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Women preachers?

Submitted: 3/16/2005
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Question: How do women fit into God's divine order when it comes to preaching or pastoring?

Answer: All believers, men and women alike, are called to preach the gospel. That is the great commission. Some people equate preaching with pastoral ministry, which is solely a men's function. Biblically, preaching the gospel and overseeing an assembly are two different things. All pastors are preachers in a sense, but not all preachers are pastors. It is important to understand these distinctions.

Biblically, pastoral oversight is done by men only (see our article called Why Women Cannot Serve in Oversight on Shelf 2 of the Apostolic Free Library). Some consider speaking from behind a pulpit to be equal to exercising pastoral authority. This is a Roman Catholic concept that continues to linger among some apostolics.

In God's divine order, women may speak publically but may not serve as a pastor-overseer in a local assembly.