What happens when we silence women, “on behalf of God”…?

“What we lose by excluding the distinctively feminine from ‘official’ ministries of teaching and preaching is of incalculable value. That loss is one of a few fundamental factors which account for the astonishing weakness of ‘the Church’ in the contemporary context.” (Dallas Willard)

What women bring to God’s kingdom building…

Many women in my circles are naturals at intentional relationship disciple-making. And if we do use programs, …in our current culture that loves the latest study, …we women are often found intentionally building relationships within those programs. Relationships that are intentionally built, continue long after the programs. Programs are only launch pads for disciple making. The most powerful disciple making happens organically.

But, we women are not perfect at this and it does not originate with us…

We see this example set by Christ Himself personally investing in 12 men and several women (Luke 8:1-3). These people did life together outside any classroom. Jesus didn’t invite spectators and note takers, he invited people to become disciple-makers. Men, can teach us women (and always have) but we women would love for men to be willing to learn from us as well.

If men didn’t listen to women, they may still think Jesus was in the grave. Go back to the Easter story and see who first believed and who first shared the Good News message. 

“All of Easter hangs on the testimony of women.” – Ravi Zacharias

We are called to build the kingdom together.

Together is better.

Because of Jesus, there is no ‘us’ and ‘them’…

“There is no Jew or Gentile. There is no slave or free person. There is no male or female. That’s because you are all one in Christ Jesus.” – Galatians 3:20

Men… Brothers… We are not here to outdo each other. We are here to serve together to share the Gospel with a dying world. The world needs Jesus who defeated sin and death, and they won’t see Jesus in us when we fight with envy and fear. We need to choose to empower each other all the while being led by the Spirit. Truly godly women don’t want to take over, we want to be faithfully using our gifts for His kingdom!

People will only see Jesus in a family where men and women honour each other because they love Jesus more than anything. (John 17)

Let us not tarnish our testimony and halt sharing the Gospel because of our mistreatment of each other. The enemy laughs when this happens.

Let us not quench the Holy Spirit through the silencing of women who have been called to teach and prophesy…

“ ‘In the last days, God says,
    I will pour out my Holy Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
    Your young men will see visions.
    Your old men will have dreams.
In those days, I will pour out my Spirit on my servants.
    I will pour out my Spirit on both men and women.
    When I do, they will prophesy. (Joel 2 & Acts 2)

The world needs Jesus, the God who broke cultural barriers, gender barriers… and cosmic barriers – the barrier between God and man.

At what cost will you quench the Spirit? Or will you rather let Him lead through others you may not expect?

Read Acts 10 &11 to see the paradigm shift Peter had to go through regarding Gentiles! What paradigm shift will God need to take you through regarding genders, races, etc to show you that His Holy Spirit is available to all who believe in Jesus?

“What we lose by excluding the distinctively feminine from ‘official’ ministries of teaching and preaching is of incalculable value. That loss is one of a few fundamental factors which account for the astonishing weakness of ‘the Church’ in the contemporary context.” (Dallas Willard)

*Silencing women or any other group from sharing the Gospel and making disciples is spiritual attack.

The enemy hates women and men working together because that was Jesus’ prayer in John 17:21… to be one with God and one with each other… so that people will come to Jesus…

“I want all of them to be one with each other, just as I am one with you and you are one with me. I also want them to be one with us. Then the people of this world will believe that you sent me.”

Read my own story of the enemy’s attack: From Curses to Blessing

More info: