Can Women Pastor ?

[Sister Alvear]

THE WORD RENDERED HELPERS MEANS A FELLOW-LABOURER, ASSOCIATE, COADJUTOR, WORKING TOGETHER, AN ASSISTANT, A JOINT LABOURER, A COLLEAGUE. IN THE NEW TESTAMENT SPOKEN ONLY OF A COWORKER, HELPER IN A CHRISTIAN WORK, THAT IS OF CHRISTIAN TEACHERS. HOW CAN THESE TERMS, WITH ANY SHOW OF CONSISTENCY, BE MADE TO APPLY MERELY TO THE EXERCISE OF HOSPITALITY TOWARDS THE APOSTLE, OR THE DUTY OF PRIVATE VISITATION. TO BE A PARTNER, COADJUTOR, OR JOINT WORKER WITH A PREACHER OF THE GOSPEL, MUST BE SOMETHING MORE THAN TO BE HIS WAITING-MAID.

Again, "Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord" (Rom. xvi. 12). Dr. Clarke, on this verse, says, "Many have spent much useless labour in endeavouring to prove that these women did not preach. That there were prophetesses as well as prophets in the Church we learn, and that a woman might pray or prophesy provided that she had her head covered we know; and, according to St. Paul (I Cor. xiv. 3), whoever prophesied spoke unto others to edification, exhortation, and comfort, and that no preacher can do more every person must acknowledge. Because, to edify, exhort, and comfort, are the prime ends of the Gospel ministry. If women thus prophesied, then women preached."