IN DEFENSE OF WOMEN MINISTRY
By
SOUGHTOUT EMEKA MATTHEW
The best answers to anyone that doesn’t believe in women being in ministry are SILENCE and being UNMOVEABLE IN THE WORK OF THE LORD.
God is not a respecter of persons. But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him, See Acts 10:34-35
When Jesus left the earth, He left 120 behind, which among them were the twelve, the women, the mother of Jesus and his half brothers (see Acts 1:13-14). These once continued in ONE ACCORD in prayer and supplication.
On the day of Pentecost, both the men (the twelve inclusive) and the women received the Holy Spirit’s baptism and Spoke in tongues. The baptizer did not have to make it a gender thing. So there was no gender difference. Gender wasn’t a criterion!
When Jesus ascended up on high, led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men, See Ephesians 4:8; He set both men and women free. He also gave gifts unto men. MEN in this context which is ANTHRŌPOS in Greek is defined as HUMAN BEING. So, we can say, Jesus gave gifts to HUMAN BEINGS.
The gifts He gave here are MINISTRY GIFTS or MINISTRY OFFICES. They are gifts of APOSTLES, PROPHETS, EVANGELISTS, PASTORS and TEACHERS. Each of these gifts and more were given to HUMAN BEINGS which manifests when we become born of God and to be utilized for the growth of the body of Christ on the earth. That’s why parts of human body was used by the apostle Paul to reveal to everyone in Christ that he or she has a MINISTRY or MINISTRIES to render for the growth of the body of Christ, (THE CHURCH).
Everybody cannot be an APOSTLE, PROPHET, EVANGELIST, PASTOR or TEACHER; but some can. Jesus is the GIVER OF MINISTRY GIFTS and nobody has the power to CHANGE OR DECIDE YOUR GIFT(S).
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-12
If you are sure of the MINISTRY GIFT Jesus has given you, you should be intimidated or be frustrated from being in the ministry by men’s opinion or judgments.
Jesus didn’t give SOME to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers. The Bible never say, “He gave some men to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers and no women are not recipients of the gifts. No! The Bible never said that rather it was all human (irrespective of one’s gender) that were recipients of MINISTRY GIFTS.
Before you were formed, Jesus the giver of MINISTRY GIFTS gave you your MINISTRY GIFT(S). His gifts and calling are irreversible. They are without repentance. Jesus has given it out, He has given it out and He cannot withdraw it because you are a female or male, a sinner or a righteous.
The apostle Paul had his gifts and calling like you and me from BIRTH. He was ignorant of it; but it was there. He became a persecutor of the church and a chief sinner, yet Jesus never withdraw His gifts and calling until he (Paul) came to the point of being BORN OF GOD (Repentance and Regeneration), he realized his gifts and calling and he served Christ with it.
I want to end with this, 1 Corinthians 12:13 says, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” The reason why today’s Church mostly some MEN MINISTERS judges FEMALE MINISTERS for functioning in their different MINISTRY GIFTS and that they should cease to function in such offices like Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher and leave it for men is because; they don’t understand what the word ONE means. Until they come to this fact, we won’t have divided opinion on whether women could function as Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher or not.
God is not a respecter of persons, class, races or gender. It is written, “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.” Galatians 3:28, “And for that we should always endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (See Ephesians 4:3).
By the way, where were men when Barak was begging Deborah to join in their battle, else he wouldn’t go? Where were men when the women following Jesus evangelized them with the gospel of resurrection? Where were men please?
Women should be let alone to do the works of Him that called them and gave them gifts to function on for the growth of the body of Christ. Men should stop judging and preventing women from doing the work of the ministry. We, men can’t do it all. It is not only our gender was given MINISTRY GIFTS by the risen and ascended Jesus. He gave it to all human beings, both of male and female.
Don’t you think so?
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