Woman’s Authority or Subordination in 1 Cor. 11:10?
Paul said in 1 Cor. 11:10 that a woman should have “authority on her head.” Whose authority is it?
November 14, 2021
25 Comments
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Category: Equality in Ministry
Did Miriam the prophetess only minister to women?
Miriam is identified as a prophet and leader in the Bible, but some say her ministry was only to women. Was this the case? What does the Bible say?
December 24, 2020
8 Comments
Romans 14 and the Divisive Issue of Women Pastors
Paul’s message in Romans 14 has some relevance to the issue of women ministers, an issue that continues to cause division in some sectors of the church.
August 13, 2020
8 Comments
“Holding Up Half the Sky” by Graham Joseph Hill
I was honoured to write a foreword to Graham Hill’s book “Holding Up Half the Sky” where he presents a biblical case for women leading and teaching in the church. The foreword is in this post.
July 28, 2020
3 Comments
Atto of Vercelli on Female Priests in the Early Church
Atto, bishop of Vercelli in the 900s, saw in church tradition that women had led churches and were presbyters (priests or elders). He did not think this was a bad thing.
June 30, 2020
12 Comments
Chrysostom on 5 Women Church Leaders in the NT
Chrysostom (d. 407) praised Priscilla, Phoebe, Euodia, Syntyche, and Junia. He acknowledged that these women were leading ministers in their churches.
June 10, 2020
6 Comments
“Preaching” words in the NT and the women who preached
When we understand “preaching” words in the way New Testament authors used these words, we see that some New Testament women preached.
February 17, 2020
36 Comments
4 obscure passages sometimes used to diminish women
In this article, I look at 4 passages from the Hebrew Bible (Leviticus 27, Numbers 30, Ecclesiastes 7:28, Isaiah 3:12) which are sometimes used to diminish women.
October 23, 2019
34 Comments
3 reasons why it’s a woman, not all women, in 1 Timothy 2:12
Here are 3 reasons why 1 Timothy 2:12 may be about a particular couple in the Ephesian church and not Paul’s general thoughts on women in ministry.
August 28, 2019
59 Comments
Partnering Together: Paul’s Female Coworkers
Paul included women as ministry partners and used the same ministry terms for his male and female co-workers. He didn’t restricts the ministry of godly and gifted women.
May 1, 2019
11 Comments
1 Corinthians 16:16 applies to women ministers too
In 1 Cor. 16:16, Paul tells the Corinthians to submit themselves to coworkers and labourers. Paul refers to several women by these ministry terms.
November 21, 2018
55 Comments
What Timothy knew about Paul’s theology of ministry
Timothy knew Paul’s views on ministry and it’s unlikely he needed to be reminded of them. 1 Tim. 2:11-15 is not Paul’s general teaching on ministry but something else.
September 11, 2018
16 Comments
“Must manage his own household well” (1 Tim. 3:4-5)
Does 1 Timothy 3:4a (“managing his own household well”) show that men, and not women, are to rule or manage their households? What was the role of the first church overseers and bishops?
June 23, 2018
21 Comments
Junia: The Jewish Woman who was Imprisoned with Paul
This article looks at Junia, a Christian missionary mentioned in Romans 16:7 who was persecuted for her faith and may have known Jesus personally. Was she also known as Joanna?
June 10, 2018
25 Comments
Paul on Gender Roles in Ministry and Marriage
A few verses in Paul’s letters are frequently cited by Christians who exclude women from some ministries. Did Paul really restrict women in either ministry or marriage? This is part 3 of a series on gender roles in the Bible.
June 2, 2018
7 Comments
Jesus on Gender Roles and Gendered Activities
Does Jesus give instructions about gender roles as complementarians understand them? What does Jesus teach and say to women in the Gospels? This is part 2 in a series of gender roles in the Bible.
May 29, 2018
10 Comments
The authority of police officers, ship’s captains, and men
In this post, I respond to how the authority of police officers, etc, is used as an analogy by some Christians to support male-only authority.
May 12, 2018
31 Comments
Lydia of Thyatira: The founding member of the Philippian Church
Lydia of Thyatira (Acts 16:14ff), and women like her, were vital and strategic players at the forefront of the expanding Christian mission.
November 30, 2017
32 Comments
Video Series: Should Women Teach in Church?
Here are four short clever videos which look at 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 and 1 Timothy 2:11-14 and intelligently discuss whether women can teach in church.
February 18, 2017
28 Comments
Were there women elders in New Testament churches?
Three times this past week I’ve been in online conversations where a person has stated that women were not leaders or elders in early churches. Was this really the case?
January 9, 2017
59 Comments
Two Brave Women in 2 Samuel 17
This post is about two brave unnamed women mentioned in 2 Samuel 17 who each risked their lives to help King David’s, and God’s, cause.
June 28, 2016
10 Comments
Qualified for Every Good Work (2 Tim. 2:2; 3:16-17)
A good understanding of scripture is an important qualification for many Christian ministries. 2 Tim. 3:16-17 mentions this qualification and does not exclude women like Priscilla.
January 31, 2016
6 Comments
The Means of Ministry: Gifts, Grace, Faith . . . Gender?
If Paul had meant for only men to be leaders and teachers, why doesn’t he mention this in his lists of ministries in Rom. 12:6-8, 1 Cor. 12:28, and Eph. 4:11?
November 22, 2015
18 Comments
Church cultures that include and exclude women leaders
A poor understanding of church culture in the first century is one reason why some deny that women were leaders in some New Testament churches.
October 25, 2015
21 Comments
Prominent Biblical Scholars on Women in Ministry
Craig Keener, Leon Morris, F.F. Bruce, and many more well-respected biblical scholars can hardly be accused of playing loose with the scriptures, but they all believed that suitably gifted women can be leaders and teachers in the church.
