woman leaders – Women in their best

It is biblical for a woman to be a church leader. Moreover, if we deny gifted women the opportunity to exercise their ministries, we reject some of the very people Jesus has anointed, appointed and given to His church. Galatians 3:28 (NKJV): There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

There are many misunderstandings that women are not important in the early church movement, and that Paul is prejudiced against women in leadership position. Such misconceptions have obstructed gifted and talented Christian women from taking certain roles in which they have been called and equipped by the Lord to do. In Ephesians 4:11, Paul lists five kinds of ministers which Jesus Christ has given to the church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. His purpose is to equip God’s people for the work of serving and building up the body of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-12 (1 Cor. 12:28-31).

Here is a list of first century Christian women mentioned in the New Testament serving as ministers and ministry leaders:

Philip’s daughters (Acts 21:9), Priscilla (Acts 18:26; Rom. 16:3-5, etc.), Phoebe (Rom. 16:1-2), Junia (Rom. 16:7), possibly Chloe (1 Cor. 1:11), Euodia and Syntyche (Phil. 4:2-3), Nympha (Col. 4:15), Apphia (Phlm. 2), “the chosen lady” (2 John 1), “the chosen sister” (2 John 13), and probably Lydia (Acts 16:40), etc.

In the New Testament, several people, apart from the Twelve, are mentioned as being apostles. Paul is an apostle outside the original twelve. One of the New Testament church’s apostles is a woman—Junia.

Junia and Andronicus (who may have been husband and wife) were members of the church in Rome; they may even have been the founders of the church there. Romans 16:7. Paul also states that Andronicus and Junia were “outstanding among the apostles”. They had suffered persecution because of their faith and at some point had been fellow prisoners with Paul.

In Acts 21:9 we are told that Philip had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. They were highly respected female prophets and leaders in the early church, as was the prophetess Ammia of the church in Philadelphia. The fourth-century church historian Eusebius mentions Philip’s daughters and regarded their ministry as the benchmark for prophetic ministry in the early church, comparable with other notable male prophets: Agabus (Acts 11:27-28; 21:10), Judas and Silas (Acts 15:22, 27, 32), and Quadratus of Athens.

Euodia and Syntyche are women evangelists and possibly church leaders (bishops and deacons) recorded by Paul who addressed and commended them as his co-workers in the ministry of the gospel, using the same term describing Timothy. (Philippians 4:2-3, 2:22, 1:1).

Phoebe is another woman minister whom Paul esteemed and commended. In Romans 16:1-2 Paul described Phoebe as both a diakonos and a prostatis. Phoebe was a minister or deacon, and a leader or patron, in the church at Cenchreae. She is a woman of means and has provided facilities and resources to many in the ministry and to Paul personally. (Romans 16:2)

In classical Greek the word prostates (feminine, prostatis) was used to mean either a chief or leader, or a guardian or protector, often in a religious context; it was later used also to translate the Roman concept of a patron. A diakonos is a Christian teacher and pastor (technically, a deacon or deaconess).

Romans 16:1 TPT “Now, let me introduce to you our dear and beloved sister in the faith, Phoebe, a shining minister of the church in Cenchrea.”

Priscilla and Aquila were active in ministry and hosted a church in their home at Ephesus (1 Co. 16:19) and later at Rome (Rom 16:3-5) where they ministered as pastor-teachers. Priscilla (the wife) is the leading Bible teacher. Priscilla’s name appears first in four of the six mentions of this couple in the New Testament. She may have a higher social status than her husband. She and her husband even ministered to the famous preacher Apollo and corrected him and taught him the truth regarding the Gospel messages he preached.

Some of the earlier churches women, who lived in relatively spacious homes, hosted a congregation that met in their home. With higher social status and ampler financial means, the hosts led the congregations and exercised the pastor-teacher gift.

We can read many such examples in the New Testament:

Mark’s mother provided a house with a large upper room (accommodating 120 persons) in Jerusalem for the Christians to assemble (Acts 12:12); believers met in the home of the rich well-connected business woman Lydia at Philippi (Acts 16:14-15, 40). Paul greets “Nympha and the church in her house” in his letter to the Colossians (Col. 4:15). It appears that Chloe is also the host of a home-church (1 Co. 1:11), as may have been some of the other women Paul greets in the last chapter of his letter to the Romans.

In his letter to the Romans (Christians and house churches), Paul describes and commends four very special woman voluntary workers in the ministry,

Mary, “who has worked so hard for your benefit.” (Romans 16:6 NLT)

Tryphaena, Tryphosa and “beloved Persis”. Romans 16:12 DLNT “Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, the ones laboring in the Lord. Greet Persis the beloved, who labored-at many things in the Lord.”

We can note how Paul can see the true worth of these women ministers. Voluntary workers are special and crucial to the churches and ministries because these are those who love the Lord and eager for the advancement of the Kingdom of God, sensitive to the needs of the church with the willingness, energy and financial means to meet the needs of the ministry and the people. They have sacrificed their own comfort and safety for the love of God. They are usually the unsung heroines.

