Can Christian Women Be Pastors and Preachers?

[trust_in_the_name]

Every person has a male, female part to them

I can only really speak for myself on this but God only gave me the male part.

You might want to get that checked out by a doctor.

 

[Israel]

I can only really speak for myself on this but God only gave me the male part.

You might want to get that checked out by a doctor.

The female part of every person is their spirit. The male part is the flesh that covers her.

 

[trust_in_the_name]

The female part of every person is their spirit. The male part is the flesh that covers her.

From weird to really weird. I didn't realize this was the New Age forum.

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. (1 Timothy 4:3-4)

 

[Israel]

From weird to really weird. I didn't realize this was the New Age forum.

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. (1 Timothy 4:3-4)

Malachi 2:14-15

14Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.

15And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

 

[jb]

But yet women were not among the Twelve.

This is true, although absolutely nothing to do with the subject in question.

It is also true that the Lord Jesus appeared to the women first and NOT to the apostles, who were locked in the Upper Room and filled with fear!

The reason for the Lord Jesus appearing to the woman first was to correct the wrong thinking and corrupt unscriptural tradition that the apostles (this was the prevalent attitude amongst men in Israel at that time) had imbibed from the Scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees (the Talmudic teachings) which resulted in men generally looking upon them with contempt. The Lord Jesus wanted the apostles to know in no uncertain terms that women were reliable witnesses and that their contemptible attitude had to change.

It should also be noted that women were also included in the great commission, they can proclaim the Gospel, and be used in healing the sick. Matt 28v5-10,18,20, Mark 16v15-18.

 

[2knowhim]

I can only really speak for myself on this but God only gave me the male part.

You might want to get that checked out by a doctor.

Gen 5:2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.

 

[trust_in_the_name]

Gen 5:2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.

Adam can refer both to man and to mankind (as, in this verse, both meanings are used). I'd highly recommend a lexicon.

 

[CBM82]

Well, if someone can show me one place in scripture where a woman is preaching inside a church I would love to see it. You wont...because you cant....because it isn't scriptural.

By the way, any women who knows me personally knows I'm not a male chauvinist.

 

[CBM82]

God certainly isn't a male chauvinist but you seem to be!

1Cor 14v26 (this Scripture is to BOTH men and women), "... Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification."

It is a pity that you rip a couple of Scriptures out of their context (the context of the ones you have cited are in domestic affairs (in the home) and not about women ministering to the Body of Chrst (as the Scriptures show is the case)) and fail to mention other Scriptures that refer to women ministering to the Body of Christ...1Cor 11v5 (woman praying and prophesying) etc, etc...you simply cherry pick Scriptures to fit the lie that woman can't minister in the Church!

Yahweh Shalom

I'm trying to show there are DISTINCT roles for men and women in life period. I know society try's to brainwash us into thinking there is no difference between men and women other than body parts but I dont listen to what society says...I listen to God.

Are men better than women? NO

Are women better than men? NO

Are men and women different? YES

Does God have different roles in life for men and women? YES

Even inside the church? YES

 

[garet82]

well God can use all people to speak n preach for His name. here in my place and my church we hv many women preachers n pastors n they serve God with their heart.

we must open minded that they are woman or man hv the same chance n portion to serve God n preach His kingdom in His life n everything they do amen

 

[jimmydiggs]

Thread back from the dead.

No, 1 Timothy 2:12.

inb4 green butchers the text
inb4 feminist rage

 

[isoneedahug]

Seems to be an old thread, but i don't think women should take autority over the heads of men and preach to them in the context of Church. I do think women who are filled with the Holy Spirit will have much to offer and share with anyone, but it should be within an orderly context and with a spirit of humility (as should anyone who ministers the word, whether man or woman). No woman should feel frustrated since there are millions of lost souls on the streets, waiting to hear the word and receive the ministry of an evangelist (which is the basic calling of every christian). The pulpit on the street is far wider than any Church pulpit I believe the primary and powerful ministry of any woman is intercession. I thank God he made me a woman, it's truly a mystery and beautiful thing! God bless.

 

[MyPottersClay]

Some of the great educators are women. The ability to teach is a gift and combined with the Word of God is equally adept as men pastoring a church. The limitations on receiving the message is a product of the congregations and their view of traditionalism. I combination of the two sexes could relate the message even better as is in any raising of children where additional technique is needed to relay the message.

