Women in ministry (3)

Back in 1998, some people at CVC expressed concerns because some women were providing some of the leadership in our public worship services by doing such things as leading worship music, giving testimonies, praying, reading scripture, and making announcements. Some people at the time felt that only men should lead our public services in those ways. The Elders of CVC were asked then what the Bible says about the role of women in public worship services.

This past weekend, we looked at what Titus 1:5-9 had to say about eldership. On Saturday night, we received two questions about the role of women in leadership in the church.

What will follow over the next few days are the results of a Bible study that the Elders of CVC conducted back in 1998. It's called "A Biblical Position Paper on the Ministry of Women in the Public Services of CVC".

For the entire series of posts look here and here.

Biblical Freedom for Women in Ministry

That women were free to exercise their giftedness in public ministry can be seen in I
Corinthians 11.

I Corinthians 11:3-10 (NASB)
3 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. 4 Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head. 5 But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved. 6 For if a woman does not cover her head, let her also have her hair cut off,- but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her cover her head. 7 For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God,¬but the woman is the glory of man. 8 For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man; 9 for indeed man was not created for the woman's sake, but woman for the man's sake. 10 Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.

In this passage, Paul is addressing a disruption caused by some of the women in the church over their use of "head coverings" - a symbol of their relationship to authority. In a carefully reasoned argument, Paul expressed a theological conviction. If a married woman will not proudly wear a symbol of her right relationship to her husband, her family "head," she forfeits her privileges of praying and prophesying in church fellowships. Her ministry in the church is directly linked to her submission to her husband. Paul's words are forceful. Married women have no right to participate in the church service if they wish to assume the prerogative of family headship and/or if they wish to act as though they were single rather than married. Here proper family order is a prerequisite to a woman's participation in the church.

It is public praying and prophesying that the Apostle here has in mind. He does not here condemn the prayers or the prophecies, but the way in which they are done. When a women participates in public worship, she is to not dishonor her head, her husband, by appearing as if she were not in subjection to the man.

Permission for women to pray and prophesy in public

It must be noted that God's Word does allow women to pray and prophesy in a public assembly, according to I Corinthians 11:5. That the praying and prophesying took place in a public assembly can be seen for the following reasons: (1) The context favors the idea these chapters describe public worship. The subsequent topics focus on the Lord's Supper (11:17-34) and spiritual gifts (12:1-14:40), and these relate to public worship. (2) Prophecy was given to edify the community when gathered (I Corinthians 14:1-5, 29-33a); it was not a private gift to be exercised alone. (3) Even if the meetings were in a home, such meetings would have been considered public assemblies, since many churches met in houses (cf Romans 16:5; Philemon 2). (4) I Corinthians 14:33b-36 is best understood not to forbid all speaking by women in public, but only their speaking in the course of the congregation's judging prophesies (cf 14:29-33a). Understood in this way, it does not contradict 11:5. It simply prohibits an abuse (women speaking up and judging prophecies in church) that Paul wanted to prevent in the church at Corinth.

Women can pray and prophesy in public, but they must do so with a demeanor and attitude that supports male leadership because in the Corinthian culture wearing a head covering communicated a submissive demeanor and feminine adornment. Thus, God does not forbid women to participate in public worship, yet He does indicate that in their participation they should evidence a demeanor that is humble and submissive to male leadership.

Today, except in certain religious groups, if a woman fails to wear a head covering while praying or prophesying, no one thinks she is in rebellion. Lack of head coverings sends no message at all in our culture. Nevertheless, that does not mean that this text does not apply to our culture. The principle still stands that women should pray and prophesy in a manner that makes it clear that they submit to male leadership. Clearly the attitude and the demeanor with which a woman prays and prophesies will be one indication of whether she is humble and submissive. The principle enunciated here should be applied in a variety of ways given the diversity of the human situation.

