1. Female Servants (deacons?) in the Church Romans 16:1-2

2. I commend unto you Phoebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: I commend unto you Phoebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also. That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.

3. Phoebe Phoebe is a female name with a Greek origin—what is the significance of this?

4. Phoebe’s Conversion Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

5. Phoebe Our Sister Salvific adoption in the family of God establishes brother and sister relationships without regard to biological or family relationships.

6. Look what Christ said: Mark 10:29-30

7. And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

8. Romans 16:1 AV, NKJV, NAS, ESV, HCSB, NIV AV, NKJV, NAS, ESV, HCSB, NIV – I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: NLT NLT – I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon in the church in Cenchrea.

9. Question Was Phoebe a female deacon?

10. Serious Bible Study We Can Use www.blueletterbible.org To Answer the Question

11. Conclusion From Paul’s use of diakonos in three different ways we cannot affirm or deny that females occupied the office of deacon in the church Cenchrea.

12. What do we know? Phoebe was a female and was trusted with delivering this letter from Paul to the church at Rome.

13. Romans 16:2 That ye receive her in the Lord, That ye receive her in the Lord, These instructions combined with a non-canonical note, at the end of some manuscripts, indicate that Phoebe is the one who would deliver the letter to the church at Rome.

14. Romans 16:2 That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also. for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also. Why?

15. Succourer/Patron prostatis a female guardian, protectress, patroness, caring for the affairs of others and aiding them with her resources. a female guardian, protectress, patroness, caring for the affairs of others and aiding them with her resources.

16. Conclusion At this point, we can’t say enough about the contribution that godly woman like Phoebe make in the Kingdom of God.

17. 21 st Century Question Based on Romans 16:1 should the church include females in the office of the deacon?

18. Philippians 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: Are these only males or gender integrated offices in the church?

19. Question Does God care whether we have males or females serving as pastors (elders) and deacons in His church?

20. 1 Timothy 2:11-12 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I [Paul an Apostle] suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. But I [Paul an Apostle] suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

21. Question Are we dealing with a male chauvinist (Paul) or is this inspired Scripture?

22. This is Foundational Either all Scripture is God- breathed and God has preserved it or you can take your scissors to the Bible…

23. 2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God [God-breathed], and is profitable All scripture is given by inspiration of God [God-breathed], and is profitable – for doctrine, – for reproof, – for correction, – for instruction in righteousness:

24. Here’s What we Know In the Bible: Priests were always males Priests were always males There are no female apostles in NT There are no female apostles in NT There are no elders with female names There are no elders with female names Women did step up in the absence of males Women did step up in the absence of males

25. Question Are we dealing with a male chauvinist (Paul) or is this inspired Scripture?

26. Paul Wrote Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. This unites us “In Christ” without compromising God-ordained gender distinctions.

27. Ladies Biblically The only limit to your service in the local church is teaching men the Bible or exercising ecclesiastical authority over men.

28. 1 Timothy 2:11-12 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I [Paul an Apostle] suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. But I [Paul an Apostle] suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

29. Ladies Does this text grind at you? Why?

30. Let’s look at 1 Corinthians 11:1-3

31. Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

32. Question Do you believe God has ordained specific gender- distinctions for males and females?

33. 1 Timothy 3:13 What is the point of Paul’s statement in verse 13? For Adam was first formed; then Eve. For Adam was first formed; then Eve. Progressives want to eliminate the God- ordained distinctions of male and female in the church.

34. Question Do you believe there are God- ordained sexual orientations or can each man and woman do what is right in their own eyes?

35. Question Can a woman be an elder/pastor and not teach men or usurp authority over?

36. Question Is our objective to suppress woman in the church or be faithful to God’s plan?

37. Berean Baptist Has: Female Principal Principal Teachers Teachers Ministry Leaders Ministry Leaders Awana Directors Awana Directors Ladies can serve any place in the church where the direction of their teaching ministry and authority is directed toward other ladies and children and still be within the guidance the Apostle Paul gave us.

38. Women to Women Titus 2:3–4 The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

39. Romans 16:1-2 I commend unto you Phoebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: I commend unto you Phoebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also. That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.