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What does the Bible say about women ministers (pastors or preachers)?

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What does the Bible say about women ministers (pastors or preachers)?

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"Ministry" is used to mean different things by different groups. Let's first address the type of ministry that includes serving as pastors or elders.

The Gospels show that Jesus selected only men to serve as His first apostles. Early Church history (the book of Acts) shows that the Church continued selecting only men to serve as elders and pastors. Therefore, we conclude that a woman's role in the Church, although unique and valuable, does not include ordination to this type of ministry or preaching during church services (1 Timothy 2:11-12).

However, women served as teachers, with the older women training the younger ones (Titus 2:3-5). Some organizations today call this type of service "women's ministry." The United Church of God does not, lest anyone misconstrue that we are ordaining women as elders or pastors.

Women members of the Church of God have long served in many responsibilities, from providing musical accompaniment at church services, special music and directing children's choirs to teaching Sabbath schools, welcoming guests, organizing potlucks and church socials—and much more.

Also, the United Church of God ordains qualified women to the office of deaconess, as the early New Testament Church of God did. These women assist pastors in caring for the local congregations, often in meeting the unique needs of the women members.

For more information, please read our booklet The Church Jesus Built.

Women speaking in church How can you explain Bible scriptures that are difficult to understand? God's Church Doctrinal Beliefs

Comments

  • cjashu
    Arrey Ashu

    Hello,
    you mentioned this in this article " Also, the United Church of God ordains qualified women to the office of deaconess, as the early New Testament Church of God did. "

    Please can you provide the scripture where any woman was ordained a "deaconess?"

    Thank you

  • Ivan Veller
    Ivan Veller

    Hi Arrey,
    Romans 16:1 is a good place to start. Perhaps the bible translation you use reads similarly to the Geneva (1587), KJV, NKJV, ESV, or the UnfoldingWord Literal Text (June 2021) which renders Phoebe as being a “servant” of the church in Cenchrea—“a ministrant of the assembly” (YLT). The VFL (1999) footnotes that the literal rendering is "deaconess." Thus, the AMP (2015) calls her "a deaconess (servant)." Wycliffe (1385) (cf. Oso 1569) rendered this as meaning that she “is in the service of the church,” implying that this is an office she holds. The Lexham English Bible (2010) footnotes how Phoebe was "a servant [“a deaconess”; some interpreters understand this term to refer to a specific office (deacon/deaconess) which Phoebe held in the local church at Cenchrea].” The word can refer to caring for others—ministering to their needs the way that “many women … had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him” (Mat. 27:55 ESV; cf. KJV, NKJV, LSV 2020; BIB 2016, “ιακονοῦσαι diakonousai … ministering”). Or, if linked to the banking duties of the Seven in Acts 6:1-7, it could refer to administrating care by managing and distributing money allocated for financial assistance.

  • Ivan Veller
    Ivan Veller

    Although Acts 6:1-7 may refer to administering monetary assistance by giving the money to widows across a banking table, it might instead refer to ministering to their needs by making purchases and providing food for them—putting food on the table.
    Perhaps this network of care was bolstered by “women such as Mary Magdalene, Joanna, “Chuza, Susanna, and many others” who, earlier, had been “ministering to [Jesus and the Twelve] out of their own means” (Luke 8:1-3).
    Could Paul be saying she was “a minister [of my needs]” (MLV 2014; although a rare rendering unique to the MLV)—like Epaphroditus, sent “to take care of my needs” (Php. 2:25) in prison? At one point, Paul had needed a cloak and scrolls (2 Timothy 4:13).
    Or, maybe her service included ministrations such as tending to the elderly and sick. [An interesting side note: Incidentally, the Old Spanish translation “feruicia” (Oso 1569)—i.e. “serviciar” (to serve)—sounds like the Spanish “saureciar” (to heal); i.e., serving through nursing.]
    διάκονον (as a Romanian translation footnotes) is “designating a specific service in the church; [and] is derived from the verb diakoneo (to serve, to take care of something)” (NTLR 2006).

