Search — Theology Explorer

eldership gender roles egalitarianism

Definition of egalitarianism: equality in both personhood and role, with no limits on what women can do in the church including serving as elders.

Framing the debate — defining key terms

women in ministry pastoral sensitivity false teacher accusation

Direct address to women in ministry: Mike is not questioning their hearts, impact, or calling them false teachers simply because they are women who teach.

Pastoral aside to women in ministry

bypassing scripture calling experience-based theology

Mistake #1: Using life experience to answer what the Bible says — 'I know I'm called' as a bypass of scripture.

Mistake #1: Life experience overriding scripture

bypassing scripture patriarchy egalitarianism

Mistake #3: Believing it is the 'evils of patriarchy' that must be fought — egalitarians who frame complementarians as patriarchalists use privilege/power language to bypass scripture.

Mistake #3: Evils of patriarchy

eldership Philip Payne equality in Christ

Mike's rebuttal to Payne: role differences are about God's calling/assignment, not nature or equality in Christ. Payne's logic would make eldership part of what it means to be Christian.

Mistake #4: Rebutting Payne

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-14

Philip Payne's overreach: calling 'ezer' 'rescuer' and Eve 'man's savior' goes too far in the other direction.

Egalitarian overreach on 'ezer'

Philip Payne Man and Woman, One in Christ ezer

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-14

Schreiner's response to Trible: demanding both 'call' and 'name' is too rigid; the repetition of 'qara' (call) in Gen 2:19-23 links animal naming to Eve's naming.

Complementarian rebuttal on naming formula

Tom Schreiner Phyllis Trible qara

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-14

Trible's second objection: 'woman' is a common noun (gender classification), not a proper name -- Schreiner's reply: Adam classified animals the same way (types, not personal names).

Complementarian rebuttal on naming as classification

Tom Schreiner Gen 2:23 Phyllis Trible

Mike Winger idea 2022-04-13

'Paranoid masculinity': over-regulation of gender roles in complementarian circles

Mike coins a term for a problem he sees in complementarian practice.

John Piper John Piper complementarian overcorrection Pharisaical over-regulation

Mike Winger idea 2022-04-13

Survey of 12 translations on prostatis: all say patron/helper/benefactor; only Passion Translation says 'leader'

Mike checks major English translations to see if any support Payne's reading.

Romans 16:2 Philip Payne Phoebe prostatis

Mike Winger idea 2022-05-09

Keener's first argument: Paul never elsewhere appeals to 'the apostles' as a group

Mike evaluates and rebuts Keener's first argument.

Romans 16:7 Galatians 2:9 Craig Keener apostolic authority Romans 16:7

Mike Winger idea 2022-05-30

Prophecy and eldership are very different: prophecy is passive, requires no qualifications or appointment, and the prophet has no ongoing authority

Mike summarizes the key differences that undermine the prophecy-equals-eldership argument.

prophecy vs. eldership

Mike Winger idea 2022-05-30

Women gifted in teaching should use that gift — find ways that honor biblical limitations

Mike counsels pastors on how to handle gifted women in their churches.

women teaching practical ministry application

Mike Winger idea 2022-06-20

Rebecca Groothuis and other scholars calling Galatians 3:28 the most important egalitarian text

Mike cites multiple egalitarian scholars to demonstrate the verse's centrality to their position.

Discovering Biblical Equality Rebecca Groothuis Ronald Allen

Mike Winger idea 2022-06-20

1 Peter 3 proves full heirship status with continued role distinctions

Mike uses 1 Peter 3 as a decisive counter-example to the egalitarian reading.

1 Peter 3:1-7 1 Peter 3:1-7 Sarah Abraham

1 Peter 3:5-6 Genesis 18:12 Sarah Abraham 1 Peter 3:5-6

Sarah obeying Abraham as an example that rules out purely evangelistic interpretation

Mike argues the Sarah example confirms submission is a general godly pattern, not culturally bound.

Genesis 18:12 Sarah Genesis 18:12 kyrios

Sarah calling Abraham 'Lord' (Genesis 18:12) and what it means

Mike examines the only verse where Sarah calls Abraham 'Lord.'

1 Peter 3:1 patriarchalism 1 Peter 3:1 scope of submission

Submission is limited to 'your own husband,' not all men

Mike distinguishes complementarianism from patriarchalism.

complementarianism equal value different roles

Heart of complementarianism: equal value, different authority, mutual accountability

Mike summarizes the complementarian vision of marriage.

1 Timothy 3:4-5 mutually exclusive callings abuse prevention 1 Timothy 3:4-5

Callings are mutually exclusive: husband never told to MAKE wife submit

Mike identifies a key structural feature of the NT marriage instructions.

Genesis 18:12 Sarah Genesis 18:12 Peter Davids

Davids claims Peter references the Testament of Abraham, not Genesis, for Sarah

Mike examines and refutes Davids' argument about the Sarah reference.

Craig Keener argument from absence obey/rule terminology

Keener on Paul 'avoiding' the words obey and rule -- argument from absent words

Mike addresses the claim that Paul deliberately avoided stronger terms.

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-28

Noadiah the prophetess (Nehemiah 6:14) was a false prophet hired against Nehemiah — she should not be used to establish frequency of female prophets.

Brief note on another OT prophetess

Nehemiah 6:14 Nehemiah Nehemiah 6:14 Noadiah false prophet

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-28

The 'wise woman of Tekoa' (2 Samuel 14) was not an 'advisor to head of state' — she merely memorized and delivered Joab's words to David.

Rebutting Belleville's claim about the woman of Tekoa

2 Samuel 14:3 Linda Belleville Two Views on Women in Ministry David

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-28

Even if 'women' is the right reading, it's metaphorical — there were no actual women rulers at the time; Isaiah is calling male leaders 'women' as an insult.

Interpreting Isaiah 3:12 if 'women' is the correct reading

Isaiah 3:12 Isaiah 1:23 Micah Isaiah 3:12 Isaiah 1:23 Micah

Mike Winger idea 2022-11-11

Gordon Fee on verse 9: woman is 'necessary for man' to fulfill his calling -- also creates contradiction

Mike examines and refutes Fee's interpretation.

1 Corinthians 11:9 1 Corinthians 11:9 Gordon Fee necessity interpretation

Mike Winger idea 2022-12-04

Christian obligation to receive and understand scripture fully

Mike states his commitment to believing and supporting what scripture teaches, even on difficult topics.

biblical authority biblical inerrancy

bypassing scripture methodology sola scriptura

Scripture is king: seven ways people bypass the Bible on this issue

Mike revisits how Video 1 addressed the methodology issue.

slippery slope title confusion church terminology

Using pastor as catch-all title creates a slippery slope toward egalitarianism

Mike warns about the practical consequences of loose terminology.

Recommendation: use Elder and Deacon as church titles, or Pastor synonymous with Elder

Mike gives practical church governance recommendations.

elder deaconess deacon

1 Peter 2:9 priesthood of all believers husband as priest Reformation

Husbands are NOT the priests of their wives — priesthood of all believers

Mike pushes back against a common complementarian phrase.

capacity vs role creational distinctions maleness and femaleness

Role restrictions are NOT based on women's capacity, intelligence, or gifting

Mike rebuts the idea that women are restricted because they're less capable.