May Women Be Leaders in The Church?

Posted on by Tony Kafka

Women as Church Leaders
May women serve in leadership in the church? Many teach and hold the conviction that women cannot be church leaders because of two passages that place limitations on the activity of women in a church setting. Here are my “CliffsNotes” on this question.

Here are seven possible roles of women in the New Testament Church.

  1. Prophet (Acts 21:9; Acts 2:17-18; 1 Corinthians 11:5)
  2. Co-workers of an evangelist (Philippians 4:2-3 Euodia & Syntyche); (Romans 16:3-4 Priscilla); (Romans 16:12 Tryphena and Tryphosa, and Persis, women who have worked very hard in the Lord)
  3. Host/Co-Host of a house church (Romans 16:3-5 with Priscilla and Aquila, the wife is always mentioned first.)
  4. Prophet who prophesies and prays aloud in a meeting of the church (1 Corinthians 11:5)
  5. Apostle (Romans 16:7 Junias)
  6. Teacher of an adult male (Acts 18:26 Priscilla)
  7. Deacon or Leader (Romans 16:1-2 Phoebe, various translations including deacon, minister, leader, ruler, and benefactor)

New Testament Words Describing Leadership
On the day of Pentecost when the church started, Peter (inspired by the Spirit of God) cast the vision that the followers of Jesus Christ would be gifted regardless of gender. This is recorded in Acts 2:17-18 (NIV), “this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy…’” (Peter connects this prophecy of Joel (Joel 2:28-32) and establishes the clear teaching that all followers are gifted without distinction of gender or age.) This vision reverberates throughout the New Testament, summarized in Galatians 3:28 NIV, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Paul emphasizes that all have the same standing as children of God through faith. Limitations to this equality describe exceptions not the rule.

One rationale to limit women in leadership comes from the silence of the Scriptures, that women are not directly addressed or commanded to be elder-leaders, therefore they are prohibited from leading as elders. This approach to interpretation would prohibit most practices of churches that are not addressed specifically. For example, is a church not allowed to own a building since that is not specifically commanded?

Words That Describe Leadership in the New Testament
Here are a few passages that describe leadership (with the Greek source words in italics) to illustrate the spectrum of leadership functions in the New Testament. We will see that these can apply equally to men and women.

  1. Acts 20:17, 28 NIV From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders (presbyteros) of the church. …Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers (episkopos). Be shepherds (poimen)  of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.
  2. 1 Timothy 5:17 NIV The elders who direct the affairs (prohistemi) of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.
  3. Romans 16:2b NIV for she has been the benefactor (prostatis) of many people, including me. [See also these translations: RSV for she has been a helper of many and of myself as well; KJV for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also; YLT Young’s Literal Translation for she also became a leader of many, and of myself.]

Note: The two passages above in point 3 use two related Greek words: prostatis which is from prohistemi the leadership word in 1 Timothy 5:17. In Greek lexicons (Greek to English dictionaries) this word in Romans 16 describes a woman who is anything from a protectress, patroness, helper, “a women set over others”. This is a female guardian, protectress, patroness, caring for the affairs of others and aiding them with her resources. We should note the connection.

This is the “CliffsNotes”, just a sample of the range of leadership roles and giftedness of women in the New Testament. From these we begin to see that women are leaders in the church. Through the centuries various movements and denominations have created offices and positions using Bible words creating the impression that strict categories exist that actually are a spectrum of giftedness by the Spirit of God. Churches are free to divide up leadership responsibilities but should be careful to not disqualify followers of Christ from exercising their leadership gifts in ways that the scriptures do not limit.

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