Theo 202 Week 2 Research Paper

APA
THEO 202-BO7 LUO

Essay on the Role of Women in the Church A friend of mines name Mary wanted to become more involved in her church’s ministries. But before she would commit, she had a few questions about a woman’s role in the church. In these next few paragraphs, I will attempt to help answer her questions about what is the proper role for a woman and what service she is able to get involved in as a female member. An elder or a presbyter had a large role in the New Testament church, along with the apostles, prophets, and teachers. They were associated with the Jerusalem church leaders and they was to be in charge of oversight of the church as shepherds and they was also responsible for teaching and preaching at the local level. A deacon as found in
scripture is best described as filling the function of servant. The requirements for being a deacon servant is to be the husband of one wife, have control of his children, must be in great standings with Christ, must be worthy of respect, sincere, not a drunk, not dishonestly chasing after money and wealth, and must be able to go under scrutiny to test their trustworthiness. The role of deacon was also filled by women in the church, found in the Bible. In Romans 16:1, Paul presented Phoebe to the church and commanded that she be assisted in whatever business that was needed. Paul also presented Priscilla alone with Aquila as his helpers in Christ, which meant that they were presented to be servants for the church. In the book of Galatians 3:28 it shows that men and women stood on equal ground in the eyes of Christ and that meant that either could serve Christ at any capacity. Even though 1 Timothy 2:11-15 states that a woman should learn in silence, it is a passage that is usually taking out of it intended context. Also in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, silence of a woman was based on the text meaning that women should ask questions during the teaching or preaching, because it meant that the woman was not being taught at home by her husband as the culture intended for the teaching of word to be done at home also. These words mention in these passages was intended for there to be order held during the time of teaching and preaching in the church services in Corinth. This rule was not intended to an overall sweeping law throughout all churches. As the New Testament shows that women definitely did and can serve and hold office in church.
But there are still those that like to use passages like the verses in 1 Timothy 2:11-15 as a law against women serving in church or holding a position. But if these verses are read correctly you will see that woman play a vital part in the ministry of the church. The verse also states to not suffer a woman to teach, so what would our Sunday schools be like with women or what would the women ministry be like without the older women teaching our young women. And also think about the role that women play when church ministry goes out on the mission field. Yes in Ephesians states that the woman should be submissive to their husband, but these scriptures put more of the responsibility of the man to love the woman as Jesus loved the church. As stated in Galatians 3:28, Christ sees man and woman as equal, so why would man try to put limitations on the woman. The same goes for the work place, which woman are so bluntly looked over for positions by men. If a woman has the qualification and the abilities to performed the job, then she must be giving the same opportunities as the man does, to work in that
position. The Bible shows that women have held the positions of prophetess, deacon, and other positions as spiritual leaders. The Bible also shows that God is not a respecter of persons, and we as believers should remove this dark thinking and accept the gift of God from any male or female. God has given great spiritual and natural talent to mankind as a whole, which either male or female can fill any position or task needed in the church. When it comes to church government and there is a woman that wishes to serve in that position, then the decision should be based on her skills and qualifications, not her gender. God created man and woman in his images and has endowed them both with gifts and talents. The church suffers tremendous lost, when all the believers and members are not afforded the chance to serve in ministry. Women have played a vital part in the kingdom of God and the Bible shows proof of it happening. Women are just as important to the work of the ministry as the same as men. Just think where would churches be without women serving.
Word count: 847
Bibliography
Elwell, Walter A, Evangelical Dictionary of Theology Second Edition, pg 320, 369, 1281-1291, Grand Rapids: Baker, 2001