Search — Theology Explorer

thinking biblically Mike Winger

Mike's stated goal is to teach people how to think biblically rather than just declaring what is true, enabling independent biblical reasoning.

Series introduction — Mike's teaching philosophy

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

guest speakers Joni Eareckson Tada Sunday morning teaching

The question of women as guest speakers on Sunday mornings, referencing Joni Eareckson Tada as an example.

Scope of practical questions raised by this debate

complementarianism Alisa Childers women in online ministry

Women bloggers, podcasters, and YouTubers like Alisa Childers raise the same questions — she has more impact than most pastors.

Scope of practical questions raised by this debate

1 Tim 2:12 authentein cult of Artemis

Video 9 will cover 1 Timothy 2 — the key complementarian passage about women not teaching or having authority over men, including the word authentein and the cult of Artemis.

Series overview and roadmap

eldership duration of submission eternal perspective

Rebuttal: women's submission is not permanent — it is limited to this life, and Christians should not view this life as their permanent state. Most Christians permanently submit to elders anyway.

Mistake #4: Rebutting 'permanent'

story-driven theology Beth Allison Barr The Making of Biblical Womanhood

Barr uses the story of a rude complementarian male student to overrule Russell Moore's distinction between pagan patriarchy and biblical complementarianism.

Mistake #5: Barr's story overruling theological argument

1 Tim 2:12 proof-texting canonical consistency

Mistake #7: Picking one passage to rule all the rest — both sides do this, creating contradictions within the Bible rather than seeking unified understanding.

Mistake #7: One passage rules the rest

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-14

Schreiner's point 2: God gave the command not to eat from the tree to Adam alone, not Eve -- Adam had to relay it, placing him in a teaching/leadership role.

Complementarian argument #2: command given to Adam alone

Tom Schreiner Gen 2:16-17 command to Adam

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-14

Critical distinction: Genesis 2-3 is about HUSBANDS and WIVES, not men and women in general -- 'know your place' language wrongly presupposes universal female submission to all men.

Limiting the scope of the Genesis teaching

husband-wife scope Gen 2-3 universal female submission rejected

women in ministry complementarianism egalitarianism

Introduction to the Women in Ministry series part 4

Mike introduces this as part 4 of his exhaustive series on women in ministry, covering everything the Bible says and engaging every egalitarian argument he can find.

1 Timothy women in ministry complementarianism egalitarianism

Complementarian vs. egalitarian views on women's roles summarized

Mike recaps the two major positions before diving into the evidence.

Acts 18:24-26 Ephesus Priscilla Aquila

Acts 18:24-26: Priscilla and Aquila teach Apollos theology privately

Mike examines the most significant scene from Priscilla and Aquila's ministry.

Acts 18:26 Priscilla private vs. public teaching eldership teaching

Priscilla's teaching was doctrinal but private and informal, not public elder-type teaching

Mike distinguishes what Priscilla's teaching was from what it was not.

Priscilla women teaching men private instruction

Principle from Priscilla: a woman can instruct a man in doctrine, at least in private/informal contexts

Mike draws a principle from the Priscilla account.

Critique of the 'husband as covering' concept; why was Aquila present?

Mike examines three explanations for Aquila's presence during the teaching of Apollos.

Priscilla Aquila Apollos

Acts 18:26 Priscilla Aquila Craig Keener

Craig Keener claims Priscilla and Aquila instructed ministers (plural) and led a house church

Mike examines Keener's specific claims about Priscilla and Aquila.

Priscilla Craig Keener women teaching men

Conclusions on Priscilla/Aquila: Keener overstates, but women can teach men theology

Mike balances his critique with a positive complementarian conclusion.

1 Timothy 2 women in ministry 1 Timothy 2 teaching and authority

Mike's tentative position: teaching allowed if it doesn't carry eldership authority; real-life examples balance rules

Mike begins articulating his personal landing point.

1 Timothy 5:9-10 1 Timothy 3 Linda Belleville 1 Timothy 5:9-10 elder qualifications

Belleville's claim that widow requirements parallel elder qualifications -- they don't

Mike addresses Belleville's second argument for widows as elders.

Titus 2:3-5 presbuteros Titus 2:3-5 presbytis

Titus 2:3: 'older women' uses a different Greek word (presbytis), not the elder office term

Mike addresses a less common egalitarian proof text.

