Women pastors—what does the Bible say?

what does the bible say?

The Bible reveals that God values women. Women and men were both created in God’s image, called to reflect Him to the world. Still, God created men and women differently, with different roles, specifically in the church and in the family. God’s order and design in creation, as well as the events of the fall, impact spiritual leadership in the church and in the family (Ephesians 5:22–33). As a result, women are not to teach or have spiritual authority over men. This means that in the church, women cannot serve as teaching elders or pastors over men; however, women are valuable parts of the church. Each woman has God-given gifts meant to glorify God and build up the church, and women can serve in countless other ways, such as teaching other women, discipling children, leading ministries, organizing outreach, and using their spiritual gifts to strengthen and build up the church. From Old Testament leaders like Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah to New Testament servants like Priscilla and Phoebe, it is clear that God has consistently entrusted women with vital and impactful roles that honor Him and advance His mission, even within the boundaries of His design for leadership.

from the old testament

• The topic of women pastors is discussed in the New Testament; however, the Old Testament provides important background by showing that God often called and empowered women for significant spiritual leadership. Miriam served as a prophet who led Israel in worship (Exodus 15:20–21). Deborah acted as both a prophet and a judge, giving God’s guidance to the nation and leading His people with authority (Judges 4:4–5). Huldah delivered God’s word to King Josiah and confirmed the truth of the rediscovered Law (2 Kings 22:14–20). These examples reveal that God entrusted women with public ministry and spiritual influence long before the church was established, though there were still limits. Women could not serve as priests, a role reserved for men from the tribe of Levi (Exodus 28:1; Numbers 3:10).

from the new testament

• The key passage on the women pastors issue is 1 Timothy 2:11–12, which reads, “Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.” At its face, this passage is abundantly clear. Paul restricts women from teaching or having spiritual authority over men. While it is not explicitly laid out in the text, the focus seems to be on the concept of pastoring/shepherding. A pastor’s duties are primarily teaching and leading. It is this shepherding role over men that God, through Paul, restricts to men.
• Neither education, culture, nor marriage are the reason for the restriction on women in 1 Timothy 2:11–12. First Timothy 2:13–14 tells us the reason for this restriction: “For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived.” The order of creation and the nature of the fall impacts spiritual leadership in the church and in the family (Ephesians 5:22–33). Women are not to teach or have spiritual authority over men because women were created to be “helpers” to men and because Eve was deceived into sin. Through creation, and because of the fall, God has chosen to give men the primary teaching authority in the church and in the family.

implications for today

There are several lines of argument against the interpretation of the women pastors issue in 1 Timothy 2:11–12:

• Point 1: Women were uneducated at that time, and therefore not qualified to be teachers. The passage nowhere mentions education. Education is not mentioned as a qualification for church leadership in 1 Timothy 3:1–13 or Titus 1:6–9. If education were a requirement, few, if any, of Jesus’s disciples would have been qualified.
• Point 2: Paul was only dealing with Artemis worship at Timothy’s church in Ephesus. The context, and all of 1 Timothy for that matter, nowhere mentions Artemis or the prominence of women in the worship of Artemis. If there was a problem with women usurping authority over men in the church in Ephesus, Paul would have addressed it directly.
• Point 3: Paul is referring to husbands and wives, not men and women. Wives are not to teach or have authority over their husbands. The Greek words could refer to husbands and wives, but the context indicates otherwise. Are only husbands to lift up holy hands in prayer? Are only wives to dress modestly (1 Timothy 2:8–10)? The immediate context indicates that men and women in general are the subject, not husbands and wives exclusively.
• Point 4: There are women in the Bible who served in ways that contradict this interpretation of 1 Timothy 2:11–12. Miriam, Deborah, Huldah, Priscilla, and Phoebe are the most commonly given examples. Ultimately, Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah are meaningless to the issue, as Paul is addressing leadership in the church. Leadership in Old Covenant Israel is not the subject at hand. In regards to Priscilla and Phoebe, the New Testament nowhere describes them serving in a way that contradicts 1 Timothy 2:11–12. Priscilla, with her husb and Aquila, discipled Apollos in their home (Acts 18:26). Phoebe is simply identified as a servant/deaconess of the church (Romans 16:1).
• Point 5: Galatians 3:28 says that men and women are equal in God’s eyes. Men and women are absolutely equal in God’s eyes, but that is not the issue. The subject of Galatians 3:28 is equality in Christ, equal access to the salvation Christ offers. Men and women, Jews and Gentiles, slave and free are absolutely equal in this context. Church leadership is not the subject of Galatians 3:28. Further, we cannot take one verse and use it to cancel out another verse. Both Galatians 3:28 and 1 Timothy 2:11–12 are absolutely true. They do not contradict each other. What exactly are women restricted from doing? Women are not to serve in any role which involves the authoritative spiritual teaching of men. By this definition, the role of teaching pastor/shepherd is reserved for men. Rather than focusing on what ministries women are restricted from, the focus should be on the multitude of ways God calls and gifts women to serve. Women are nowhere restricted from proclaiming the gospel to the lost (Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15). Women are encouraged to teach other women (Titus 2:3–5). Women are nowhere restricted from teaching children. Women seem to excel, far beyond men, in some of the spiritual gifts and fruits of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12; Galatians 5:22–23). Women being restricted from spiritual teaching authority over men is not a punishment. Rather, it is a gift and a call to steward the ministries, skills, and gifts God has blessed women with.

Recap

understand

• Women are equal in value to men but have distinct roles.
• Women are commanded not to have spiritual authority over men due to God’s order and design at creation and Eve’s sin.
• Women pastors are not biblical, yet women can serve, teach, disciple, and lead in many other ways.

reflect

• In what ways are you challenged or encouraged by the limitations God sets on women’s roles in the church and in the family?
• How are you using your God-given gifts to serve and build up the church within the roles God has assigned to you?
• How do you reconcile God’s equal value of men and women with the specific leadership roles outlined in the Bible?

engage

• How does understanding God’s design for men and women in leadership shape the way we structure ministry in the church?
• What are practical ways women can exercise spiritual influence and mentorship without assuming the teaching authority over men?
• How do Old and New Testament examples of female leadership inspire or challenge our perspective on women’s roles in ministry today?