This is one of the most controversial topics in the church today. And many Christian women today are confused about whether they can be leaders or not.
Many churches around the world have been much male-dominated, in a sense that they have an issue with women in pastoral positions within the church.
Many of the largest religious denominations including the Roman Catholic, Southern Baptists, Mormons, and Latter-day Saints, disallow women in leadership positions, like leading a congregation.
Because they believe that pinning women to a certain role is obeying God’s word.
There are certain Bible verses that seem to restrict women’s role in the church but are often taken out of context and misinterpreted.
So, here is the big question… can women ( Christian women in particular) be leaders? Does God view women as inferiors to men, and how effective can female leaders be?
The Bible Encourages Women’s Leadership, Here’s Why…
Did you know there are tons of examples of women leaders in the bible that some of us have perhaps missed?
Including women pastors, apostles, women in political leadership, entrepreneurs, and a female deacon.
So who are these women, and how can they inspire us to take our stand and lead no matter what the critics say?
Let’s go into a little bible study — let us start from the ground up.
First Understand God’s Purpose For Female Authority From The Beginning
In the creation story in the first book of Genesis, we can see God’s intent for both gender roles and authority.
In the verse, we all are familiar with, “let Us make man in our own image and likeness and let them have dominion over the earth.”
But there is another verse we sometimes overlook, Genesis 1:27-28 says: So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”(NKJV)
Dominion can mean rulership, authority, and leadership. God is then indicating that both genders have the same right and responsibility to dominate the earth.
Inspiring Christian Women In The Bible
Sister Phoebe – A female Deacon
Pheobe was a Gentile Christian from the port city of Cenchrea. We don’t know much about this woman except that she was considered to be a highly respected servant of the church of Cenchrea (from the greek word diákonos, meaning deacon.)
To be a deacon literally means to be a servant leader whose responsibility is to meet the physical needs of the church.
Paul spoke highly of her and entrusted her with sending his letters to churches, often being great distances away.
Letter carriers in those days did not only send letters to specific locations where they were commended.
But they had to read out loud to the recipient and answer any question they had concerning the letters. Thus given the responsibility to present to the recipient word-of-mouth information that was related to the situation of the sender.
Apostle Paul only sent people who were involved in his mission and understood his message, for they had to represent him, so they could successfully carry out his message.
Therefore if the people wanted to learn about Paul and his message, they had to come to her for information, for she was his representative.
Deborah — A Judge Of The Nation of Israel
Deborah is one of the most influential leaders in the bible and the only woman who was a judge of the nation of Israel.
She was the wife of Lappidoth and a prophetess and was incredibly obedient to the word of God.
As it was in the old testament times, the people of Israel were always straying away from the will of God, going after other gods and committing evil deeds in the eyes of the Lord.
God raised judges in order to judge the people and express the will of God and ensure they were living according to God’s command and will.
Usually, He chose men to complete this role. Although one time He chose a woman who He believed to fit this role, perhaps because of her obedience and undeniable faith.
Under God’s command, Deborah led Israel into a military victory to free them from Canaanites’ oppression.
She was often described as the “Mother of Israel,” due to her excellent leadership role.
She often held court under a palm tree of Deborah in the hill country of Ephraim. Determining the people’s disputes, expressing the will of God, and ensuring they live according to His commands.
Mary Magdalene — An Important Witness Of Jesus
According to New Testament writers, Mary Magdalene played an important role in the ministry of Jesus.
She either came from a wealthy background or was married to a wealthy man. Because according to the Gospel account, she financially aided Christ Jesus and His disciples all during His ministry.
She was also one of the few disciples who was a witness to Jesu’s crucifixion and is considered to be the first one to witness Him at the resurrection.
Jesus Christ highly admired her, and she is remembered for her deep love and commitment to Jesus. She was the one to proclaim the risen Jesus to the other disciples.
Proverbs 31 Woman — The Perfect Example Of A Woman
This is not a real woman in the bible, but a model for women to show them what it means to be a good and godly woman.
I recommend you read proverbs 31 because it’s a powerful passage and a good example of how we should be as women in the Kingdom of God.
The Bible mentions her being a highly successful businesswoman and a good steward of everything God has given her: her family, her marriage, her gift, and her responsibility as a leader.
She is a woman of noble character, and rare in the sight of most men in society. She is a diligent woman and doesn’t eat the bread of laziness.
She knows her responsibility in the Kingdom and obeys the task she is assigned by the King.
She is a true leader who serves, for she extends her hand to the poor from the resources she works herself diligently.
She is highly entrusted by her husband, her children, and her servants. Her husband is respected at the city gate because of her.
