Women in Ministry

Can women serve in ministry? In what roles?

Our belief is aligned with that of the Christian and Missionary Alliance:

In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit came upon believers in a new way — both men and women. Peter explained the Pentecost experience in this way: “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams” (Acts 2:17). The Holy Spirit has been poured out on women and men in the same way and for the same purpose: so that we will all be empowered to live in a manner that demonstrates the character of Christ and fulfill our roles in the mission Jesus has assigned to His Church. The gifts the Spirit gives that equip believers for ministry in and through the local church are distributed to both women and men. The completion of Jesus’ Great Commission calls on all believers, male and female, to be released and mobilized to put those gifts into action. While desiring both genders to be mobilized to exercise their gifts in a variety of ministries and leadership roles, The Alliance continues to affirm its understanding of Scripture that elders are male members of the local church. This includes the elected elders of the local church and the senior/lead pastor.

The Alliance has a consecration track for female licensed official workers that provides a pathway for their ministry callings and giftings to be confirmed by the church. Current policies delineate the types of ministries that a consecrated official worker may engage in, indicating they are empowered “to serve in church and other related ministries which include preaching and teaching the Word of God and administering the ordinances under the oversight of elders and/or an ordained official worker, and providing leadership to the church and its ministries. In addition to local church ministries, such service may include national and district evangelists, workers in educational institutions, [and] federal and institutional chaplains…” An Alliance statement on women in ministry states the following: “Women may fulfill any function in the local church which the senior pastor and elders may choose to delegate to them consistent with the Uniform Policy for Accredited Churches and may properly engage in any kind of ministry except that which involves elder authority.”

https://cmalliance.org/who-we-are/what-we-believe/perspectives/

We believe and teach that: Women may fulfill any function in the local church which the senior pastor and elders may choose to delegate and may properly engage in any kind of ministry except that which involves elder/senior pastor authority.

For further reading and study, read the beliefs of the Assemblies of God:

https://ag.org/Beliefs/Position-Papers/The-Role-of-Women-in-Ministry