Titus 2:3-5 Titus 2:3-5 women teaching women intergenerational mentoring

Neglected biblical teaching: older people should train younger people, especially same gender

Mike draws a positive application from Titus 2.

1 Timothy 3:2 able to teach didaktikos elder vs. deacon distinction

The unique elder requirement: able to teach -- distinguishes elders from deacons

Mike highlights what makes elder requirements distinct.

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.

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.

women in ministry mutual edification informal teaching

Balance: all believers should be open to learning from one another, including across genders

Mike offers a balanced complementarian application.

1 Timothy 3 1 Timothy 3 elder vs. deacon distinction diakonos

Definition of deacon: can mean generic servant or official church position

Mike defines the semantic range of 'diakonos.'

Acts 6 apostles Acts 6 deacon definition

Acts 6: the seven men as proto-deacons; deacons do everything that isn't eldership

Mike discusses the origin of the deacon role.

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.

1 Timothy 2 1 Corinthians 11 egalitarianism 1 Timothy 2 1 Corinthians 11

Two egalitarian views on women apostles

Mike outlines the two egalitarian arguments that will be addressed in this video.

complementarianism elder qualifications missionaries vs apostles

Complementarian views on women apostles

Mike summarizes the complementarian positions on the question.

apostolic authority apostolos

Apostle must mean highest leadership for egalitarian argument to work

Mike emphasizes a key logical requirement of the egalitarian argument.

equivocation fallacy apostolos

Egalitarian equivocation on the meaning of apostle

Mike flags a recurring problem in egalitarian argumentation.

Philip Payne authority in ministry Great Commission

Payne's claim that Junia had 'authority as ministers of the gospel' is vague

Mike responds to Payne's claim about authority.

soft complementarianism Two Views on Women in Ministry Craig Blomberg

Craig Blomberg's soft complementarian view: missionaries with temporary authority

Mike presents Blomberg's nuanced position from Two Views on Women in Ministry.

1 Timothy 2 Junia 1 Timothy 2 egalitarian trump card

The egalitarian 'trump card' of Junia as apostle does not work

Mike's interim conclusion before moving to the Greek syntactical argument.

Romans 16:7 Junia women's ministry Romans 16:7

Mike's conclusion: Junia was probably not an apostle; if she was, she was a missionary

Mike states his overall conclusion on the Junia question.

hermeneutical methodology OT-NT equivalence women prophets

Better equivalence: women prophets in OT lead to women prophets in NT, not women apostles

Mike argues the egalitarian logic fails on its own terms.

Craig Blomberg elder restriction the Twelve

Negative data: all twelve apostles were men

Mike presents the complementarian argument from the composition of the Twelve.

soft complementarianism female deacons women's roles in NT

Mike's conclusions on women's roles: high view of women but not apostles

Mike begins his summary conclusions for the video.

spiritual gifts prophecy argument priesthood of all believers

Preview of next video: prophecy argument, gifts arguments, universal priesthood

Mike previews the topics for part 6 of the series.

misogyny in the church cultural influence on theology

Historical chauvinism and negative attitudes toward women have affected the church

Mike acknowledges that negative attitudes toward women exist in complementarian circles, rooted not just in biblical teaching but in broader cultural attitudes historically hostile to women.

eldership universal priesthood of believers

Argument 3 preview: Universal priesthood of believers means women can hold any ministry role

If all Christians are priests (including women), then women should be able to serve in any ministry role including eldership.

spiritual gifts argument teaching gift leadership gift

Argument 5 preview: God gifts women with teaching and leadership, so they should be able to use those gifts fully

Mike says this argument challenged him the most. If the Holy Spirit gives women gifts of teaching and leadership, restricting those gifts contradicts God's purposes.

A third option Wright did not consider: learning theology deeply without becoming a rabbi

Mike rejects Wright's binary (learning for information vs. becoming a rabbi) and proposes a middle option.

N.T. Wright discipleship

eldership universal priesthood of believers

Argument 3 introduced: Universal priesthood of believers

Mike introduces the argument: since all NT believers are priests, and priestly functions include teaching and leading, women should be able to be elders.

presbyter priesthood Roman Catholicism

There is no select group of priests within the body of Christ in the New Testament

Mike explains that the concept of a special clerical priesthood arose from culture and church history, not from the NT or apostolic teaching.

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 Timothy 2:5 mediation 1 Timothy 2:5 church tradition

1 Timothy 2:5 — one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus

Mike cites this verse as foundational for the doctrine of no human mediators in Christianity.