Questions Concerning Women in Ministry
Part I
William Dwight McKissic, Sr., Senior Pastor
Cornerstone Baptist Church
5415 Matlock Rd.
Arlington, TX 76018
817-468-0083
This is the first of three consecutive posts that I plan to present regarding women in ministry.
Q. Does I Timothy 2:12 preclude women from preaching or teaching in a public worship service, or a seminary classroom?
A. The Apostle Paul stated in I Timothy 2:12, “and I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence” (NKJV). The Bible clearly teaches that when the church comes together for corporate worship, the general rule and practice is that the ministry of teaching/preaching is to be in the hands of men. Specifically, the elder(s), bishop or pastor of a congregation was primarily responsible for disseminating scripture to the church in public worship (I Timothy 3:2-7; 5:17; Titus 1:7-9, I Peter 5:1-4). The elders, bishops and pastors in scripture were always male (I Timothy 3:1, 2).
However, does the fact that preaching and teaching in corporate worship (biblically speaking) is primarily in the hands of men mean that women cannot ever under any circumstances exercise the spiritual gifts of prophecy (preaching), teaching, exhortation or evangelism in corporate worship to edify the body? If a woman gifted of the Holy Spirit with the gift of proclamation or teaching, uses her gift (assuming she’s married) with permission from her head (her husband) and at the discretion and invitation of the bishop, elder or pastor of a local church will she be in violation of I Timothy 2:12? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
Spiritual gifts are not given according to gender (I Corinthians 12:7). They are given according to God’s grace and sovereign will. The God of all grace (I Peter 5:10) anoints, gifts and equips women with supernatural abilities to minister just as He does men. Therefore women should be allowed to exercise these gifts in a local assembly at the discretion of the pastor – the same way in which gifted men in the congregation or outside of the congregation are given an opportunity to exercise their spiritual gifts of proclamation and teaching by invitation of the pastor.
There are two New Testament examples of women exercising proclamation and teaching gifts that illustrate my point. In I Corinthians 11:3-16, the same Paul who wrote I Timothy 2:12 says that it is perfectly permissible for a woman to prophesy or pray in a corporate worship setting with her head covered. Surely if Paul intended for his instruction in I Timothy 2:12 to have been an absolute injunction against women teaching or preaching in a corporate worship setting or a seminary – he would not have written affirmatively about women prophesying (preaching – expounding and proclaiming God’s truth – edifying, exhorting and comforting according to I Corinthians 14:3) in a public worship setting with her head covered. Men most certainly were present in this Corinthian assembly, that’s why it was necessary for the woman prophesying (preaching) to have her head covered as a symbol that she was under authority (I Corinthians11:10). Had men not been present the head covering would have been unnecessary. In our culture, a woman’s head being covered does not represent or symbolize that she’s under authority. If so, I would believe it would be necessary for women who address a public assembly to still wear a head covering. In the Middle Eastern culture then and now the head covering symbolized submission to authority. The principle behind the symbol remains the same – those women who address a corporate worship must do so by permission and the authority of their husband (if married) and the pastor. Furthermore, Paul permitting women to address a coed assembly defied Jewish tradition and he emphasized men and women codependence on each other in ministry (I Corinthians 11:11, 12). Twentieth Century women often read Paul’s words with disdain. First Century women read Paul’s word with delight, because he elevated their status.
There is a second example of women addressing a corporate worship setting in Revelation 2:20-22. Jesus is speaking in these verses. He is addressing the “angel” of the church in Thyatira. Most Bible scholars agree that the “angel” of the church was the messenger or pastor of this congregation. Jesus said to the pastor at Thyatira (Revelation 2:20-23 NKJV), “Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality, and she did not repent. Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.”
Jesus rebuked the “angel” (messenger – pastor) of the church at Thyatira, not for allowing a woman to teach – but for allowing her to teach false doctrine. (Men are rebuked repeatedly in the New Testament for teaching false doctrine). This woman was judged not for being a woman teacher but for failing to repent of false doctrine. If the problem at Thyatira was a woman preaching (prophesying) or teaching there is no mention of this in the text. Had the notion of a woman preaching been unacceptable to the Thyatiran congregation she would not have been allowed the opportunity to address the congregation.
Throughout the Old and New Testaments we see women exercising proclamation and teaching gifts without rebuke of their gender or doctrine. Miriam (Exodus 15:20), Deborah (Judges 4:4), Huldah (II Kings 22:25), Anna (Luke 2:36) and Phillip’s daughters (Acts 21:9). Peter preached at Pentecost, “And on my men servants and on my maid servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy.”
In conclusion, since God was pleased to incorporate songs and statements by women in the Bible (Exodus 15:21; Judges 5; Luke 1:42-25, 45-46, etc.), is it improper to think that He may use women in expounding and applying His Word? Judge ye?
February 9, 2007 at 7:25 pm
Hello Rev. McKissic:
There’s also the fact, that nobody seems to pay attention to, that Paul said:
1 Corinthians 14:33-34: For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. (NIV)
Apparently there was this law back then……
I don’t think we have that, now.
God bless. Looking forward to the next Roundtable.
February 9, 2007 at 10:50 pm
It strains my credibility to assume that The Almighty would gift women with intellectual, moral, and prophetic gifts and not expect them to use these gifts to build up the body of Christ. Now, if we are, say, preaching to cultures in specific circumstances, as in the Arab world beginning to emerge from its fourteen centuries of darkness, the people there might not accept hearing their first preaching on truth from the gender they had been told to treat like furniture. (I will not ask how many “women-shutter-uppers” treat females in this manner still, as that would not be polite.)
But, think a moment; once we have begun to recover formerly Islamic hearts to walk with The Lord, which speaker would know how to explain Christian growth points to this audience, a man from the American south, or an evangelistically-trained Arab woman who knows how her people react to words and phrasing?
February 9, 2007 at 11:28 pm
On the day of Pentecost, Peter showed a prophecy from Joel that was being fulfilled at that very moment.
“And afterward, (or “In these last days, as Peter quotes in Acts 2), I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my spirit in those days.” Joel 2:28-29
Seems to me that the Lord himself gave a pretty clear principle regarding the role of women in the days when the Kingdom of God would be represented by the church in the world.
February 10, 2007 at 4:36 pm
not only are you giving affirmation of the gifts that God gives women, but also to all of His children. thanks.
April 25, 2007 at 12:30 pm
Can someone do something under authority against what God wants ? I do not think so. So a woman who according to Gods word is not allowed to teach men, can not under any authority teach men. For instance, can I go out stealing if the pastor gives me the authority ? Or if I am under his authority ? No ! In the same way it is not possible for women to teach men. While they do can teach, but younger women as said in Titus 2.
Culture can not give us a green light either to ignore the things like head covering. Remember that 1 Peter, Peter refers to Sarah ( 2000 years ) as an example for the women. Would not after 2000 years the culture has changed in Peter’s time ? Yet he refers to Sarah (2000 years ago) as the example that she called Abraham her master.
April 29, 2007 at 12:50 am
Dear Pastor McKissic,
Thank you for this timely message that will be shared with my brothers and sisters in Jesus the Christ.
Being newly ordained and a woman who is not a Southern Baptist yet been called to pray for a little church and go out on visitations for them has been the God’s Will with the equipping by the Holy Spirit for prayer and ministry. Praise the Lord.
Your message am going to share with a Deacon and minister this coming week.\
The Lord continue to bless you as you STAND upon the WORD of GOD and His calling to all belivers. May they have ears to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying and may we pray it down, heaven to earth in Jesus Name.
Hineni
Crucified with Christ.
Love and prayers in Jesus,
Judith