Paul’s leadership: resolving conflict between two women church leaders

I always write with you in my mind and in my heart because you want to know about the women in the Bible.

Yes, I have not forgotten, however briefly, the time we have spent together, pouring out our hearts on the words of God, searching and studying the Bible, the enthusiasm and passion for the words of God, and the rich revelations we received in our quests.

As promised, I have started a new season to study and write more about specific women in the Bible. This is an urgent need. Many churches consist of mainly women (if not all). The Bible records the active and positive participation and contribution of women in both the Old Testament time and in the New Testament churches. New Testament church leaders like Lydia, Phoebe, Junia and Priscilla have received increasingly more attention. There are also other lesser-known women who are equally important leaders and serve in the capacity of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.

I recently wrote about one whom Jesus singles out to praise in my blog titled “Do you see this woman?” (1) https://kingdomofgodaughter.wordpress.com/2020/05/21/do-you-see-this-woman-1/

Do you remember that one morning you told me you had a strange dream in which you were told to read Philippians 4:8? I told you it is Paul’s letter to two very important women. They were not just any women in the congregation. They were both loving, giving, mature church leaders and Paul’s valued co-laborers for the Gospel.

I didn’t manage to tell you much about them at that time. So today I would highlight these two women, Euodia ( Greek Εὐοδία, meaning possibly “sweet fragrance” or “prosperous journey”) and Syntyche (Συντύχη, “fortunate,” literally “with fate”). One is called “prosperous journey” and another is called “Serendipity”. Such auspicious names!

Having such nice names and being capable and hardworking leaders in the important Philippians church do not exempt them from being reminded to reconcile their disagreements. Paul’s letter actually pleads with them to agree in the Lord. (4:2). The two appeared in strife. Let us find out what happened by reading the whole letter. Paul’s appeal to them was written in Philippians 4:2-3 (HCSB) Reading the mere context in 4:1-9 will not help us to fully understand the two women. These are two real persons in life and not two-dimensional caricatures. Paul’s whole letter is meant for them and I would read the whole letter as the background and dig out more details about the two.

The two women are important leaders in the church: First, we can note Paul’s appreciative and respectful attitude towards Christian women co-workers. He works with them and values their contribution, recognizes their diligent efforts in telling others the Good News, and affirms that their names are written in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:2-3). He addresses the letter specifically to God’s holy people, church bishops, and overseers/deacons. (1:1) (Note: The Letter to the Philippians is different from Paul’s other letters because he specifically includes the episkopoi (supervisors/overseers/bishops) and diakonoi (ministers/deacons) in his opening greeting.)
Women founded this church: When Paul responded to the visionary call to Macedonia, instead of meeting a man as he thought, because there were not even ten Jewish men (the required quorum) to start a synagogue, he met a rich business woman, Lydia, who was leading a women prayer group and she was converted by Paul and immediately started the first house church in Europe, in her house in Philippi!
The status of women in Philippi is high: Philippi was the chief Greek city of Macedonia (Acts 16:12) under the Roman Empire and it has been well documented that Macedonian women enjoyed greater freedoms, rights and powers than many other women of that time.
Paul describes these two women Euodia and Syntyche in the same terms he describes prominent church leaders like Timothy and Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:22,25), as those who have contended for the Gospel at his side, with a worthy ministry comparable to that of the men. Paul uses words that carry a metaphorical reference to gladiators fighting side by side in the arena. Far from demeaning women, Paul is actually declaring them capable and valuable for his ministry. Paul does not have gender prejudices or stereotyping women’s role in his ministry.
Paul is in prison and his chief concern is maintaining unity among his co-workers. This is exactly the same concern of Jesus before He left Earth. In John 17:11-12 Jesus asks the Father to protect Jesus’ disciples by the power of His name so that they will be united just as the Father and Jesus, so that no one was lost. There is a supernatural power for Jesus’ disciples in being one just as the Father and Jesus are one. Disunity among leaders can cause their sheep to go astray. Paul explains to them what it means to have unity: “Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.” (2:1-2)

In practice, how to achieve this unity? Paul gives them two main action points:

Do not be self-centered: 2:3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 2:4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Do renew their mind by thinking good thoughts about the other. 4:8

Paul gives them two real life models to follow:

1. Chapter two: focus on Christ’s example of an attitude that can lead to reconciliation. 2:5 “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”

2. Chapter three: Follow Paul’s example. he focuses on Jesus and the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (3:14)

Can the two women do it? Yes, definitely. Because Paul says confidently in 3:15 “Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.” He knows these two mature sisters in Christ love God and have the fervency and diligence to serve God and obey God’s words. Paul has discipled them well and trusts them to do as he urges, to reconcile.

Lastly, Paul sums it up by saying, “The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” (4:9)

You see, the consequence of their disagreement and strife in the church has caused the loss of God’s peace in them and affected the others in the otherwise exemplary church.

