At Journey Church, we recognize and support the vital contributions of women in ministry. We believe God has ordained the family unit to serve as a model for the entire church, with the father as the head of the home, functioning as a servant-leader as described in Ephesians 5. Within this structure, both men and women can reach their fullest potential in ministry when operating within the biblical family structure. We affirm that a woman can teach and lead within any of the vast array of ministry roles and positions provided she demonstrates a lifestyle consistent with biblical standards. She must also submit herself, along with other servant-leaders, to those leaders God has placed in positions of governing authority.
Distinctions: Ministers and Governing Roles
The role of Elder (presbuteros) is one of governance and authority, as outlined in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. This role involves overseeing church doctrine, spiritual oversight, and direction. The same applies to the Overseer (episkopos), a governing role reserved for men who are called to lead in spiritual authority, reflecting the model of headship outlined in Ephesians 5:23, where the man is the head of the household, representing Christ's headship over the church.
In Ephesians 4:11, the term diakonos (διάκονος), meaning servant or minister, emphasizes the servant-leadership role that both men and women can fulfill, contributing to the building up of the church. While women at Journey can serve as Ministers, reflecting their God-given gifts and callings, it is important to distinguish this from the roles reserved for male leadership.
In line with this belief, the offices of Overseer, Elder, and Executive Staff are, due to their governmental responsibility, reserved only for men (1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-16). Men and Women are both encouraged to serve as "Ministers," reflecting their vital role in the church's ministry while maintaining a structure that aligns with Scripture. While titles are not our focus, we believe they help clarify the scope of one's ministry responsibilities and bring clarity to our church community. To reflect biblical principles, we refer to all support staff, regardless of gender, as "Minister," aligning with the five-fold ministry gifts described in Ephesians 4:11-12.
Biblical Foundation: Ephesians 4 and the Five-fold Ministry
The framework for our understanding of ministry roles is rooted in Ephesians 4:11-13, where the apostle Paul describes the five-fold ministry: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. These ministry "gifts" are given to the church to equip the saints for the work of ministry and to build up the body of Christ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity. Importantly, these gifts are defined by spiritual gifting rather than by a specific title, gender or office as seen Galatians 3:28, emphasizing that both men and women are called to serve in the kingdom with their God given gifts. At Journey Church, we believe that both men and women can serve as a Minister using their unique gift and are called to serve the church with those God given gifts.
The Work of the Holy Spirit
The work of the Holy Spirit is central to ministry at Journey Church. Spiritual gifts are given without distinction to gender, as Paul outlines in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, Romans 12:6-8, and Ephesians 4:7-12. These gifts, whether prophecy, teaching, or administration, are sovereignly distributed by God. There is no biblical limitation placed on women in exercising their gifts in ministry.
Furthermore, On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out on all flesh, both sons and daughters (Acts 2:17-18), demonstrating that women share fully in the spiritual gifts, whether as apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers, or pastors. These ministry gifts are given through the Holy Spirit and remain open to all qualified individuals, regardless of gender.
Biblical Examples of Women in Ministry
While the debate over the role of women in church ministry predominantly centers around the interpretation of two challenging New Testament passages (1 Corinthians 14:34 and 1 Timothy 2:12), there is overwhelming evidence supporting Journey's stated position affirming the role of women in ministry.
In the Old Testament, for instance, Miriam was used of God as a prophet during the time of the great exodus (Exodus 15:20). As both a prophet and a judge, Deborah was an instrumental leader in guiding God's army (Judges 4-5). And Huldah, another prophet, was a vital contributor to the powerful religious reform under King Josiah (2 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 34).
The New Testament also reveals the essential role women shared in the ministry of the early church. Contrary to the cultural norm of that time regarding the status of women in society, the apostle Paul frequently refers to the contribution made by women. For instance, Paul speaks of women who "worked hard with him" in the work of the gospel (Romans 16:6, 12; Philippians 4:3). At Philippi, Euodia and Syntyche were described as "fellow-workers" alongside Paul. This description is the same wording used to also describe other young ministers who served with Paul such as Timothy, Epaphroditus, Titus, and Luke.
Priscilla, who, along with her husband Aquila, was involved in teaching and guiding other leaders in the faith, including Apollos (Acts 18:24-26). Priscilla's role as a teacher highlights her contribution to the growth of the early church and underscores the partnership between men and women in ministry.
Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, being the first to witness Jesus' resurrection and to preach this message is profoundly significant. In a culture that often discounted women's voices, Jesus entrusted them to proclaim the foundational truth of His victory over death. By choosing these women to first preach His resurrection, Jesus validated women as credible and essential partners in ministry.
Furthermore, as a servant (diakonos) at the church in Cenchrea (Romans 16:1-2), Phoebe was obviously viewed as more than simply a helper. In fact, Paul uses the same word (diakonos) to refer to other ministers and leaders in a congregation, including himself. From these and many other writings, we discover that Paul was an advocate of women in ministry. And contrary to the social order of the day, he frequently recognized the Spirit-inspired work that many women shared as fellow-laborers.
We can conclude, therefore, that Scriptural evidence affirms the call of women to spiritual leadership and vital ministry roles in the early church. Such acknowledgment provides us with the evidence we need to believe that God continues to call women to serve alongside men in the vital work of ministry today.
Conclusion
We believe that this equality of men and women represents the heart of God and the revelation of Scripture. While recognizing that the offices of Overseer, Elder, and Executive Staff are governmental roles in the church do have some gender distinctiveness as it is within the biblical construct of the home, we do affirm the tremendous contribution women have made in the early days of the church and must continue to make as we move forward in the ministry of Journey Church. The Spirit of God is being poured out on all flesh and we seek to walk in step with the Holy Spirit in power and practice until Christ returns.