This question concerning the role of women in the church is one of the most divisive within the body of Christ. Some denominations have split and others  founded based sorely on the role of women in the church.

When approaching a doctrinal issue like this I like to employ two main principles.

1.  The Whole Counsel of the word  – This means that we don’t build a doctrine on a single verse. We must first go over the whole bible from Genesis to Revelation and consider everything that God says and does, and all the examples that God gives us in relation to that doctrine.
2.  Preserve the harmony of the scripture  – The bible does not contradict itself so we never interpret one scripture in a way that contradicts other scriptures. We must maintain the harmony of the scriptures.

My View

I will just start by stating my view, and then we go into the scriptures to see how I come to that conclusion. 

I believe that women have the same Holy Spirit and are endowed with the same baptism and gifts of the spirit that men are given.

They can sing, preach, prophesy, lead prayer, and even lead whole congregations as evangelists, teachers, elders or pastors. However, based on God’s expectations from women, I recommend that women must exercise their gifts in a way that does not interfere with the command of submission to their husbands, and both the woman and her husband must also exercise their gifts under submission to a male figure of authority.

I believe if women preach, prophesy and lead in that way, their ministries and callings will line up with the vision and order of the word, and they will enjoy more success.

 The Scripture 

There are two main scriptures that have been the cause of dispute concerning the role of women in the church.

 1 Corinthians 14:34-38 (NIV) 

 34 Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. 35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. 

 36 Or did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? 37 If anyone thinks they are a prophet or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command. 38 But if anyone ignores this, they will themselves be ignored. 

 1 Timothy 2:11-12 (ISV NT Psalms)   11 A woman must learn quietly and submissively. 12 Moreover, I do not allow a woman to teach or to usurp authority over a man. Instead, she is to be quiet. 

We will look at each of these scriptures, one at a time. 

First – Let’s take this scripture literally, at face value and without any context. Women should remain silent in the churches.

This would mean that they should not sing, they should not pray, they should not prophesy, they should not preach, they should not greet anyone, they should not testify, they should be silent.

Is this really what the Apostle Paul means? Is this really the Lord’s Command that he is referring to? Is this what God wants for women who are born again sons of God and filled with the spirit?

There is clear need for us to find the context of this whole issue, bring the whole counsel of God and maintain harmony of the scriptures.

We will first look at ways that the Lord Jesus has allowed women to serve him, and then we will come back to 1 Corinthians 14, and 1 Timothy 2, to read them in context and see what issue Paul was addressing.

 1. Women can receive Baptism and Gifts of the Spirit 

This may seem obvious but it’s necessary to start there.

 Acts 2:17-18 (ESV)  17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 

 18 even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 

The inheritances of the promises of God are not dependent on your human nature but your spiritual identity. God does not look at whether you are Jew or Greek, man or woman, we are all sons of God and worthy to receive the promises of God.

 Galatians 3:27-29 (ESV) 

 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. 

When the Holy Spirit came upon people on Pentecost, in Samaria, and in Cornelius household, both men and women were filled with the spirit. He did not just come upon men only.

 Acts 10:44 (ISV)  

 44 While Peter was still making this statement, the Holy Spirit fell on all the people who were listening to his message. 

 2. Women Can Prophesy in the Church 

We have already seen from Acts 2 that God said that both men and women shall prophesy. The bible tells us that Philip the evangelist had four daughters who were prophets in the church.

 Acts 21:8-9 (NIV)  8 Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. 9  He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.  

The apostle Paul says that all people, men and women can prophesy in the church as long as they do it with order.

 1 Corinthians 14:31 (ESV)   31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, 

The apostle Paul tells us that the gift of prophesy is given specifically to build up the church.

 1 Corinthians 14:3-4 (ESV)   3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. 4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 

This means that women are used by God to build, to encourage and to console the church through the revelation that God gives them. Blocking women from prophesying, and edifying the church, is blocking the work of the Holy Spirit.

3.  Women Can Preach the Gospel 

The word preach simply means to proclaim or to announce.

 The Samaritan Woman 

This example is mainly seen in the life of Jesus himself. In John chapter 4, there is a record of a Samaritan woman who has a private and personal encounter with the Lord Jesus. After her encounter with the Lord, she goes and preaches to her whole city concerning the Christ, and many people believed in Jesus because of her testimony.

