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Many Christians are sincere in asking this question.
They’re not trying to resist Scripture — they’re trying to honor it. But confusion often arises from a few isolated verses that appear to restrict women, while ignoring the broader witness of the Bible.
So let’s take an honest look.
We begin in Genesis — where men and women were created as co-bearers of God’s image:
“So God created mankind in his own image… male and female he created them.”
— Genesis 1:27 (NIV)
And in the fall, the curse came with a distortion of God’s design: domination and broken relationships.
But Jesus came to break that curse — to restore what was lost.
That’s why Paul says:
“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
— Galatians 3:28 (NIV)
And Peter echoes Joel’s prophecy:
“Your sons and daughters will prophesy… even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”
— Acts 2:17–18 (NIV)
Throughout the New Testament, we find women speaking, teaching, and leading with the Spirit’s anointing.
- Phoebe was a deacon (Romans 16:1).
- Priscilla helped correct Apollos’ doctrine (Acts 18:26).
- Junia was called “outstanding among the apostles” (Romans 16:7).
- Philip’s daughters were prophets (Acts 21:9).
- Lydia was a church planter and host to Paul’s ministry (Acts 16:14–15).
These are not side characters. These are spiritual leaders.
So what do we do with verses like 1 Timothy 2:12? We read them in context. We recognize the cultural challenges Paul was addressing in specific churches, not setting universal rules for all time.
That’s why the Church of the Nazarene takes a strong, Spirit-led stance on this issue:
“The purpose of Christ’s redemptive work is to set God’s creation free from the curse of the Fall… In this redemptive community, no human being is to be regarded as inferior on the basis of social status, race, or gender.”
— Manual ¶501
And it continues:
“Interpreting these [restrictive] passages as limiting the role of women in ministry… violates the spirit and practice of the Wesleyan-holiness tradition. Finally, it is incompatible with the character of God presented throughout Scripture, especially as revealed in the person of Jesus Christ.”
— Manual ¶501
The final word?
Women in ministry is not a compromise.
It’s not a cultural concession.
It’s a biblical conviction — supported by Scripture and fully embraced in the Church of the Nazarene.
