Can a girl lead prayer in a Bible class?
Question:
Good evening, sir,
I was wondering whether you already have an article about women or girls leading prayer during Bible class or worship.
I understand it all, but my wife, who was converted from a denomination, started teaching the preteen class with another member who is an elderly lady. At the end of class, my wife asked a boy if he wanted to say the closing prayer; he did not, so she asked one of the girls, and she said yes. However, the older teacher said that she couldn’t because she would be leading over a male.
I wholeheartedly agree, but I can’t seem to convince my wife. The girl and my wife were discouraged and upset. I try to explain why, but she just isn’t taking it.
Any help you could send my way would be appreciated. I hope all is well!
Answer:
God has dictated the roles of authority. "But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ" (I Corinthians 11:3). The order of authority is God, Christ, Man, and then Woman. This is how God says it works in spiritual matters.
Teaching is a way to exercise authority. In teaching, you must maintain the order of authority.
"A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint" (I Timothy 2:11-15).
Paul gives two proofs for the command that a woman is not to teach or exercise authority over a man. First, Adam was created first. The firstborn has the right to be head of the family. Second, Adam was not deceived when he sinned. This isn't a compliment to Adam. You can see this as a punishment for man because being in charge and responsible usually isn't fun. Or it could indicate that something in the makeup of men makes them less likely to be deceived, which is a good trait in leaders.
But notice the last statement: When a wife has children, she helps to save her children and herself, if they (the children) continue in faith, love, and sanctity with self-restraint. How does she do this? One of a woman's responsibilities is teaching and leading children to the Lord (Proverbs 1:8; 6:20). The command not to teach or exercise authority over a man does not take away a woman's responsibility to teach in all cases.
Leading prayer is also a form of exercising authority. It is offering up petitions on behalf of the one praying and those listening. For this reason, a woman cannot lead a prayer when a man is present, because offering prayers in public is the man's duty (I Timothy 2:8).
I don't know of anyone who would consider a preteen boy to be a man, which is why it is perfectly fine for the two women to teach a class that includes the boy. However, we need to consider one more thing: "It is good for a man that he should bear the yoke in his youth" (Lamentations 3:27). Children are innocent, and we tend to give them freedom to follow their whims (Ecclesiastes 11:9). However, it is during youth that they need to become accustomed to the constraints of adulthood. The illustration is raising an ox. If the farmer puts a yoke on a full-grown ox for the first time, the ox will rebel, trying to remove the yoke. But if a small yoke is placed on a young ox, he will grow up being accustomed to the feel of it and will be able to handle a full yoke when he is full-grown. The same is true of children. Children should dress modestly when they are young, so they become accustomed to modesty as adults. Children should practice the roles that they will take on as adults. "Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6).
A girl should be encouraged to pray in private, but since she is not allowed to take a leadership role in public, she should also get used to that restriction.
