To: Pam Clark
Subject: The role of women in the church

Dear Pam:

I'm sure you're super busy but I'll take the chance that if the Holy Spirit knows my heart you'll come across this!!! I have been asked to speak about The Role of Women in the Church to some pastors.

Needless to say, the best theological minds and/or prophetic voices in the church haven't figured this one out yet but I'm going to do the best I can believing God knows something about me I don't! This issue and various others have been passions with me since I was saved.

Bottom line is I respect your ministry and soundminded approach to spiritual matters and if you would like to share any thoughts with me I'd appreciate it. I think you are a bonus to the church and really enjoy your site!

In Christ, T.M.


Thank you for those kind words, T.M.

It is a controversial topic but it can be explained in the Spirit, I believe. As other women who have gone before, I have been challenged as a woman on this and even suffered abuses from some church and ministry leaders (to the point that lies were made up about me and I was slandered and shamed) but the Spirit remains clear.

In a nutshell, when people ask me on what do I base my ministry as a woman (and are somewhat antagonistic at the same time), I just give the NEW TESTAMENT Scripture at the birth of the Church:

Acts 2:
17 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams.
18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy.

And the next phrase following in v.19 says "I will show wonders"! (smile!)

Can a woman prophesy and not teach? Come on! This is Old and New Testament confirmation. Peter quoted this, and he had just walked with Jesus face to face.

If they have a problem with women speaking after that, you can't win them and I don't even argue. But if they are open (and know in their gut something is not right in the legalism on this) and you have opportunity to explain the other difficult passages like the one in I Timothy, then I share:

1 Tim. 2:
11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

In the Orginal Greek text:

OK, so this is more speaking of wives who need to have a quiet spirit and who do not need to be bossy, dominating or controlling. Ever seen that spirit? We all have. It implies lack of respect and a lack of respect for order.

There are many other cases where men worked comfortably and compatibly with women, even taking instruction from them. But women can speak, and Paul calls them his helpers:

Romans 16:3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus.

The word helpers (plural)

Acts 18:26 And he [Apollos, a man] began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.

So Paul's friends (both) gave instruction to a man, and they both did it decently and in order. Like I said, when people get legalistic, you can't even reason with them.

2 Cor. 3:
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,
6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Like Peter in the early church when the baptism of the Spirit was poured out on the Gentiles, something that seemed wrong to him Biblically, he had to go with the evidence of the fruit:

Acts 11:
15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.
16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
(speaking of the Holy Spirit falling upon the household of Cornelius)

If people really try to argue, I just (tongue in cheek) ask them at what age does a son quit receiving instruction from his mother because he is a man and she is a woman. And does a woman need a man's permission to get saved? No, but since they can't answer this (or honestly won't), you usually realize it's a problem with them not being able to trust their mother or an offense that occurred by a woman that has made them defensive to this. They really know better because the Holy Spirit does give witness if they are of Him. And there are nice and Godly women! And men!

Men respect women leaders in society. They have to! And others honor them in the Church for their character and work's sake. Many men credit receiving the Gospel message through a woman and other instruction in the Lord. What are they going to do with that? Throw them out too?

So if a person has good sense, they can see the light. If not, just pray for their hardness of heart. God wants to and is blessing through women as well as men.

Also in Ephesians 4:11-12, where Jesus is calling the ministry of the Church:

11 And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

The word "some" is strongly gender neutral, meaning it can be male or female.

This is the Bible! I didn't write it, the Holy Spirit did!

I will say this. At our meetings or any where I minister, men ARE respected. I do not "take over" men's lives (nor women's - both is wrong). I make sure because of this Scripture that they do get proper respect and I receive the most kind and Godly respect in return. I do maintain order as the one governmentally overseeing the ministry in my meetings just as one would in any other and I do not let women get out of control in their verbosity (talking too much) with no control, or being manipulative. That manipulation is a Jezebel spirit and is a spirit of witchcraft that can be in a man or a woman. The Ahab spirit (weak man/husband or weak authority spirit -male or female) is the one who allows the Jezebel spirit! So there is another arguement if forced as an issue.

As far as the sin aspect in I Tim. 2:

14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

If you read Genesis 3:

6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

So he was "with her" and "he did eat" and he KNEW it was sin, she was only deceived. So you can argue this both ways.

God has called us to peace:

I Cor. 7:
14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.

Most who argue do not want peace. There are bullies who think they will win by the misuse of their strengths, but you must rightly divide the word of truth as Jesus did when confronting Satan in the wilderness and he argued with the Scriptures.

I respect the people in authority over me. I am not a radical feminist. When I am in other's meetings, as I frequently am, including my own home church (and the pastor is a man), I submit to that government there. It is not a problem. If a ministry turns out to be out of order, then I know to leave that ministry or church so the Spirit can work properly and be in order in my life.

I don't have a problem with women pastors, but most of mine have been men. They are natural leaders by nature but God does call women, too, and I have benefited by those women pastors and leaders. God has need of them! Both men and women receive necessary healing and leadership through them.

If you submit to unGodly spirits, you will share in their rewards, just as well as receiving the reward of the Godly. Jesus paid a big price on the Cross for both men AND women because He cares about them and wants them. He loves women, and the First Commandment to love the Lord your God with all your mind, heart, soul and strength applies to them, too! Men who hinder, will answer to God!

I have met enough wonderful and Godly men to know that the true Church works in the Spirit of Love and in the bond of unity.

I hope that helps and answers your questions. God bless you!

Pam Clark