Are Women Allowed to Be in Ministry according to the Bible?


There is great debate within Western Christianity as to whether or not women can “be in ministry” or “do ministry.” The debate is further complicated by those denominations and churches that say “yes,” but put limitations on which ministries women can participate. This article presents the biblical answer to whether or not women are allowed in ministry. 

Women are allowed to be in any ministry as long as it is not teaching men or exercising authority over the whole church. Other than holding the office of Pastor/Elder, women can do anything in the church, including holding the office of Deacon. 

I will first define what is meant by the term “ministry.” Then I will move onto expounding upon what the Bible says on women in ministry.

The Meaning of “Ministry”

It is important for everyone to be on the same page regarding the meaning and definition of “ministry.” As will be demonstrated below, many Christians, churches, and denominations have different understandings as to what “ministry” is and to what it refers. Thus, to avoid any unnecessary confusion and arguments, this important term needs to be defined. 

Modern Usage of the Term “Ministry”

The term “ministry” is difficult to define because different Christian denominations and organizations use the term differently. Allow me to give an illustration of what I mean. A few years ago, I was having lunch with a fellow Lecturer who is a member of the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA). I, however, come from a Baptist background. As we were having lunch, our conversation moved to the topic of being called to ministry. A few minutes into the conversation, we both realized we were not talking about the same thing. So, I asked him, “what do you mean by ‘ministry’?” He said, “pastoral ministry, being a pastor.” “Ahh,” I said, “I was referring to any work done in the service of the Lord for his kingdom and glory.” 

As you can tell from the above story, defining “ministry” is difficult because each Christian has their own understanding of the term shaped by their upbringing and denomination. What is of further interest, and makes the issue just as confusing, is that the Oxford Dictionary of English lists two very different understandings of “ministry” in relation to religious work: 

“the work or vocation of a minister of religion”

“the spiritual work or service of a Christian or a group of Christians, especially evangelism”

“ministry” in The Oxford Dictionary of English

The English Old Testament Use of “Ministry”

The English Standard Version (ESV) of the Old Testament uses the term “ministry” three times: Numbers 4:47, 2 Chronicles 7:6, and 2 Chronicles 8:14. Each use of the term “ministry” is based on a different Hebrew word. I won’t go into those Hebrew words here because it isn’t necessary. What is important to notice is that the ESV translators of the Old Testament have limited the use of the term “ministry” to the Levites. All three OT passages involving the word “ministry” are about the Levites. 

The Levites had a special job amongst all of Israel. Levites served the Lord God by assisting the Priests (the sons of Aaron) in the Tabernacle and Temple duties. The Levites were also commissioned by David to sing and play instruments before the Lord. Thus, “ministry” in the Old Testament refers to the Levitical duties of serving the Lord that are limited to the Levites. 

The English New Testament Use of “Ministry”

The English word “ministry” is used a total of 23 times in the ESV translation of the New Testament (Luke 3:23; Acts 1:17, 25; 6:4; 20:24; 21:19; Rom 11:13; 15:19; 2 Cor 3:7–9; 4:1; 5:18; 6:3; 9:1, 12; Gal 2:8; Eph 4:12; Col 4:17; 2 Tim 4:5, 11; Heb 8:6). Other than Hebrews 8:6, whenever the term “ministry” is used in the New Testament it is a translation of the Greek διακονία, which broadly refers to any service or act of service (BDAG, s.v. “διακονία”). The term διακονία will become important below when I discuss whether women can be Deacons (διάκονος) or not. 

