[Evangelical]

God has ordained that only men are to serve in positions of spiritual teaching authority in the church. This is the way God designed the church to function.

The Recovery's view of women's role in prophesying but not teaching is very similar to that of Luther's:

But in the New Testament the Holy Spirit, speaking through St. Paul, ordained that women should be silent in the churches and assemblies (1 Cor 14:34), and said that this is the Lord’s commandment. Yet he knew that previously Joel (2:28,29) had proclaimed that God would pour out his Spirit also on handmaidens. Furthermore, the four daughters of Philip prophesied (Acts 21:9). But in the congregations or churches where there is a ministry women are to be silent and not preach (1 Timothy 2:12). Otherwise they may pray, sing, praise, and say ‘Amen’, and read at home, teach each other, exhort, comfort and interpret the Scriptures as best they can (LW 40:390, 391).

The four daughters of Philip were prophetesses. A woman can do this – not preach in public, but console and teach – a woman can do this just as much as a man. There are certainly women and girls who are able to comfort others and teach true words, that is to say, who can explain Scripture and teach and console other people…this all counts as prophesying, not preaching (Sermon on Joel 2:28 (1531) Weimar Ausgabe [Weimar Edition] XXXIV, p 483).


The role of women in the church being confined to prophesying not preaching has been held since the time the bible was written:

What is the difference whether it is in a wife or a mother, it is still Eve the temptress that we must beware of in any woman… I fail to see what use woman can be to man, if one excludes the function of bearing children. –Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo Regius (354 – 430): De genesi ad litteram, 9, 5-9

In all these discussions we should keep in mind that not all women agree with females taking on male roles in the church. There are many women content with subservient roles.