Women In Ministry

Heidi Myers, Writer

Women have contributed a lot the Church throughout its history. However, controversy over women in ministry has always been a major topic of discussion. Discussions for many of these matters are if it is faithful biblical interpretation.

First, it is essential to understand that all of God’s people were “gifted” by the Holy Spirit for the purpose of encouraging each other in the service of God. In the book of 1 Corinthians, it proclaims that you are the body of Christ, and each one is a part. When one suffers everyone suffers. It also says that each part hand, foot, or eye is no weaker or stronger than one another.  

In the New Testament, women and men enjoyed much more freedom in choosing work or profession. With this in mind, any person could exercise ministry where they were called and gifted by God and has been confirmed by the body of Christ, the Church. For some they have been set a position in leadership and some were assigned specific tasks but the differences among ministries were not looked upon as less or more important. In the Church, we have accepted that no person, called and gifted by God, should be denied any role of ministry or leadership in the Church because of one’s gender.

Of course the controversy of the generic term in Genesis 1:26-27 of man (‘adam) is often argued. Man is being referred to as a “human person”. This creation includes the identifications of both male and female. In Genesis 2 also indicates that the women is a partner with the man as an appropriate “helper”. The word “helper” always refers to God (in 29 places) except one reference to David according to David Scholer of Fuller.edu. It is understood that woman is rather a helper serving God with man.

Some of the greatest leaders and prophets of Israel were women, so God could not have intended to exclude women from spiritual and political leadership. Women took as large of a role in the early Church leadership that they were allowed to of that society. So women today should be able to serve the Church in whatever positions they are qualified to fill.