Beginning with the Bigger Story
Few topics spark more debate in the church than whether women should preach or teach. Some believe the Bible clearly says women should not teach men or serve as pastors. Others see Scripture showing that God calls both men and women to share His Word. This question deserves careful study, not quick answers.
This topic deserves more than emotional reactions or following tradition. It calls for a careful look at all of Scripture, which is why this series starts with the bigger story in the Bible.
This series is not meant to dismiss anyone who disagrees. Christians have wrestled with these passages for centuries. The goal is to look at what the Bible says and ask an important question:
Does the Bible teach that women are always forbidden to preach and teach, or have some passages about teaching and church order been understood too narrowly?
To answer this, we need to start where the Bible starts: with God’s design for men and women.
God’s Original Design Was Partnership
In Genesis 1:27–28, God created humanity in His image.
“God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female. God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it.'” (CSB)
Notice that God gave this command to both men and women, not just one or the other.
God did not give this responsibility to Adam alone. He gave authority and stewardship to both men and women.
From the start, God wanted men and women to work together to carry out His purposes.
Women Were Never Spiritually Inferior
All through the Bible, women are shown as people God calls and includes in His work.
Miriam served as a prophetess.
Deborah served as both judge and prophet.
Huldah was consulted by kings and priests concerning God’s Word.
Anna publicly proclaimed the coming Messiah.
These examples matter because they show that God has spoken through women again and again in the Bible. Together, they reveal a clear pattern.
If God trusted women to share His message with kings, priests, and whole nations, it is hard to say He completely forbids women from speaking His truth. This brings us to what the New Testament says.
The Day of Pentecost Changed Everything
One of the most important moments in the New Testament occurs in Acts 2.
Peter quotes Joel’s prophecy:
“I will pour out my Spirit on all humanity; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy.”
When the Holy Spirit came, it was not limited by gender. The promise includes both sons and daughters.
The promise specifically includes sons and daughters.
Men and women.
Young and old.
Slave and free.
Everyone who received the Spirit could take part in the church’s prophetic ministry. This shows the promise was for all.
This matters because prophecy in the New Testament meant speaking God’s message to others in public, not just thinking about it privately.
The early church did not see women as silent observers. Women took an active part in ministry through the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 3:28 and the New Creation
Paul writes:
“There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female; since you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
This verse does not remove the differences between men and women. Instead, it says both are equal before God.
Men remain men.
Women remain women.
But it does say that men and women have equal standing before God.
Many scholars say that if salvation, inheritance, gifts, and calling are equal in Christ, then ministry should not be limited just because of gender.
So, the responsibility to prove their case falls on those who want to limit ministry, not on those who allow it. Next, we look at the main objections.
The Main Argument Against Women Preaching
Those who oppose women preaching generally point to two passages:
- 1 Timothy 2:12
- 1 Corinthians 14:34–35
At first, these passages seem to say women should not teach or speak in church. Because these verses matter, they need careful study, and the next article will look at them closely.
Because these texts are important, they deserve careful examination rather than dismissal.
In the next article, we will ask if Paul meant these commands for all churches at all times, or if he was speaking to certain local issues.
Conclusion
The bigger story of the Bible shows that God often calls, empowers, and speaks through women. This pattern is clear even before we get to the debated passages.
Even before the debated passages, the Bible already shows women as prophets, leaders, teachers, and people who share God’s truth.
The question is not whether God can use women.
The Bible clearly shows that He does.
The real question is whether the verses often used to limit women truly require us to stop what God seems to bless in preaching and teaching. This is what the series will keep exploring.
Thoughts from Pastor Toney 