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All (3100) Scripture Commentary (2040) Theology (98) Mike Winger (942) Pulpit (20)
Mike Winger idea 2022-12-04

If elders do not judge prophecy, they abandon their God-given role

Mike argues the elder's doctrinal role makes their involvement in prophecy judgment unavoidable.

judging prophecy church governance elder role abandonment
Mike Winger idea 2022-12-04

It may not be necessary to decide exclusively who judged prophecy

Mike suggests the identity of the judges may not need to be precisely defined for the view to work.

Mormonism self-validation prohibition Islam
Mike Winger idea 2022-12-04

Women can have the gift of discernment but are restricted in its public exercise during church governance

Mike addresses the objection that his view means women cannot have a spiritual gift.

1 Corinthians 12:10 1 Corinthians 12:10 gift of discernment church governance
Mike Winger idea 2022-12-04

Cultural pushback: eldership is not a bucket list item or self-fulfillment role

Mike addresses the Western cultural tendency to view pastoral ministry as a personal entitlement.

church order pastoral ministry as entitlement Western cultural bias
Mike Winger idea 2022-12-04

Summary of why the judging prophecy view is superior: answering all four key questions

Mike walks through the advantages of the judging prophecy view over all other views.

1 Timothy 3 1 Corinthians 11 Titus 1 1 Timothy 3 1 Corinthians 11 Titus 1
Mike Winger idea 2022-12-04

Side issue: Does this passage address women in general or wives specifically?

Mike briefly addresses whether 'women' (gunai) should be translated as 'wives.'

1 Corinthians 14:35 1 Corinthians 14:35 gune (woman/wife) women vs. wives debate
Mike Winger idea 2022-12-04

Refutation of the 'separate seating' theory: no evidence men and women sat separately in early churches

Mike addresses the popular online claim that men and women sat on opposite sides of the church.

Craig Keener rabbinic literature gender-segregated seating
Mike Winger idea 2022-12-04

Brief refutation of the 'women as teachers' interpretation

Mike quickly dismisses the view that 'keep silent' refers to women teaching.

1 Corinthians 14 context women teaching view 1 Corinthians 14 context
Mike Winger idea 2022-12-04

Conclusion 1: Women can prophesy and speak in public church gatherings with role qualifications

Mike begins his six conclusions from this study.

1 Corinthians 11 head coverings role differences 1 Corinthians 11
Mike Winger idea 2022-12-04

Conclusion 3: Christians must not despise what God commands about gender roles

Mike calls Christians to celebrate rather than resist biblical teachings on gender roles.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Psalm 119 (delight in God's word) biblical submission Proverbs 3:5-6 Psalm 119 (delight in God's word)
Mike Winger idea 2022-12-04

Closing prayer celebrating God's word including teachings on gender roles

Mike closes with a prayer of trust in scripture's teachings on gender.

closing prayer delight in God's word cultural resistance
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Why Mike avoided the women in ministry topic for years

Mike shares the personal background of why he refused to address this topic for years, instructing his assistant Sarah to not send him questions about it.

complementarianism egalitarianism pastoral accountability
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

How egalitarian ideas spread through churches: scholars to pastors to congregations

Mike describes the pipeline of egalitarian influence.

egalitarian denominations scholarly influence liberal theology
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Women in ministry is a secondary issue but with huge practical application

Mike addresses the importance level of this theological disagreement.

secondary issue Christian unity practical application
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Ephesians 5:23 — headship extends to all marriages, not just Adam and Eve

Mike shows NT application of headship to marriage in general.

Colossians Ephesians 5:23 1 Peter 3:1 kephale headship mutual submission
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Failed egalitarian arguments against Pillar 2

Mike lists and dismisses various egalitarian counter-arguments.

1 Timothy 2:12 1 Timothy 2:12 egalitarian arguments authenteo
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

1 Timothy 2:12-13 is based on creation, not the fall or cultural circumstances

Mike emphasizes the creational basis for the elder restriction.

1 Timothy 2:13 creation order 1 Timothy 2:13 women and deception
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Pillar 2 was not debated throughout church history — it is a very new debate

Mike argues from historical consistency.

church history novelty of doctrine prophecy exception
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Ephesians 5:25 — husbands must self-sacrificially love like Christ

Mike presents husbandly self-sacrifice as an essential part of the biblical framework.

Ephesians 5:25-27 abuse prevention Ephesians 5:25-27 self-sacrifice
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Summary of three pillars — missing any one creates a sub-biblical view

Mike recaps all three pillars before moving to application.

application three pillars sub-biblical view
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

The flow from creation to marriage to eldership suggests principles are not totally isolated

Mike argues the softest complementarian view of totally isolated rules seems artificial.

1 Timothy 2:12-14 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 1 Timothy 2:12-14 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 creation to marriage to ministry
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Conclusion from Deborah: women can be in high roles of government

Mike draws the application from Deborah.

