38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
— Luke 10:38-42, ESV

Just about every look at church life reveals congregations composed mostly of women.  Though the percentage of men has slowly risen in this century, women still hold the majority in public worship at 60% verses 40% for men.  Yet when women stare at the pulpit and see the Pastor preaching, 90% of the time it is one man telling a group of mostly women what to do.  When you look at it his way, it seems like a recipe for disaster!

Males dominated females in every sector of society until modern times.  Oh, the patriarchy!  But in 1920 women won the right to vote.  In the 1960’s-1970’s, the needle began to move towards equal rights for women in education and employment.  In this century, it is common to see women as heads of governments and industries.  There is only one institution remaining where the key to the door to key leadership is still being kept mostly by men.  Of course, it is the church.

Are we right, or are we wrong?  Should we adapt to these egalitarian times, where women have equal access to any and every job from top to bottom?  Or, should we be complimentarian, meaning the sexes are equal, but God has designated certain roles, like husband and pastor, for men only?  

What would Jesus do if He were here today?  We can speculate based on what Jesus did yesterday in His own public life and ministry.  Like the liberal/conservative Good Samaritan, Jesus seems to have been an egalitarian/complimentarian.  This observation is based upon one of the most perfect portraits of women in ministry in the New Testament, a picture painted by two sisters named Martha and Mary.

The Case for Egalitarianism

Though not mentioned prominently in Scripture (only appearing in Luke 10 and John 11), it is clear that Martha and Mary, were prominent in Jesus’ life.  He loved them, and their brother Lazarus, big time (ref. John 11:36).  He included them in His life and ministry, all three, two-thirds of whom were women.

Before Jesus, women (and children) were not honored and cherished.  They were unnamed in most stories, underutilized in most of society, unappreciated in spiritual life.  They served like slaves, depended completely on husbands or fathers for support, and had to sit in the back at synagogue services.  

Jesus Christ and Christianity revolutionized the role and elevated the worth of women.  Jesus named them by name and put them into the New Testament.  Jesus made them part of His ministry entourage and gave them key assignments.  Jesus let them sit in front, at His feet, when He was preaching and teaching.  

At the crucifixion it was a congregation of women, save one man (the Apostle John), who bravely stood by Jesus until the end.  At the resurrection it was women who first saw the empty tomb and the risen Savior.  One of them, Mary Magdalene, became the first preacher of the full gospel of Jesus Christ.  

As the church enlarged and expanded, women served as missionaries and church planters (Pricilla).  There were definitely women deacons (Phoebe).  Some speculate there was a female Apostle with a capital “A” (Junia), and of course the Apostles were the first pastors.

In the past century many churches have elevated women to the role of Pastor or Elder or Bishop,  for biblical and cultural reasons, with the latter determining the context of the former.  For example, slavery seems to be tolerated in Scripture, although it was not the chattel slavery of the old American experience.  Now, with the same Scriptures by our side, we have no toleration for slavery of any kind.  

How does this justify women pastors?  The church has historically demanded pastors with leadership skills and educational attainment.  Males only were afforded such roles in society and church for almost two thousand years.  But in modern culture, women have the same educational and experiential rights as men.  Many prove to be adept at leadership and skilled in interpreting and teaching the Bible.  They don’t have to wear hats in church anymore, so why shouldn’t they be allowed to be pastors now?

So goes the case for egalitarianism in the church.  The Roman Catholics don’t buy it, yet, but many thought the late Pope Francis would make that change.  The liberal wing of Protestantism has long embraced egalitarianism, along with a low view of Holy Scripture, which seems to have backfired in terms of church sustainability and growth.  Conservative Protestants, for the most part, reject it, even thought the lone patron saint of the Southern Baptist Convention is a woman, Lottie Moon.

Who is right?  Who is wrong?  And what would, or what did, Jesus do?

The Case for Complimentarianism

Though Jesus was a radical when in came to the inclusion of women, and though Jesus’ inner circles were composed of many women, like Martha and all the Mary’s (Miriam was the most common name for a girl in first century Judaism), I cannot say from Scripture alone that Jesus was an egalitarian in matters of church leadership.  His silence on the matter and the definitive texts of Paul point towards a complementarian direction.  

Jesus handpicked twelve Apostles for the inauguration of the New Covenant.  This matches the number of tribes of Israel in the Old Covenant.  All twenty-four, all of the original Apostles and all tribal Elders of Israel, were male.  The radical Christ could have easily appointed a woman to the twelve but He chose not to do so.  He chose a traitor, but not a woman.  He commissioned women to do everything else, but not as a pastor, elder, or bishop.  

