Should Women be Pastors or Teachers in the Church?
Introduction
Please allow me to begin by reassuring the reader that I understand this is a controversial subject. I have a wife and three daughters and am fully aware of how this issue affects them. I understand that this subject has been used and abused at times in an effort to subject women. I apologize for those moments. I also understand that the Bible’s teaching concerning this subject has often been misunderstood. Because of the potential pot-holes, I will do my best to present a Biblical view on this subject in as sensitive a manner as possible.
Last Sunday I watched my pastor step up and defend the Scriptures as they relate to the subject of women pastors. The church I attend is Southern Baptist whose view is that women should not preach, teach, or hold authority over any man within the church. I myself had remained neutral on the subject for several years. My neutrality was due in part to a fear of insulting the females in my life whom I love dearly. I knew what the Bible said but I wasn’t sure how to fit the pieces of the puzzle together in a way that wouldn’t hurt feelings. In retrospect, I believe I lacked a wide enough point of view. You see, when put in the context of the Bible as a whole, there is nothing hurtful about the Southern Baptist position on the subject.
On the way home from church Sunday I had a bit of an “ah ha” moment as my thoughts began to crystallize on this issue. My line of reasoning began as I watched my pastor preach and thought to myself, “I would never want my wife to face the kind of pressure he is facing today.”
This subject is difficult because we inherently understand that all men and women are created equal. It is understood that in this day and age women can be anything they want to be. The contradiction seems evident – if women are equal to men, why can’t they aspire to preach? Is the Bible somehow outdated or irrelevant to the lives of the modern woman? For a moment, let’s dismiss our preconceived notions and study the Scriptures to see what they have to say.
I pray that my readers read what I have written here with an open heart and receive it in manner in which it is intended. I would recommend that as you read this post you get out your Bible and study along with me.
Are men and women really created equal?
- Genesis 1:27 – Both men and women are created in God’s image.
- Galatians 3:28 – There is no male or female – all are one (equal) in Christ.
According to Scripture, women are equal to men and are created in the image of God. If this is true, it seems to contradict Paul’s teaching in the following verses.
- 1 Timothy 2:11-12 – A woman should learn in silence and not have authority over or teach a man.
- 1 Corinthians 14:34 – A woman should be silent.
- 1 Corinthians 11:3 – Christ is the head of every man and man is the head every of women. God is the head of Christ.
These verses seem to stand in stark contrast to each other. The Bible clearly teaches that men and women are equal, however, women should not preach to, teach, or hold authority over a man in the church. Despite their equality, men and women have different roles. Consider the following verses:
- Ephesians 5:22-23 – Wives are to submit to their husbands as to the Lord. The husbands are the head of the wives as Christ is the head of the church.
- Ephesians 5:25 – Husbands are to love their wives just as Christ loved the church.
- Ephesians 5:32 – Men are to love their wives and wives are to respect their husbands.
Obviously, women are special to God and hold a special place and role within the Kingdom. Consider that it was to a woman that Christ first revealed that He was God (John 4:26). It was to women that Christ first presented Himself to after the resurrection (Matthew 28:9-10). There are examples of woman prophets throughout the Old and New Testaments (Exodus 15:20, Judges 4:4, 2 Kings 22:14, Isaiah 8:13). These instances clearly show that if God chooses to use a woman to speak His Word, she had better heed His call. However, these examples all seem to be outside of a church setting. It is worth noting that there are no Scriptural examples of a woman acting as pastor within the ministry that is an ongoing church.
It seems to me that Ephesians 5:25 has huge implications on our topic. If a man is to love his wife as Christ loved the church, what does that mean? How did Christ love the church? Did he instruct each one of us to be crucified? Did he tell us to die for Him? No. He died for us willingly on the cross! He loved us that much! This means that a man should follow Christ’s example and be willing to die for his wife. I named this study ‘In the Line of Fire’ because I am reminded of the Secret Service agents who willingly protect the President with their lives. They are willing to take a bullet not because they are more equipped to do so than the President, but because they view his life as more important than their own. Keep this attitude in mind as we move forward in our study. According to Ephesians 5:25, a husband must view his wife’s life as more important than his own (just as the Secret Service agent views the President). He must be willing to take a bullet for her! Furthermore, he should be willing to follow Christ’s example and position himself between her and the gates of hell! If he is unwilling to do this, he is not fulfilling his Biblical role as husband.
