps, in their own assigned areas of ministry, but always supporting and submissive to the male spiritual leadership of the church.

VI. New Testament Principles and Practices

A. In the home

  1. Unmarried daughters, as well as sons, were to be obedient to their parents (Ephesians 6:1; Colossians 3:20).
  2. Wives were to be submissive to their husbands (Ephesians 5:22; Colossians 3:18; cf. I Peter 3:1), and obedient to their husbands (I Corinthians 14:34,35; Titus 2:5; cf. I Peter 3:6).
  3. Affectionate (Titus 2:4).
  4. Faithful (Titus 3:11).
  5. Hidden adorning, not outward - hair, jewelry, clothing (I Peter 3:3,4; I Timothy 2:9ff.).
  6. Trusting (I Peter 3:6).
  7. "The weaker partner" (I Peter 3:7). Whether this is strictly a physical comparison or a spiritual/emotional weakness has been debated for years.

B. In the church

  1. I Corinthians 11:2-16 "Every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head (i.e. her husband)...the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head."
    1. Notice first that Paul here seems to allow women to pray and/or prophecy in public worship. The context is clearly public vs. private worship (cf. 11:17 "for your meetings").
    2. Second, Paul says that a woman who prays or prophesies publicly must have "a sign of authority on her head." The culture of Corinth and around helps to explain why Paul stresses this. Custom in the first century Mediterranean world was for women (not necessarily little girls) to wear a covering for their head. Prostitutes often let their hair be exposed so as to make themselves more attractive to their customers and sometimes, apparently, a prostitute would be punished by having her head shaved, thus forcing her to put on a covering. Short hair on a woman was generally seen as a sign of independence/rebellion and immorality. Therefore, a woman dishonors her head (her husband or her father) by not covering her head in public.
    3. On the contrary, "a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God" (I Corinthians 11:7a). Here Paul breaks with the rabbinical tradition of men covering their heads in public worship (a practice arriving out of a false conclusion drawn from Moses' veiled face/head - Exodus 34:33).
    4. The line of "headship" is laid out as God-Christ-Man-Woman (I Corinthians 11:3). Women should feel no less inferior to men than Christ does to God. This is a functional, more than an essential, distinction. In fact, "In the Lord, however, woman is not independent from man, nor is man independent from woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from\ God" (I Corinthians 11:11,12). Further, "There is neither Jew nor Greek...male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28).
    5. Nevertheless, Paul's application of the principle of male headship and female support causes him to require that women praying or ,prophesying in public should have a "sign of authority" under which they minister. He concludes the issue with firmness, "If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice - nor do the churches of God" (I Corinthians 11:16).
  2. I Corinthians 14:33 "As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak (laleo), but must be in submission, as the Law says (Genesis 3:16). If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for woman to speak in the church."
    1. It is the last phrase, "for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church," which may set this injunction apart as an individual application of a principle in a particular cultural setting where it was generally disgraceful for women to speak in public.
    2. Some have suggested that the speaking in question had nothing to do with a woman praying or prophesying "with her head covered" (I Corinthians 11:5), but rather addressed "chatter" (laleo) in the background of the service as women listening in on the teaching would discuss and question among themselves causing a distraction in the service. This may have merit and would explain why in chapter 11 a woman can prophesy in church but in chapter 14 all women are to keep silent in church.
    3. The particular Corinthian problem seems, however, to involve women who were not submissive to the male spiritual leadership in place. "They...must be in submission" (14:34) "It is disgraceful" (v. 35) "Did the Word of God originate with you? Are you the only people it has reached?" (v. 36) "If anyone wants to be contentions about this..."(I Corinthians 11:16)
    4. Hence, the apostle 'gets tough' with such attitudes and the women holding them. The "sign of authority" (11:10) under which women are to pray or prophesy, would demonstrate the appropriate submissiveness and therefore avoid the disgraceful appearance.
  3. I Timothy 2:11-15 "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. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. But women will be saved through childbearing - if they continue in faith, love, and holiness with propriety."
    1. Apparently, because motherhood is such a strong, universal symbol of the God-ordained role of women, Paul says that "women will be saved through childbearing - if they continue in faith, love, and holiness with propriety." Admittedly, this is hard to understand, (II Peter 3:16), but Paul seems to be saying that a woman who rejects her God-ordained role in life will not find full satisfaction and perhaps not even salvation.
    2. Women, then, are to realize their full salvation in accepting their God-ordained role of which supportive motherhood is a strong, universal symbol.
    3. Without question, the apostle did not allow women teachers in the public services of the church. In fact, he was adamant that women not teach (didasko) nor even speak (laleo) in church (I Corinthians 14:34,38).
    4. The question now must be asked, "Do Paul's restrictions on women in public ministry constitute a general principle or are they, rather, a local, specific application of a broader principle?" It is to this question we now turn.

VII. Principle vs. Application

"Legalism," said someone, "consists in giving the weight of principle to a specific application of the principle." So we must try to distinguish what the Biblical principle of women in public ministry is from what may be specific applications of the principle in the early church.

A. The principle, we maintain, is this: Men lead; women support.

This is found throughout the Scriptures beginning at creation and continuing through the New Testament. This principle applies to function, not essence. For both men and women are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) and in Christ there is "neither...male nor female" (Galatians 3:28; cf. I Corinthians 11:11).