Church history maintains this continuity of complimentarianism.  The most historic church of all, the Roman Catholic, to this day has only male priests, cardinals, and popes.  They elevate tradition and papal authority over Holy Scripture, and with it have made many changes, like the office of pope and ex-cathedra authority, the elevation of Mary to co-redemptrix, the seven sacraments for salvation, indulgences, and purgatory.  Yet woman still cannot serve as pastors or deacons.  

Protestants are not ruled by a pope, but governed by a book.  We believe the Bible to be our ultimate authority for faith and practice.  The best understanding of the Apostles is they were all male.  All Pastors mentioned in the New Testament are males.  The definitive texts written by Paul on the matter, the “pastoral” epistles of Timothy and Titus, call for male candidates only for the pastorate or eldership.  

Neither passion nor present culture should overrule the plain meaning of God’s word.  This is true of worship, it is true of sexuality, and it is true of church leadership.  A high and uncompromising view of Holy Scripture is the best case for complimentarianism.  

Are there exceptions to the rules?  Wasn’t an anointed leader of Old Covenant Israel a woman, Deborah, at least once?  Was Junia an Apostle?  What if a group of women were stranded on a deserted island and started a church?  Such questions should at least un-starch the shirt of a strait-laced complimentarian.  And though I tend to side with the them, I think a little more needs to be said on the matter.  

The Case for Women in Ministry

All that I have said so far is certainly important, but it is of secondary importance.  Egalitarians and complimentarians, at least those who share a high view of Scripture and belief in the exclusivity of the gospel of Jesus Christ, ought to be able to work together to strengthen the church at large and spread the gospel all over the world.  We may have to do it from separate local churches, however. 

If you are a complimentarian, which seems to be the best case, know this does not make women inferior to men in any way, no more that the Son of God is inferior to God the Father.  The submissive and supportive role of women is just as special and necessary as Jesus’ work in carrying out the will of the Father at Gethsemane and Calvary.  The Father would not reach us without the Son.  The church led by male pastors and elders cannot function without the women.

If you are an egalitarian Christian, I love you and accept you and appreciate you.  I went to an egalitarian seminary with the highest view of Holy Scripture (Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary).  I have worked with women pastors in study and service.  If a woman in my family or church believed she received a call from God to be a pastor, I may not ordain her, but I would certainly help her find a seminary and place of service.  The same goes for other sincere Christians who differ with me on the many secondary issues of the faith.

This brings us to Martha and Mary and Jesus.  Finally!  This is a portrait of two women in ministry to Christ.  This is a moving picture of what is not secondary, of what matters most to God.  And it does not matter if you are male or female, ordained clergy or ordinary laity, black or white, rich or poor.  

The primary ministries for the Christian faith and the life of the church is to worship and serve the Lord.  Worship, public and private, is “the good portion,” the best part, the priority.  But such worship is senseless if it does not result in service.  We serve the Lord when we serve others.  

Mary is the picture of worship at work.  She makes her way to Jesus’ feet.  She loves Him and adores Him, in a most holy way.  She listens to every word He utters, thinks deeply upon their meaning, and looks for ways and means to put them into practice.  

This is your primary ministry as a Christian, female or male, laity or clergy.  We assemble with the saints, figuratively at Jesus’ feet.  We receive, intellectually, His word in preaching, readings, and songs.  We are moved, emotionally, by the power of words and the pictures of baptism and the Lord’s Supper.  We commit, volitionally, to obey the word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ.  That’s full gospel worship, and thank you, Mary, for the lesson.

But do not discount Martha’s part.  She is usually short shrifted in this story.  But Jesus by no means complained about her complaint.  He was just pointing out worship comes before service.  But service is necessary!  Someone had to make the food, prepare the table, feed the guests.  

And so it is today.  Someone has to keep the nursery.  Someone has to set out and serve the food and drinks at the fellowship meal.  Someone has to visit the sick and the elderly.  Someone has to clean up this sanctuary when worship has ended.  

We are not Christian and we are not a Christian church if we do not worship publicly, regularly, holistically, and biblically.  But, we are also not Christian and a Christian church if we do not take our Lord’s Day experience and let it fuel us to serve the Lord every day of the rest of the week.  We need Mary and we need Martha, two great examples from two great women, to balance the scales of ministry in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We need women in ministry!  And, we need men, too.  The church needs woman and men to engage in the ministry of worship and service, to adore and model the person and work of Jesus Christ.  We need to train the next generation of Christians to worship rightly and serve passionately.  We need to be in this ministry, male and female.   

Both genders, male and female, are equal in the eyes of God.  Both genders, male and female, are indispensable, in the family and in Christ’s church.  Both genders, male and female, can be ministers of grace through worship and service.  Don’t give too much care about who can and cannot be ordained, but be very careful to be in the order of worship and service, to the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.  

P.S.  In the rapture, I believe women will go first.