This is an essay wrote by a friend of mine. I was very impressed by it and hope that it will impact you as much as it did me.
Let Your Women Speak in the Church
by Jessica Crawford
This was to be the greatest harvest of all time, but it arrived with an unexpected storm. The community needed this supply to survive the rough season ahead. Many laborers had toiled in the field for what seemed like a lifetime. Many had sacrificed their all for this great harvest. Their roles had been carefully assigned by the community leadership. Some planted the seeds that would produce this harvest. Others painstakingly hoed each row, dealing with the thorns and thistles while carefully separating the choking weeds from the young tender plants. Now that this storm was just around the corner, the question became, “Was all our work in vain?”
The community leaders called for an emergency meeting. “We must bring in this harvest. We need everyone to become involved.”
To add to the seriousness of the situation the plea was given, “Without this harvest we may not survive.”
The people rose in unison, and with one voice proclaimed, “We will go and work in the field!”
“Wait!” exclaimed the leaders. “While this harvest may be the most important task in our lifetime, and while we may not succeed without all hands on deck, there is one problem. Only half of you can go to the field to work. No matter what your qualifications or abilities, the rest of you must watch and encourage those who are working.”
“What?” the people protested. “The storm clouds are rolling in. The sky is becoming dark. We may not be able to finish the work.”
“That’s too bad,” stated one of the leaders. “Form a line and we will decide who is eligible to bring in the harvest.”
One older man stood and exclaimed, “While we are debating this, we could be in the field!”
“We have our rules,” he was reminded by one of the community leaders. The line was quickly formed as the town’s people understood the urgency. The thunder could be heard in the distance.
First in line was an able bodied young lady. The leaders quickly dismissed her. “Why?” she protested. “I have been raised and trained my whole life to work the harvest. My father and grandfather both fulfilled their roles in preparing for this season and they trained me to do the same.”
The leaders said, “Sorry young lady, but you need to sit down and be quiet. You may have all the training and feel a duty to work the field, but we have our rules.”
She stood by quietly and watched as many who were reluctant to go were compelled to do so. She began to weep as she saw many others with a desire to work in the field, but who didn’t fit into “the rules” of the leadership, dismissed and warned to be silent. While many strong workers, who did fit into “the rules”, were summoned to work, there were those who met all the requirements of “the rules” but lacked training and desire to work. These were also placed in leadership positions.
By the end of the selection process, concern was showing on the faces of nearly all the people. The fields were ripe and ready to harvest, but the laborers were too few. “We will have to use what we have and do only what we can do,” proclaimed the community leaders. They chose to ignore over one-half of the work-force, who were assigned no role because they didn’t fit into “the rules” that the leadership had made. As the hour grew late, and darkness surrounded the fields, the workers became overwhelmed. Many quit altogether. The ripened harvest was dying on the vines, and the plants would be destroyed by the impending storm, while the invalidated work force stood silently in obedience to the leadership. Occasionally, people would speak up, but they were quickly hushed and told that maybe if they were a little more encouraging, the laborers in the field might accomplish more.
One reading this story would recognize it as a great tragedy. What many do not recognize, however, is that the same thing is happening in many of today’s churches. Numerous qualified women who have felt a call to work in the ministry have been overlooked and silenced, in a season of great harvest, due to certain rules the leadership has in place. Women should be allowed to minister and/or hold a leadership position in the church.
Those opposed to this view are quick to point out two scriptures in the Bible that say women should be silent in the church.. The first verse is found in I Corinthians 14:34-35 (KJV). This verse says:
“Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law.
And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.”
The second verse is found in I Timothy 2:11-12 (KJV). This verse says:
“Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.”
It’s easy to see how some would read these verses and misconstrue them as speaking against women in the ministry; however, both of these verses tell that a woman is to be silent in the church, but neither verse mentions preaching specifically. Therefore, if one is to take these verses at face-value, then he/she must enforce the verses completely. Silence not only means women should not preach, but a women should not teach Sunday school, sing, play an instrument, “amen” the preacher, be a greeter, pray aloud or receive God’s Holy Spirit, because they must be silent.
Using these verses in such a way is in direct contradiction to the rest of the Bible because God used women in ministry throughout the Scriptures. Because the Bible is infallible, there must be a deeper meaning to these verses. There are two main ways to find more meaning in a scripture passage. The first is to do a closer word study to find the actual meaning of each word and re-construct the author’s original intent. Secondly, it is important to step back and look at the larger context and setting of the scripture in order to more fully comprehend the author’s original intent. After using these research techniques, one will find that the Bible does not contradict itself at all, but is completely consistent. God calls women into leadership and speaking ministries and God’s Word frees women to be used in the areas to which they are called.
I Corinthians 14 (KJV) is a part of a large section on problems surrounding the worship services of the Corinthian church. Paul was writing to a church that was out of control. There was singing, preaching, teaching and prophesying all going on at once. On top of that, women were openly asking questions aloud in service, which was only adding to the chaos (Crownover). Paul, as a way to restore order to the service, instructed the women to save questions they may have for their husbands at home.
The second verse that tells us that women should be silent in the church is I Timothy 2:11-12 (KJV). This passage was written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy, to help guide his work in the church at Ephesus. Throughout the book it becomes evident that Timothy was experiencing a great deal of church trouble, and turned to his elder in the Lord, Paul for guidance. I Timothy 3:15 (KJV) shows that Paul is writing so Timothy would know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s house. From the focus of his writing, it would appear that this epistle was not intended to be a handbook on church order, but was addressing specific problems. In my interview with College Instructor, Dr. Raymond Crownover, he took the verse back to the original Greek and the verse is literally translated:
“I do not permit a wife to be teaching nor dominating her husband, but to be in a state of peace.”
