Before we proceed in our study to more detailed discussion sof women’s ministry in the church, we are going to consider briefly God’s order as revealed in Eden, before the fall. In this we discover an equal partnership, as co-regents of creation, yet in divine order and function.
Adam was created first, and took the place of responsibility and headship in the relationship. The woman, created from the side of Adam (indicating that she was to stand alongside him, not under him!), was formed as the helpmate, companion, a suitable counterpart and completing partner of her husband (Genesis 2:18).
There is no indication at all of inequality in this relationship and the scriptural description of this primary couple. There is however a divine order and clear roles which they were to respectively fill in order to fully represent their Creator, and establish His Kingdom on the earth.
Interestingly, until after the fall, both were called ‘Adam’ (meaning simply mankind), Adam himself named his wife Eve, meaning mother of all living, after the fall.
“God said, Let Us [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] make mankind (adam) in Our image, after Our likeness, and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the [tame] beasts, and over all of the earth, and over everything that creeps upon the earth. So God created man (adam) in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them. ” (Genesis 1:26-27 AMP)
This complimentary couple, who together were the full image of God in the earth, shared the same name, the same image, the same call and mandate, the same command to rule and subdue, yet both had their respective place of priority and order within the relationship.
Adam was created first, and held the place of responsibility to protect, provide, lead and nourish his wife. The man is the head, whilst the woman is like the heart of the relationship. If either is missing or out of order, the whole body ceases to function. The head is no more important than the heart, nor is the heart able to function without the head. Both are equally important and vital, yet have distinctive functions.
Eve was Adam’s aid and helpmate. She was created to help, surround, protect and succour the man. Indeed. this is still a powerful place of ministry today, and we must never belittle the anointed role of women as wife and mother. These areas of responsibility are of great significance – many great men would not have been so great if it were not for anointed praying wives or mothers!
Ministry is not just from a pulpit, but flows in every aspect of our life, and our call as a wife is no less significant than our call as a preacher or an apostle!
The fact that the woman was created for the man (1 Cor 11:1-16) did not imply a position of subordination, but rather of co-equality, with each having distinctive functions within the harmony of relationship.
This was the divine order of relationship in creation, and this creates the backdrop for all that follows.
Next time we will look at Women’s ministry in the Old Testament.
Your ideas, comments and insights are welcomed. Also check out our previous post here…
Want to know more? Check out our lesson from the Spirit Life Bible School for a full teaching from the Scriptures concerning ‘Women in Ministry’
Read The series:
What does the Bible say about women’s ministry
Women’s Ministry in the Old Testament
Women’s Ministry in the New Testament
This is a most interesting topic to be sure.
However, I believe there is some spiritual foundation for the Pauline Letters and it was addressed very clearly in this post. Shaun Prinsloo also covered the importance of historical context in his comments in the previous post.
Here in the U.S, the Episcopalian Church has fractured big-time over the ordination of gays. Church boards are arguing over whether to continue investments in Israel’s future and businesses because of the ‘Big Lie’ over a make-believe nation known as Palestine and the propaganda to demonize the Jews. It seems now there is some confusion regarding a woman’s role in the Body today. Are we talking ministry overall or Leadership?
If we take the historical foundations of God’s plan from the Garden and throughout the Old Testament, womens’ roles were very profound, both positively and negatively. Eve was tempted and deceived by the age-old question that plagues us, especially in today’s PC (Politically Correct) world. “Yea, hath God said…?” (The serpent). Further on, we hear Eve’s defense, “And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.” We know the curse she brought on to women throughout the ages. To Adam, Gen 3:17 “And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife,, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; ”
The earth (land) itself was cursed. Eve was deceived by a half-truth, Gen 3:3 “But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.” Notice Adam was judged because he failed to make it crystal clear to Eve the boundaries/limits. She was not prepared for a proper defense. Just as Jesus was tempted by Satan after his 40 days of fast in the desert; He only countered with scripture, which Satan was quite familiar with as well.
In the rest of the Old Testament, women played important roles…like destroying the personification of evil (and I cannot recall the woman who pushed the rock onto the head of her people’s enemy as an example to cite.) But, for the most part it was the obedience of the women of faith that were responsible for the continuation and blessings that led to the blood-line of Jesus.
My point (finally?!) is that it is quite clear to me that with the leadership role comes great responsibilities. Men are the designated “head.” I believe I am going to be accountable for not only my wife’s and children’s welfare here – I am responsible for their spiritual growth and protection. (As clearly as was Adam.) My wife should take some comfort in the indication that she is NOT as spiritually bound to the responsibility and accountability it seems God holds a man to. (see Job).
I believe it is better served as a woman to be that support. Many churches survive and thrive because of the quiet prayers uttered by the matrons of the body. Why would a woman want to assume the added burden and spiritual accountability of being in a main pastoral position? I am led to believe it is counter to the divine hierarchy.
