Search — Theology Explorer

women in ministry women pastors practical application

Despite being secondary, this issue has massive practical impact on women's ministry, marriage, church choice, and which teachers to follow.

Why this topic matters practically

women deacons Krista Bontrager Jen Wilkin

Exploring the range of practical questions: women as deacons, youth leaders, worship leaders, and non-pastoral teachers like Krista Bontrager and Jen Wilkin.

Scope of practical questions raised by this debate

John Piper complementarianism Nancy Pearcey John Piper

For egalitarians these role questions are easy; for complementarians they require nuance. Examples include women theologians like Nancy Pearcey and the debate over women seminary teachers (John Piper opposes it).

Scope of practical questions raised by this debate

women deacons Junia women apostles

Video 4 will address women in the New Testament: women as apostles, elders, deacons, and teachers, including the Junia question.

Series overview and roadmap

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 experience-based theology false teachers

Life experience bypasses scripture on both sides: 'A woman pastor ministered to me' (egalitarian) or 'Women have frequently been false teachers' (complementarian).

Mistake #1: Life experience overriding scripture

Rebecca Merrill Groothuis Levites prophets

Groothuis's rebuttal that prophets had more authority than Levites is a red herring — Levites were the regular, widespread spiritual authorities throughout Israel.

Mistake #4: Levite analogy — responding to Groothuis's counter

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-14

Schreiner's point 3: Eve called Adam's 'ezer' (helper) -- complementarians argue this implies subordination, but Mike finds the egalitarian rebuttal strong on this point.

The 'ezer' (helper) debate

Tom Schreiner ezer kenegdo

Romans 16 Romans 16:1-2 Junia N.T. Wright Romans 16

NT Wright on Romans 16: women as church leaders and Phoebe as letter bearer

Continuation of Wright's argument about Romans 16.

Linda Belleville women apostles Craig Keener

Belleville claims female apostles, prophets, teachers, evangelists; Craig Keener agrees women held prominent roles

Mike continues presenting egalitarian scholarly claims.

Titus 1 John hosting vs. leading Timothy Titus

Additional arguments against host-as-leader: Timothy/Titus appointing elders, reductio ad absurdum examples

Mike piles on counter-evidence to the host-as-leader claim.

1 Timothy 3 1 Timothy 3 apostolic doctrine elder teaching role

Elders as official teachers carrying apostolic doctrine

Mike describes the teaching function of elders.

Romans 16 Craig Keener N.T. Wright Romans 16

Egalitarian argument: letter carriers were expected to teach the letter; Phoebe taught Romans

Mike introduces the letter-carrier-as-teacher argument.

Craig Keener letter carrier as teacher 1 Maccabees 12:23

Keener's sources examined: 1 Maccabees 12:23 does not support letter-carrier-as-teacher

Mike examines Keener's footnoted sources one by one.

letter carrier as teacher ancient letter customs Xenophon

Xenophon's Cyropaedia: Cyrus limits the carrier to the letter's content, not expanding authority

Mike examines the second ancient source.

Ephesians 6:21-22 Colossians 4:7-8 letter carrier as teacher Ephesians 6:21-22 Colossians 4:7-8

Ephesians 6:21-22 and Colossians 4:7-8: Tychicus gave personal updates, not letter interpretation

Mike examines the remaining biblical references cited by Keener.

Phoebe letter carrier as teacher ancient letter customs

No proven ancient custom of letter carriers as teachers; practical challenges to the view

Mike concludes his examination of the letter-carrier argument.

Colossians 3:16 Philip Payne Colossians 3:16 teaching and admonishing

Philip Payne's argument from Colossians 3:16: all Christians should have a teaching ministry -- refuted

Mike addresses another egalitarian argument about women teachers.

pastor vs. elder vs. deacon church terminology deacon authority

Deacons do whatever is needed as official church representatives; the 'pastor' label confusion

Mike completes his deacon definition.

Romans 16:1 Tom Schreiner Craig Blomberg Phoebe

Phoebe likely was an official deacon because of the phrase 'of the church at Cenchreae'

Mike concludes Phoebe was a deacon based on the qualifying phrase.

women apostles N.T. Wright women prophets

Preview of upcoming topics: apostles, universal priesthood, prophecy, spiritual gifts, NT Wright's arguments

Mike previews what will be covered in part 5.

Luke 10:39 Acts 22:3 N.T. Wright Luke 10:39 Mary and Martha

Argument 2 detail: N.T. Wright claims 'sat at the feet' is a technical phrase meaning rabbinical training

Wright argues that Mary sitting at Jesus's feet (Luke 10:39) means she was being trained to become a rabbi/teacher, not merely learning as a disciple.

Acts 22:3 Acts 22:3 sat at the feet Gamaliel

Acts 22:3 — Paul 'at the feet of Gamaliel' does not prove everyone who sat at a teacher's feet became a rabbi

Mike questions whether the phrase necessarily means rabbinical training for every person who used it.