Within the Church it is the Pastors who are in the Line of Fire
- Luke 12:48 – Much is required of everyone who is given much. Even more will be expected of those who have been entrusted with more.
Pastors have been entrusted with shepherding a flock made up of people that Christ loves. They have been given the duty to teach the Word of God to people made in His image. It is a great responsibility! Pastors will be expected to maintain a higher standard by both God and man!
- James 3:1 – Teachers (of the Word) will receive a stricter judgment than others. As such, not many should do it!
James is actually trying to talk people out of becoming teachers of the Word because of the target that is on their backs. Preachers are held to a higher standard and will receive a stricter judgment than anyone else. They are in the line of fire! As such, any man who takes his God given responsibility as a husband to love his wife as Christ loved the church should be willing to step into the line of fire and live by a higher standard and take on the stricter judgment rather than expecting his wife to do it! Allowing his wife to fill the role of pastor is akin to Christ asking us to die on the cross.
In Paul’s day the leaders of the church faced certain death for their beliefs. This is true in parts of the world even today. Stand up and pastor a church in China or Iran and you can expect nothing but hardship and probable death. We have been spoiled in our western culture to the point that we have forgotten how dangerous it can be to preach to Word! Christ Himself said that they will hate us because of Him!
It isn’t that women aren’t capable of being pastors or teaching the word. They aren’t somehow inferior to men. Rather, it is that men should love their wives enough not to allow them to withstand the scrutiny, expectations, retaliation, and judgment associated with the position. The role of pastor is a tough, stressful and dangerous. It should be the man taking the heat and positioning himself between his wife and the gates of hell. Why? Because women are simply that special! They should be placed on a pedestal rather than in a pulpit dodging bullets!
How do we respond to men who reject this teaching?
If you are a man who would rather his wife takes the heat associated with leadership in the church I would strongly suggest that you man-up! God has clearly told you in His Word that your instinct should be to love your wife like Christ loved the church. If you are content to watch her take the heat in the pulpit as pastor or deacon how can she be sure you will take a literal bullet for her? How would you react if the enemy was about to kill her for preaching the Word? How is she supposed to feel loved if you aren’t willing to step up to the plate and assume your role as the head of the church?
What about women who reject this teaching?
I understand there will be women who stand up and say they don’t need any man to open a door, take a bullet, or preach a sermon for them. They are right. They don’t need a man to do these things. They are more than capable of taking a bullet. I would strongly suspect however that a woman who is unwilling or not ready to accept a man’s protection and sacrifice is not fully prepared to accept Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. I would humbly suggest she re-evaluate her position on this issue. If a woman still can’t accept what the Bible says on this matter, there are denominations and churches out there that will accommodate. I’m not suggesting that a woman pastor is going to hell because of their opinion on this issue. I am suggesting, however, that their husbands should prayerfully examine the issue with some attention to the details.
God Bless!
This blog represents the thoughts, opinions, and work of one imperfect disciple of Christ and his occasional guest posters. It does not express the opinions of any institution, denomination, or local church. I am a graduate student studying the Bible, a writer, and a student of Christ. 
You have lost me on this one! An obvious oversight is that every woman is not called to marry…who is to “man-up” in her stead? The historical context of the scriptures you cited proves that at that time women weren’t educated and were more likely to fall into heretical teachings. This is not true now–in our culture, anyway.
Hi Shelley,
Thank you very much for the comment! Let me address your second point first. You say that the historical context of the Scriptures I cite prove that in some way the women of the time weren’t educated and were more likely to fall into heretical teachings. I am not sure I buy that conclusion entirely. Obviously, as a rule men were more educated than women during that period of history. However, this is never stated as being the reason Paul preferred they didn’t teach. In addition, many of Christ’s followers were uneducated fisherman including Peter who became their leader after Christ’s ascension. This leads me to believe that education couldn’t have been the litmus test for pastoral leadership. Likewise, some of Christ’s most devoted followers were women. In fact, it could be argued from the gospels that his most loyal followers were woman. Thus, loyalty isn’t the justification for eliminating women from pastoral candidacy. In my post I listed several instances of women who were utilized by God to speak His Word … this leads me to believe it isn’t a matter of a woman’s inability to do it.