 John 4:27-39 (ESV)  

  27 Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” 

 28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him. 

 39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 

The 12 apostles were shocked that Jesus was speaking to a woman. Even today, some people get shocked when Jesus speaks to women.

What that Samaritan woman did, by going out, preaching and leading people to Christ is called evangelism.

A second example of this is on the day of Pentecost. When the spirit came upon the 120 disciples in the church, they bible says they all began to testify about God in various languages. Both men and women were used by the Holy Spirit to preach in this manner.

 Acts 2:11 (ESV)  11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God. 

 4. Women can be Messengers of Christ to the Church

When Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, two angels appeared to several women and sent them with a revelation and an instruction for the disciples of Christ.

 Mark 16:6-7 (ESV)  6 And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7  But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee.  There you will see him, just as he told you.” 

These women were sent with a revelation and an instruction for the church. Even now, God can raise women who carry a revelation and instruction for the church. When Christ later met the 12 apostles, he rebuked them sharply because they had not listened to the message he sent them through the women.

 Mark 16:14 (ESV) 

 14 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and  he rebuked them  for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen 

Just as Jesus rebuked the eleven apostles because they would not listen to the word of God that comes through a woman messenger, he shall also rebuke many men who today refuse to hear the word of God spoken by a woman messenger.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. If he sent women with revelation and teaching then, he sends women with revelation and teaching today. We must believe the word of God, whether it comes through a woman or a man.

 5. Women can teach men 

When it comes to the word of God, being a man does not mean you have more revelation than women. The one with a revelation can teach the one without that revelation.

We see in the above examples that the women at the tomb had a revelation of the risen Christ and they were instructed to share that revelation with the apostles and even instruct them.

There is a man named Apollos, who was a mighty preacher, but one day he had to sit down and learn from a woman who had a better revelation than him.

 Acts 18:24-26 (ESV) 

 24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 

 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 

 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 

Priscilla and Aquilla were husband and wife, this is highlighted in Acts 18:2. Take note that it wasn’t just Aquilla who sat to teach the man of God Apollos the way of God more accurately. Both the man and the woman were used by God to teach another man of God. 

 6. Women can be Elders in the Church 

The bible says that Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in every church.

 Acts 14:23 (ESV) 3 And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. 

 1 Timothy 5:19 (KJV)   9 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses 

The word translated as ELDER is the greek word PRESBUTEROS.

The word literally refers to people who are actually aged and older, but is also used in the new testament to refer to the overseers and pastors of the church.

The elders were responsible for Shepherding/ or Pastoring the churches. The apostle Peter who was also an elder, explains:

 1 Peter 5:1-4 (NKJV) 

 1  The elders  who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: 

 2  Shepherd the flock of God which is among you,  serving as overseers,  not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. 

The word translated as shepherd is the same word translated as Pastor in Ephesian 4:11. And he says, they watch, as overseers of the flock.

These elders/ pastors/overseers were not just men. The apostle Paul reveals they were both men and women elders.

 1 Timothy 5:1-2 (KJV)  1 Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; 2  The elder women  as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.

Titus 2:3 (NKJV) 3 the  older women  likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine,  teachers of good things 

The word translated as Older Women is Presbutis- which simply refers specifically to a female elder. Paul says they must be TEACHERS of good things.

The word translated as Teachers of good things is Kalosdidaskalos. 

It’s a mixture of two words,  Kalos:  which means beautiful, honourable, praiseworthy, and  Didaskalos  which means Teacher.

So, to say women cannot teach at all, is wrong, but they must be teachers of good things. And these elder women were to primarily Pastor and Teach other women the word of God.

 Titus 2:4-5 (NKJV)  4 that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. 

 Why did Paul Command Women not to Speak During Service ?

Having gone through the letters of Paul, seeing that women were allowed to prophesy, to preach and even lead in churches, what is Paul addressing in 1 Corinthians 14.

Paul is addressing issues of disorder. Firstly, Paul starts by saying, everyone is free to sing, to instruct and share revelation.

Read the statement below carefully:

 1 Corinthians 14:26 (NIV) 

 26 What then shall we say,  brothers and sisters?  When you come together, each of you has a  hymn,  or  a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation.  Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 

Both men and women have something to contribute to the church service. Both men and women can share revelation, words of instructions, tongues or interpretation of tongues and visions in the church. But Paul is saying that these things must be done in order.

