Let Women Lead When Necessary
If there are no righteous men leaders available, "Let Women LEAD!"
"In Christ... there is neither male nor female" (Gal. 43:26-28).
Query: Can a woman be a minister, a pastor, a prophet, or an evangelist?
The Holy Spirit says, "These are the Last Days of America." God will use every available vessel He can find for the final harvest of souls! This includes women, perhaps especially as evangelists spreading the Word across a hungry and ripe-for-harvest nation! Today, let's delve into the Bible to explore this important and timely subject.
Josiah became king of Judah when he was only eight years of age (II Ki. 22:1). When he was 26 years old, the high priest, Hilkiah, found the book of the law, which had apparently been stored away in some closet in the Temple for years (v. 8). As the priest began reading the law to Josiah, the king started tearing his clothes (a sign of repentance and disgust at great sin: v. 11). Then the king asked the priest to "inquire of the Lord" to see what God had to say about Israel's miserable failure to keep His law in II Kings 22:13:
"Inquire of the Lord for me... So Hilkiah the priest... went to Huldah the prophetess... and they communed with her." Prophets and Prophetesses listen to the Voice of God and Jesus, and their gender is irrelevant, as the nation's Judge Deborah has written (Judges 4:4-14). It does NOT matter if it is male or female who speaks the ORACLES OF GOD, as it is God Almighty speaking through them!
The High Priest inquiring of the Lord for a king would go first to a woman prophetess instead of a man, which likely means that she was the leader of the prophets at that time or at least the leader in that vicinity. This verse inspires a study on women's ministry, as revealed in the Bible.
There has been much debate concerning women's ministry in today's church. Several verses in the New Testament have been interpreted to mean that women cannot hold leadership roles in the church, cannot teach men, and are not eligible for pastoral positions.
If women leaders listen to the Voice of Jesus, they are qualified to be a leader as Jesus is actually their leader through their spirit.
Charismatic and Pentecostal churches historically have not taken this position, but many evangelical churches do. I believe that women may have very significant leadership roles in the body of Christ, from prophesying to pastoring or evangelizing, if they are truly listening to the Voice of Jesus and are led by the Holy Spirit.
The High Priest went to a woman prophetess to see what the Lord was saying to His people. Why? Because she was the one most in touch with God at that time! If you want to hear from God, do you want to go to someone who is a clown, but wears pants, one who is not faithful in leadership, or a spiritually-minded, wise female in a skirt?
Let's look at the verses used to argue against women in leadership in the church first, and then we'll see what the preponderance of other Scriptures teaches. The Scripture used most to argue against women in ministry is 1Timothy 2:11: "A woman should learn in silence with complete submission. 12 I do not allow a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; instead, she is to be silent. 13 For Adam was created first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, BUT THE WOMAN WAS DECEIVED and transgressed.
The Scriptural requirements for Church leadership are strictly limited to qualified righteous men and women who are qualified.
Women have brains with multiple hemispheric neuron connections, they contain more white matter brain cells, and men have brains containing more gray matter cells...
In 1Timothy 2:12, Apostle Paul states that he does not permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man. However, there are also instances in his letters where he acknowledges and commends women in leadership roles.
1Timothy 2:11 "A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was NOT the one DECEIVED; it was the WOMAN who was DECEIVED and became a sinner." Women leaders MUST PRAY fervently, they speak the ORACLES OF GOD to those they are in authority over!
Women statistically talk more daily than men and emotionally speak more to reconcile their (spiritual) "feelings." Men are lacking the neurological hemisphere brain cell connections that women have designed into their brains. Men must either learn to pray almost continuously to God through Jesus or they go bad or mad ("Pray without ceasing" 1Thessalonians 5:17). Men are designed by God to continuously pray more than women who substitute speaking words to others, and as a result the leadership of righteous men must learn to speak words from the Holy Spirit and Voice of Jesus ideally. Jesus is our example, and Jesus spoke ONLY the WORDS God His Father spoke to Him in visions in His ministry and from the beginning of the Creation of Heaven and Earth (John 12:49; John 5:19; John 8:28 NKJV - "For I have not spoken on My own ...").
1Thessalonians 5:17 in the Bible encourages Christians to maintain a constant attitude of prayer and a consistent spiritual connection with God throughout their daily lives. This does not mean praying every moment, but instead maintaining a diligent fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Always being continually aware of God's presence, and pray to God the Father about your prayer requests when possible.
It is of supreme importance that when men or women speak the ORACLES OF GOD, and then they are speaking the WORD of TRUTH, the God Breathed words of Jesus, and then there is literally no difference between men or women in the Body of Christ when they both speak the words authored or authorized by the Holy Spirit. When men or women speak the ORACLES OF GOD, then there is "no difference" in Christ, as it is God speaking and not a mere personal opinion.
John 12:49 "I have not spoken on My own, but the Father who sent Me has Commanded Me what to say and how to say it. 50 And I know that His Command leads to eternal life. So I speak exactly what the Father has told Me to say." As prophets of God speak the oracles of god, every Christian should also learn to yield their spirits to Jesus and learn to speak the oracles of God.
