Winger rejects the 'covering' argument that a senior male pastor can authorize female elders/pastors under his headship. A husband is the head of his wife — an elder is NOT the head of other elders. 1 Timothy 2 says 'I don't allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man,' period — not 'without a male head.'

Key arguments: (1) The 'covering' doctrine (a male senior pastor covering female pastors) is 'category confusion' — headship is husband-wife, not elder-elder. (2) Those women are married to OTHER men; the senior pastor can't claim to be their 'head.' (3) 1 Tim 2:12 says 'I don't allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man' — it does NOT say 'without a man as her head.' The prohibition is absolute for the elder/pastoral role. (4) He distinguishes: women can be theologians, teach at Bible college, pursue unlimited theological education — the restriction is specifically the elder/pastoral function for the congregation. (5) 'They're gifted' doesn't override it — they're exercising gifts in ways God hasn't called them to. (6) 'Nobody else will step up' may mean the church hasn't cultivated men — putting women in these roles propagates the problem for the next generation. (7) References his 30-40+ hour Women in Ministry series. (8) 1 Tim 3 elder qualifications 'seem as though they have to be referring to a guy.'