Are There Roles For Women In The Church?
Women are struggling to know where they belong in the Church. A chorus of voices is encouraging them to seek out, even demand, the same roles that men have. Another group, however, demands that women stand aside and let the men handle everything except cooking and babies. So, who’s correct? Are there roles for women in the Church, and if so, what are they?
Roles Of Women In The Church Started At The Beginning
In order to understand the roles of women in the Church, we need to consider how it all got started. God created man and woman in such a way that how the two should relate to one another and work together is obvious. Of course, sin has clouded our understanding. Ladies, we are rebellious creatures who simply don’t want to be told what we can and cannot do. Yet, God has done just that. And the whole thing starts in Genesis.
As most people know, God created Adam first…out of dirt (Genesis 2:7).
What about woman? Well, she’s the result of the first surgery if we get technical about it. God put Adam into a deep sleep, took one of his ribs, and then He created Eve (Genesis 2:21-22). If you’re a romantic like me, you might find this rather swoon-worthy.
Same Yet Different
Adam had no one to be his partner and true companion in life, and God handcrafted Eve from Adam’s very body to fulfill Adam’s need. Talk about being one flesh (Genesis 2:24)! But if Eve was created second and literally made from part of him, then doesn’t Scripture support the idea that women are inferior to men?
Absolutely not! The first chapter of Genesis clearly states the equality of men and women in God’s sight.
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
Genesis 1:27
I refer to this verse often because it is foundational to so much of the truth our world is tossing aside. God created man and woman. They are two separate and distinct creations, though they are both made in His image. It makes no sense that God would treat one of His image bearers as a second-class citizen. On the other hand, that doesn’t make them identical, either.
Consider how God made Eve. He took part of Adam away to form Eve. Did God have to do that? Of course not! He could have just spoken to create her, but He chose this very personal method instead. It is a beautiful picture of being one flesh as I already said, but it’s also a picture of how the woman complements the man. Adam was literally down a body part, and Eve was the missing part.
It’s not literal outside of those two, but the object lesson continues to apply.
The Helper
Before God created Eve, He said it wasn’t good for Adam to be alone, and He would make a helper for him.
“And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.”
Genesis 2:18
Although women tend to push against the idea of being man’s helper, the Bible is crystal clear here. She’s his helper. That doesn’t mean a man can’t help a woman. My husband, because he loves me, pitches in and takes notice when I’m struggling so he can bless me in some way. That might include household chores, taking the kids out for a couple of hours, or just listening to me process out loud with the many words swirling in my mind. Helping, though, is not his created purpose. It’s mine.
On the flip side, this doesn’t mean a woman can’t or shouldn’t have her own interests, hobbies, and personal identity. I’m a Christian, wife, and mother. Yes. But I’m also a woman with interests, passions, and talents that extend beyond that. Those don’t supersede my identity in Christ, but they are a part of who I am.
The Helper Isn’t An Inferior Position
I wonder why women look at being a helper in such a negative light. We actually find the spiritual gift of helps in 1 Corinthians 12:28. And how many of us have been on the receiving end of someone utilizing that gift and thought, “Wow, what an inferior role to play in the body of Christ?” Literally no one.
Whether your Bible calls woman a “help meet,” helper fit,” or helper suitable,” the meaning remains the same. “Help meet” comes from two words in Hebrew, ezer kenegdo. Ezer translates to “help,” and it is used in reference to God as our helper every other time we come across it in the Word.
“Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield.”
Psalm 33:20
“But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O Lord, make no tarrying.”
Psalm 70:5
“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.”
Psalm 121:1-2
“And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him from his enemies.”
Deuteronomy 33:7
You can find ezer used in Exodus 18:4, Deuteronomy 33:26, Psalm 115:9-11, Psalm 124:8, and Psalm 146:5, as well.
Woman Made For Man
I recently discussed misogyny in the Church, and the next verse will send the “Christian feminists” into a tailspin. But the text is plain.
“For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.”
