Women in Ministry- Where to Draw the Line? Part 1: The Great Commission

This article was first written in April 2013 in response to a book called "Should She Preach?"

In my current season of ministry, I labor as an itinerant evangelist with a small fellowship of people under the headship of Mark 1:15 ministries. In my role as a leader in this band of evangelists, I am often approached to join hands with other individuals and groups that are going forth to proclaim the Gospel. We do have standards of accountability, methodology, and theology that no one formally adheres to, but evangelists are observed and known before they go out with our group. There are a few standards that we demand of our members. They must be born again believers in Jesus Christ who faithfully attend church. They are all under the care and leadership of elders. They must demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit in their lives and ministry. They must have the approval of their spouses if they are married. If they are married with children, their first priority is ministry at home. There are a few other minor issues that we demand, including methodology of using sound biblical evangelism of the law to the proud and grace to the humble.

I was challenged this week about one other issue, the issue of gender. I have thought this through before, and have studied the scripture, but never have I written down a formal stand on the issue of women as evangelists on the street. There are a few groups of Evangelists that have gender-based standards, and that list is growing. It is going to become a point of contention in evangelism circles if it has not already. I am going to challenge thinking on both sides of the issue, but I am going to do so based on sound biblical exegesis.

15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. (Mark 16:15, ESV)

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20, ESV)

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8, ESV)

15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, (1 Peter 3:15, ESV)

These commands come after the first evangelist – Does anyone know who this is?- proclaimed the good news.  The evangel- the good news- that Christ died for our sins according to the scripture, was buried- and on the third day rose again- according to the scripture. (1 Corinthians 15) Again, according to this standard, who was the first post- resurrection evangelist?

11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her. (John 20:11-18, ESV)

John and Peter observed- John believed- but both returned to their homes, no proclamation, no evangel, no good news. Mary stayed behind, she had been to the tomb, she first noticed that Jesus was not there, she got John and Peter. Now, she stayed behind in mourning. Jesus revealed Himself to her, and commanded her to go- to tell the good news- that He had risen and would ascend. He trusted this news to a woman- the gender whom the Jewish males would pray thus about: ‘thank you God that I was not born a gentile, Samaritan…or a woman’. This woman who could not even testify in court- she was entrusted with the first good news by Jesus Himself- post death and resurrection.

Having said all of this, notice in all of the scriptures that contain the Great Commission, there is no gender announcement. We know that Jesus’ disciples- not the apostles who were to be those who would be responsible for establishing and leading the church- but the disciples of Jesus which included the 12, but also at least 120-500 men and women at this time. If you contend that the Great Commission was only given to the 11 apostles, then you contend that there is no responsibility for Christians today to proclaim the Gospel. If you contend (rightly so) that those to whom the command was given included both apostles and disciples, you must include women in the equation. So from the time of the Great Commission, both faithful men and faithful women were commanded to proclaim the evangel- to be evangelists.

Of course, as we look in the book of Acts, the history of the establishment of the church and the early fulfillment of the Great Commission, we see the giants of the faith- Peter, Paul, Stephen, Phillip, Timothy, Mark- all men- all front and center. Is this to say that there were no women involved? Clearly, there was. Again, we must consider the culture, especially of the Jewish Church. Women were not reliable witnesses in that culture. We do not argue from silence in the scripture, and I will not do so here. We do not see Luke chronicling female evangelists. That does not mean there were not any, and it certainly does not mean that there was a gender restriction on the command.

So what is the issue? The issue gets convoluted when we begin to look into the epistles of Paul as he looks at the church- those who are part of the invisible and universal body of Christ- and the gender roles within the church. And this is what we will look at in the next article. Please prayerfully consider the scripture and respond and correct as we go by using the scripture.

I Don't Hate You

Please go to my friend Adam's  page and check out this cartoon. It is amazing, and says what we Christians should be trying to say in the midst of our culture. You may want to check my earlier post also.

The Supreme Court is not The Ultimate Lawgiver- or Judge

Why were Christians waiting around, waiting for a Supreme Court Verdict? Two millennia ago, Jesus Christ AFFIRMED God's view of what marriage is. 

Mark 10: 6-10

6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; 8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. 9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

It does not matter what the government says, what Obama or Oprah, or Rob Bell says. The Supreme Lawgiver has already declared what marriage is. He created it to be between one man and one woman for life.  We are all under the law of God, and will be judged ultimately by God's law, even if we foolishly deny it. The bad news is that gay or straight, black or white, male or female, we stand guilty before God. (Romans 2:15 3:10, 3:23, ) and are under condemnation (John 3:18-20, 36). 

God's Moral law is expressed in the 10 Commandments. These have not changed; for they are written on your heart (Romans 2:15) Everyone also knows God (Romans 1:18-20) but many suppress the truth in their unrighteousness- because they love sin. 

Why are Christians shocked and wringing their hands? 

When people are ungodly, they are unrighteous. Ultimately, their unrighteousness manifests itself in a variety of sin (Romans 1:28-32, 3:9-18) that just goes to prove that man is unrighteous, and a child of wrath rather than a child of God (Ephesians 2:1-3) as so many claim. 

And the most shocking thing is that our government and the Supreme Court of our land is filled with ungodly and unrighteous people.  Therefore the laws, and the interpretation of laws will be affected by sin.

Additionally, the Bible tells us that in the last days it is not going to get better morally in our culture. It is only going to get worse:

1This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 2 Timothy 3:1-5

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.  Romans 1:28-32

And, despite what the government says, and the standards of the world we live in, the judgment is already set for those who are in sin: 

9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8

It is a terrifying thought: If you are honest, and look at the verses above, you are guilty before God as well. We all deserve the wrath of God, because we all have sinned against Him. But that is not the end of the story, fortunately. God is rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4) and in His mercy, He sent us a way of escape from being chained to the power and penalty for sin- Jesus Christ.

The only way that we can be forgiven and righteous before God is through trust in the finished work- the death, burial, and resurrection- of Christ. If we repent and believe the Gospel, God will give us a new heart with new desires. We will not be shackled to whatever sin holds us captive. It is called grace; getting what we do not deserve. 

If we have received the grace of God in repentance and faith, the story is not over. We must deal daily with those family members, friends, and loved ones who are caught in sin. The answer for many churches and 'christians' is capitulation to the culture and accepting what the Bible calls sin. They call that love- making people feel welcome and comfortable in their sin. That is not love, for if we believe the Bible, the doom of the sinner is sure, an eternity in a place called hell. I would not want my family or friends or loved ones to experience that for even one second. As a Christian, that compassion also stretches to people I have only just met.

What does true love look like? Love warns, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, and with language seasoned with salt, you can share the truth about sin as well as the good news that there is a Savior. 

When you do it, remember all the time that but for the grace of God, you would still be in your sin. Remember that but for the grace of God, you could not be saved from the penalty and power of your sin. Remember that your sin, no matter how culturally acceptable, is a stench in the nostrils of God. This way, you can identify with the one who is struggling with the shackles and slavery of sin with compassion and love. They will see it in your eyes and hear it in your voice. 

So do not allow fear of man's opinion or the culture steer you from the most sacred assignment of loving your neighbor. Share the Good News today.