The other morning I read through Paul's letter to Philemon. In the greeting, Paul addresses Philemon, Apphia, and Archippus. I immediately paused at Apphia. How had I missed her before? Perhaps, in prior readings, I'd merely skimmed over the greeting portion of this letter. But there she was, just like Priscilla is acknowledged in 1 Corinthians and elsewhere in Paul's many letters.
As a woman in ministry, I take pause just about every time I read about a woman who led and partnered in the early church ministry. I rest on their examples as a foundation to continue doing the work that God has laid before me. I desperately need this foundation, because as a woman in ministry, I often feel that I am pushing up against the culture and boundaries of the modern-day church.
There are a lot of opinions about whether or not a woman can hold a title, position, or role in ministry, and for a while, those opinions kept me from really stepping into my calling. As I began to evaluate and examine women's roles in the early church, it became more apparent to me that women had, in fact, led in ministry in many different ways. So, when posed with the question, "can women be in ministry?" I think that it can be helpful to evaluate women and their roles within church history.
Examples from the Old Testament
Examples of women leading within the passages of the Old Testament are plentiful, from Esther advocating on behalf of the Jews living under the reign of King Xerxes, to Judge Deborah, to the unnamed widow at Zarephath (Kings 17:7-24) who provided for Elijah, it is clear that God uses women to carry out His will.
I have learned so much from the story of Esther and the words of Mordecai in Esther 4:14, "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"
When applied to our own context, I can't help but ponder the question, "if God has historically used women in many different contexts, then why are we so concerned as a culture about how God might use women today? Aren't we all, who are in Christ, bound by the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 after all?
Examples from Jesus' Ministry
Throughout Jesus' three-year ministry here on earth, there is an abundance of examples of Jesus drawing women into His work. In fact, Jesus uses a Samaritan woman He goes out of His way to meet in Sychar (John 4:4-30) to go public with His ministry.
If God didn't want women to participate in drawing others to Himself, then why would Jesus kick his ministry off in this fashion? If women were excluded from the ministry, wouldn't it have made more sense to exclude women from the get-go? Alas, Jesus doesn't do this. Instead, he draws both men and women into the fold for the duration of his ministry, inviting them both to sit at his feet and learn from him.
Consider the virgin birth through Mary and the conception of John the Baptist through her cousin Elizabeth. Read Luke 1:26-44, reread verse 41, it reads: "When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit." Did you catch that? The Holy Spirit was upon Elizabeth! This text is wildly profound and often something we gloss over, considering that the Holy Spirit did not rest on all those who believed before Pentecost. To see the Holy Spirit resting upon two women as we see in Luke 1:35 (upon Mary) and then in 1:41 (Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit) again leaves me questioning if God doesn't want to use women, then why does he use women? Surely God uses ordinary women to unfold his extraordinary plan for humanity.
Perhaps the greatest final example of this is in the resurrection account. Read Matthew 28:1-10, the account of the women at the tomb. Again, the whole exchange leaves me pondering the question: if God doesn't want women to participate in his work, then why did women discover the empty tomb?
Examples from Paul's Ministry
Jumping from the gospel accounts to the letters of Paul, again, we see women actively working to support Paul's ministry and leading within the context of the early church. Take a look at the examples of Phoebe and Priscilla:
Phoebe was addressed as a servant, possibly meaning a deacon, of the church in Cenchreae. Paul writes, "I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well." (Romans 16:1–2 ESV) Two verses later, Paul addresses Prisca (Priscilla) and Aquila, writing, "Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. Greet also the church in their house." (Romans 16:3–5 ESV)
Both women are said to be co-labors in Christ and have played essential roles in Paul's ministry. In Paul's second letter to Timothy, he mentions Timothy's mother Eunice and grandmother Lois, who were women of "sincere" faith in Christ and had a strong influence on Timothy's faith. (1 Timothy 1:5)
During those pivotal first years of the early church, women played a substantial role in hosting the assembly (i.e., church) of believers, sharing the gospel with both Jews and Gentiles, and even financially supporting some of the earliest missionaries. As the church in Rome grew, women were martyred for their faith just like their male counterparts. Apphia, if you'll recall from Paul's letter to Philemon, was martyred under the reign of Nero alongside Philemon and Archippus.
These examples leave me wondering if women can bleed and die alongside their male counterparts, keeping in mind that in the underground church in closed countries and elsewhere, women are in fact persecuted and martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ today, then why are we still asking the question, "can women serve in ministry?"
I once heard it said, "If it's not true for Christians everywhere, it's not true for Christians anywhere." We can apply this thought to the question of women leading in ministry. Perhaps, in the West, we are preconditioned by patriarchy, but isn't God's plan for humanity bigger than patriarchy? What of tribal communities in other countries and cultures? Do we exclude women from preaching the gospel with their communities simply based on their gender?
Every Christian mother is a minister. Each Christian wife is a minister. Each Christian woman who works in the secular workforce is a minister. Every Christian friend is a minister to her friends. Each Christian grandmother, auntie, sister, daughter, we are all ministers. If we belong to Christ, then we have a ministry to do, whether that ministry is within the context of the church or elsewhere. Perhaps, rather than asking the question, "can women be in ministry," we should be asking ourselves, "what do we lose if women stop ministering?" I think, if we're all honest with ourselves, the answer to that question is "a lot." And that answer should help dictate how women, and likewise men, engage in ministry in every facet of their lives.
Reference: The Gospel Coalition, Desiring God
Rachel Baker is the author of Deconstructed, a Bible study guide for anyone who feels overwhelmed or ill-equipped to study the word of God. She is a pastor’s wife and director of women’s ministries, who believes in leading through vulnerability and authenticity. She is a cheerleader, encourager, and sometimes drill-sergeant. She serves the local church alongside her husband, Kile, in Northern Nevada. They have two amazing kiddos and three dogs. Rachel is fueled by coffee, tacos, and copious amounts of cheese. For more on her and her resources to build your marriage, see her website: www.rachelcheriebaker.com or connect with her on Instagram at @hellorachelbaker.