 

[leasamimee]

Women can preach ... )

 

[christianperson91]

Women can preach ... )

Yes they can.

 

[kellz]

God has specifically said in His unchanging word that women should not teach or have authority over a man. It is a matter of some just unwilling to accept it. His Word will not change, His Spirit will not lead against His eternal word. There is so much that women can do for the Lord, this is not one of them. We have our place, the ordination of God. Let us be quiet, submissive, serving in love. Women have been placed under the authority of men. I happily accept it, who am I to try say anything against the only One who has perfect knowledge of all things. Thy will be done Almighty Father!

 

[MarcR]

In 1Tim chapters 2 and 3, Titus Chapter1, and 1Cor 14:34; Paul teaches that women should be excluded from preaching teaching and governing roles in the church.

Since these are the only three occurrences of this teaching; it seems legitimate to question whether Paul was addressing a local problem which was common to Crete, Corinth, and Ephesus; or if he were teaching a general principle.

I do not see Scriptural or historical evidence that Paul was addressing a local issue.


I believe in the Scriptural premise that God prefers male leadership in the pastorate, the pulpit, and the church governing board.

It is evident that this does NOT mean that God can't use a woman in these roles; because He in fact does.

It is evident that there are women in the pastorate whose church members show clear evidence of salvation and Spiritual growth under her leadership.

This, IMO, does NOT negate the principle; however, if God is not pleased with them acting in their roles; it is His responsibility, not mine, to call it to their attention----and He is certainly able to do so.

 

[MikkoAinasoja]

Can Christian Women Be Pastors and Preachers?​

​

Christian women, you have a God given destiny for your life. The Holy Spirit has given you spiritual hunger for the kingdom of God. Christian women, do not permit yourself to be silenced by gender prejudice in the Christian church. Knowledge of the scriptures is imperative so that no person can silence your anointing, gifts and talents given to you by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. The books referenced here gives information on how to have confidence that you, Christian woman, may minister and permit the Holy Spirit to flow though your in ministry. The article below gives many scriptures about both women and men ministering to His people Christian men, know that there is more than enough Christian ministry work for all the body of Christ. This is not about having dominance or power over you. Every Christian needs to flow in the Holy Spirit to bring the kingdom of God to earth.

This Article was taken from Trumpet Wind email list. TrumpetWindList@TrumpetWind.​

by Pastor Keith A. Smith

1. There is not one Scripture in the Bible that forbids women from preaching, but on the contrary, there are many verses that encourage both men and women to preach the Gospel.

2. The Bible teaches that God is not a respecter of persons, and He will use any and all who will yield to Him, regardless of race, age, or sex.

Galatians 3:28 - "...neither male nor female...for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."

Acts 10:34 - "...God is no respecter of persons...."

Moses said in Numbers 11:29, "Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put His spirit upon them!"
The crying need of the hour is for more laborers. It is a trick of the enemy to try to down rate thousands of our faithful laborers just because they were born females.

3. The Great Commission, Mark 16:15, "Preach the Gospel," is to ALL believers, and to all the church of Jesus Christ. The command to "preach the Gospel" is to both male and female.

4. It is an undeniable fact that God has called and anointed thousands of women to preach the Gospel. The Full Gospel organizations have hundreds of licensed and ordained women who are preaching, teaching, evangelizing, pastoring, and doing mission work with the signs following their ministry. God is using them for the salvation of the lost, deliverance from sin, gifts of the Spirit, and infilling of the Holy Spirit.

The Bible says, "Touch not mine anointed and do my prophets no harm." And may we be reminded of the Scripture in Acts 5:39, "If it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God."

When someone says, "God does not call women to preach," it is like saying that God does not baptize with the Holy Spirit today. We know better, because we have witnessed and experienced it with our own ears and eyes.

I would be afraid to condemn women preachers, lest I would be found to be fighting against God, and to be committing the vile sin of attributing the works of the Holy Spirit to the devil.

5. Women preachers are a fulfillment of Bible Prophecy and another sign of Christ's soon return to earth (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17-18).

6. The Bible declares that women will prophesy: 1 Cor. 11:5, "For every woman that prayeth or prophesieth...."

Both the Hebrew (Nebrah), and Greek (Proph) used for prophetess means (female preacher). (See Young's Concordance, Pg. 780.)

