06/16/2026
Women in Ministry!?
I preached on this topic more than 10 years ago and I'm glad to share the sermon today (audio - click below).
Paul's statements taken alone would lead us to one conclusion. However, we must see the broad witness of Scripture: the first person to publicly testify about Jesus was Anna in the temple courts (Luke 2:38), Jesus had female disciples: Mary, Joanna & Susanna (Luke 8:1-3), the first to see and proclaim Jesus risen from the dead were women (Matthew 28:8-9), Paul commended a female deacon named Phoebe (Romans 16:1), the teaching ministry of Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18:26), the egalitarian prophecy of Joel that “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy . . ." and more! So Paul's statements in 1 Corinthians 14 and 1 Timothy 2 are relative to those times and settings, not true for all people, at all times and all places.
In the Methodist stream, Rev. John Wesley authorized Sarah Crosby to preach and continue her public ministry in 1761!
One of my hero's of the faith is Amy Carmichael, who preached and ministered the good news of Jesus in India. I highly commend her biography, A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael by Elizabeth Elliot.
W
