Elders position on women in ministry

The Session at Oakwood Presbyterian Church has written this positional statement on the role of women in the church to encourage women at Oakwood to exercise their spiritual gifts in the service of God’s Church. The culture of the present age focuses on the interchangeability of men and women in both the workplace and in the home. There are few roles in our culture which are exclusively reserved for men or women. Confronted by the cultural pressures of our age, the visible church is divided in defining the roles of men and women.  

The Session at Oakwood believes that the roles of men and women in the Church are not interchangeable. In His creativity and for His purposes, God created man as male and female in His image and after His likeness (Genesis 1:26). As image-bearers, humanity has the great privilege and high honor to glorify God by ruling over creation, being fruitful, filling the earth, and cultivating its potential (WSC Q/A 1; Genesis 1:28). Although sin has marred the image of God in man (Genesis 5:3), the Lord continues to uphold the dual gendered roles that He marvelously made: male and female. This creation order enables humanity to employ its complimentary gifts that could not be obeyed by a single gender (Genesis 2:18).

While the fall has touched and twisted all of creation, God has never revoked His blessings on men and women working together to glorify Him with their obedience, creativity, productivity, and union. In fact, as part of His redemption, God has poured out His Spirit on “both men and women” (Joel 2:28 and Acts 2:17) and has given gifts meant for the flourishing of the body of Christ and the spread of the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

While gifts must always be used appropriately within the roles to which women have been called, it is the Session’s hope that the church would actively seek ways to identify and use all the gifts that the Holy Spirit has given within its midst.

Biblical Foundation for Roles of Women in the Church

The Session of Oakwood Presbyterian Church affirms that the Bible requires women's gifts to be fully employed within biblical parameters. Anything to the contrary has only wounded the body of Christ, robbed it of many of God’s gifts, and caused outsiders to question the church’s devotion to the Scripture as the only rule of faith and practice. Moving forward, the Session desires to see Oakwood Presbyterian Church utilize women’s gifts and abilities so that it may, as Westminster Shorter Catechism question 1 says, "Glorify God and enjoy him forever."

While no woman wrote a book of the Bible whose author is stated, the Bible records the words of women and regards them as inspired truth. Since several women served God faithfully as prophetesses, God’s people would expect women’s words, such as Miriam's song (Exodus 15:20-21) and Huldah's word of judgment (2 Kings 22:14-20), to be recorded in Scripture. The words of women became Scripture on other occasions, too. These include the outstanding prayer of Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1-10) and the great speech of Abigail to David in 1 Samuel 25:23-31.

Priscilla's ministry is somewhat like Abigail's. Priscilla and Aquila were a husband-wife team who labored with Paul occasionally for years (Acts 18:2-19; Romans 16:3-5). They hosted a house church in Rome and Corinth (Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:19). These faithful Christians received Apollos, a gifted expositor, but they noted the deficiencies in his preaching. After hearing him, "Priscilla and Aquila invited him into their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately." (Acts 18:26).

Paul also honored other women in Romans 16, which offers glimpses of the contributions women made in the early church. Paul had never visited the church in Rome when he wrote them a letter to prepare for an impending journey to Rome and beyond, but he knew many Christians there and greeted them in chapter 16. The greetings show women functioning as leaders in the church. In Romans 16:3, Paul calls Priscilla and Aquila his co-workers. In Romans 16:6, he commended a certain Mary who “worked very hard.” In Romans 16:12, Paul mentioned three women, Tryphaena, Tryphosa, and Persis, who also “worked hard” in the Lord. Paul further mentioned Andronicus and Junias. They were probably married, since Andronicus is a man’s name and Junias is a woman’s.

Scripture shows that women instructed men, but often in limited and private settings. They advised and rebuked men, great and small. Women counseled men, who listened and adopted their ideas. They taught and prophesied, giving messages with theological content. Nonetheless, scripture has no example of a woman preaching (cf. 2 Tim. 4:2). Women led beside men in Israel and the church, but no woman held the rank of Abraham, Moses, David, Elijah, Isaiah, Peter, or Paul as a principal leader. In fact, when Miriam aspired to equality with Moses, God rebuked her. When Barak tried to avoid leadership, Deborah urged him to accept it.

Priscilla was a theologically astute disciple. Together with her husband, Aquila, she observed the doctrinal inaccuracy of Apollos’ teaching, took him aside, and “explained to him the way of God more accurately.” (Acts 18:26). Priscilla’s gifts were also utilized alongside and under the authority of the apostle Paul. In fact, she and her husband traveled with Paul during one of his missionary journeys (Acts 18:18-19). Further, Priscilla is among the many faithful and gifted women whom Paul praised for their dedicated work in Romans 16.

Since women are called to be disciples who faithfully utilize their gifts, how does that affect their service as church members? How can women utilize their gifts to glorify God in the worship and ministry of the church? Can women become church officers (1 Timothy 3:1-13; cf. 27 Acts 6:1-7)? Should they be involved in the liturgy of Sunday service? The following section addresses key passages in the Pauline Epistles concerning women’s roles in the church: 1 Corinthians 14, 1 Timothy 2:8-15, Acts 6, and 1 Timothy 3:8-11.

“Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.” 1 Timothy 2:11-12

This passage both liberates and restrains. First-century Greek and Jewish cultures generally considered women mentally inferior. They judged women's education a waste of time at best and a cause of temptation at worst. The Mishnah advised men not to talk with women frequently, lest they bring evil on themselves, neglect the law, and inherit damnation. However, Paul rightly understood that women—image-bearers of God—should learn and be taught.

Since no one can learn if noisy and insubordinate, it is sensible that Paul would request women to learn quietly, which is an indication of their submission. To learn quietly is meant to portray a woman learning in a quiet manner. It does not mean absolute silence. Submission means that women should accept the doctrine taught by the church leaders (1 Timothy 3:2). Quiet and submissive dispositions demonstrate that women respect their teachers and accept biblical doctrine. Paul's counsel is clear: women may learn, but may not teach or exercise authority over men.

Complementarianism suggests Paul's prohibition is permanent but partial. Thus, women may teach privately, informally, and occasionally, as Priscilla and others did, but they should not present the doctrines of the faith as authoritative church leaders in the assembly of the saints. This task (e.g., guarding the gospel) occupied Paul's letters to Timothy and was given to Elders or overseers who are male and “the husband of one wife” (1 Timothy 3:2; 1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 1:12-14).

Three factors indicate that Paul forbids only authoritative instruction in doctrine. First, the Bible indicates that women taught. The Scriptures do not, however, describe women preaching or teaching the assembly of Christians. Second, the context of 1 Timothy is worship in the church. During the corporate gathering, church officers teach bindingly and have been given the task to do so (1 Timothy 3:2). Third and finally, Paul's language suggests that he forbids women to teach doctrine and to exercise ruling authority in the church.

God implemented male leadership in the Garden of Eden, prior to the fall. By highlighting God’s creative acts in the beginning of time, Paul appeals to first principles. Likewise, Jesus reasoned from creation when he was questioned concerning marriage and divorce (Matthew 19:3-9; cf. Genesis 1:27; Genesis 2:24). Further, Paul cited Genesis to explain male-female roles in 1 Corinthians 11. Men and women are equal in value and in purpose; nevertheless, equality in Christ does not eradicate the different roles men and women maintain.

“For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing - if they continue in faith, love and holiness with self-control.”

Paul’s argument in 1 Timothy 2:13-15 explains the basis of his command in 1 Timothy 2:11-12 and warns of the consequences when it is disobeyed. Paul is calling attention to the fact that abandonment of God’s order inevitably creates disorder and error, while embracing that order is attendant with blessings (1 Timothy 2:15).

Incidentally, Paul both affirms women in their roles of service in the home and family, as well as beyond them. Lydia, the businesswoman (Acts 16:14-15), and Phoebe, the patron (Romans 16:1-2) are highly regarded by Paul. There is no hint of rebuke or impropriety regarding their professional vocation or standing, just as Proverbs 31:16-24 celebrates a woman who manages an estate. Furthermore, Paul has a high view of Christian singleness (see 1 Corinthians 7:32).

Conclusions for Male-Female Partnership

The Book of Church Order defines ordination as “the authoritative admission of one duly called to an office in the Church of God, accompanied with prayer and the laying on of hands, to which it is proper to add the giving of the right hand of fellowship” (BCO 17-2).

BCO 7-2 lays out the traditional Reformed view of ordination to the Eldership that involves a personal sense of divine calling to service, evidence of providential enablement and spiritual gifts, and the approbation of the church as necessary pre-requisites for ordination. It recognizes two ordinary and perpetual offices in the church, Elders and Deacons.

The Session at Oakwood Presbyterian Church believes that ordination is the formal setting aside of a called, sent, and qualified man from the fellowship of an ecclesiastical assembly consisting of God’s covenant people to a specific office, with vows affirming the responsibilities, power, and authority necessary for the fulfillment of the specified, ecclesiastical office.