1 Timothy 2:5 priesthood mediation 1 Timothy 2:5

Priesthood means no one mediates between you and God; this is different from teaching

Mike now builds his positive case for what priesthood means for Christians and why it does not equate to eldership.

1 Corinthians 12:28 apostles 1 Corinthians 12:28 kubernesis (administrating)

1 Corinthians 12:28 — 'administrating' (leadership) appears as a gift distinct from the office of teacher

Mike examines another gifts list.

Ephesians 4:11-12 offices vs. gifts Ephesians 4:11-12 pastor-teacher

Ephesians 4:11-12 is about offices (apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds/teachers) not about gifts applicable to the question

Mike examines Ephesians 4 but determines it is about offices, not gifts.

spiritual gifts argument gifts expressed outside eldership

Egalitarian claim that women are 'kept from serving God according to their gifting' is wrong — most gifted teachers are not elders

Mike rebuts the claim that restricting eldership means restricting women's gifts.

1 Corinthians 12:29-30 Philip Payne teaching ministry 1 Corinthians 12:29-30

1 Corinthians 12:29-30 — Paul's rhetorical questions show not everyone is supposed to teach

Mike cites Paul's own words against the idea that all Christians should have a teaching ministry.

Mike Winger idea 2022-06-20

Church leadership is service, not a prize for personal fulfillment

Mike addresses a pastoral concern about how leadership is framed in the debate.

servant leadership eldership pastoral theology

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-28

Priests were teachers of the law, determined cleanness, mediated between people and God, bore the sins of the people — typologically pointing to Christ.

Functions of the priesthood and typological significance

1 Corinthians 15 Romans 5 typology priesthood 1 Corinthians 15

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-28

The overall OT flow supports men in highest roles (by example and by priestly demand); next week covers women in the NT.

Transition to next video

priesthood Andronicus and Junia apostleship

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-28

Preview of NT topics: Were women apostles, elders, deacons, teachers? Do female prophets mean women can be elders? Does God's gifting of women mean no role restrictions?

Preview of upcoming content

spiritual gifts prophetess women apostles

Mike Winger idea 2022-12-04

Education View Hinge 2: Why ALL women in EVERY church?

Mike presses the problem of universal scope for the education view.

Craig Keener universal scope women elders

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

women in ministry eldership application

Overview of application questions this video will address

Mike introduces the video as the culmination of his 2+ year Women in Ministry project, listing specific questions about women's roles.

patriarchalism women voting women in education

Hard patriarchalist positions on restricting women

Mike describes the most extreme patriarchalist restrictions.

1 Timothy 2:12 1 Timothy 2:12 egalitarian arguments authenteo

Failed egalitarian arguments against Pillar 2

Mike lists and dismisses various egalitarian counter-arguments.

soft complementarianism patriarchalism application spectrum

The big question: how far do we draw the application beyond marriage and eldership?

Mike frames the central application question of the video.

Ephesians 4:11 1 Peter 2:25 Hebrews 13:20 Ephesians 4:11 1 Peter 2:25 Hebrews 13:20

Definition of pastor: a shepherding/caretaking leadership term synonymous with elder

Mike defines how he uses the word 'pastor' based on scripture.

1 Timothy 2:12 1 Timothy 2:12 children's ministry women's ministry

Easy cases: tech/media ministry, children's ministry teaching, food ministry — all fine

Mike quickly addresses several easy ministry roles.

1 Timothy 2:12 1 Timothy 2:12 Billy Graham Greg Laurie

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

Mike distinguishes casual evangelism from large-scale public proclamation.

Michael Heiser non-elder teaching Bible college teaching

Teaching Christian doctrine at conferences and Bible colleges — probably permissible

Mike addresses women teaching theology outside Sunday services.

women ministry leaders authority over male workers organic role expansion

Women leading children's/women's ministries with men under them: probably okay but requires wisdom

Mike addresses women overseeing ministries that include male workers.

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.

1 Timothy 2:12 1 Timothy 1:3-4 Titus 1:10-11 1 Timothy 2:12 Ephesus female false teachers theory

Egalitarian theory: Paul was addressing female false teachers in Ephesus

Mike addresses the argument that 1 Tim 2:12 restricts only women who were teaching false doctrine, not all women.

1 Timothy 2:12 1 Timothy 1:3 1 Timothy 6:3 1 Timothy 2:12 word study didasko

Didasko (teach) word study: Paul always uses it positively when unqualified

Mike examines the NT usage of didasko to determine whether it could mean 'false teaching' in 1 Tim 2:12.

1 Timothy 5:14 1 Timothy 2:15 1 Timothy 5:10 1 Timothy 5:14 Douglas Moo Tom Schreiner

View 4: Saved through proper female roles (Douglas Moo's preferred view)

Mike presents Moo's view that childbearing represents the broader female role, and salvation attends faithful role-fulfillment.