What is of most interest for the present study is when the ESV chooses to translate διακονία as “ministry.” The ESV translates διακονία as “ministry” whenever the service rendered is for the Lord God, such as 

  • The apostles work and service as apostles (Acts 1:17, 25; Acts 20:24; Rom 11:13).
  • The work and service of Christians to God and each other (2 Cor 3:8; 5:18; 9:1, 12; Col 4:17; 2 Tim 4:5).
  • The work and service of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (or pastor-teachers; Eph 4:11–12). Note, many versions translate Ephesians 4:12 as referring to all Christians, not the gifted-band just mentioned. For more information and why Ephesians 4:11–12 does not refer to all Christians, see my article on “Who Does the Ministry in Ephesians 4:12?
  • Jesus’ service to God (Luke 3:23; Heb 8:6). It should be noted here that Hebrews 8:6 uses the term λειτουργία and the term “ministry” is an addition to Luke 3:23, which does not use any word related to “ministry.”  

Thus, the ESV uses the English term “ministry” in the New Testament to refer to any service rendered by Christians to God, on behalf of God, or to other Christians. It can be as specific as fulfilling a formal office, such as apostle or Messiah, or as broad as any service done to/for God or Christians. 

The Definition of “Ministry” for This Article

When speaking of ministry in this article, I will be referring to any service rendered by Christians to God, on behalf of God, or to other Christians. Like the ESV’s use of “ministry” in its New Testament translation, this interpretation will include formal ministry, such as the pastorate, and informal ministry, such as door-to-door evangelism and visiting the sick. 

Now that we all know what I mean when I use the term “ministry,” let’s discern what the Bible has to say about women in ministry. 

Women May Not Teach or Exercise Authority over Men

There are a number of explicit prohibitions upon Christian women in the Bible that impact the ministries in which they may participate. I am highlighting Christian women here because this article is about Christian ministry. The prohibitions upon Christian women are: 

  • Christian women are not allowed to ask questions when God’s people are gathered together as Church. Rather, they must ask questions at home (1 Cor 14:33b–35; 1 Tim 2:11).
  • Christian women are not allowed to teach men when God’s people are gathered together as Church (1 Tim 2:12; 3:14–15).
  • Christian women are not allowed to exercise authority over men when God’s people are gathered together as Church (1 Tim 2:12; 3:14–15).
  • Christian women are not allowed to cause disturbances when God’s people are gathered together as Church. Rather, they must remain quiet (1 Tim 2:12; 3:14–15).

The above four prohibitions mean that women are not allowed to participate in formal Pastoral or Elder ministry because the job of Pastors and Elders is to teach the church correct doctrine and to lead the church in the ways of Jesus by exercising authority over the church. For more information on this topic and why it applies to modern Christians and churches, see my article “Why Women are Not Allowed to Be Pastors or Elders” here

Further, because of the above prohibitions, women are not allowed to enter into any teaching or preaching ministry in the church, which means women may not be guest preachers or teachers in Sunday services. Further, women are not allowed to teach or lead official church small groups/Bible studies that include men. Note that all of the above is applicable only when God’s people are gathered together as Church or in an official ministry of the church. 

Women May Be Deacons

The second official church office (the first being Pastor/Elder) is that of Deacon. There is some debate as to whether or not women are allowed to hold the office of Deacon. As will be seen below, Scripture could go either way on the issue; it could either affirm or deny women Deacons. I believe women are permitted to be Deacons for three reasons. 

Women May Be Deacons because Deacons Do Not Teach or Exercise Authority over the Church (1 Tim 2:11–12)

The term Deacon is a transliteration of the Greek διάκονος, which means “servant” (not “slave”). Over time, the term διάκονος became used for the office of Deacon as seen in 1 Timothy 3:8,12, 13. By very definition of the word, Deacons are servants. They serve the church and the people of the church; they do not exercise authority over the church. There is nothing in Scripture that prohibits Christian women from serving.

The Qualifications for Deacons Include Instructions for Women (1 Tim 3:11)

There is only one place in Scripture that lists the qualifications for Deacons: 1 Timothy 3:8–13. In the middle of the qualifications, Paul addresses γυναῖκες, which could be translated either “wives” or “women” (1 Tim 3:11). I am inclined to translate γυναῖκες as women because (a) there is no prohibition against women serving in the Bible, (b) verse 12 seems to address males who desire to be Deacons, making it reasonable he just addressed females who desire to be Deacons and (c) there is biblical evidence of female deacons (see below). The following table shows the two translations of 1 Timothy 3:11. 

