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.
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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.
Church Ages, part 5: The Pergamean Church Age
60-1207 §72
Now, this first Nicene Council, and ... it was in A.D. 330 ... 325. About fifteen hundred delegates and bishops attended the meeting, but they overruled them, in some foggy, stormy, council it was. And they overruled them, and voted in that the Nicolaitanes took over. And that was to take the ... all the church, and put it under a supervision of popes, or bishops, or something---taking the power from the church and giving it over to the bishops; that the bishops should rule the church, and the only one that had any...
Why are we not a denomination?
58-0927 §110
Now notice this now, that these women preachers, when they come in, they thought to take the authority; but it's absolutely not permitted by God to do so. And let ... just while we're right on this subject here, this women, see, in it. Now, it said, "If there be any man among you, who's spiritual, or a prophet, let him acknowledge that what I write is the commandments of the Lord. But if he's ignorant, just let him be ignorant." And that's why this tabernacle does not stand and ordain women preachers, women deacons...
Why are we not a denomination?
58-0927 §101
Adam was first formed, and then Eve. Adam was not deceived. And how could you have a woman pastor, deacon? Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived. She was actually... She didn't think she was wrong, but she was. The woman, being deceived, was in the transgression. Because they're... Every time that a funeral goes down the street, a woman caused it. Every time a baby screamed out, a woman caused it. Every time someone died, a woman caused it. Every gray hair, a woman caused it. Everything, and death, a wo...
Church Order
63-1226 §32
Now, after the service... If the person just raises up and gives a message, the pastor if he wants to stop just a minute and go ahead, very well, see, that's up to the pastor. But then immediately let the deacon, before that person gets out of the building, take them to one side and talk to them about it. And if they question it, bring them to this tape and say, "This is what the bishop or the overseer of the church..." Which is bishop, ... any overseer. See, that's what it's called in the Bible, "bishopric," see,...
Why are we not a denomination?
58-0927 §104
Let your women keep silent in the churches: ... it's not permitted to them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. Then, in the Old Testament they wasn't allowed to speak, because Paul said here they wasn't. Is that right? "Let your women keep silent, it's obedience." Now if you want to run your marginal reading there, take it back to Genesis 3:16, see. All right. "Under as under the law." And if they ... learn any thing, let their ... ask their husbands at home: for it's a sh...