The word "Prophet" means a public expounder.

The word "Prophesy" means to speak forth, or flow forth. The Bible says in 1 Cor. 14:3, "But he that prophesieth speaketh unto MEN to edification, and exhortation and comfort."

The dictionary says, prophesy is "to speak under divine inspiration...to preach."

Therefore we learn from the original translation, from the Bible interpretation, and from the dictionary, that to prophesy means more than to tell the future, but it is to speak publicly about the past, present, or future. It is to preach under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

The Old and New Testament prophets and prophetesses were preachers of God's Word.

Even if the words prophet and preacher could be separated, how could anyone prophesy to bring exhortation, comfort and edification to the church, if she were forbidden to speak in church and was to keep silent?

Would God inspire and anoint someone to do something that was wrong and sinful???

* (There is a difference between a prophet, and the gift of prophecy.)

7. God called and used women preachers in the Old Testament.

a. DEBORAH - Judges 4:4-5. Deborah was a Judge for both civil and criminal cases. The children of Israel came to her for judgment. She was the chief ruler of Israel for 40 years, giving orders to the Generals and all the army. She did the work of an evangelist, prophetess, Judge, and a preacher. God gave her authority over the mighty (Judges 5:13).

b. MIRIAM - Exodus 15:20; Numbers 12:1; Micah 6:4. She was a Prophetess and a Song Leader in Israel.

c. HULDAH - 2 Kings 22:14. Five men went to Sister Huldah and communed with her. She spoke to a congregation of men concerning the book of the Law. A female preached to a man's congregation, and her message was taken to the nation and produced a revival.

d. MAHER-SHALAL-HASH-BAZ'S MOTHER - Isaiah 8:3. She was a prophetess.

8. God called and used women preachers in the New Testament.

a. The first message of the Resurrection of Christ was spoken by women to a group of men.

b. Anna - Luke 2:36-38. She must have prophesied in church, because she did not depart from the temple.

c. Phillip had 4 daughters who prophesied. Acts 21:9.

d. Priscilla assisted Paul in his revival meeting and even taught Apollos in the way of the Lord more perfectly.

e. Phebe - Romans 16:1-2. Paul commended Phoebe to the Church at Rome and requested that they assist her in her business. She was one of Paul's assistants in the work of the Lord and delivered the Book of Romans to the people from the hand of Paul.

9. There is no sound reason why a woman or man should not preach the Gospel. There is a desperate need in the church for more workers. Laborers are few, and God will use any and all who will go for Him. Some say God will not use a woman to preach, because "The woman was deceived," but remember Romans 5:12: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world." It seems to indicate that Adam was just as guilty as Eve in the fall of man. If anyone should be kept from preaching because of sin, it would be Adam. But God does not forbid anyone from preaching, because of Adam's or Eve's sin.

10. 1 Cor. 14: 34-35 does not say anything about women preachers. If Paul intended this verse as a general rule to bar all women from speaking in church, then they cannot teach Sunday School, testify, pray, prophesy, sing, or even get saved, and this would contradict the rest of the Bible (Acts 2:4; Acts 2:16-18).

Paul was rather dealing with a particular problem in the church. Women were not educated as were the men in that day; therefore the women would talk back and forth to their husbands in church and ask questions concerning the sermon. Paul said, "If they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home; for it is a shame for women to speak in the church." If they want to talk things over let them wait until they get home. This rule is still good for the church today, where people are talking and causing confusion in the church service. They should not speak in church. (Not in the back of the church either before or after services.)

If a woman cannot speak in church, then she cannot speak in prayer meeting, young people's service, etc., for who can deny that Sunday School and Prayer meeting, and Youth work are parts of church? Christ's Church is not a building, but rather it is found where two or three are gathered together in His name, whether at a street meeting, in a tent, a home, church, classroom or anywhere else.

11. 1 Timothy 2:12 is not a blanket rule for all women of all churches. If it were, then the women could not speak at all, for the same verse that tells them not to teach also tells them to be silent.

If all women had to keep silent in church, then that would be promoting disobedience to God, for they could not prophesy, pray, testify, sing, exhort, do personal work, or even get saved.