1 Timothy 3:11 (Greek)1 Timothy 3:11 (My Translation)1 Timothy 3:11 (ESV)
Γυναῖκας ὡσαύτως σεμνάς, μὴ διαβόλους, νηφαλίους, πιστὰς ἐν πᾶσιν.“Similarly, women must be dignified, not slanderous, self-controlled, faithful in all things.”“Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things.”
Different translations of 1 Timothy 3:11

Because the ESV understands γυναῖκες as referring to the wives of the Deacons, they add the pronoun “Their,” which is not in the text. If the pronoun “their” (or the definite article, which can be translated as “their”) was part of the original text, I would be inclined to agree that 1 Timothy 3:11 is about the wives of male Deacons. However, since “Their” is not part of the text, it adds weight to the argument that women deacons are intended. 

Further, the absence of γυναῖκες in the previous passage on the qualifications for Pastors/Elders/Overseers (1 Tim 3:1–7) suggests that the presence of γυναῖκες in 3:8–13 refers to women, not wives. It would be odd to mention the wives of Deacons, but not the wives of Elders. As such, Paul is probably not making any comments on wives, but women Deacons in 3:11. Paul would not have to mention women in his qualifications for Pastors/Elders/Overseers because he already dealt with the issue of women Pastors/Elders/Overseers in 2:11–15 (see my article about that passage here). This is an argument from silence, so it should be taken with a grain of salt.

Phoebe was a Deacon (Rom 16:1)

The final reason that I believe Scripture permits women to be Deacons is because Phoebe (a woman) is called a διάκονος (“Deacon”) “of the church at Cenchreae” in Romans 16:1. It is certainly possible that Paul is simply calling her a servant of the church, not an official Deacon, which is how many English translations understand it. It is also possible that the term διάκονος did not refer to the office of Deacon when Paul wrote Romans 16, but was a later development of the term. However, in light of the arguments in the above two sections, I think it is likely that Phoebe was a Deacon. 

At the very least, Romans 16:1 shows that women are allowed to be servants of the church. Since a Deacon is a servant of the church, I find no biblical reason why a woman cannot be a Deacon. 

Women May Serve in Any Ministry outside of Pastor/Elder

Since women are only prohibited from serving as Pastors/Elders/Overseers, women are allowed to serve in any ministry they desire and to which they feel called. Here are some of the more explicit statements in the New Testament: 

In short, women are allowed to be a part of any ministry in the church as long as it is not a ministry that involves the formal teaching of men or exercises formal church leadership over men (i.e., Pastors and Elders). 

Summary and Concluding Thoughts

Women are allowed to be a part of any ministry as long as it is not teaching men or exercising authority over the whole church. Other than holding the office of Pastor/Elder, women can do anything in the church. 

As I mentioned in another article, the modern Western Evangelical churches have made matters difficult for women because they have gone away from the two-office government that Scripture instituted for the church: Elders and Deacons. All teaching and leading should be done by the Elders, which means women are only prohibited from being Elders. Unfortunately, most churches and denominations have created their own offices with their own job description, and their own qualifications. Thus, whereas women should be allowed to do anything in the church and be a part of any ministry, except Eldership, some modern churches bar women from other ministries and non-biblical offices, while some take the opposite extreme and allow women to hold any and every office, including Elder. 

For my women readers out there, do not reach for that which God has not given you (Eldership). There will be no blessing for you or the church. Rather, be released to serve the Lord God and his church however he has gifted you and with whatever desires God has put into your heart.  

Adam Robinson

I am the pastor of a non-denominational church in rural Queensland, Australia. Prior to pastoring, I was a Lecturer in Biblical Studies at two Bible Colleges in Queensland, Australia. I received my PhD in New Testament from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

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