Amplified Bible: 1Peter 4:11 "Whoever speaks [to the congregation], is to do so as one who speaks the oracles (utterances, the very words) of God. Whoever serves [the congregation] is to do so as one who serves by the strength which God [abundantly] supplies, so that in all things God may be glorified [honored and magnified] through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
It is of supreme importance that church congregations pastored by women PRAY sincerely that the women leaders "SPEAK THE ORACLES OF GOD"
The word "silence" is used twice in this context, specifically in relation to women. There are a couple of Greek words we need to consider: the first is "hesuchia," which means "quietness" (see Vine's Expository Dictionary of Greek New Testament Terms). Vine says it "indicates tranquility arising from within, causing no disturbance to others." This was the Word used by the Holy Spirit when speaking of the kind of "silence" women should have.
The other Greek word for "silence" is "phimoo," which means "to muzzle or to mute." The word phimoo was used to describe how Jesus "silenced" the Sadducees' arguments (Mat. 22:34) and was used to "put to silence the ignorance of foolish men" (1Peter 2:15). Paul could have used phimoo if he had wanted to say, "Muzzle women and make them shut up in the church!" But instead, he used "hesuchia" and challenged women to keep that "quiet" spirit, to stay meek and feminine, which makes a woman so lovely as a Christian.
Paul didn't allow women to "usurp authority over the man." Some literal Greek translations provide justification for interpreting this as "over the husband," rather than "men in general." If it does refer to women ruling over "men" or "male leadership" and not the authority of "husbands."
Women may teach UNDER male leadership authority! If it does not "usurp" God given authority.
1Corinthians 14:34-35 "Let your women keep quiet in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be subordinate, as also says the law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak [disrupting] in the church."
1Corinthians 14 corrects abuses in the Corinthian Church where the women sat on one side and the men on the other side of the church. Imagine the confusion when women called across the church aisle to their husbands, asking them questions and trying to communicate with them. Paul said that these women who are disturbing church services should wait until they get home for such conversations.
Then, Paul mentions that the "law of God" says women are to "be subordinate." Nobody in the church, and especially godly women, is arguing to let women take over the church and show the pastor and men how to do it! Every godly woman longs for her husband to rise in his maturity, manhood, and spiritual authority to be a wise "head of the woman" and the home. Godly women rejoice to see Godly men rising in leadership, growing in grace, and becoming faithful, righteous men of God.
America doesn't need men; it needs righteous men and women leaders. If the "best man available for the job is a woman," so be it! And if that means in the church, too, then so be it! Amen
Women can be subordinate and still be in "high" leadership as associate pastors if there is no righteous man available for leadership. The woman prophetess Deborah was the supreme leader and Judge of the nation of Israel (Judges 4:4).
Judges 4:4 "Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time."
John 3:34 "For the One whom God has sent speaks the Words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit." When God sends a woman to speak for Him, He gives her the Holy Spirit without limit to speak the oracles of God. However, it is IMPORTANT for the congregation to pray that she speaks the oracles of God.
John 14:10 "Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you, I do not speak on My own. Instead, it is the Father dwelling in Me, performing His works."
Jesus said, "I will come into you" to dwell in Christians who are the Temple of God. God dwells in women, and they may speak the oracles of God.
John 14:16 "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and WILL BE IN YOU. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I WILL COME TO YOU."
A wise, godly husband or pastor will let women rise to higher offices and utilize their talents as high as their God-given gifts will allow, as necessary. And, if she is wise and scriptural, a woman in leadership will lead while remaining humbly under the God-given authority of both a husband and a pastor.
If we interpret "as also says the law" to mean that women must be kept "muzzled" in absolute silence in the church, then we must also be consistent with all the other Scriptures.
Remember also, we don't keep ceremonial Sabbath laws like they did "under the law." Understand that some things do change and have some flexibility. Then, there are rigid requirements. For instance, homosexuality is forbidden and will never change. I am convinced that women's evolving, developing roles in our increasingly egalitarian society and our church is one clear example of "grace" needing to be applied to what would otherwise smack of legalism or chauvinism: a grace that I believe we will soon see the wisdom of when there is such a great need for workers in the last day harvest!
Paul also adds that it is "a shame for women to speak in the church."
This verse couldn't mean there is no exception; women cannot EVER speak in the church. Why not? Because of what 1Cor. 11:5 has written, "Every woman who prays or prophesies" is speaking out loud in church.
If women could pray and prophesy in church, they couldn't stay completely silent all the time, could they? So, the "shame" then comes when women are pushy, domineering, loud, interrupting, or usurping authority, not when they are acting with their husband and/or pastor's blessing!
Husbands, release your wives to lead with your blessing! Pastors, release righteous women in your church to their highest level of competence in their ministry as a leader. Says, "in Christ... there is neither male nor female." (Gal. 3:26-28)
If "there is neither male nor female," should we differentiate between men and women in ministry?
Meanwhile, women rise up to the leadership gift that they have received from Christ. And men, get out of the way of the mighty women of God, He is raising up in these last days!
I know Christian women who possess a spiritual "gift of government administration" (1 Cor. 12:28), which is often required for leadership.
Older women in the Church are required to instruct and teach younger women as needed in their lives.
Prayer: "Thank heaven for little girls who are becoming future leaders. Thank heaven for big girls who are already leaders!
Both men and women, in some cases, can hold leadership positions in the church, especially women if there are no righteous, qualified Christian men available! Amen
Grace, Respect, and Love Always in Jesus Christ,
Rev. William Burk
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