Since women preachers can be just as good as men, doesn’t that mean they are called to preach?

The role of women in church leadership and preaching is a much debated topic among Christians. On one side, there are those who believe that the Bible restricts preaching and senior leadership roles to men only. On the other side, there are those who believe that the Bible supports women in all roles of church leadership and preaching. This article will dive into the biblical evidence on both sides of the issue.

Evidence Used to Support Women Preachers

Those who argue for women preachers point to several pieces of biblical evidence:

• There were women prophets in the Old Testament, like Miriam (Exodus 15:20), Deborah (Judges 4:4), Huldah (2 Kings 22:14) and Anna (Luke 2:36). Their role was to speak the word of God to His people.
• The prophet Joel predicted a time when the Spirit would be poured out on both men and women, and they would both prophesy (Joel 2:28). This was fulfilled at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out on believers, including women (Acts 2:1-18).
• Philip had four unmarried daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:9). The implication is that they prophesied in the church.
• In 1 Corinthians 11:5, Paul refers to women praying and prophesying in church. He does not condemn them for this, but regulates how it is done (with the head covered).
• Romans 16:1-7 mentions several women who worked with Paul spreading the gospel, including Priscilla, Junia, Mary, Tryphena, Tryphosa and Persis. Junia is even called “outstanding among the apostles.”
• Galatians 3:28 teaches that in Christ there is no male or female, because all are one in Him. This would imply that women can serve in the same church roles as men.
• The Holy Spirit gifting, including preaching and teaching, is distributed to all believers regardless of gender (1 Cor 12:7-11, 28; Eph 4:11).

In addition to these biblical examples, those who support women preachers also point out that women can be just as gifted, called and effective at preaching as men. If God has truly gifted a woman to preach, teach and lead, they argue we should not hinder her from using those gifts to build up the church.

Evidence Used to Restrict Preaching to Men

On the other side of the issue, there are several passages of Scripture that those who restrict the office of pastor and preacher to men point to:

• 1 Timothy 2:11-12 – Paul says he does not permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man. Some take this as a universal prohibition against women teaching in church.
• 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 lay out qualifications for overseers and elders. The qualifications presume the elder/overseer will be male (“husband of one wife”). This excludes women from serving as elders.
• 1 Corinthians 14:33b-35 says women should remain silent in the churches and not speak. Some take this to prohibit women from preaching or teaching during worship services.
• 1 Corinthians 11:3 teaches that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man. This implies a certain order in the church that prohibits women from teaching and having authority over men.
• In the Old Testament priesthood and sacrificial system, only men served as priests. Some argue this is a pattern for New Testament church leadership roles being male-only.
• Jesus’ twelve disciples and the twelve apostles were all men. He had many women followers, but did not choose any women for these authoritative leadership positions.
• Bible verses like 1 Peter 3:1-2, Ephesians 5:22 and Colossians 3:18 teach a wife’s submission to her husband’s leadership in the home. Some apply this as a general principle that prohibits women leadership in the church.

Taken together, these verses paint a picture for some that senior leadership roles involving teaching and authority in the church should be held by qualified men, not women. While women may teach other women or children (Titus 2:3-4), they interpret these verses to prohibit women’s preaching to men.

Different Views Among Those Who Support Women Preachers

Among those who believe the Bible supports women preachers, there are some differences of opinion on what roles in the church women can fulfill. Some of the major viewpoints are:

1. Full equality in all roles – There should be complete equality between men and women in all leadership and preaching roles in the church. Women can serve as senior pastors, elders, bishops and apostles based on their gifting and calling.
2. Preaching but not senior leadership – Women can serve as associate pastors, evangelists, and itinerant preachers/teachers. But the Bible reserves the office of senior pastor and elder for men.
3. Preaching with some restrictions – Women can preach and teach publicly in church to mixed audiences, but 1 Timothy 2:12 prohibits them specifically teaching men or having spiritual authority over men. So women can preach in many situations but not fulfill the authoritative teaching function of the primary pastor/elder.

Each person has to search the Scriptures and decide for themselves which viewpoint they believe best reflects biblical teaching on this issue. There is room for disagreement among those who affirm women preachers.

Different Interpretations of Key Verses

As can be seen above, 1 Timothy 2:11-12 is one of the critical passages applied to this issue by people on both sides of the debate. Looking closer at the various ways this verse is interpreted will help illustrate how sincere Christians can arrive at such differing positions.

Views Restricting Women Preachers

Here are some ways those who use 1 Tim 2:11-12 to restrict preaching to men explain this passage:

• It is a universal, timeless prohibition against women teaching men and having spiritual authority over them.
• “I do not permit” shows this is not just Paul’s opinion, but a command from God through Paul to the church.
• “To teach” and “to have authority” refer specifically to the authoritative teaching function of the elder/pastor, which is restricted to men.
• This applies to preaching/teaching in worship service contexts, not just private teaching situations.
• “Man” and “woman” refer to men and women in general, not just husbands and wives.
• The passage roots the prohibition in the Creation order – Adam was formed first, then Eve.

Views Permitting Women Preachers

Here are some ways those who affirm women preachers despite 1 Tim 2:11-12 explain this passage:

• It addressed a specific local context at Ephesus where false teaching was spreading through women.
• “I do not permit” shows this was Paul’s opinion for a particular situation, not a universal command.
• It prohibits women from taking on the authoritative teaching role of the male elder, but does not bar women preaching in other contexts.
• It refers to disruptive speech, not properly conducted preaching and teaching.
• “Man” and “woman” refer to husbands and wives, not men and women in general.
• It reflects the culture of the day that will change as the Kingdom advances.

