Confession… We are nerds! It is completely normal for a quick phone call to turn into a deep dive into any number of biblical, theological, or social issues. These conversations often meander across relevant books, articles, sermons, and personal perspectives about life and the Bible. Until this recent series of articles, our conversations stayed between us. In this particular instance, however, we felt compelled by the Holy Spirit to take our conversation public.
It was never our desire to engage in a public academic or theological debate. Rather, it has been our desire to present our perspective of what the Bible reveals about this very important issue.
While this conversation was initiated by discussion and developments in other branches of the broader Baptist family, it was never our desire to engage in a public academic or theological debate. Rather, it has been our desire to present our perspective of what the Bible reveals about this very important issue. From the very beginning, our goal was to present a biblical perspective on women in ministry. Our driving question has been, and continues to be, “What does the Bible teach about women preaching, teaching, leading, and/or serving in pastoral roles?”
The perspectives we have shared are not new, because this conversation is not new. And, though the interest and attention given to the subject has quieted over the past few months, it is still important and worthy of our careful and prayerful consideration and engagement. With that in mind, we thought it would be helpful to present some of the resources that we have found helpful in the growth and development of our understanding of women in ministry.
The Blue Parakeet by Scot McKnight – In this book, Dr. Scot McKnight encourages readers to evaluate how they read and understand the Bible. He challenges readers to “stop taming the Bible and let it speak anew to our hearts.” In the 2nd edition, he includes an expanded section on women in ministry in which he walks readers through relevant texts of Scripture and helps them observe and evaluate what it says and means for themselves. It is not only a great resource for those wanting to go deeper in their understanding of what the Bible says about women in ministry, but for those wanting to sharpen their skills for studying the Bible in general.
The Making of Biblical Womanhood by Beth Allison Barr – This book is an easy and engaging read. Dr. Barr not only demonstrates a deep respect and understanding of Scripture, she guides the reader through several eras of human history revealing how women were treated and perceived throughout church history. Dr. Barr explains how cultural norms evolved and impacted the understanding of Scripture and treatment of women within the church.
From Genesis to Junia: An Honest Search for What the Bible Really Says about Women in Leadership by Preston Sprinkle – This is a very recent release and it is the easiest to understand and most relatable book on the subject. Dr. Preston Sprinkle invites the reader to join him as he explores what the Bible says about women in leadership throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Junia. Rather than using the Bible to support his preferred theological perspective on the subject, Dr. Sprinkle explores the texts of Scripture, evaluates the evidence, then shares his findings. This book is a great read for those who are just entering the conversation, but also for those who are wanting a broader exploration of the biblical texts than our articles provided.
The Bible vs. Biblical Womanhood by Philip Barton Payne – This book is for those who are wanting to make a deeper dive into the historical context and biblical texts. It contains elements found in both The Making of Biblical Womanhood and From Genesis to Junia, but it dives much deeper. Dr. Payne does share elements of his own story, which infuses relational quality into his language and the learning that led to his conclusions, but it is still a very academic book. Dr. Payne covers many of the same biblical texts dealt with in our articles, though with much more academic rigor and depth. If you want to get into the weeds of language and manuscript analysis in a relatively accessible format, this is a great book.
We will continue to be students of the Scriptures and, based on what we believe it teaches, champions and advocates for women at work in the church as deacons, pastors, teachers, preachers, and leaders of all kinds for the glory of God and the good of His people.
There are many more resources we could have included (See List Below). We recognize that there are very good and godly men and women who do not share our biblical perspective or convictions. As we have noted, our intent was to engage this conversation by presenting our perspective of what the Bible says about the subject. The conversation will surely continue and the attention and interest in it will rise and fall in the months and years ahead. While our conversation will now return to the privacy of our phone calls and text messages, we will continue to be students of the Scriptures and, based on what we believe it teaches, champions and advocates for women at work in the church as deacons, pastors, teachers, preachers, and leaders of all kinds for the glory of God and the good of His people.
Additional Resources
Women in the Church: A Biblical Theology of Women in Ministry
Stanley J. Grenz
Paul, Women, and Wives: Marriage and Women’s Ministry in the Letters of Paul
Craig S. Keener
Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church
Nijay K. Gupta
The Mary We Forgot: What the Apostle to the Apostles Teaches the Church Today
Jennifer Powell McNutt
Nobody’s Mother: Artemis of the Ephesians in Antiquity and the New Testament
Sandra L. Glahn
Together in Ministry: Women and Men Flourishing in Partnership
Rob Dixon
Slaves, Women, and Homosexuals: Exploring the Hermeneutics of Cultural Analysis
William J. Webb