At the end of the letter, Paul brings up a praiseworthy uniqueness about this church led by women leaders. They are a loving and giving church to Paul’s ministry! They themselves in turn are experiencing the richness of God’s supplies for their generous sowing into Paul’s ministry. (4:19)

Postscript: These women are well-connected high society people. Even the royalty —the Roman Emperor, Caesar’s household send them greetings through Paul. Their networking is important to Paul’s ministry. (4:22)

by Kainotes

forgiving is not hard

The Old Way Has to Go

I have been thinking of how best to progress from here onward, after all the recent events, some of which have not yet passed on…Time lingers when we least want it to. Whilst doing my correspondence Bible courses I am now in the Book of Ephesians and unlike what I thought earlier, I am not really that “well-versed” in my understanding of this Book. I like the whole Ephesians. My NKJV is marked with colors where I have walked with my fingers. Yesterday I found my Message Bible and read the Ephesians. I also found another version of the Chinese Bible which I had not read for ages. Then I looked up the online Bible Commentary by Andrew Wommack. The whole experience is wonderful! I am humbled. Here I am today, sharing a passage from Ephesians 4 with you, my sisters.

^17-19And so I insist—and God backs me up on this—that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd. They’ve refused for so long to deal with God that they’ve lost touch not only with God but with reality itself. They can’t think straight anymore. Feeling no pain, they let themselves go in sexual obsession, addicted to every sort of perversion.

^20-24But that’s no life for you. You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It’s rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.

²⁵What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ’s body we’re all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself.

^26-27Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.

²⁸Did you use to make ends meet by stealing? Well, no more! Get an honest job so that you can help others who can’t work.

²⁹Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.

³⁰Don’t grieve God. Don’t break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don’t take such a gift for granted.

^31-32Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.

gender, race and religion: forgive one another as God has forgiven you

Do gender, race and religion matter in voting? if not, then what really matters? Be open and watch.

(https://youtu.be/KUrF7Cn8qsc)

(https://youtu.be/BzxHM2b94es)

(https://youtu.be/IKa4MFWMGn4)

A call to women to walk in Truth and Integrity in all our political actions

be free from your obsession for power and control : 2 Timothy 3:1-9

Women may not know their action can influence the rest of the world. Some women may be thinking of supporting and voting to the number one power position of an apparently very popular woman in their nation. Little do they know by their action if succeeded would propel that woman to possibly number one power position of the human world. I would urge you to look at the reality behind the popular facade. The word that looms in my soul and spirit is: BEWARE.

Women and potential women voters make up at least half of the world where women are given the legal franchise to vote at par with men. This is a formidable force. Man, you better take note! Women’s votes can propel a nation without self-control into the state of the Biblical Babylon just as prophesied over two thousands of years ago. I am reminded that there are godly and ungodly women. There are many godly women of faith whom I have written in this blog and many evil women who bow to different god(s), often making themselves god(s).

How should men and women (themselves) differentiate between the two? Look at the real motive behind our vote, all our political actions. Are we aligning with God’s plan or are we driven by our own selfish and self-centered agenda? Who is our God? Jesus says, “Look at the fruit.” “Look at the way people enter.” (Matthew 7:13 Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it.) I pray we all hear the true God! BEWARE!

I pray we all become more responsible and careful with our words. Globally… A person’s word may not influence others but it does speak to oneself and could inadvertently lead one to believing in deceptions that harm oneself and even stumble others.

The Bible verses that I received today are from Jesus in Mark 13:33-37, “Be on your guard [constantly alert], and watch and pray; for you do not know when the time will come…[Watch, I say] lest He come suddenly and unexpectedly and find you asleep.
And what I say to you I say to everybody: Watch (give strict attention, be cautious, active, and alert)!

Revelation 17:5
And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Jesus has specified that the fruit that the Bible refers to:

Condition One: Before anyone can claim he or she can hear God and follows God’s will and bears good fruit on earth, he or she must acknowledge that Jesus is the only way and truth to God.
John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Condition two: Fruit decides whether one enters God’s kingdom or not.
Matthew 7:19-21
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

Condition three: Fruit relates to Truth, all Goodness and Righteousness.
Ephesians 5:9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),

Condition four: Jesus specifies that the fruit God is looking for relates to the supernatural transformation of one’s life through hearing, understanding and believing the Word of God. The Word of God refers to only the Christian Bible.
Matthew 13:18-23 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom…23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

Perilous Times and Perilous Men

3 But know this, that in the last days ^[a]perilous times will come: ²For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³unloving, ^[b]unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ⁴traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! ⁶For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, ⁷always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁸Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; ⁹but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

2 Timothy 3:1 times of stress
2 Timothy 3:3 irreconcilable

Revelation 18:4-8
⁴And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. ⁵For her sins ^[a]have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. ⁶Render to her just as she rendered ^[b]to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. ⁷In the measure that she glorified herself and lived ^[c]luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’ ⁸Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who ^[d]judges her.

Read full chapter
Footnotes

Revelation 18:5 NU, M have been heaped up

Revelation 18:6 NU, M omit to you

Revelation 18:7 sensually

Revelation 18:8 NU, M has judged