1 Corinthians 11:8-9
Well, our role is clear, and that’s a relief. I don’t have to be more than God created me to be. He designed me to serve Him through my life in various ways that are different from my husband’s service. And I can be confident in the knowledge of who I am when standing beside my husband. His helper.
I’ve heard my husband say several times throughout our marriage that he couldn’t do what he does if I wasn’t doing what I do. I feel exactly the same about him. We are a team, but a team in which everyone plays the same position could never function. We need to work together while taking on our unique roles and responsibilities.
Roles For Women In The Church
So, what does any of this have to do with roles for women in the Church. So far, all we’ve looked at is marriage. It is my belief, and that of many others throughout history, that the marital relationship is mirrored in the Church to some extent. If God intended for women to be spiritual leaders in the Church, why would He not set up their leadership at home? Creation and the home are solid places to start when thinking about women in the Church, but the New Testament has something a lot to say, as well.
Jesus’ Ministry
The Church wasn’t established while Jesus ministered. We can read about the early Church’s start in the Book of Acts. However, we get hints of how the Church would function in the future during Jesus’ ministry. In Matthew 10:2-4, we see the names of the twelve disciples with whom Jesus chose to work most closely. These individuals were given special authority to do great works in Jesus’ name such as casting out unclean spirits and healing the sick. There were certainly women among Jesus’ followers, but those disciples with special authority were all men.
This, at the very least, suggests that men are to have spiritual authority and leadership roles rather than women. However, it isn’t enough to definitively say so. We must ask ourselves what more the Bible says about the roles of women in the Church?
God’s Word
In John 14, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would come and teach believers everything they need to know.
“These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
John 14:25-26
The Comforter arrived, and the Church was founded in Acts 2. That same Holy Spirit is who inspired the New Testament writers (2 Timothy 3:16). The instructions we find about the Church are not some guy’s idea. They are God’s instructions for the Church written by chosen men. So, as we move forward, it is essential to remember that the Bible wasn’t written by men looking to exert dominance over women. Rather, we are reading God’s Word.
Church Leadership
According to Scripture, there are two offices: elder/bishop/pastor (Acts 14:23) and deacon (1 Timothy 3:8-13). As it stands, both offices in the Church are for men only.
If we look back at Genesis, this shouldn’t be a shock or offense. Men and women have roles that we can see from creation. Woman is the ezer kenegdo, created to help man. Man is the leader in need of his help meet. It only makes sense that this order would follow in the Church, as well.
But we don’t have to turn to Genesis to see the relationship between men and women to know who should lead in the Church. God instructs directly on that issue in the New Testament.
Pastors
The qualifications for pastors can be found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7. It’s worth noting that of those seven verses, six refer to “he,” “husband,” “man,” or “his.” Two of the verses are particularly clear about pastors being men.
“This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;”
1 Timothy 3:1-2
Deacons
Deacons have a set of qualifications listed directly after pastors in 1 Timothy 3:8-13. The list is similar to the pastoral qualifications in that it also specifies the office is to be held by men.
“Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.”
1 Timothy 3:11-12
With such clear instructions for churches, why do women still pursue these positions? More concerning, why do so many churches welcome female leadership in male positions? Generally speaking, it’s because women (and churches) are in rebellion and have bought into the lie that women and men have the same roles in the Church. They’ve bought into the idea that Christianity has historically been misogynistic, and they are attempting to “make it right.”
Women Should Never Speak, Right?
The passage that every Christian woman has had hurled at her at some point is 1 Timothy 2:11-12.
“Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.”
1 Timothy 2:11-12
For many women, these are the verses that have been used as a weapon to silence them in all circumstances. “Just sit quietly, look pretty, and keep the kids under control.” Context is key, though. The takeaway is that women are not supposed to hold authority over a man. Specifically, we’re discussing the church context of spiritual authority. For instance, if I’m teaching a group of ladies about the roles of women in the Church, then I’m not out of bounds. On the other hand, if the pastor came into our class, then he’s the authority, and I need to step back.
What Can Women Do?
