To Preach or Not To Preach...

I'm going to leave you with two questions.

But first...

I have a friend who is very much against women preaching from the pulpit. I have just recently learned this about my friend and it makes me squirm a little bit, because this friend has no idea the number of times I have 'preached' from the pulpit. I don't want to tell him. Will he think less of me? Less of the many churches that have invited me to speak?

He is not alone in this belief. I know women who believe the same.

The passages in 1 Timothy, especially 1 Timothy 2:11–12, are often cited to argue against women teaching or preaching in the church. However, I have always held the belief that Paul was speaking to a very specific group, at a very specific time, and because of our recent discussion, it caused me to deep-dive into this topic. This is what I came up with.

When I look closer at the context of Paul’s instructions to Timothy, I see that he was addressing a specific situation in the church at Ephesus, which, by the way, was plagued with false teachings, disorder, and cultural pressures.

We should also consider that there are several other instructions in Timothy that most believers do not take literally today, or consider culturally binding.

For instance:

1 Timothy 2:9–10: "I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes…"

Today, many Christian women braid their hair and wear jewelry, and churches do not usually enforce this verse in the way it is written. It's generally understood that the core principle here is modesty and humility, not a strict prohibition against hair styles or accessories.

1 Timothy 5:9–10: "No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband..."

Paul gives detailed requirements for which widows can be supported by the church. These kinds of restrictions are almost never applied literally today, and churches do not maintain a formal list of “acceptable widows.”

1 Timothy 6:1–2: "Let all who are under a yoke as slaves regard their own masters as worthy of all honor..."

Paul gives instructions to slaves on how to treat their masters. Today, we rightly reject slavery as immoral, yet Paul does not call for its abolition, he simply gives practical advice within the system of his time. Again, context matters.

1 Timothy 5:23: "Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses."

This advice was medical, practical, and very culturally specific. But in some churches today, any alcohol use is considered a sin, even though Paul advised wine here. Context matters.

1 Timothy 2:11–12, Paul says: "I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet."

BUT, please note:

Paul said, “I do not permit”, not “God does not permit.” He was addressing a temporary issue in a troubled church.

And last, but certainly not least, there were many female leaders in the early church!

One of those women was Junia, a woman I just learned about today, while doing this study!

She was even called an apostle in Scripture: “Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.” Romans 16:7 NIV

Paul called Junia: "His fellow prisoner." "Outstanding among the apostles." "A believer longer than himself."

Being called "among the apostles" likely means she held a respected leadership and preaching role in the early church, perhaps as a church planter, missionary, or teacher.

The truth is, the Bible is filled with women who boldly proclaimed God’s truth! They may not always be called "preachers" by title, but their actions fit the definition: sharing God's

message publicly, powerfully, and with purpose.

Here are just a few of those women:

Deborah. A prophetess and judge who led Israel and declared God's word. Read Judges 4:4-5.

Huldah. A prophetess who spoke God’s message to priests and the king. Read 2 Kings 22:14-20.

Priscilla. Taught the Word of God alongside her husband, correcting Apollos. Read Acts 18:26.

Anna. A prophetess who spoke of Jesus to those in the temple. Read Luke 2:36-38. Phoebe. A deacon in the church at Cenchreae, commended by Paul for her service and role. Read Romans 16:1-2.

God used women to proclaim His truth. Period. Whether through prophecy, teaching, testimony, or evangelism, their voices mattered; and still do.

So, what is the takeaway?

First, if we accept Paul's instructions in 1 Timothy as universal and binding for all times and cultures, we must also apply all the other instructions, about hair, jewelry, widows, slavery, etc., consistently.

Second, Paul’s letters were written to specific churches facing specific problems.

Third, In 1 Timothy, Paul was dealing with false teachers and disruptive behavior. Some of what he said was about restoring order, not establishing universal rules against women speaking in church, for all churches, forever.

We cannot ignore that there were women leaders in the New Testament church!

If Paul honored these women in ministry, we should be extremely cautious about reading one verse as a blanket ban on women speaking in church.

The Holy Spirit gives gifts to both men and women. I believe that the Spirit does not make a distinction in a spiritual calling based on gender! That is my belief, but in fact, scripture is very specific about that as well.

“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams;” Acts 2:17 ESV

God’s Spirit will be poured out on all people, regardless of age, gender, or status. It is a powerful support for the idea that anyone, man or woman, trained or not, can and will be used by God to speak His message.

So, if a woman is clearly gifted by God to teach or preach, who are we to silence her?

And, if the Spirit is clearly working through someone, shouldn’t we make room for that?

by Jeanette Stark - Monday, April 21, 2025