Whenever an interpretation to a verse contradicts the rest of the teaching of the Bible, we know this interpretation is incorrect, for the Holy Spirit will never contradict His own Word.

This is the chief verse that is used to oppose women preaching and yet it says nothing about preaching, nor does it say anything about a public worship or church service. But, on the contrary, this verse is giving instructions to wives as to how they were to conduct themselves in regard to their husband. Paul says in 1 Cor. 14:35, "And if they will LEARN anything, let them ask their husbands at home." Now he states in 1 Tim. 2:12 that the woman should learn in silence, and should not usurp authority over the man. Paul is dealing with more of a home problem than a church problem.

This verse still applies to us today. It is wrong for a woman to usurp authority over her husband (in church, home, or any place else) as was the case in Paul's day. She should not try to teach him or speak words that would cause discord and confusion, but should rather be silent and in subjection to her husband.

It is also to be understood that if anyone, whether man or woman, is usurping authority over the God-given leadership of the church, she or he is to be silent, and not to teach, or act in such a way that would create discord in the assembly.

12. Some have used Titus 1:6-7, "If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children...", but there is a difference between a preacher and a bishop. For I was an Evangelist and now am a Pastor, but I am not a Bishop (Overseer), and most Pastors are not. If God called a single man with no children to be a Bishop, as Paul was, surely this verse is not opposed to it, nor would this scripture oppose a woman Bishop if she was called of God for the work, as was Deborah.

What this verse does teach is that a person who is to be a Bishop must not have two living companions, either husbands or wives.

The Bible often speaks of "man" when it refers to both men and and women inclusively. The word "mankind" also includes both men and women. For an example of this word usage see 1 Cor. 13:1 - "Though I speak with the tongues of MEN and angels...." This word "MEN" includes women as well, for we do not have one language for men and another for women.

13. To condemn women preachers and women church workers is a serious offense, because God has stamped His approval on them by His Spirit over and over again, and who is man to fight against the Spirit of God?

To condemn women preachers and women church workers is in a sense to claim they are doing wrong and committing sin...and all those who support them and listen to them are having a part in that sin.

For anyone to do this, he must condemn approximately 99% of all the Spirit-filled believers and the vast majority of all of Christianity.

"Of a truth, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons..." (Acts 10:34).
​

34. let the women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but let them be in subjection, as also saith the law. 35. And if they would learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home: for it is shameful for a woman to speak in the church. 36. What? was it from you that the word of God went forth? or came it unto you alone? 37. If any man thinketh himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him take knowledge of the things which I write unto you, that they are the commandment of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 14:34-37)

So like our dear brother Paulos writes here, that is a commandment of the Lord Yeshua.

It is a vital doctrine and everyone should keep it.

 

[phil36]

The question isn't can women preach/teach, of course they can. The question is, what has God allowed for in the church.. Unfortunately many would rather fall into what is called feminist theology... this is a newish theology, within the last one hundred years, so very new in the scheme of God's redemptive history..

Even now within the Christian feminist camp they want all references of God as he removed from the Bible..

Equality does not mean all things are equally the same, contrary to popular belief.

 

[p_rehbein]

In 1Tim chapters 2 and 3, Titus Chapter1, and 1Cor 14:34; Paul teaches that women should be excluded from preaching teaching and governing roles in the church.

Since these are the only three occurrences of this teaching; it seems legitimate to question whether Paul was addressing a local problem which was common to Crete, Corinth, and Ephesus; or if he were teaching a general principle.

I do not see Scriptural or historical evidence that Paul was addressing a local issue.

1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians were written directly to the peoples of the Church in Corinth, specifically addressing issues in their church membership. How exactly was he NOT addressing a "local issue?"

1 Corinthians 1:2) Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

10) Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11) For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

[Nowhere in this Epistle do I see him addressing the First Baptist Church of Anytown, USA]

2 Corinthians 1:1 .) Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:

[Paul expands his Epistle to include the saints in all Achaia.....]

Chapter 2:1) But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.

[Speaking directly to the church in Corinth]

Chapter 6:11 .) O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.
12 .) Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
13 .) Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.
14 .) Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 .) And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 .) And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 .) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 .) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

[Speaking directly to the Corinthians, and a "local problem." Study about the Temple of 1,000 Prostitutes]