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EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 200+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).

Currently, an increasing number of women are serving as Protestant pastors, and some churches allow women to preach alongside their husbands. In the Catholic Church, some nuns are pushing for women to be ordained as priests or clergy, but the pope has yet to grant their requests.

No matter what human rationale may suggest, or even one’s own tendencies or desires, true followers of Jesus Christ will be guided by the divine wisdom mentioned in the Bible as the ultimate determinant, as stated in James 3:15-17.

According to God’s Word, only men were appointed as the 12 apostles and the 70 evangelists by Jesus Christ, who set a precedent for male appointments. The apostle Paul followed this precedent by appointing only men as congregational pastors and deacons. He also instructed Timothy that women should be quiet and not teach or exercise authority over men. These principles are found in the books of Matthew, Luke, 1 Timothy, and Titus.

However, based on other passages of Scripture, it appears that this restriction only applies within the congregation. Women may still serve as preachers, proclaimers, and ministers of the “good news” outside of congregational meetings. This can be seen in the prophecy found in Joel 2:28-29, which the apostle Peter referenced as being fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. He declared that God would pour out His Spirit on all people, and as a result, both men and women would prophesy. Therefore, at Pentecost, both men and women received the gift of the Holy Spirit and were enabled to prophesy. (Acts 1:14-15; 2:1-4, 17-18).

The question poses who is included in the term “ministers” or “servants”? The question suggests that the interpretation of this term may not be limited to just pastors and deacons in a congregation but may include women. To wait upon or minister to a superior, the Hebrew term is mesha·rethʹ; the Greek term is di·aʹko·nos. Di·aʹko·nos is likely derived from the Greek verb di·eʹko, which means “to reach from one place to another,” or the verb di·oʹko, which means “to hasten after, to pursue.” Thus, di·aʹko·nos implies diligently and persistently reaching out to render service on behalf of others. While some have suggested that it derives from a compound of “through” and “dust,” this derivation is not widely accepted today. The Hebrew term, a participle form of the verb sha·rathʹ, can be secular or religious and means to wait upon or minister to a superior. (Ge 39:4; De 10:8) (Source: Bibliotheca Sacra, by D. Edmond Hiebert, Vol. 140, 1983, p. 153)

In the Bible, the words “servant” and “minister” were used in both Hebrew and Greek to refer to both men and women, as seen in verses such as 2 Samuel 13:17-18 and Romans 16:1. Joshua served Moses as his attendant from a young age (Numbers 11:28; Joshua 1:1), and Elisha’s attendant was called his minister (2 Kings 4:43; 6:15). Even kings and princes had attendants or ministers who waited on them, as seen in 2 Chronicles 22:8 and Esther 2:2. These attendants sometimes served at the royal table, as seen in 1 Kings 10:4-5 and 2 Chronicles 9:3-4.

FEMALE MINISTERS

All devout and baptized Christians, regardless of gender or age, can hold special roles as proclaimers, preachers, and ministers – referred to as “servants” in a sacred sense. They must demonstrate their worthiness through their behavior and witnessing. The apostle Paul cited in Romans 16:1 the case of Phoebe, who was a minister in the congregation in Cenchreae. He urged the members to welcome her in a way befitting her sacred status and to provide her any assistance she may need. This goes beyond just physical service and relates to the Christian ministry and preaching the word of God. However, she was not appointed as a female ministerial servant, as Jehovah God did not make such provisions for women in that specific role.

In Philippians 4:2-3, the apostle Paul notes the contributions of two women named Euodia and Syntyche, who worked alongside him in spreading the good news about God’s kingdom. He also mentions Clement and other fellow workers, all of whose names are recorded in the book of life.

In addition to Phoebe, another important woman in the early Christian church was Priscilla, who was the wife of Aquila. Priscilla is mentioned multiple times in the Bible, often even before her husband, and is shown to be a knowledgeable and respected teacher of the word of God. When the educated Apollos needed further instruction, Priscilla and Aquila invited him to their home and taught him the word of God more accurately. This demonstrates that women played important roles as teachers and leaders in the early Christian church.

YOUTHFUL MINISTERS

This passage is saying that young Christians can still be effective ministers of God even if they are not appointed servants in the church. This is because age does not matter when it comes to preaching and sharing the “good news.” Jesus himself was capable of ministering God’s Word at a young age, as was Samuel. In modern times, some young people who have dedicated themselves to God and have been baptized are proving to be ministers of God by actively sharing the good news and behaving according to God’s teachings. This is demonstrated in their conduct and preaching activities, which show they are committed to spreading God’s message.

Spiritual Service of Worship

Jesus set a standard that a person’s claims should be judged by their actions. He said, “The things I am doing prove that my Father sent me” (John 5:36). Similarly, anyone who God sends to serve, regardless of their age or gender, should be recognized by their service to God’s Kingdom and devotion to serving Jehovah, just as it says in Matthew 4:10 and Romans 12:1-2.

In Christianity, a true Christian is someone who has been properly taught about God’s teachings and chooses to dedicate their lives to God through symbolic Baptism. They become ministers in God’s eyes by serving Him by spreading His Word. This is based on John 12:26.