Are Women Called To Serve As Elders/Overseers?

[Philip Payne, in his egalitarian treatise Man and Woman, One in Christ (Zondervan)] considers women who served in ministry roles during Paul’s day and highlights central theological axioms in the Pauline view of women. He argues that women were deacons (1 Timothy 3:11) and that Phoebe was a deacon and even a leader of Paul (Romans 16:1-2). Priscilla is always named before her husband, and she taught Apollos and hence Priscilla’s example demonstrates that women may teach men (Acts 18:26). Junia (Romans 16:7) is clearly a woman and is identified as an apostle, and since she served as an apostle, no ministry is off-limits for women. Mary, Tryphena, Tryphosa, and Persis are commended for gospel ministry in Romans 16. Euodia and Syntyche were co-workers in the gospel (Philippians 4:2-3). Paul also teaches that both men and women are equally made in God’s image, that they are equally in Christ, and they are to submit to one another mutually (Ephesians 5:21). Since women have received all the gifts of the Spirit, and even have a gift greater than teaching (prophecy), they are free to exercise all the gifts, including leadership gifts. Payne argues that the requirement that elders be one-woman men (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:6) does not preclude women from serving as elders since the same logic would exclude single men or married men without children from serving as elders. Payne thinks it is significant that there are no masculine pronouns in 1 Timothy 3:1-12 and Titus 1:6-9.

Complementarians would again endorse much of what Payne says here. Women are surely called to serve in ministry, which is a truth that we should all rejoice in and foster in our churches. The issue is whether they are called to serve as elders / overseers/ pastors and should teach men. I would argue in due course that 1 Timothy 2:11-15 prohibits women from teaching men and from the office of elder. The requirements for elders in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9, including the statement that they are to be one-woman men, does not necessarily in and of itself preclude women from serving as elders, but it does fit with such a conclusion and hence accords with the whole of biblical revelation where men exercise primary leadership.

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Author: Thomas R. Schreiner

Keywords: Priscilla, Priscila, Junia, Phebe, Phoebe, Euodia and Syntyche, Euodia, Syntyche, Tryphena, Tryphosa, Persis, Female apostle, Deacon, Female deacons, Women deacons, Woman deacon, Deaconess, Minister, Clergy, Server, Serving, Church leader, Church leadership, prostatis, patroness, diakonos, Headship, Male headship, Philip Payne, Egalitarian, Women, Feminism, Female equality, Equality of sexes, gender, gender roles, gender equality, equality, equality of the sexes, Overseers, overseer

Bible reference(s): 1 Timothy 2:11, 1 Timothy 3:11, Acts 18:26, Acts 20:28, Ephesians 5:21, Galatians 1:11, Philippians 4:2, Romans 16:1, Titus 1:6

Source: “Philip Payne on Familiar Ground,” Council on Biblical Manhood & Womanhood, Vol. 15, No. 1, November 30, 1999.

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