There is a big difference between leadership, and ministering. Paul said we are all ministers, gifted with the Spirit in different areas. However, we do not see women listed holding any position of leadership in the churches, with the possible exception of Phoebe.
So, we understand by this that leadership positions such as bishop, deacon, elder were not held by women in the NT, but that women were fully operational in the church to operate gifts of the spirit, which included prophesying.
Ephesians 4:11-13
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
You will notice in the above passage that the positions of government: deacon, elder, bishop are not mentioned. However, body ministry including apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers are all lumped together in the description of body ministry.
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