God Questions: Why Evil/Suffering?

The question of women preaching in the church is treated as a Bible question before it is treated as a feelings question. The issue is not a battle between men and women, and it is not about superiority, inferiority, strength, or worth. The Word of God has been misused by sinful people, and that misuse is real, but abuse of Scripture is not a reason to stop submitting to Scripture. The church is called to humble submission even when a verse feels hard, unpopular, or like an uphill battle.

The biblical claim begins with equality before God. Galatians says there is no male or female in Christ when it comes to salvation, inheritance, and standing before God. Men and women bear God’s image equally and share the same worth in the family of God. Complementarianism, as presented here, says equal value does not erase distinct roles.

Paul’s instruction in 1 Timothy is treated as apostolic authority, not cultural opinion. The command about a woman not teaching or exercising authority over a man is tied to Adam and Eve, not to whatever was happening in Ephesus. Genesis matters because Paul grounds the order in creation, before the fall, and then names the curse as the conflict that now makes that order feel ugly and hard. The design is not the curse, but the curse makes the design a fight.

Headship is defined as responsibility, not lordship. A husband or male elder is not a little king saying, “This is my castle.” Headship means accountability before God for leading, protecting, teaching, and doing what Scripture requires, even when people get mad. Jesus is not less than the Father, so ordered roles do not mean lesser worth.

The restriction is narrowed to the office and function of elder or pastor with authority to preach and govern in the gathered church. Paul’s language in elder qualifications is deliberate, consistent, and male. A man who preaches must be faithful at home, anchored in sound doctrine, able to teach, and able to answer contradiction. The issue is not whether someone can talk, pray, serve, think, lead in other ways, or use gifts.

Women teaching is strongly affirmed. Priscilla helps instruct Apollos, Lois and Eunice teach Timothy, older women teach younger women, and women bear witness to Christ. The Bible shows women teaching, serving, and being commended. The line is corporate authoritative preaching and governing in the local church, because that office is restricted by Scripture.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Submission starts with Scripture’s authority. The hard question is not first, “How does this feel?” but, “What does the Bible say?” Honest submission has to leave room for God to correct instincts, culture, and even painful church history. The misuse of Scripture by others does not cancel the authority of Scripture itself. [14:44]
• 2. Equal worth allows ordered roles. Galatians protects the full dignity of men and women before God, but it does not flatten every distinction in creation or church order. Equality in salvation does not require sameness in office. The deeper question is whether God’s design can be trusted when it cuts against modern assumptions. [16:21]
• 3. Creation order grounds Paul’s command. Paul does not rest his instruction on a passing local custom or a temporary education problem. Adam and Eve take the issue back to Genesis, where design comes before the curse. The conflict around authority is part of what sin distorts, not proof that order itself is evil. [21:14]
• 4. Headship means weight, not ego. Biblical headship is not a man getting his way because he is louder, stronger, or in charge of “his castle.” Headship means responsibility before God to lead faithfully, especially when obedience costs approval at home or in the church. Authority becomes Christlike only when it carries burden instead of feeding pride. [21:52]
• 5. Women teach, but office matters. Scripture gives real examples of women instructing, discipling, and strengthening the faith of others. Priscilla, Lois, Eunice, and other women are not treated as silent ornaments in the kingdom. The restriction is not all teaching, but authoritative preaching and governing in corporate worship as elder or pastor. [27:32]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [12:50] - Asking What the Bible Says
• [13:15] - Taking a Breath on a Hot Topic
• [14:12] - Misused Scripture and Real Harm
• [14:44] - Submission Over Personal Preference
• [15:49] - Can Versus Should
• [16:21] - Equality in Christ, Distinct Roles
• [17:02] - Complementarianism and Egalitarianism
• [18:20] - Creation Order, Not Culture
• [19:49] - Genesis, Curse, and Conflict
• [21:14] - Apostolic Authority in Paul
• [21:52] - Headship as Responsibility
• [24:27] - Elder Qualifications and Maturity
• [27:32] - Women Teaching in Scripture

1. In 1 Timothy 2:11-14, what two things does Paul say he does not permit, and what reason does he give for that instruction? [21:14]
2. According to Galatians 3:28, in what way are male and female one in Christ, and what areas does that verse seem to be addressing? [16:21]
3. In Genesis 1:27, what does the verse say about both man and woman being made in relation to God? [20:33]
4. What examples are given from Scripture of women teaching, instructing, or helping others grow in the faith? [27:32]

1. If Paul grounds his instruction in Adam and Eve rather than in local customs, what does that suggest about whether 1 Timothy 2 is temporary or meant for the church more broadly? [18:20]
2. Galatians 3:28 teaches full equality in Christ. How can that fit together with different roles in the home and the gathered church without treating one sex as less valuable than the other? [17:02]
3. Headship is described as responsibility rather than lordship. How does that change the way authority should be understood in a Christian home or church? [21:52]
4. If women clearly teach in Scripture, what helps distinguish general teaching, discipleship, and witness from the authoritative preaching and governing connected to the office of elder? [27:10]

1. When a passage of Scripture feels hard, unpopular, or personally painful, what is the first reaction of the heart? Is the instinct to submit, argue, avoid, or reinterpret? What would humble submission look like in that moment? [14:44]
2. The misuse of God’s Word has caused real harm. How has that affected trust in difficult passages? How can someone be honest about that pain without letting abuse become the final authority? [14:12]
3. Equal worth before God should shape the way men and women speak to and about one another. In everyday life, where is there a temptation to act as if role differences mean greater value or lesser value? [16:21]
4. Headship means carrying weight before God, not demanding control. For the men in the group, where is there a need to take more responsibility in leading, protecting, or obeying Scripture? For others in the group, what does godly authority look like when it is healthy rather than harsh? [22:25]
5. Conflict around authority did not begin yesterday; sin makes God’s design feel like a fight. Where has that conflict shown up most clearly in relationships, church life, or personal reactions to this topic? [20:15]
6. Scripture does not present women as silent ornaments in the kingdom. What gifts has God given the women in this group, and how can those gifts be encouraged, strengthened, and put to work faithfully in the life of the church? [27:32]
7. The office of elder carries real accountability for doctrine, teaching, and care. How might the church benefit if that office is treated less like status and more like burden, service, and answerability before God? [26:13]