Deborah women in government government vs marriage authority
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Boss teaching employees confirms 1 Timothy 2:12 is specifically about church/elder context

Mike uses the boss example to confirm the limited scope of 1 Timothy 2:12.

1 Timothy 2:12 Proverbs 31 1 Timothy 2:12 Proverbs 31 church context
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Not an all-or-nothing approach: less strict rules outside marriage and eldership, but still present

Mike summarizes his thesis on societal application.

soft complementarianism application hierarchy marriage vs society
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Transition to detailed guidelines for women in ministry — defining church roles

Mike shifts to the church ministry application section.

women in ministry church roles elder definition
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Confusion of 'pastor' title across churches — example of 8 different pastor titles

Mike shows how the word 'pastor' has become muddied in modern church usage.

Ephesians 4:11 pastor title church role confusion Ephesians 4:11
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Only two ongoing official positions in NT: Elder and Deacon

Mike argues for a simpler church structure.

1 Timothy 3 Titus elder 1 Timothy 3 deacon
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

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

Mike warns about the practical consequences of loose terminology.

slippery slope title confusion church terminology
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

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

Mike gives practical church governance recommendations.

elder deaconess deacon
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Deacon is a broad catch-all term — range of roles with varying authority, all below elder

Mike defines the deacon role as flexible.

diakonos deacon deacon roles
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Women can be deacons — Phoebe in Romans 16:1 as evidence

Mike argues for women deacons with Phoebe as the primary example.

Romans 16:1 Phoebe diakonos Romans 16:1
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Early church acknowledged women deacons; female Deacon-type needs were real

Mike adds historical and practical support for women deacons.

early church practice women deacons history women baptizing women
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

If you reject women deacons, reserve the title for roles you believe only men can do

Mike offers practical advice to those who reject women deacons.

women in ministry deacon title practical church advice
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Easy cases: women as ushers — clearly permissible

Mike begins answering specific role questions, starting with easy ones.

ushers easy cases
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Stage evangelism (Billy Graham style) overlaps into elder function — applies 1 Timothy 2:12

Mike distinguishes casual evangelism from large-scale public proclamation.

1 Timothy 2:12 1 Timothy 2:12 Billy Graham Greg Laurie
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Women theologians writing books men read — permissible; Priscilla as precedent

Mike addresses whether women can write theology books for mixed audiences.

Acts 18:26 women authors Priscilla Aquila
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Women running podcasts/YouTube channels on theology — permissible with care

Mike addresses women in online ministry.

elder-like function women podcasters women YouTubers
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

1 Corinthians 14:29-35 — women silent in judging prophecy, not silent in general

Mike interprets the controversial silence passage.

1 Corinthians 11 John MacArthur 1 Corinthians 14:29-35 1 Corinthians 11 John MacArthur judgment of prophecy
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Women doing announcements and leading prayer congregationally — fine with nuance

Mike addresses women doing announcements and prayer in church.

spiritual development church announcements congregational prayer
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Advice to women conference/college speakers: take steps to ensure it doesn't become elder-like

Mike gives practical advice to women in teaching roles.

elder-like function conference speaking practical advice
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Wednesday/off-service teaching: if a non-elder man could do it, probably a woman could too

Mike offers a practical test for non-Sunday teaching slots.

Romans 14 Romans 14 non-elder teaching test Christian liberty
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Teaching on a Sunday morning — the hardest case; various approaches churches take

Mike tackles the most contested ministry question.

Sunday preaching Baptist tradition ordination
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Various approaches to women speaking on Sundays: interview format, guest speaker, testimony, non-teaching topics

Mike describes different ways churches navigate this question.

Joni Eareckson Tada women on Sundays interview format
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Need grace and flexibility between churches — no single policy all churches must follow

Mike emphasizes ecclesial flexibility on these hard cases.

Romans 14 Romans 14 church flexibility Christian grace
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Women leading small groups: depends on whether the leader functions as an elder

Mike addresses small group leadership.

small group leadership facilitator vs elder church-specific decisions
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

The cost of over-restriction: limiting ministry and spiritual development of women

Mike warns again about the unintended consequences of excessive restrictions.

spiritual development Christian grace cost of restriction
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

How to justify being strict in marriage/ministry but less strict elsewhere: examples and clear teachings

Mike recaps the hermeneutical justification for his approach.

hermeneutics Deborah David and showbread
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Warning: egalitarians are doing great harm to the church despite good intentions

Mike gives a direct warning about egalitarian influence.

egalitarian harm church reputation good intentions
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

It's not good enough to grudgingly believe complementarianism — must see it as good and beautiful

Mike addresses the heart posture needed beyond intellectual agreement.

Christ and the church grudging complementarian heart transformation
Mike Winger idea 2024-03-01

Christians must get back to the Bible — this is something the world needs

Mike frames complementarianism as a gift to the world, not an embarrassment.

cultural engagement biblical complementarianism church boldness