Prophecy from females throughout the Bible

Women clearly functioned as prophetesses in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Miriam is explicitly called a prophetess in Exodus 15:20, and she led the women in singing for Yahweh's triumph over Egypt (Exodus 15:21). The prophetess Huldah was consulted by the messengers of Josiah in II Kings 22:14-20. Other women probably functioned as prophetesses in the Old Testament but are unmentioned (cf. Isaiah 8:3), and Ezekiel pronounces judgment against daughters who prophesy falsely (Ezekiel 13:17-24). Compare also Nehemiah's words against the prophetess Noadiah (Nehemiah 6:14). The problem here was not that these women prophesied, but that they did not prophesy according to the word of the Lord. The most significant example of a prophetess is Deborah (Judges 4:4-5).

In the New Testament, too, women prophesy. And there may even be some indication that it was more common for them to do so. The prophetess Anna thanked God and spoke of Him when Jesus was brought to the temple (Luke 2:36-38). Peter cites Joel's prophecy that when the Spirit is poured out both "sons and daughters will prophesy. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy" (Acts 2:17-18; cf Joel 2:28-32). Philip's four daughters are one indication that this promise was fulfilled, for they all prophesied (Acts 21:9). And, as we have seen, Paul also encourages women to prophesy, with proper adornment (I Corinthians 11:5).

Prophecy under authority

That women prophesied to men is clear in the case of Deborah, other women cited above, and I Corinthians 11:2-16. The last passage cited, however, is absolutely crucial for rightly understanding a woman's relationship to man as she prophecies. Again, what is Paul's concern in I Corinthians 11:2-16? It is that women who prophesy do so with proper adornment. Why is Paul concerned about how they are adorned? Because a woman's adornment says something about her relationship with men (11:10). I Corinthians 11:3 is the key to the passage: "Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God" (NIV). Thus, the reason Paul wants women to be adorned properly is that this adornment shows that a woman is submissive to male headship, even while prophesying. The way she is adorned indicates whether the man is the head, i.e., the authority.

To summarize, Paul affirms that women can prophesy, but even in the process of prophesying they are to do so in a manner and with a demeanor that will not violate male headship. Paul affirms that women have prophetic gifts, and he wants them to exercise those gifts in church, but he does not want them to overturn male leadership.

Prophecy vs. teaching

It should be noted that prophecy differs from teaching. Prophecy is based on spontaneous revelation (I Corinthians 14:20-33a), while teaching is an exposition of received revelation. A prophet, therefore, does not hold the same office as a teacher. Prophets speak forth God's revelation to the people, but the people go to the priests in the Old Testament to receive authoritative instruction based on tradition (Leviticus 1O:11; Deuteronomy 21:5; Malachi 2:6-7). It is instructive to note in the Old Testament that some women were prophets, but never priests. It is the priests who had the more settled and established positions of leadership in Israel.

Teaching involves a sustained and orderly exposition of divine revelation already given, while prophecy in the New Testament occurs when someone has a spontaneous revelation or impression, the whole or parts of which may or may not be from the Lord. Each prophecy is to be evaluated by church leadership. Everything is to be done in an orderly way.

It is concluded, then, from both the Old Testament and the New, that women functioned as prophets, and they used this gift for the edification of the people of God. God allows women to pray and speak, but only if their relationships with their husbands are proper.

We think it is prudent at this point to make a statement about the public expression of the supernatural sign gifts (miracles, tongues, interpretation, and healing). While we do not feel that these gifts have ceased, we are not a body where the expression of these gifts is emphasized. Since we are attempting to reach the unchurched in our services, we are sensitive to the fact that the public expression of the supernatural sign gifts often makes unchurched people feel uncomfortable and may lead them to focus on our methods of worship, rather than the Savior
Himself. Our position on the sign gifts is "seek not, forbid not" (I Corinthians 12:31 and 14:39). We will not permit controversy concerning the gifts of the Spirit to bring division to this body. (For a fuller understanding on the position of CVC, please read chapter 13 of Billy Graham's book, The Holy Spirit.)