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Spencer C. Blackwell
Professor Malcolm Campbell
English 1103
02/17/15
A Woman Behind The Pulpit?
Introduction/Overview
In the King James Bible, the Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 14:33-35, 33 For God
is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. 34 Let your women
keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded
to be under obedience as also saith the law. 35 And if they will learn anything, let them ask their
husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. This scripture brings a lot
of debate as to whether women should be able to stand behind the pulpit and declare the Word of
God to the congregants. This research will be designed to see thoroughly exegete different texts
in the Holy Bible to determine whether modern, well known female preachers such as, Pastor
Sheryl Brady, Pastor Paula White, or Dr. Cindy Trimm are in err or operating in divine grace.
While there are Protestant denominations that allow women to preach, there are some that
highly condemn a woman behind the pulpit. I am a licensed minister in a non-denominational
church, so I am connected to many members of the clergy, both male and female. I will interview
a variety of these persons to get their theological intake on this issue. I will also use the Holy
Bible as a source of information and I will use websites that speak on this issue, breaking down
the Scriptures and their meanings.
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While you have some denominations such as the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church,
the Baptist church, and the Mt. Calvary Holy Churches of America that believe in the teaching,
preaching, and prophesying coming from a woman, you have some denominations of the
apostolic faith which do not tolerate a woman preaching. There are other scriptures in the Bible
that conflict with those listed in 1 Corinthians 14. An example of this would be the scripture that
comes from Acts 2:17 which states, And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, I will
pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your
young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: This scriptures comes from
God saying that he will give His Holy Spirit to all people and men and women will speak the
Gospel and prophesy. These are reasons that makes this issue very complex.
Initial Inquiry Question(s)
What does the Bible say about women in the church? What scriptures support that a
woman is allowed to preach, teach and/or prophesy in a church? What scriptures go against this
statement? What about women who pastor a church? What does the bible say about women
being in the Bishopric? How do those women who are already in ministry feel about those that
dont believe in women behind the pulpit? What similarities and differences are there in the
structure of a church and the structure of households in the United States?
My Interest in this Topic
Im interested in learning why some denominations do and why some dont believe in
women preachers because I am a member of the clergy myself and this has always been a very
controversial idea in the church world. I have my own opinion and view on this topic, but I
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would like to get more knowledge about my take on the whole issue, and the reasons why, those
that might differ with my opinion, have their thoughts.
I also would like to be able to offer insight to women who feel a calling on their life to
preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I would be able to share with them if they are hearing from
God or if they need to go pray concerning the issue again, because God is not one that would tell
you to do something that would go against His Word.
Next Steps
I will be conducting interviews over the telephone or in person with various members of
the clergy. They will be of different age groups and genders. They will have different ranks and
offices within their local church, various denominations, and most of all have different opinions.
Because this is an issue in which the Bible can be applied, it will also be a major resource in my
studies. I will not interview only persons of the clergy, but I will also talk to the lay members and
get their thoughts on this matter. The first person that I will talk to will most likely be my Pastor,
Elder Zachary Dark of New Directions Christian Fellowship Church located in Burlington, North
Carolina.
The internet has various resources available such as articles, blogs, and scholarly research
that can help me to critically analyze this issue. I will use the information on these websites to
help me construct my research and research paper. I know that the more information that I find,
the more questions that will come up in my mind.