Sexist pig I may seem, I have found in my experience that men in the pulpit is ‘as it should be.’ The strength, comfort and power when an anointed man of God is at the helm is undeniably powerful. When we look at the history of revivals or profound church growth, they are headed by men. The only woman of great influence I recall in the past century was Aimee Semple McPherson and she hardly ended in lasting influence. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aimee_Semple_McPherson)
I am not categorically denying the presence of some very powerful women of faith. I am just suggesting that perhaps their most influential role is far from a pulpit and administration of a church body. Do we need to strive for the PC response in the drive for equality in all things?
I think you make a good point here Al, and we can sometimes be deceived into bowing to a modernistic Politically Correct stance on matters that the Bible lays out clear guidelines concerning that run contrary to humanistic wisdom or preference. I too believe that the male is called into roles of ‘headship’ and is generally the primary leader – this does not however exclude women from strong active pulpit ministry. Throughout revival history women take the pioneering role very often. You mentioned Amy Semple McPherson for example, we also can read about Marie Woodworth-Etter, Kathyrn Kuhlman or in more recent years Jackie Pullinger. I personally love to hear about the Booths, the founders of the Salvation Army, where William and Cathryn stood side by side in active powerful ministry, complimenting and completing one another as God used them to influence whole nations.
It is an important point to make however that women are scripturally called in supportive, completing roles bringing fullness to the man, and we must be careful not to allow feministic bias to discolour our picture of the honourability of such a role. Equally, I believe according to Ephesians 5:26-27 that part of loving our wife as Christ loves the church is, as you say, taking the responsibility as the head of the home, to promote and bring our wife to fulness in her giftings and anointing in Christ. This may be in any area of ministry.
Again, I love to look at powerful teaching ministries such as Joyce Meyer or Marilyn Hickey. In these ministries the husband is still the head of their personal relationship, yet plays a supportive role in the outworking of Christ’s gift of teaching and preaching in the lives of their spouses. It takes a very secure man to stand in that position and not be intimidated.
I am so glad you brought up the need to recognise Biblically defined roles Al – it is something we sometimes shy away from for fear of being misunderstood, and no, to do so does not mean someone is sexist!
In addressing the issue of women in Ministry with regard to Paul’s instructions, it is good to consider the context in
which Paul was writting to the church at Corinth.
In the particular passage of 1st Corinthians 14 it is apparent that the ongoings in the church then were that the corinthians
were desired and put to practice Spiritual gifts that came with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Paul took issue not only about women speaking in church but also the use of gifts. He admonished that the gifts should be
used in a manner that builds up the church especially with regard to speaking in tongues and prophecy.
In verse 20 it is apparent that there lacked maturity in the manner in which the church then conducted its affairs which
led to disorganization. It is also apparent that the approach of women then to the new found freedom in Christ was
being abused and contrary to the need for submission of women to their husbands. Remember that women in the
customs then held a lowly position and so when freedom in Christ for all was introduced, it may have been taken as a
license to overlook the need for submission and order both in the church and the home.
As Paul says that God is not a God of disorder but of peace, I believe it is the same today. God has placed the principle of
authority and order in the church and in the family. The church members should submit to the authority in the church but
that does not mean they can not serve. If one seeks to serve in defiance to the order and the authority in the chucrh
that would not be acceptable. I believe the same is applicable in the home. Women can and should engage in ministry as
long as they realize that this requires that they maintain healthy relationships with all those around them –co workers in
Christ, spouses and family.
The Bible permits women to serve. In 1 Cor 7:34, an unmarried woman is said to be concerned about the Lord’s affairs
and devoted to the Lord.
The Bible both in new and old testament gives an account of women who served the Lord and were commended for that.
So women, lets get out there and serve the Lord in the strength and the Grace he has given us.
Christine Chesaro
Christine, you bring out some great points here. As we position ourselves according to God’s order we become so much more effective. In fact, I wholeheartedly believe that our proper alignment in our home and private affairs is a key part of our public ministry success. God bless you Christine, and thanks again for taking time to share your thoughts on a subject you have obviously given much thought and study to.
Dear DAVID
I havn’t had time to read through all the articles.However I strongly feel we have a lot to benefit from committed women in the preaching of the Gospel of God.
pk sachinda
Thanks for your comment, I share your feelings concerning the value of women’s ministry in the church.
Mariam Iddrisu sent the following comment to me by email which I post here for your interest. Thanks Mariam
“This is a great question, But I sugest that Women in Ministry contribute a lot to improve spread the work of God. as we always say, when a woman is well educated definitely the children of that woman will never be illiterate.
So as women in Ministry. Women are doing very well nowadays in the work of God. Our dreams as believers is to win souls to christ and our mothers are doing very well this days.
I pray that God should give me strenght to preach the Gospel to the whole world infact that is my dream.
I want to preach like Joyce Mayer and Paula White!
Thank you for given this opportunity.”