by Gregory Alan Tidwell<\/p>\n
I’ve been a preacher in the church for over forty years, and over time, I’ve seen many debates rise up among us. One of the most enduring, particularly in recent decades, is the question of women’s leadership in the church. Many voices today, both from within our fellowship and the broader religious world, argue that women should be able to take on the same leadership roles as men, such as preaching and serving as elders. These voices are often passionate and sincere, but I’ve found that it’s vital to weigh these arguments carefully against what the Scriptures teach.<\/p>\n
Egalitarians often point to the women who played significant roles in the early church-Phoebe, Priscilla, Junia-as proof that women led alongside men in the first century. These women were vital to the church’s mission, and I thank God for how He used them. But it’s important to understand what kind of leadership they exercised. Phoebe, for instance, was a servant, but that’s not the same as being an elder or a preacher. Priscilla, alongside her husband Aquila, was a faithful teacher, but we never see her standing before the church in a position of authority over men. Instead, we see her, quietly with her husband, instructing Apollos in a private setting.<\/p>\n
The case of Junia is less discussed. Some argue that she was an apostle, but the term “apostle” in that context does not mean she held an official role like the Twelve but rather was a respected messenger or missionary. It doesn’t mean she was an elder or had authority over men in the church. While indispensable, the roles of these women never contradict Paul’s clear teachings about male leadership in the local assembly.<\/p>\n
Many egalitarians today also claim that Paul’s instructions in I Timothy 2 and I Corinthians 14 were just responses to particular cultural situations. They argue that these instructions don’t apply to us today because they were meant for churches in specific circumstances-perhaps dealing with women who were uneducated or disruptive. I’ve heard this argument often, but it doesn’t hold up under closer examination. Paul doesn’t root his instructions in culture but in creation. When he explains why women shouldn’t teach or have authority over men, he points back to Adam and Eve. That’s not a cultural argument; that’s a creation argument, and creation hasn’t changed. God established the order Paul laid out at the very beginning, and we are still called to honor it today.<\/p>\n
There’s also the argument that because women are gifted with leadership and teaching abilities, they should be allowed to use them in every area of church life. I know many women who are extraordinarily gifted teachers and leaders. I’ve seen women with a deeper understanding of Scripture than many men. However, gifts from the Holy Spirit must always be used to honor the framework God has set in place. I’ve often told my congregation that spiritual gifts are given for the church’s edification, but they must be exercised within the boundaries laid out in Scripture. This is why, even though women may be wonderful teachers, they are called to teach other women (Titus 2:3-5) and children-not to take on roles that exercise authority over men in the church.<\/p>\n
Finally, some say that since Jesus broke cultural norms in the way He treated women, the church should follow His example by allowing women to lead in every capacity. I have to agree-Jesus challenged cultural norms, especially in how He honored women and included them in His ministry. But when we look at how He structured His leadership team, it’s clear that He maintained the pattern of male leadership. He chose twelve men as His apostles. After His resurrection, we see the early church following that same pattern, appointing men as deacons and overseers.<\/p>\n
I’ve come to understand that Jesus didn’t simply bend to cultural expectations; He established a leadership model that transcended culture. It was rooted in God’s design for His people, which goes all the way back to Genesis. When we ignore that design, we don’t gain more freedom-we lose the order and balance that God intended for His church.<\/p>\n
So, where does this leave us? In my experience, the answer is not to pit men against women or diminish women’s valuable contributions to the body of Christ. It’s to recognize that God has assigned different roles for a reason. Men are called to lead the church as elders and preachers, not because they are more valuable, but because that’s how God has designed it. Women have equally important roles in teaching, serving, and leading in ways that honor God’s structure for the church.<\/p>\n
At the end of the day, the goal is not to assert our ideas of equality but to submit ourselves to the authority of Scripture. When we follow God’s design, men and women flourish, and the church reflects the order and beauty of the gospel. That’s a vision worth protecting and passing on to the next generation.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Gregory Alan Tidwell I’ve been a preacher in the church for over forty years, and over time, I’ve seen many debates rise up among us. One of the most enduring, particularly in recent decades, is the question of women’s leadership in the church. Many voices today, both from within our fellowship and the broader…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[1122,1577,82],"class_list":["post-70557","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-leadership","tag-man","tag-womens-roles"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":27828,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/if-women-cannot-preach-then-why-can-they-sing\/","url_meta":{"origin":70557,"position":0},"title":"If women cannot preach, then why can they sing?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 20, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"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\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":26934,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-women-submit-to-female-leaders-in-the-church\/","url_meta":{"origin":70557,"position":1},"title":"Should women submit to female leaders in the church?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 28, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I am a young woman. I was wondering, what do you think about women having to submit to female leadership or authority within the church? I feel at times that this is not something that is strictly required or expressed in words, but this is something that on more\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":86106,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/values-and-roles\/","url_meta":{"origin":70557,"position":2},"title":"Values and Roles","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 26, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Steve Higginbotham Unfortunately, churches have always struggled against being influenced by the values of the cultures that surround them. For instance, the city of Corinth was known for its immorality, and it's no surprise that immorality had also crept into the church there (I Corinthians 5). Today, our culture\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":68117,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-women-not-leaders-in-the-church-because-they-are-weaker\/","url_meta":{"origin":70557,"position":3},"title":"Are women not leaders in the church because they are weaker?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 17, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello, brother in Christ! I am currently stuck with understanding the application of I Peter 3:7. When we were having a Bible Study on the roles of women in the church, some cited I Peter 3:7, specifically highlighting the part that says \"women are weaker vessels\" as one of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":53461,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-wrong-for-your-mom-or-sister-to-lead-prayers-at-home\/","url_meta":{"origin":70557,"position":4},"title":"Is it wrong for your mom or sister to lead prayers at home?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 14, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I know I Timothy 2:11-12 says that women cannot exercise leadership over a man nor teach him, but I'm a little confused. I've heard that this only applies in church or in schools, so some clarification on the wording would be very helpful. I ask this because my sister\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":34019,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/our-roles-are-not-shameful\/","url_meta":{"origin":70557,"position":5},"title":"Our Roles Are Not Shameful","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 11, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jarrod M. Jacobs God created man and woman (Genesis 2:7, 18-25; Matthew 19:4). He also made them to fulfill specific roles on this earth. In Genesis 2:18-25, God states that man and woman have certain roles and responsibilities. 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