Having eliminated education, devoutness, or ability as reasons a woman shouldn’t teach a man in church (a point worth noting is that Paul didn’t say a woman couldn’t teach another woman or children, but rather he specifically says a woman should not teach a man) there must be yet an unconsidered option.
Your next question was who should “man-up” in the case of a woman who isn’t married. I framed my post in the context of a man-wife relationship as Scripture often does to explore our relationship with God. Thankfully, within a church environment single woman are fortunate to have brothers in Christ to step up and take the heat. Obviously, amongst the congregation of a church not every man/husband is called to preach.
Thanks so much for your comment! I always enjoy hearing what you have to say!
Paul’s words regarding women not speaking and teaching within the church were in specific response to a problem that had arisen within the church by women who were taken astray by a false teacher. This was an appropriate response considering the position women held during this time. Women were not as respected as they are now and it would have been difficult for a man to follow a woman’s lead even if she were teaching God’s word. This remains true for parts of the world that doesn’t subscribe to Christianity but Christianity was started to be a fluent and constantly applicable religion and not so simply based on archaic rules that serve no purpose in our culture here and now.
Thanks for posting this–you have helped me concrete my thoughts on this topic.
John,
It was not my intention to come across as rude or as a “know it all.” You acuse me of painting a picture that views women as less than men while in my post I explicitly state that women are equal to men and fully capable of handling the role as pastor of a church. You write that I am trying to sound heroic and in a sense I suppose you are correct. Scripture teaches me to love my wife as Christ loved the church … Christ was heroic … so I will admit to an attempt at exhorting men into being the hero in their wives’ lives. Unfortunately, many of us (myself included) fail to meet that standard at times – and that is a shame. You say that my comment regarging Paul’s refusal to allow women to teach men is repulsive … I would suggest that perhaps your problem is with Paul rather than with me. Also, you are correct, my wife does not wear a head covering and if I had a taste for shrimp I would eat it. This is because I am not a Jew and am in no way bound by the day-to-day Mosaic Laws passed down to them. Those Laws were for them. I am a Gentile. A study of the Book of Romans should quickly reveal why I feel no need to avoid shrimp.
Finally, I actually don’t drink scotch because I can’t afford it. I have five children so I am on fairly tight budget. I think you are referring to my “Visions of an Older Me” post and I thank you for taking the time to read it. I will admit to some creative license in the writing of that post as I don’t really drink scotch and, as was pointed out by a close friend, I will never have a British accent.
(For the record, my opinion on alcohol is as follows: Christianity is a religion of temperence. I personally rarely, if ever, drink any more (I had some bad experiences with alcohol in my younger years and would rather not repeat those mistakes). I do not think it is a sin; however, for a Christian to have an occasional drink provided that they practice temperence. I do realize many Christians disagree with me on this issue and I think the “stumbling block principle” introduced by the apostle Paul should be practiced in this arena.)
As I stated in my post, I understand this is a controversial subject and I expect there to be people who disagree with both myself and God’s Word concerning it. I will close with a quote from my original post, “I’m not suggesting that a woman pastor is going to hell because of their opinion on this issue [and] if a [a person] can’t accept what the Bible says on this matter, there are denominations and churches out there that will accommodate.”
Praise the Lord for diversity, right?
Clark
I think one issue people tend to over look is the fact that the scriptures are the Word of God himself, “the word was with God, and the Word was God.” The Word is God therefore, God is forever the same and forever true, so it turn so is the Word. What Paul wrote is not something that was applicable back then but not now because God is forever true and unchanging and the Word is God.
Clark. Thanks very much for your detailed explanation on the subject of woman serving as pastor over the local church. When satan attacked humanity in the Garden of Eden, he did not attack the City, State, Nation, Chruch nor the world. He atacked the family which lead to the first role reversal of men and woman. God, according to scripture created man and woman equal but ordained specific roles for tha man and woman. In short, as goes the family, so goes the Church, Nation and the world. The church is out of order with it divine responsibilty to reach the lost for Christ because the family unity is out of order.