If women cannot preach, then why can they sing?
Question:
I have a question regarding the preaching of a woman in church. Last Sunday my friend told me that in church one woman is leading and also preaching the message. In that meeting, men were also there. I know that according to I Corinthians and I Timothy women should not preach. They asked me, then why are women allowed to singing? They are trying to say that men and women are equal. It is true I also accept that, but can women be allowed to do all things that men can do in church?
Answer:
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28).
When it comes to salvation, which is the topic in Galatians 3, every person is equal. But it is wrong to extend this to say that equality extends to all roles assigned by God to men and women.
"But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God" (I Corinthians 11:3).
In particular, we learn that equality doesn't extend to the realm of leadership. It is because men were given the leadership responsibility that Paul gave this rule:
"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" (I Timothy 2:11-12 NASB).
Some translations use the word "silent" instead of "quiet," but that is too strong of a word for what the Greek text is saying. Paul is not forbidding women from speaking, but from taking on a leadership role in the realm of teaching when men are present. This is the reason a woman cannot preach or lead services in any way when men are present.
But this doesn't eliminate participating in service, such as singing along with the rest of the congregation or saying "Amen" at the end of prayers. Such is not exercising leadership; it is joint participation.