As the bible says “a woman of noble character is her husband’s crown.” Proverbs 12:4 (NIV)
She is clothed in strength and dignity and does not fear for the future, she doesn’t fear or worry over things she cannot control.
She is a woman who seeks after the truth and fills her mind with knowledge and out of her mouth, she speaks wisdom.
As the bible says about her, “ many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Proverbs 31:29 (NIV)
Junia – An Apostle
There has been much debate on whether Junia was a man or a woman, because of disbelief that a woman can have a position as an apostle.
However, scholars have come to the conclusion that Junia was a woman.
In old English translation it reads “Junias,” and many have believed it to be a masculine name.
Although there is no evidence in the ancient text that it was referring to a man. But the church always concluded it to be a man because according to the church a woman cannot be an apostle.
Although, scholars have come to the conclusion that they have been wrong the whole time because Junia was a woman and not a man, and she was an apostle.
In the first century in the early church, the prohibition of women in leadership was not so. Such restrictions occurred much later in history.
“Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.”
Pricilla– A Businesswoman And A Spiritual Leader
She is mentioned about six times in the Bible. She was a businesswoman, and along with her husband Aquila they owned a tentmaking shop.
She was a diligent and influential woman who used her gift of hospitality, wisdom, and understanding for the impaction of the Kingdom of God.
She and her husband were good friends with Paul and helped him found the church in Corinth.
In ancient Mediterranean culture, women were uneducated and were forbidden to teach, they were only to work that fell under what was considered feminine roles – such as caring for home and family.
Although as it reads in the Bible, Pricilla and her husband both taught a charismatic man named Apollos, explaining to him the works of God more accurately.
What does Paul Mean In 1 Timothy 2:12?
This is where the confusion lies, this is the passage where many pastors have come to the conclusion that banning women from positions of leadership is the will of God.
However, they read it without any context whatsoever. And if that would be the truth, then why are there so many examples of women leaders in the bible — from the old testament to the new testament?
If God wanted to ban women from leadership roles, then it wouldn’t make any sense to choose Deborah as a judge over His people!
Why would God contradict Himself?
Without further ado, let’s get into the context.
All of Paul’s Letters Were For The Purpose Of Solving Problems Within The Churches
We often think that Paul’s writings to the churches are the Gospel. Although all of Paul’s letters were for the purpose of solving specific problems within particular churches that he established, encouraging believers in faith, providing guidance on how to live, and so forth.
As an example, his letter to the congregation of Corinth was for the purpose of correcting and encouraging them to make changes necessary.
Paul’s Letter To Timothy
“A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. 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.”
So what does Paul mean by forbidding women to teach men and have authority? There are two things we have to look into:
- Is paul forbidding all women to teach, and altogether be in leadership?
- What kind of authority does he mean a woman should not have over a man?
The purpose of the letter to Timothy was because of false teachers who were troubling the Christian community at Ephesus.
The worship of Artemis was well known in the city of Ephesus and all throughout the ancient greek world.
Artemis is known to be the olympian goddess of hunting, nature, animals, vegetation, the protectiveness of a girl child up to the age of marriage, and of childbirth — for Romans, she was known as Diana.
The temple of Artemis had a major impact on Ephesus at that time.
The cult of Artemis was a female-only cult, where women were believed to be the key leaders, where they believed the role of women is that they should have power over men.
This cult spread out into the church, and people were confusing the people within the church, and many were even encouraging them to follow Artemis’s ways.
This was a big problem for the Christian community at Ephesus that Paul had to step in and remind them of the will of God and the role of women.
Therefore Paul’s statement concerning quieting women was not forbidding women to teach and be in leadership, but only specific women who were spreading lies that women are superior to men.
Many believe the meaning of authority in this passage is to exercise dominion.
Remember Genesis reads that we should only exercise dominion over the animals and all earth resources, but not each other.
But we should equally, men and women together have authority and dominion over the earth.
Although yes, the bible does claim that women have different roles than men, it’s mostly referring within marriage.
For instance, husbands are the head of their wives. Not that they are superiors, but they have been entrusted with this role to protect his wife and family, provide for them, and hold them together as a family.
Conclusion
For centuries the church has made us believe that women are not capable and not permissible to go into the world and proclaim the Gospel to the nations. We have been brainwashed to think that this is only a man’s job.
Although as we can see in God’s Word of many examples of great women, we are also capable of leadership.
We are also sent to proclaim the Gospel and have a major impact on the world.
Therefore ladies, don’t be afraid of the big vision God has shown you, in believing that you are forbidden to fulfill it because your pastor says so.
Learn from the leadership of the inspiring women in the bible, and start pursuing the dreams, vision, and purpose God has put in your heart.
