Do You Believe In Women Preachers?

[Sister Alvear]

This is the chief verse that is used to oppose women preaching and yet it says nothing about preaching, nor does it say anything about a public worship or church service. But, on the contrary, this verse is giving instructions to wives as to how they were to conduct themselves in regard to their husband. Paul says in 1 Cor. 14:35, "And if they will LEARN anything, let them ask their husbands at home." Now he states in 1 Tim. 2:12 that the woman should learn in silence, and should not usurp authority over the man. Paul is dealing with more of a home problem than a church problem.

PAUL TELLS US PLAINLY ABOUT WORSHIP SERVICES 1 Corinthians 14 describes what a service was like among the first Christians.
“Everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation." (NIV, 1 Cor 14:26)
“Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit. But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified.” (NIV, 1 Cor 14:1-5)

[Sister Alvear]

Anyone that personally knows me KNOWS I do not like to speak before a crowd....however to say God cannot give a woman something to say is not right.

[Sister Alvear]

And let the peace of God rule in your heart, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord (Colossians 3:15-16).

[Sister Alvear]

I am a person that believes in balance. God is a God of order and I Believe in order. I don´t care for women who try to act masculine or men who act like women...a woman can be a lady at all times....even as she tells the story of JESUS.
AND no I DO NOT CARE TO SIT ON THE PLATFORM and stuff like that...

[Sister Alvear]

Luke 2:36. And there was one Anna, a prophetess, and a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity. It was the temple where Anna observed Moses’ law, and there she abode day and night speaking of the coming Messiah. She spoke to all that awaited redemption of Israel.



She spoke with them about Messiah. Each one that came to the temple listened to her speak of the Redeemer. It isn’t recorded anywhere that anyone ever rebuked her for speaking or prophesying in the temple. Acts 7:44 calls it the tabernacle (church) in the wilderness.

[Sister Alvear]

The poet reminds us about Mary Magdalene:

Not she with treacherous kiss her master stung.
Not she denied Him with unfaithful tongue.
She, when Apostles fled, could dangers brave.
Last at the cross, and earliest at the grave...
Author Unknown

[Sister Alvear]

PLINY, the youngest governor of Bithyria wrote the Roman Emperor Trojan asking advice concerning the persecution of the Christians because people from all social classes were becoming Christians.
Here is a part of his letter: “I thought it necessary to know the truth about the Christians. So, I ordered two women slaves to be tortured; these slaves are called deacons, but it isn’t anything but superstitious beliefs. So I am sending this document to you to clarify this fact because the Christians are of all ages, classes, and both sexes.”
Pliny chose two women slaves like Phoebe who were also deaconesses to show what Christianity is like. Pliny referred to these two women as deacon or women ministers.

[Sister Alvear]

The ratio of women missionaries is three women to one man. For volunteers, the ratio is twenty women for one man! In some cultures only women can bring the gospel to pagan people who sit in darkness, for men are not allowed to approach them.
As defenders of the faith, women stand side by side with men in their capacity to face death and endure agonies of persecutions. I wonder after looking at facts, how anyone can still downgrade the anointing and ministry of chosen women of God.
Here is a voice from the “Open Brethren,” G. H. Lang “I feel quite unable to require, in effect, that men must perish eternally rather than that a woman should tell them the good tidings. Let any good brother who feels strongly in the other direction that a woman must be utterly silent in the public presence of men consider whether, if he were unconverted, he would prefer to go to hell rather than be saved through a woman preaching?”
For myself being called by God to see with my own eyes, and feel with my own soul, the unutterable need of the millions of mankind that is yet in satanic darkness is sometimes overwhelming. I can but thank God from the depths of my heart for everyone, man or woman, that takes to them the Word of Life to the many souls.

[Sister Alvear]

For the record once again...in saying all I SAY I don´t believe any godly woman would push a man aside if there is one...however if we know more than those around us it is our job to preach the gospel to every creature...

[Sister Alvear]

Voices from History

The radical change that happened during Constantine’s reign when Christianity became the official religion of Rome meant that Roman culture and pagan concepts would be mixed with pure Christianity. Thus they would try to ban the use of women through their pagan ideas once again.
Secular history supports the fact that women were preachers. Oregenes talks about it in his writing that the women went to far away areas carrying the gospel.
CHRYSOSTOM of the fourth century wrote "the women of those days were more spirited than lions, sharing with the Apostles their labors for the Gospel’s sake. In this way they traveled with them and performed small ministries such as supplying the material needs of their brethren, as well as, participating in missionary work" (See Chrysostom & Theodore).
IRENAEUS, acknowledged the Gifts of the Spirits were liberally bestowed on all ranks of the faithful on women as on elders, on boys as well as on bishops.
DOWELL, in Dissections of Irenaeus says, “the gift of the spirit of prophecy was given to them besides the Apostles: and that not only in the first, second, but in the third century even to the time of Constantine men had these gifts; yea, and women too."
TERTULLIAN, one of the oldest historians was quoted in an article, The Indian Standard (a Presbyterian magazine in India): AIn the Catacombs are found representations of women clergy and they are shown presiding at the Lord’s Supper...."
TERTULLIAN, was in intolerant of women, but he acknowledged that "Holy Priscilla had preached the
Gospel." Tertullian disliked Christian women doing visitation work saying, "What heathen will suffer his wife to go about from one street to another to the houses of strangers, to the meanest hovels, indeed, to visit the heathen? What heathen will allow her to steal away to the dungeon to kiss the chain of the martyr?"
Tertullian went as far as to deny the authenticity of a baptism performed by a woman. This seems to prove that the practice of baptism performed by women was happening in his day. But this early church father came to recognize that even a woman, if she “spoke with the Spirit” had more authority in then that of the greatest bishop. He represented an empty office compared to a woman who represented the Spirit.