Can She Preach?

Few questions generate more heat in the church today than this one. Yet for those who confess the authority and sufficiency of Scripture, the issue is not primarily cultural, pragmatic, or political. It is theological. It concerns Christ’s rule over His church, the nature of preaching, and the goodness of God’s design in creation and redemption.

A complementarian conviction does not arise from a diminished view of women, but from a high view of Scripture and of the pastoral office. If Christ is the head of the church (Eph. 1:22–23), then we must ask not, “What seems effective?” but “What has He said?”

The Nature and Authority of Preaching

In the New Testament, preaching in the gathered assembly is not merely sharing insights or offering devotional encouragement. It is a heralding of the apostolic Word with derivative authority. Paul charges Timothy to “preach the word” (2 Tim. 4:2), in the context of guarding the good deposit (1 Tim. 6:20) and overseeing doctrine (1 Tim. 1:3–4).

Preaching in this sense is tied to oversight. It is not free-floating instruction but a function of shepherding. Elders are to be “able to teach” (1 Tim. 3:2) and those who “labor in preaching and teaching” are worthy of double honor (1 Tim. 5:17). Teaching, in the gathered church, is an expression of governing authority under Christ.

Thus the question “Can she preach?” must first ask: What do we mean by preach? If we mean authoritative exposition of Scripture in the assembled church as an act of shepherding oversight, Scripture connects that task to the office of elder.

1 Timothy 2:11–15 — Creation Order and Church Practice

Paul writes: “I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet” (1 Tim. 2:12).

Several observations are essential:

1. Literary Context

This instruction occurs within a section regulating conduct “in the household of God” (1 Tim. 3:15). It is ecclesial, not merely domestic. The concern is ordered worship and doctrinal stability.

2. The Meaning of “Teach” and “Exercise Authority”

The pairing suggests a specific kind of teaching—authoritative doctrinal instruction bound up with oversight. Paul is not forbidding all forms of speech (cf. women praying and prophesying in 1 Cor. 11:5), but a particular authoritative function in the gathered assembly.

3. Grounded in Creation

Paul’s rationale is not cultural dysfunction in Ephesus but creation: “For Adam was formed first, then Eve” (2:13). He appeals to Genesis 2, not Greco-Roman norms. The order reflects design, not superiority. Just as the Son submits to the Father without inferiority (1 Cor. 15:28), so role distinction does not imply lesser dignity.

4. The Fall

Paul references Eve’s deception (2:14), not to demean women, but to recall what happens when creation order is overturned. His argument is theological, not temporary. Thus, 1 Timothy 2 restricts authoritative teaching and governing authority in the gathered church to qualified men.

1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 — The Qualifications for Elders

Immediately following 1 Timothy 2, Paul outlines qualifications for overseers. The elder must be “the husband of one wife” (1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:6), managing his household well. The grammar and pattern assume male officeholders.

More importantly, the elder’s work includes both teaching and governing: “He must hold firm to the trustworthy word… so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9).

Teaching and authority are not separable categories in the pastoral office. To preach is to shepherd; to shepherd is to exercise oversight.

1 Corinthians 11:2–16 — Order Without Inferiority

In Corinth, women pray and prophesy (11:5). Paul regulates their practice but does not silence them absolutely. The key is headship: “The head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God” (11:3).

Again, the appeal is to creation (11:8–9) and to the interdependence of men and women “in the Lord” (11:11–12). Equality of worth coexists with ordered roles. The gathered church reflects this creational pattern.

Importantly, prophecy in the New Testament is not identical to the authoritative teaching office. It is weighed by others (1 Cor. 14:29). Elders guard doctrine; prophecy does not carry the same governing authority.

Thus, 1 Corinthians 11 shows meaningful participation of women in worship, without collapsing the distinct role of elder oversight.

Galatians 3:28 — Equality in Redemption

“There is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” This text proclaims equal standing in justification and inheritance. The dividing walls that excluded Gentiles and marginalized women are demolished in Christ. Access to God is shared fully.

But Galatians 3 addresses soteriology, not ecclesial office. Unity in salvation does not erase all role distinctions. The same apostle who wrote Galatians 3 also wrote 1 Timothy 2. Equality of status does not negate ordered service. Creation order (Genesis 2), redemption in Christ (Galatians 3), and church structure (1 Timothy 2–3) cohere rather than conflict.

Distinguishing Preaching, Teaching, and Other Ministries

Clarity requires distinctions:

• Authoritative preaching in the gathered assembly: tied to elder oversight.

• Teaching in various contexts: women are commended for teaching other women (Titus 2:3–5) and instructing privately (Acts 18:26, Priscilla alongside Aquila).

• Prophecy: exercised by women (Acts 21:9), but subject to evaluation.

• Evangelism, discipleship, mercy ministry, theological scholarship, missions: women have served indispensably in all these areas throughout church history.

The New Testament does not envision passive women, but purposeful partners.

Church Polity and Application

In elder-led congregationalism, elders bear responsibility for doctrinal guardianship and public preaching. The congregation affirms and holds them accountable, but oversight is real and weighty (Heb. 13:17). Therefore, in such a polity, the regular preaching of the Word in corporate worship is ordinarily entrusted to qualified elders or those operating under their authority in alignment with the office.

Different churches draw application lines differently. Charity requires recognizing that faithful believers wrestle with these texts. Yet conviction requires that we not detach preaching from shepherding authority.

Common Objections and Questions

• “Isn’t this cultural?” Paul’s grounding in creation argues otherwise.

• “Doesn’t this silence women?” No. It restricts a specific office-bound function, not participation in ministry.

• “Doesn’t gifting determine calling?” Gifts operate within the boundaries Christ establishes. Ability does not override apostolic instruction.

Practical Implications for the Local Church

1. Teach this patiently. Frame it within Christ’s headship and the goodness of design.

2. Elevate women’s ministry. Invest robustly in discipleship, theological training, and visible service.

3. Clarify the office of elder. Avoid casual use of the pulpit that blurs ecclesial authority.

4. Model partnership. Publicly honor and collaborate with gifted women.

5. Guard tone. Conviction without harshness reflects Christ.

Under Christ’s Word

The question is not ultimately, “Can she preach?” but “How has Christ ordered His church?” Complementarianism, rightly understood, is not about preserving male privilege but about submitting joyfully to Scripture. Men and women share equal dignity, equal access to grace, and equal inheritance in Christ. Yet within the gathered assembly, the office of elder—and with it, authoritative preaching—is entrusted to qualified men.

This is not a concession to culture, but a confession of trust: that God’s design is wise, that His Word is sufficient, and that His church flourishes when it lives under His lordship.