Are Women Allowed to Be Deaconesses, Ushers or Bishops in the Church?
1) Direct answer
No. Women are not to serve as bishops or deacons, and “deaconess” as an office over the church is not Scriptural. Ushers are not a Bible office, but the work of keeping order and directing the assembly belongs under the deacons’ oversight and should be handled by qualified men. Sisters may serve in helps that do not place them in authority over men.
2) Scriptural explanation
- The Bible says, “I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man; but to be in silence” (1 Timothy 2:11–12). Church offices carry authority over men; therefore they are not given to women.
- For a bishop/elder: “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife… one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection” (1 Timothy 3:1–5; Titus 1:5–9). That language fixes the office to a man.
- For deacons: “Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well” (1 Timothy 3:8–13). Again, male headship is required.
- The church chose “seven men of honest report” to serve the tables and keep the order of the work (Acts 6:3). That’s the pattern for deacon-type service.
- In the assembly, “Let your women keep silence in the churches” (1 Corinthians 14:34–35). That forbids public authoritative leadership over men in worship.
3) Simple clarifying logic
- Now notice: a bishop must be the husband of one wife and must rule his house. How could that be a woman? It cannot.
- A deacon must rule his house and be a husband of one wife. That sets the office to a man.
- Ushers function under the deacons to keep order and direct the congregation. Since Scripture assigns that kind of oversight to men, ushering in the sanctuary ought to be carried by men as part of that deacon-led service.
- This does not make women secondary in value, but it keeps God’s order. Sisters are called to powerful ministry in their God-given sphere: prayer, testimony, music, hospitality, visiting the sick, helping the needy, teaching children, and older women teaching younger women (Titus 2:3–5)—all without exercising authority over men.
4) Reinforcing statement
It’s not culture; it’s Bible order. One God set one pattern: male headship in church offices, with women richly active in every good work that does not place them over men.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
The Key to the door
62-1007 §6
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62-1013 §59
Did you notice the other day when that wise old Methodist bishop, what he said about saying that prayer in school? That wasn't the Methodist Church. That Bishop was wise enough to know that. That was another group seeing how far they could get to force a certain prayer in school. If they'd pass on that, they'd pass the other just as quick as they could. They're probing every outlet they can. Don't worry, they'll get it.
Why little Bethlehem?
63-1214 §93
See, these types, they can come no other way but by the Word. That's the only place He could be born, is by that Bethlehem. That's why it had to be that little humble place. That's the way it has to be this morning, has to be the same way by the promised Word. Yes, sir. The Philistine council of churches now organizing, garrisons everywhere around our Bethlehem. Around this Christmas, they're garrisoned around there everywhere, it's all decorated up with worldly tinsel. "Oh, we'll bring world peace." Pope Luther, J...
Questions and Answers, The Law having a shadow
54-0516 §9
We believe in church government. And the government is ordered of the Holy Spirit in the Bible. The pastor is always the head of the church, the pastor is always. That's God's elder. In organizations, you have to come through the bishop. Now, the Bible...there's no higher order in the Bible than the elder of the church. Just tell me where it's at. There's no higher order in the Bible for the church than the elder, which is the pastor. He's the highest order of the Bible. And then, if the--the elder, if...Don't rece...
The Serpent's Seed
58-0928E §54
And you women, putting on these little old pants and things, and wearing them out here, little old (What is it you call them?) Knickerbockers... Or what is it? What is that, sisters? No, no, it's not shorts, it's that--got the long legs in them: pedal pushers and overalls, dungarees... Go and they said, "This is for the ladies." I said, "No, you're mistaken. Ladies don't wear them things: women might, but ladies don't." That's right. The Bible said it's an abomination for a woman to put on a garment... And for a ma...