ORDER IN WORSHIP DOES NOT LIMIT MISSION AND MINISTRY

There are some who have either unknowingly or knowingly given heed to the idea that Christianity has major flaws in its doctrine. They have begun to be seduced by the spirit of this present age claiming that women have been subjugated by what is not being labeled as "patriarchy" or spiritual abuse of women by men who hold positions of leadership in the church.

1 Timothy 2:11-12 is often used a proof-text to confirm this skewed point of view. Here is the text: "Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet."

The context here is worship and discipleship. In the early church men did not disciple women and women were not to disciple men. Discipleship or spiritual mentoring to help another grow in their faith, their obedience to the Word of God and learning to walk in the Spirit is an intimate life-on-life sharing. Such a context was being Apostolically protected from becoming a place where temptation could easily take root in male on female and female on male attachment that could become a gate to immoral behavior. Older believers who were men discipled younger men. Older believers who were women discipled younger women. That was how the synagogue-style communal life functioned.

1 Corinthians 14:34-35 is another passage used to try and show male dominance, but it is not. Here is the text: "...the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church."

This passage is speaking to order in worship, not the subjugation of Christian women. The early church worshipped in synagogue fashion with men on one side and women on the other with some kind of veil between them. Why? Certainly not to discriminate between male and female, but to keep distractions at a minimum. It was a cultural reality that has principles that can be applied today in worship.

The statement for women to be silent referred to married women, newly converted, who may not have understood what was being taught from the Word, or being prophesied in worship by someone. There was a tendency in the church in Corinth, a really pagan city, for married women on the other side of the divide to call out to their husbands asking for clarification or understanding of what was being preached interrupting the service of worship. They were told to wait and ask their husbands the questions they had after the worship time. I was not preventing women from participating in worship nor to have them quench the Holy Spirit moving them to prophecy or share a revelation.

The passages prior in 1 Corinthians 14:26-33 does not forbid Holy Spirit participation by women. The call to not interrupt worship comes after this text: "What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God. Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people." This text refers to ALL the believers gathered for worship.

In fact, we find in Acts 21:8-9 that the Deacon Philip had four unmarried daughters who prophesied in the assembly. "Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied." So, you see, women were not forbidden to participate in the work of the Holy Spirit in worship. In fact, in 1 Corinthians 14, St. Paul urges the believers, male and female, to zealously desire to be used by the Holy Spirit in prophesying! 1 Cor 14:39-40 "Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way."

The early church utilized the synagogue functions describing mission and ministry: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastor/teachers, deacons, and elders. The words for elder in Paul's letters are used interchangeably: bishop and presbyter. Therefor it is clear that women had a position as elders in discipling the younger women in Gospel living. 1 Timothy 5:1-2 is clear on this: "Do not rebuke an older man (elder/bishop) harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers,  older women (the word elder in the Greek feminine) as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity." 

1 Corinthians 12:13-14 shows that the life of the Body of Christ was shared in by all. Though, not everyone had the same function or specific ministry. " For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many."

Paul reiterates this in Galatians 3:26-29: "So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith,  for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise." Human standards of evaluating a person's worth had been swept away by the Gospel. All were equal before God in Christ Jesus.

Paul clarifies the mutual submission to one another because of our love for and obedience to Jesus Christ. If Jesus lives His life in you, I must be careful to honor that fact because He will live through and speak through you. Ephesians 5:21-22 "Submit yourselves one to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord." 

How do you submit yourselves to the Lord Jesus? Are you honest, open, humble, trusting, sharing what is actually on your heart and mind? Do you ask questions for clarification? Do you tell Him your concerns and fears over what seems to be His direction? THAT is submitting YOURSELF...your real self. When you live that way toward your husband, he can respond and if there is a difference of opinion, you both go to the Lord in prayer asking for His help to come to real unity of heart, mind and purpose

Ephesians 5: 23-24 "23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything." This is order, not hierarchical value. Jesus is Lord over His Body and the husband is to rule by love, not by coercive control for, as you can read below"

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word, 27 and to present her to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of His body." Husbands lay down their live, die to self and live by the Spirt to bless not lord it over.

Wives honor their husbands in the Lord. Husbands lay down their lives for the blessing and wholeness of their wives. This is NOT some kind of hierarchical tyranny.

Even the Apostle Peter cuts off any idea of hierarchy by telling husband to be gentle and caring with their wives lest the husband's prayers be hindered! 1 Peter 3:7 "Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers." Not weaker in spirit, but by nature of gender differences.

As it pertains to mission and ministry, not discipleship, we have clear evidence that women functioned in ministry side by side with St. Paul in the proclamation of the Gospel. Philippians 4:2-3 "I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life."

The same is clear in Acts 18:1-3 when Pricilla and Acquilla took the Apostle Apollos aside and taught him the way of the Lord more fully. Bible scholars indicate that Pricilla seems to have had the major role in speaking as she is listed first when the couple is mentioned in all reference save for one. "Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor[a] and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately."

Galatians 5:13-15 "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other"