  • Ivan Veller
    Ivan Veller

    Most versions call her a “servant [or, deaconess]” (ALT 2005); “Greek: diákonos” (BD 2011 fn).
    134 versions (Geneva 1587, followed by LEB, Mounce, NASB, NKJV, ULT, etc.) call her a “servant” (or refer to her service).
    32 versions (Tyndale 1534, followed by MB 1537, GB 1539, BB 1568, NABRE, etc.) identify her either as having served “in the ministry of the church” (DRB) as “a minister of the congregacion of Chenchrea” (Tyn. 1534; cf. MB 1537, etc.) or as having “ministered to the congregation of Cenchrea” (NMB).
    66 versions (Reina-Valera 1602, followed by Alx., ALT, AMP, AMPC, AOB, BDS, BL, BNP, BYO, CCB, CCBT, CEI, CNVS, CNVT, CSBS, CSBT, CST, CUV, CUVS, DHH, ERV-ZH, Eth., GWT, Hw., HNZ-RI, ISV, JBS, KJA, Lm., LBLA, LND, LSG, Mace, NBLA, NBV, NCB, NEG, NGU-DE, NIV, NLT, NR1994, NR2006, NTLH, NTLR, NTV, NTVR, NVB, NVI, Ph., RCU17SS, RCU17TS, RHB, RMNN, RSV, RUSV, RVA2015, RVC, RVI, RVR1960, RVR1995, SENT, SG21, TNIV, & VKF) call her a “deacon” (NIV) or “a deaconess” (ISV).
    Of the range of translation possibilities for διάκονον—“a ·helper [or servant; or minister; or deacon; 1 Tim. 3:11]” (EXB 2011)—we have followed the traditional, conservative, literal rendering “deaconess."

  • Lena VanAusdle
    Lena VanAusdle

    Hi Arrey,
    You might not find the act of a woman being ordained as a deaconess, however, you will find a woman holding the office of deaconess. If you notice, as Skip mentioned, Romans 16:1-2, " I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also." The word "servant" is the exact same word for deacon in the Greek. This sermon, by Steve Myers, might be helpful to you. https://www.ucg.org/sermons/the-new-testament-on-women

  • Skip Miller
    Skip Miller

    Hello Arrey, Romans 16 would be what you are looking for. If more is needed, ask again.

  • KARS
    Kathy Shafer

    Your welcome Mrs. Ankiah. :o)

  • Dhaaruni
    Dhaaruni

    Hi KARS,

    I am Mrs Dhaaruni Ankiah. Thank you so much for your feedback :)

  • KARS
    Kathy Shafer

    Hi Mr.Dhaaruni,
    I sometimes would be confronted by women about this very thing.

    I told them; at the Passover meal with our Savior; there were no women present sitting at the table. He chose men,therefore, just as Adam was made first and was to lead, men are chosen to be the leaders in the ministry.

    I consider we woman as the compassionate workers, filling in the gap of church community service; while the men do the spiritual teaching of the church as a whole.

  • Dhaaruni
    Dhaaruni

    This has been a subject that caught my attention for a while now. I believe in Paul's instruction on church worship and believe this to be the what pleases God.
    This has raised much debate in my family. For instance, one member believes that since we are saved through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we are living under grace and that it doesn't matter who you are. However, like you have mentioned, and with reference to Galatians 3:28, indeed we are all saved the same way - by grace. But this verse is talking about salvation and not about church structure and leadership.

    Another argument that has come up is that if the Holy Spirit leads you, you must act on it. I say that the Holy Spirit will not lead you to do something that is contrary to the written word of God. And then they argue that God can change His mind and can choose whomever He pleases. However if you read Luke 21:33, 1Peter 1:24-25 and John 14:15-27, it is clear that God's word is forever and never changing.
    Scripture is the believer's rule and the Holy Spirit is his guide (read John 16:13).

    I believe that the enemy uses women in the church because he knows that it displeases the Lord and that it disrupts church service. I have witnessed this on numerous occassions when women throw up their hands and start screaming while the Pastor waits to proceed witht he service. We need to remember that our Father is a God of peace and not disorder - 1 Corinthians 14:35.

    Further, we must attentive and on guard for the work of enemy as Paul warns us in 2 Timothy 4 where he states that "a time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away form the truth and turn aside to myths." Also remember what James says in James 1:21-24 about hearing the word of God and doing what it says. He likens this to someone who looks in the mirror and when he goes away, immediately forgets what he looks like.

    We need to remember that if God were to speak today, His words will be in full agreement with what He has said in His written word - The Holy Bible.

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