It’s important that we understand that the churches were not meeting in an auditorium as we do today, but in people’s houses. Paul is responding to issues that had been written to him by the church in Corinth. (1 Cor 7:1).

 AN EXAMPLE FROM MARTHA 

We see a good example of a house church service, when Jesus was ministering in Lazarus’s house. There were two women, Martha and Mary. Martha was busy preparing and serving food, whilst Jesus was preaching.

Martha even went to the extend of interrupting Jesus from his sermon and demanding that Jesus tell Mary to get up and wash dishes with her.

 Luke 10:39-42 (ESV) 

 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 

 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” 

Martha was distracted during the service, and thought it was okay to interrupt Jesus’s teaching with demands.

This is the kind of behaviour that Paul is rejecting. Let’s get back to Corinthians. 

 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 (ESV)   As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. 35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. 

Paul has already spoken in verse 26 that women and men can prophesy, teach and sing in order. Now he is addressing women who want to speak and talk whilst the service is going on. There is nothing more embarrassing, than when you are having a service in someone’s house, and you have a group of women talking whilst the pastor is preaching.

The women in Corinth were talking and asking each other questions during the service, so Paul is saying they should LEARN in SILENCE. 

AS ALSO SAYS THE LAW

The Law that Paul references says women must submit to the husbands, but it does not forbid them from being spiritual and national leaders. God raised women such as MIRIAM who was a prophetess that led the whole nation in worship.

 Exodus 15:20 (ESV)

20 Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing.

There’s Deborah, who was raised by God to be a prophet and judge of the nation of Israel.

 Judges 4:4 (ESV) 

 4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 

God raised Esther who led the nation of Israel into fasting for deliverance.

 Esther 4:15-17 (ESV) 

 15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16 “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.” 17 Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him. 

If God could raise such great women with such power under the law, how much more now, that there is grace and freedom in Christ Jesus. 

…………

 WOMEN MUST NOT USURP AUTHORITY 

 1 Timothy 2:11-12 (KJV)   12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to  usurp authority over the man,  but to be in silence. 

Paul then says, he does not permit a woman to teach and USURP authority over THE man. The word translated as USURP AUTHORITY OVER is  authenteo, and it literally means to kill someone with your bare hands, to murder or commit violence against someone. It also means to domineer and to be an absolute Master who does not listen to anyone.

This word is used only once in the bible; in this verse alone. I believe Paul is not talking of normal teaching here, but making reference to women who teach in a way that domineers and subdues and kills the role of men. Women must exercise their gifts, but they should do it under authority and without compromising the role that a husband has over a wife. Paul says that a woman prophesying in church must have a symbol of authority over her, in order to maintain the order that God established in Eden.

 1 Corinthians 11:3 (WEB)   3 But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God 

In the chapter Paul speaks about head coverings, but he is also speaking about issues of authority within the church. He concludes thus:

 1 Corinthians 11:8-10 (WEB) 

  8 For man is not from woman, but woman from man; 9 for man wasn’t created for the woman, but woman for the man. 10 For this cause  the woman ought to have authority over her own head,  because of the angels. 

 1 Corinthians 11:10 (NKJV)   10 For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 

Paul starts by saying that the head of a woman is man, the head of man is Christ and the head of Christ is God, then he says, a woman ought to have authority over her own head.

Here is how I understand this. A man can serve and exercise his ministry under the direct authority of Jesus Christ. However, a woman can lead, and exercise authority in the church, but she must do it under the authority of another man of God. She can be an apostle, prophet, evangelist, teacher, pastor, but she must have a human figure of authority that her ministry submits to.

If a woman is the ultimate head of her ministry without submission to any other man of God, she has usurped the order and role that God has established.

 CONCLUSION 

In conclusion we have seen that the Holy Spirit has given gifts to both men and women to prophesy, preach, teach and share revelation. So I believe that women are free to exercise those gifts for the benefit of the body. However, there is an order of headship that God set between Adam and Eve, the man and the woman. 

Based on 1 Corinthians 11 and 1 Timothy 2, I recommend that women who are gifted, use their gifts under submission and under authority. By this I mean, I recommend they have a gifted male figure of authority that they serve under, and their gifts should not be used in a way that upsets their submission to their husbands.