Rejecting Anachronism: Why Women Serve as Pastors

Christ alone stands at the center, because only Christ is qualified to be the head of the church. The warning against anachronism pushes modern Christians to stop reading the Bible like Jesus had a wristwatch and the early church had bylaws, office hours, and subcommittees. The presentist habit assumes that whatever feels normal right now must be what Scripture meant all along, and that habit makes the phrase “the office of pastor is for men only” sound more biblical than it actually is.

The claim that Scripture defines one singular “office of pastor” does not hold up under a careful reading. Paul uses the word poimein, shepherd, only once for a role given to people in the church, and Ephesians 4 does not say that only men can shepherd. Ephesians 4 says Christ gives apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to the whole church to equip the saints for the work of ministry. The gifts are spread across the body because no single person is good at all of it, except jokingly, “me,” and even that joke proves the point.

The church’s mission starts in the lordship of Jesus, not in a fight over who gets to call the shots. The Great Commission says “go therefore,” because if Jesus is Lord of all, that reality has to be proclaimed. Women are not qualified to be head of the church, and men are not either. Jesus alone is the head, and every earthly role sits underneath him.

First Timothy 2 also needs honest reading. Paul says men should pray with lifted hands and without anger or argument, and women should not braid hair or wear gold or pearls, yet many readers do not enforce those commands literally. Paul’s words about women learning in silence belong to a real cultural moment, where women were often denied education, not to a forever ban on women teaching. First Timothy 3 describes overseers for that time and place, not a universal modern job description called “pastor.”

Romans and Acts show women doing real ministry. Junia is named among the apostles, Phoebe carries and likely teaches Romans as a deacon, and Priscilla helps teach Apollos. The conclusion is plain: women are ordained because girls are baptized, and the church must protect those being wounded by careless claims. The church must pour over Scripture again and ask who Christ calls, who Christ gifts, and who Christ sends.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Anachronism bends Scripture toward today The warning against anachronism matters because modern assumptions can sneak into the Bible and then get mistaken for the Bible. The phrase “office of pastor” can sound ancient, but the modern job package attached to it is not sitting there in the text. Scripture deserves slower reading than that, especially when real people are harmed by careless certainty. [26:41]
• 2. Christ alone heads the church The fight over women in ministry can easily become a fight over authority, control, and who gets to call the shots. Christ’s lordship cuts through that whole mess because neither men nor women are qualified to be the head of the church. Every role, title, and job description becomes secondary when Jesus is actually in charge. [43:32]
• 3. Gifts equip the whole body Ephesians 4 gives pastors, teachers, apostles, prophets, and evangelists as gifts to the church, not as one perfect super-role loaded onto one person. The body needs many parts because ministry is bigger than any single leader’s strengths. Shepherding, teaching, caring, discipling, and administration all matter, but Christ distributes gifts across his people. [37:41]
• 4. Selective literalism distorts First Timothy First Timothy 2 becomes a problem when one line is treated as timeless law while nearby commands about lifted hands, braided hair, gold, and pearls are quietly translated through culture. That kind of reading is not actually literal, it is selective. Paul’s words need to be heard in their historical moment before being used to silence gifted women today. [47:24]
• 5. Ordaining women honors baptized girls The line “ordain women because girls are baptized” names something deeply Baptist and deeply biblical. Baptism says a girl belongs fully to Christ, receives the Spirit, and may be called into real ministry. A church that baptizes girls should be very careful before telling them which callings God is not allowed to give.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [24:40] - Opening, Father’s Day, and Oklahoma Baseball
• [25:15] - Learning the Word Anachronism
• [26:41] - Reading Scripture Through Modern Eyes
• [28:01] - The SBC Vote on Women Pastors
• [29:23] - Healthy Masculinity Protects People
• [30:23] - Ordaining Women Because Girls Are Baptized
• [31:51] - Is There an Office of Pastor?
• [36:15] - Poimein, Shepherds, and Ephesians 4
• [41:33] - Mission Begins With Christ’s Lordship
• [45:41] - First Timothy and Selective Literalism
• [50:13] - Overseers, Elders, and Church Roles
• [52:09] - Junia, Phoebe, and Priscilla
• [54:13] - Church Autonomy and the Road Ahead
• [55:32] - Protecting the Gifted and Called

1. In Ephesians 4:11, what specific roles does Paul list as gifts to the church? How does this contrast with the idea of a single “office of pastor”?
2. In 1 Timothy 2:8-12, what specific instructions are given to both men and women? Why might some parts of these instructions be emphasized today while others are not? [47:24]
3. According to 1 Timothy 3:1-7, what qualifications are listed for an overseer? How might cultural context shape how we interpret these qualifications today?

1. Why do you think Paul includes details like “lifting holy hands” and avoiding “gold or pearls” in 1 Timothy 2:8-10 alongside instructions about women learning quietly? What does this suggest about interpreting his words? [47:24]
2. The sermon argues that “overseer” in 1 Timothy 3 was specific to a cultural moment. How might the church balance honoring Scripture’s authority while recognizing historical context?
3. Ephesians 4:11 says Christ gives diverse gifts to the church. How does this challenge the idea that one person (or gender) should hold all leadership responsibilities?

1. The phrase “ordain women because girls are baptized” suggests baptism affirms a person’s full belonging in Christ’s mission. How can we actively encourage young girls in our church to discern and pursue God’s calling? [30:23]
2. If “no single person is good at all” the gifts listed in Ephesians 4:11, how can we better value and empower diverse voices (including women) in our church’s teaching, care, and leadership?
3. The sermon warns against “selective literalism” in interpreting 1 Timothy. Are there areas where you’ve unconsciously applied modern assumptions to Scripture? How can you practice more careful reading? [47:24]
4. How can we practically ensure Jesus—not human authority—remains the “head” of our church in decisions, conflicts, or debates about leadership?
5. The sermon says healthy masculinity “protects people.” How can men in the church actively advocate for women’s gifts and callings, especially in spaces where they’ve been silenced? [29:23]