As we try to interpret Scripture faithfully, it is important we do so with humility, recognizing that each of us sees through the glass dimly (1 Cor 13:12). Sincere believers seeking God’s truth may arrive at different conclusions. But we can still discuss and debate these issues with grace, love and respect.

Practical Effects and Implications

How churches answer the question of whether women can preach has significant practical effects on church life:

• Church leadership – If women are restricted from preaching/teaching roles, they are excluded from serving as senior pastors, elders, worship pastors, etc. This limits their participation in leadership.
• Preaching calendar – If women cannot preach, churches must fill their calendar with only male speakers, significantly reducing their options.
• Conferences/special events – Whether women preachers are invited to speak at conferences, camps or other events depends on the church’s view on this issue.
• Perception of ministry roles – Understandings of women’s role in the church are shaped by whether or not they are permitted to preach to the whole congregation.
• Available talent – If women are excluded from preaching, many talented female communicators are left unable to use their gifts in this area of church ministry.

As can be seen, a church’s perspective on women preachers impacts many practical aspects of ministry. Churches have to weigh their commitment to their biblical interpretations against the effects – both positive and negative – their stance will produce in their congregation.

Preaching Ability is Not the Main Issue

Often this debate gets framed around the “results” question – can women preach just as well as men if given the opportunity? However, preaching ability is not the main issue the Bible addresses. Nowhere does the Bible prohibit women from public speaking, using their spiritual gifts, or even proclaiming biblical truth. The key question is whether Scripture restricts the specific activity of preaching/teaching with authority to qualified men.

Even those holding the most conservative views on this issue would agree that:

• Women can be Bible teachers – they can teach other women, children, at seminary, etc. (Titus 2:3-4)
• Women can hold other leadership positions – deaconess, worship leader, director, etc. (Romans 16:1)
• Women with teaching gifts can use them in some contexts – evangelism, counseling, books, social media, etc. (Acts 18:26)

The debate centers around the specific roles of pastor, elder and preacher during Sunday worship services, and whether Scripture reserves these authoritative teaching functions for men. Preaching skill is secondary.

Certainly, God gifts both men and women. But He also establishes an order and structure for how those gifts should be exercised in the church. The crucial question is what Scripture says about that order, not which gender preaches better.

Church History Perspectives

Looking at how the church has viewed this issue historically can help us gain some perspective. Some key observations:

• For most of church history, preaching and senior leadership roles were dominated by men. Women were discouraged or prohibited from such ministry.
• However, there were some exceptions:
  • Medieval Catholic nuns like Hildegard of Bingen and Catherine of Siena served as highly influential preachers and prophets.
  • Some early Quaker evangelists like Margaret Fell were noted preachers in the 17th century.
• During the 1800s, women began pushing more publicly for pulpit equality, but made relatively little headway. Some exceptions emerged among groups like the Primitive Methodists and Holiness Movement.
• Only in the mid-late 1900s did it become more common for Protestant churches to allow female pastors and preachers.
• Today’s debate reflects this mixed history. Each side argues that church history supports their interpretation of the biblical evidence on this issue.

While early church practice alone is not determinative, views on women preachers have definitely evolved and changed over the centuries. How churches come down today reflects their understanding of Scripture informed by centuries of tradition.

Culture’s Influence on the Debate

Some argue shifting cultural views on women’s roles are driving much of the debate over their role in church leadership. There are a few ways culture may shape perspectives:

• Modern feminism has raised awareness of and activism for women’s equal rights in all spheres, including ministry.
• As more women enter the pulpit, people get used to the idea of female pastors and preachers.
• Secular culture is increasingly agnostic about distinct gender roles. This can subtly influence church perspectives.
• Churches aiming to be “progressive” and culturally appealing feel pressure to move toward more inclusive roles for women.
• Vibrant women communicators become available church role models via conferences, podcasts, books, etc.

These cultural currents clearly exert some pressure on churches to open more opportunities for women preachers and leaders. However, both sides argue the real deciding factor should be Scripture alone – what is written, not what is culturally popular.

Men and Women Complement Each Other

A final consideration in this debate is how men and women bear God’s image and partner together in ministry. Two key concepts are helpful here:

1. Equal before God – Scripture affirms men and women are both created in God’s image and equal before Him (Gen 1:27; Gal 3:28). But it also assigns them distinct roles in the home and church.
2. Partners in ministry – Men and women need each other to embody the fullness of God’s image and build up the church. They are not meant to serve alone but to complement each other’s gifts and perspectives.

Holding these two principles in balance is challenging but important. Men and women both glorify God and participate in His work. But they do so in the order God has designed – sometimes in distinct roles, sometimes blending together seamlessly.

Conclusion

The debate over women preachers reflects differing views on how Scripture restricts or permits their exercise of authoritative teaching and leadership gifts. It is not simply a matter of preaching skill but biblical interpretation. While some see God’s order and ideal as limiting women from the pastorate, others see theSpirit gifting men and women equally for all roles.

This brief overview provides a summary of the key perspectives. There are good-faith arguments on both sides of the issue. The main principles to keep in mind are:

1. Look to Scripture as the unchanging source of truth.
2. Study to rightly understand the context and meaning of relevant verses.
3. Approach the debate with humility, recognizing we all see imperfectly.
4. Maintain love and unity even with disagreement – essential to honoring God.

This is an issue on which churches, denominations and Christians of good faith can disagree. Yet in the midst of disagreement, we must strive to uphold the “unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). May the Lord give us wisdom and grace as we seek His truth on this and other debated issues for His glory.