What Does the Bible Say About Women Pastors?
1) Direct answer
No. The Bible does not authorize women to be pastors or to teach and exercise authority over men in the church.
2) Scriptural explanation
- 1 Timothy 2:11-14: “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man...” Paul grounds this in creation and the fall, not in culture.
- 1 Corinthians 14:34-35: “Let your women keep silence in the churches… for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.” That speaks to public authoritative teaching in the assembly.
- 1 Corinthians 11:3: “The head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.” God set an order.
- 1 Timothy 3:1-5; Titus 1:5-6: The overseer/elder must be “the husband of one wife,” ruling his own house well. The office is given in male terms and tied to male headship.
- Titus 2:3-5: Older women are commanded to teach the younger women—what to teach and to whom is clearly defined.
- Acts 2:17; Acts 21:9; 1 Corinthians 11:5: Women can pray and prophesy under proper order (with a covering), but that is not the same as holding pastoral authority.
3) Simple clarifying logic
- God’s order is Christ over the man, and the man over the woman. That is not about value; it is about the roles God set.
- The New Testament gives explicit qualifications for pastors/elders. If God intended women to pastor, Scripture would say so. Instead, it repeatedly restricts teaching authority over men.
- Examples sometimes raised—like Deborah or Huldah—show that God can use women mightily, but those were not New Testament church offices. The church’s government is laid out plainly in the pastoral epistles.
- Phoebe was a servant (Romans 16:1). Service is honored, but that text does not place her in the overseer role.
- If women pastors were approved, Scripture would not forbid women to teach or to have authority over the man in the church. The Bible does not contradict itself.
4) Reinforcing statement
Now notice, this does not silence a woman’s ministry in its God-given place. Women can:
- Pray, prophesy, testify, sing, and serve.
- Teach children and younger women.
- Labor in many helps and ministries.
But the pastoral/elder office and the authoritative teaching of men in the assembly are reserved to qualified men, as the Bible says.
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.
Be not afraid, it is I
61-0123 §5
...o tell this. I know it's taking a lot of your time, but a few days... Oh, it's not a few days. Few---about two years ago, there was one sent to Germany. And on the cloth it says, "If your pastor is a believer, call him in. If you've done any sin, confess it, make everything right." God will not heal only under conditions, see. "So, call your pastor in, and if you've did any wrong, confess it." The Bible said, "Confess your faults one to another, pray one for the other that you might be healed, for the effectual fer...
The Harvest Time
64-1212 §74
Now, He was this Word. Now, after this, He was tested. Jesus' tested. Now we're going through these. See, it doesn't reflect the Word when anybody says, "Well, that was for another age," 'cause the Bible said He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. How the Holy Spirit in you could say that you are filled with the Holy Ghost? Now can I hurt you a little bit? Is it all right? Raise your hands. You won't be mad at me? If you do, you have to be. How can you women, with bobbed hair, tell me that you're filled with...
Why are we not a denomination?
58-0927 §98
Now listen to this about the women preachers. All right, first thing would be, I want the I Timothy 2:11. Now listen what it says here. Let your women learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, or to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. I'm not responsible for putting it in there. I'm responsible for telling you it's in there. See? See? Let your women learn in silence and be in all subjection. [If you ever went into an Orthodox church and watch them, see. See?] But I suf...
Thy loving kindness
58-0228 §37
By the way, speaking of that paint on the face: You Pentecostal women used to not do that. What happened? I'm just asking you. What happened? You did run well, what hindered you? Did your pulpit get weak? Then put him out and get a pastor that'll preach the truth. If your denomination let you down, get to another denomination. Certainly. Listen, sister, I don't meant to hurt you. I just come back from Africa, and in the heathen land that is a heathen trait. The Hottentots of Africa, that's where painting come from;...
Seals 4: The Second Seal
63-0319 §64
Notice, wisdom and smartness. They said, "Now look here. Isn't it only sensible... Our women, what difference does it make how they wear their hair?" But the Bible says it does make a difference. Just take that one thing, besides the hundreds of others, see. It does make a difference. God said it made a difference, so it is a difference. But you see, if they get that started (the trustee board and deacons and everything), the first thing you know the pastor either gets in or gets out. That's all. See, it's the peop...