Women weren’t the only ones disrupting worship in the Bible. Men were also disturbing the worship service by praying in an angry way (Belleville 80). The same state of peace mentioned in this verse, is discussed earlier in the same chapter when referring to men. Verse two says “…lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”
Perhaps the most compelling reason why we know these verses are not meant to silence women in the church is all of the Old Testament, but also in the New Testament there is evidence that women in the Bible spoke in the congregation and held leadership positions. Women in the New Testament are important to mention because some Christian denominations refuse to ordain women, citing as a reason that Jesus only chose male disciples. Acts 21:8 (KJV) shows that Philip the evangelist had four unmarried daughters who were prophets. Another example of a biblical woman minister is Tabitha (also known as Dorcas). Acts 9:36 (KJV) refers to Tabitha as a disciple who was always doing good and helping the poor. Exodus 15:20 (KJV) refers to Miriam as a prophetess, and talks about her leading music. In Philippians 4:2 (KJV) Paul refers to two women, Euodias and Syntyche, as his co-workers who were active evangelicals, spreading the gospel.
Another biblical example of a prophetess is Huldah. Judah’s King, Josiah sent to Huldah asking for advice when his men discovered the Book of the Law in the temple. These commands from God had been overlooked for years. Huldah prophesied that the nation would suffer disaster, but not in Josiah’s lifetime because he had humbly turned to God. (McQuade 67)
Anna was biblical example of a prophetess. After her husband died she spent all her days in the church praying and fasting. Luke 2:38 (KJV) says, “…she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.” This verse is interesting because it specifically says she spoke in the Temple.
Another example of a woman minister is Priscilla. She worked with her husband as a ministry team. They established a church in their home, and worked alongside the Apostle Paul. Many scholars believe she was the dominant one in the ministry team with her husband, because the Bible mentions her name before his every time except once (McQuade 129).
Perhaps the most powerful woman minister in the Bible is Deborah. Not only was Deborah a prophetess, but a judge, an army leader, and a leader over Israel. She was a very powerful, authoritative leader. The book, The Top 100 Women of the Bible, says that Deborah was probably a “God says it, I’ve heard it, that settles it” type of believer (37). This is made obvious because she couldn’t understand why Barak wouldn’t go to war as God had commanded. Barak refused to go to war without Deborah beside him. She went to battle with him and not only did they defeat the Canaanites, but one of Deborah’s prophecies was fulfilled that day.
The Bible is clear that God can use men and women alike to spread the gospel. There are several other verses supporting this. Galatians 3:28 (KJV) says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." A common misconception is that this verse is talking about who can be saved, but when reading the whole chapter, it becomes evident that the writer is talking to saints who are already saved, therefore talking about who God will use in the ministry.
1 Corinthians 11:5 (KJV) says, “But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.” This verse is giving specific instructions for women when they prophesy.
Acts 2:17 (KJV) says, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:” This verse specifically says,”...your daughters shall prophesy.”
Regardless, God has pushed past all that man has to say regarding women in the ministry, and still uses women to spread the gospel. One of these women ministers is Roberta Crawford. Roberta was called to the ministry at the age of 14. She wrote in a journal everything she was feeling as she was being called. One of the entries says, “I am crying and telling God no one will ever accept me.” Now as she works alongside her husband, pastoring a church, she looks back on that journal entry and is passionate about letting young, called women know that they are accepted. She says that there is a lack of women role models who are not afraid to stand up and say, “I’m called and it’s cool!”(Crawford interview).
Another modern-day woman minister is, Marilyn Gazowsky. At a young age, her pastor approached her and told her that she was called to pastor. Marilyn simply could not believe him. As she grew older, she started to feel called to pastor in San Francisco. Still filled with doubt, she prayed for a sign. She said, “God, if there is a Ford company that hires my husband to work there, I will go.” Soon after this, her husband was hired as an engineer for a Ford company in San Francisco. Within that year she was pastoring a church of over 1,000 members. In my interview with Marilyn Gazowsky, who is now 88 years old and has given the church to her son, she stressed that her husband supported her ministry every step of the way (Gazowsky interview).
Another woman who was mightily used of God is Nona Freeman. She worked alongside her husband in the mission field of South Africa. Nona felt the Lord speak to her heart telling her to start a work in a small illegal squatter’s village. While preparing for this work, she found that a gang was planning to kill her with rocks. Nona didn’t care what the gang was planning to do, because she knew God was on her side. She said, “I’d rather be rocked to sleep than fail God.” (Freeman 42-43) During her work in South Africa, she established over 130 national workers, 11,500 believers, and many churches. (Freeman 12) Nona Freeman also traveled preaching the gospel around America.
It is amazing how God uses women today just as He did in the Bible. The New Testament does not forbid women to speak in the church, but 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy are showing a principle that all people should be reverent in the house of the Lord. God is no respecter of persons. He will use those who make themselves available to Him. There is a great harvest of souls coming, and the church must use every worker available. God can use a person to reach out and help in times of need regardless of gender. The storm is coming. The end times are on the horizon. The laborers are few. There is a great work for the church to do. God is ready and willing to use all who make themselves available to bring in the harvest.