Nevertheless, this principle appears to be more than function only. In his arguments, to support the principle, Paul appeals to the nature and the order of creation (I Corinthians 11:8,9; I Timothy 2:13), the fall (I Timothy 2:14; cf. Genesis 3), the theology of headship (I Corinthians 11:3), "the very nature of things" (I Corinthians 11:14) and even to "the angels" (I Corinthians 11:10) (probably because angels were considered the guardians of created order [Barrett, page 254]). The leader/supporter roles seem deeply imbedded in what it means to be male/female as God has created us. Together we fill out the "image of God," which, even within the Trinity, consists of a leader (the Father) and a supporter (the Son [John 17]).

Jesus, while paying far more attention to women than any rabbi should have (i.e. John 4), still chose no women to be disciples and future leaders of the church. It has been argued that in His day to do so would have brought scorn upon the gospel, but that if the culture had been ours, Jesus surely would have chosen at least some women. We disagree. As it was, He chose men who in their own culture did bring scorn upon the gospel - "a tax collector" (Matthew 9:9ff;) and "unlearned men" (Acts 4:13). Nevertheless, the power of the Holy Spirit easily overcame these cultural hindrances and from their weakness God brought forth strength. If women in leadership was only a cultural issue, surely this could have been overcome as well. But Jesus chose men to lead and women to support.

The apostle Paul acted likewise. He teamed with Barnabas (Acts 13:2) and chose John Mark (Acts 13:5), Silas (Acts 16:40), Timothy (Acts16:1ff.) and other men, but no women to be his disciples or leaders in the local churches. However, just as Jesus did, Paul gained much help and support from women.

Hence, from Genesis to Jesus and Paul, the principle is: men lead; women support.

B. Paul's first century application of this principle was correct and right for the early church given their cultural setting.

The specific application, however, should not be enforced in our culture with the same weight of the principle. Our reasons for this position follows.

It is clear that women did prophesy in the early church, although it may not have been common. Remember, prophecy was, in the apostles' mind, the preeminent spiritual gift for worship (I Corinthians 14:1).

The reason teaching would have been more difficult for women than prophecy is that few of them could read or write, let alone instruct others in the teachings of Jesus. Even if they could have, they would not have been respected in their given culture. Older women were, however, encouraged to teach younger women what was good and to train the younger women (Titus 2:3-5).

  1. Paul is clearly concerned about appearances of behavior which would be seen by non-Christians in his culture as being inappropriate.
    1. I Corinthians 11:13 "Judge for yourselves: Is it proper? Does not the very nature of things...?"
    2. I Corinthians 14:35 "...for it is disgraceful..."
    3. I Timothy 2:9 "I also want women to dress modestly..."
    4. Titus 2:5 "...so that no one will malign the word of God."
  2. There are other cultural restrictions which most acknowledge as not binding upon us:
    1. Abstinence from the meat of strangled animals and from blood (Acts 15:20).
    2. No lawsuits (I Corinthians 6:1ff.).
    3. "It is good for a man not to marry" (I Corinthians 7:1 - A personal issue more than a cultural one).
    4. That all women should wear a headcovering in church and that men must not (I Corinthians 11:3ff.).
    5. That women should not wear short hair (I Corinthians 11:14,15).
    6. That jewelry, hair braids, and fine clothes are inappropriate in church (I Peter 3:3; I Timothy 2:9,10).
    7. Because taken literally for our church it would result in women being taken out of most areas of service and require "no women to speak" but all to "keep silent." This would seem unreasonable in our culture and cause the disgrace which Paul was trying to avoid in his culture (I Corinthians 14:35).
  3. Because God clearly gifts people for works of ministry (I Corinthians 12:7) and if He gives a gift, He expects that gift to be exercised (Romans 12:6ff.), albeit "decently and in order" (I Corinthians 14:40).

VIII. Conclusion

We ought to encourage all women to participate in the work of the ministry through supportive, helping roles. This acknowledges the complementary role of woman ordained by God at creation and encourages men to assume the God- given leadership role He has placed upon them. Men are to lead; women to support.

A. Positions able to be staffed by women include all positions which serve to help and support the spiritual leadership (pastors and elders) of the church.

This primary spiritual leadership is to be male in gender and the entire congregation is to serve under their spiritual authority. (Hebrews 13:17).

B. There are a few other positions which it would seem that a man should hold because of the leadership nature of that job.

Church Chairman and Vice Chairman are two, because they are the elected congregational representatives chosen to lead our business meetings and preside over the General Council.

C. In all other positions we ought to encourage male leadership and female support.

However, where a secondary leadership vacuum exists (i.e. a vacuum in a position other than those named in "1" and "2" above), the spiritual leadership may call upon a woman who has been appropriately gifted and who demonstrates a submissive spirit toward the spiritual leadership of the church. She then may "lead" under the spiritual authority of the church leadership.

Women teachers. While Paul clearly forbade women teachers in his cultural setting we do not necessarily infringe upon the principle of male leadership by allowing women teachers today. Since cultural changes have taken place our application of the same principle may vary from the early church's. Such cultural changes include women becoming educated and, that in most settings, it is no longer a disgraceful thing to be taught by a woman. All teachers (men or women) must, however, be measured not only on their willingness and their ability but also on their support of the local spiritual leadership.

Again, men are to be encouraged in teaching roles, especially in adult classes. However, in a vacuum, the spiritual leadership may call upon a capable woman who demonstrates the appropriate spirit.

D. Finally, let us do more than reassert the ancient and biblical principle of men leading; women supporting.

Let us celebrate it as God's gracious and all wise plan for our lives. Man and woman are both made in the image of God and together constitute the full scope of what it means to be made in God's image. Woman is no more inferior to man than Christ is to God. Together, He has created us and called us to carry the message of His redeeming love to all earth's people.