There’s a lie about women that claims all we can do is cook and care for babies. I enjoy cooking, and babies make my heart feel like it’s going to burst out of my chest…they’re so cute! Women can do more than those two things, though, and still be in God’s will.
1. Pray
Some of the fiercest prayer warriors I’ve ever met have been women. I suspect it’s because women like to talk so much. Oh, relax. I’m kidding…unless it’s true.
All believers are supposed to pray. It’s part of our relationship with the Lord, and prayer allows us to have constant communication with Him. It doesn’t matter where we are, we can access Him through prayer. As a quick example, we see men and women praying together “in one accord” after the Ascension in the upper room.
“And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.”
Acts 1:13-14
2. Study
After Peter’s sermon at Pentecost, about three thousand people were saved. We have every reason to believe those who came to know the Lord were men and women. One of the first things we learn about these new believers is that they were learning doctrine from the apostles.
“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
Acts 2:42
We don’t need to learn from apostles today because we have all the teaching we need available in God’s Holy Word. So, there’s no excuse. We can study and learn His Word well enough to stand firm for Him in this ever ungodly world. We don’t have to be empty-headed simply because we’re not the spiritual leaders in our churches.
3. Give
In the same section of Scripture, the believers from Pentecost cheerfully gave to one another to meet each other’s needs. They lived with an open hand and in cooperation with one another, treating their possessions as temporary things in light of eternity.
“And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.”
Acts 2:45
There is mention again of giving later in the Bible.
“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
2 Corinthians 9:7
As a church member and sister in Christ, there are plenty of opportunities to give for Christ’s sake.
4. Practical Helps
One of the more notable people from the Bible known for practical helps is Pheobe. Paul called attention to Pheobe and her works for the Church as he closed out Romans.
“I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.”
Romans 16:1-2
Paul entrusted her with delivering the letter to the Romans. That might not seem like much more than being a mail carrier, but the seriousness of the task was immense. This was the Word of God, and the churches were longing to see what Paul had to say next. Not to mention, it’s not as if Paul could print a new letter out or send a copy via email if something happened to the one she carried.
We can do more than deliver a letter, though. Women can do secretarial duties, work with finances, counsel other women, counsel couples alongside their husbands, teach women and children, participate in music ministry, decorate the church, caretake the building, volunteer in nursery, practice hospitality at home and at church, take part in outreach programs, etc.
Don’t forget there are also practical helps regarding relationships. There are people in our churches who don’t have a mother, sister, grandmother, or daughter. We can be that person for them with phone calls, cards, coffee dates, and fellowship. Sometimes the best practical help we can offer a sister in Christ is friendship.
5. Teach
As I already clarified, biblically, women should not be teaching in groups of men and women. That does not translate to women and children, though. If your spiritual gift is teaching, there are places for you to utilize that gift. Moreover, be a mentor for a woman who needs guidance in her walk. She might not ask for you to do that, though, so be willing to offer if you see the need.
6. Evangelize
I’m not sure when it happened, but somewhere along the way Christians started leaving the evangelism to the pastor. Although he should be sharing the gospel throughout the week, he isn’t the only one. All believers are called to share the good news in the Great Commission. Before the Ascension, Jesus commanded His followers (that’s you and me, too) to make disciples and teach them His commandments (Matthew 28:18-20).
Don’t be scared away from witnessing because you aren’t biblically qualified to be a pastor. The Great Commission is not for pastors. It’s for all believers.
Final Thought
Given the culture in which we live, it’s not a surprise that we can find ourselves offended when the Church tells us there are some things we can’t do…even if we think we would be good at them. God didn’t make these roles for men and women to hurt us. He knows us best and what is best for His Church, and we should be ashamed if we think we can do better than His design.
God’s not necessarily telling you that you don’t have the intelligence or ability to fulfill certain roles in the Church. He’s simply saying, “no.” Christian, it’s our job to obey. Accept the roles He has made especially for you, and rejoice in knowing everything you do in obedience to Him brings Him glory.
What other roles do you think there are for women on the Church?
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