June 30, 2015
116 Comments
Woman Created for Man (1 Cor. 11:9), in a Nutshell
How are we to understand “man was not created for woman, but woman for man”? Does 1 Corinthians 11:9 indicate that service or submission is the role of women and not men?
January 26, 2015
27 Comments
(7) Phoebe: Deacon of the Church in Cenchrea
This is a summary of the previous 6 parts. Paul was not reticent about using the same ministry terms (or titles), including deacon, for both men and women ministers.
November 26, 2014
5 Comments
(1) Phoebe: Deacon of the Church in Cenchrea
Here I look at Paul’s introduction of Phoebe to the church at Rome. I also look at the ministry of certain women in the Gospels, and Tabitha’s ministry in Acts, and compare them with Phoebe’s ministry.
November 12, 2014
7 Comments
My Perspective of Christian Egalitarianism
Some Christians have a mistaken view of our mutuality, or equality, in Christ. In this post, I briefly explain my perspective of Christian Egalitarianism
October 20, 2014
45 Comments
The First Century Church & the Ministry of Women
In this article I provide a brief overview of church life in the first century and I highlight the ministry contributions of women.
October 8, 2014
11 Comments
“Go and work in my vineyard” (Matthew 20:1-16)
In Matthew 20:1-16 Jesus tells the parable of the vineyard workers and points out that there is equality in his kingdom. To those who have so far been sidelined, Jesus says “Go work in my vineyard.”
February 18, 2014
5 Comments
Believing Wives and Female Co-workers of the Apostles
Does Paul refer to wives of apostles or female coworkers of apostles in 1 Corinthians 9:5? Was their role companionship or teaching Christian doctrine?
February 14, 2014
2 Comments
The Apostolic Ministry of Gospel Women
John the Evangelist chose his words carefully when describing the ministry of certain apostolic women in his Gospel, women such as Mary Magdalene. [500 words]
January 18, 2014
8 Comments
Likewise women . . . likewise husbands . . .
Ignoring or highlighting the word “likewise” makes a big difference in how we understand certain New Testament passages that affect women.
November 14, 2013
22 Comments
15 reasons why I support women in church leadership
There are many Bible verses that show women teaching or leading. Here are 15 of them, 15 reasons why I support women in church leadership.
July 28, 2013
24 Comments
Wade Burleson on Christian Leadership in Hebrews 13
In this post I link to a video where Wade Burleson explains that there is no Greek word for “over” in the verses about church leaders in Hebrews chapter 13.
July 22, 2013
4 Comments
“Busy at Home”: How does Titus 2:4–5 apply today?
What are the timeless principles in Paul’s instruction in Titus 2:4-5? Why did he want the young wives at Crete to be workers (or keepers) at home?
June 11, 2013
47 Comments
1 Timothy 2:12 in Context (1): Introduction
This 5-part series takes a close look at 1 Timothy 2:12, at what it does and doesn’t say, as well as providing some cultural context. Part 1 looks at the pitfalls of using 1 Timothy 2:12 as a proof text.
April 17, 2013
7 Comments
1 Timothy 2:12 in Context (3): The Heresy in Ephesus
Paul’s main purpose for writing First Timothy was to address the heresy in the Ephesian Church, possibly a precursor to Gnosticism.
April 17, 2013
10 Comments
1 Timothy 2:12 in Context (4): Phrase by Phrase
In Part 4 we begin looking at 1 Timothy 2:11-15, verse by verse, phrase by phrase.
April 17, 2013
23 Comments
1 Timothy 2:12 in Context (5): Eve’s Creation and Salvation
Why are Adam and Eve mentioned immediately after Paul’s prohibition in 1 Timothy 2:12? What does Paul mean by salvation and childbirth in 1 Timothy 2:15?
April 17, 2013
22 Comments
Who will roll away the stone?
Mary Magdalene and some other women knew a large stone had been rolled in front of the entrance to the tomb where Jesus’ body had been laid. They went to the tomb anyway. [300 words]
April 1, 2013
2 Comments
Equality and Unity in Ministry: 1 Corinthians 12
In this article, I look at Paul’s statements of equality and unity in ministry from 1 Corinthians chapter 12, including his instruction to give more honour to those lacking it.
March 30, 2013
No Comments
A Collection of Articles on the Male Priesthood & Women Ministers
Here are links to several articles that look at arguments related to the idea of a male-only priesthood, arguments that keep women out of church leadership.
March 25, 2013
4 Comments
Ten Reasons Why Men Should Not Be Pastors
According to the late Dr David M. Scholer, a former New Testament professor at Fuller, here are the top ten reasons men should not be ordained as ministers.
March 22, 2013
13 Comments
Michael Bird on inconsistent complementarian attitudes to women teachers
In this post I quote Michael Bird who notes discrepancies between the ideology and practice of some complementarians regarding women teaching men.
February 1, 2013
18 Comments
A Critique of John Dickson’s “Hearing Her Voice”
In his 2012 book “Hearing Her Voice,” scholar and minister John Dickson argues that women can preach, exhort, exposit Scripture, prophecy, pray, etc, in church.
January 16, 2013
9 Comments
Gender Roles and Speaking Ministries in the Church
Does the New Testament teach that men and women have different roles in the church Are some ministries too important for women?
January 12, 2013
5 Comments
A Critique of Kathy Keller’s “Jesus, Justice and Gender Roles”
Kathy Keller argues that women are prohibited from just one kind of speaking ministry and from holding one kind of position in the church.
January 6, 2013
28 Comments
Authority in the Church
Many Christians are concerned with who has authority in the church and about whether a woman can have authority over a man. Who has authority in the church?
December 3, 2012
66 Comments
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