A Cloud of Female Witnesses: Women Leaders in the AÍda BesanÇon Spencer

As illustrated by Lydia and the other women at , many times oversaw the use of her house as an inn for the stay of ancient women became devout believers in the new Way (Acts and disciples (for example, John 12:2, Luke 10:38–40). The order 16:13–15, 17:12; Luke 23:27). God gave these women different spiri- of widows was an order of prayer which had as one of its prereq- tual gifts in order to equip them for leadership in the church as uisites a ministry of service (1 Tim. 5:5–10). Lydia, a successful ministers of the word and ministers of service. career woman (a seller of the royal purple dye), took a leadership Women served as “ministers of the word” using words to role in the new church at Philippi while offering hospitality to preach, prophesy, evangelize, pastor, and teach others in obedi- Paul, Luke, , and Timothy (Acts 16:14–15, 40). Mary Mag- enceo t (1 Pet. 4:10–11, Acts 6:2–4, Eph. 4:11–13). Included dalene, Joanna, , and many other women disciples pro- in this category are the apostle Junia (Rom. 16:7), the prophet(ess) vided for the economic needs of Jesus (:2–3, Matt. 27:55, Anna (Luke 2:36), and teacher Priscilla (Acts 18:26). Mary Mag- Mark 15:41). They denied themselves by giving generously to Je- dalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary the mother of sus’ mission. James and Joseph, and the mother of James and John were Early church writers such as Irenaeus regularly contrasted the first witnesses of the resurrection commissioned to tell the Eve, the woman who sinned by trying to steal wisdom, with good news.1 Philip’s four daughters were active prophets whom Mary, the woman who pleased God by yielding to God’s wisdom Polycrates, the bishop of Ephesus, called “great luminaries” in by believing that “no promise is impossible with God” (Luke the ancient church.2 Many women at Corinth were prophesying 1:37–38). For instance, Irenaeus writes, “For what the virgin Eve and praying (1 Cor. 11:5). Women elders at Crete were teaching had bound fast through unbelief, this did the virgin Mary set free younger women (Titus 2:3–4). Within the lifetime of the Apostle through faith.”6 eTh writers certainly record women (as well John, Governor Pliny tortured two women ministers as the lead- as men) who did not trust God, but they also testified to a host of ersf o a congregation in Bithynia-Pontus in Asia Minor, during women, such as thoughtful Mary, the mother of Jesus; righteous the reign of Roman Emperor Trajan (a.d. 98–117).3 Elizabeth; unswerving Mary, the sister of Lazarus and ; Women were also functioning as church overseers, the equiv- and many women ministers who were exemplary models of the alentsf o today’s “head” pastors. The Apostle John addresses his Christiane lif and of leadership in the church. These New Testa- second letter to a woman overseer and the members of her house ment and early church women followed Jesus with a devotion so church. , a minister at Cenchreae, was commended by the steadfast and effective that the Holy Spirit employed it to bring Apostle Paul to the church at Rome, as “a woman set over oth- the f o Jesus Christ across continents and down the ages to ers,” a “leader” over many and even over Paul (Rom. 16:1–2).4 eTh you and to me.7 churcht a Philippi was subject to Paul’s colleagues (“coworkers”) Notes (Phil. 4:2–3) and to Stephana’s household (1 Cor. 16:15–18),5 and house churches at Rome and Ephesus were 1. Matt. 27:56, 28:1–10; Mark 15:40, 47; 16:1–7; :10–11, 22–24; subjecto t the team ministers Prisca and Aquila who “risked their John 20:1–2, 11–18. 2. Acts 21:8–9; Eusebius, Church History 3.31, 37, 39. lives” for Paul (Rom. 16:3–5, 1 Cor. 16:19). 3. Letters of Pliny 10.96. Women also served as “ministers of service,” by their actions 4. See New Testament scholar Helen Barrett Montgomery’s transla- meeting the physical and emotional needs of others in obedience tion in The New Testament in Modern English (Valley Forge, Pa.: Judson, to Christ (1 Pet. 4:11, Rom. 12:7–8). The “” Tabitha or Dor- 1924, 1952) and CEV. cass wa such an effective minister of service that the church at 5. “Stephana” could be a woman or a man. See further Aída Besan- Joppa would not allow her to die (Acts 9:36–41). Martha many çon Spencer, “‘El Hogar’ as Ministry Team: Stephana(s) Household,” Hispanic Christian Thought at the Dawn of the 21st Century: Apuntes in Honor of Justo L. González, eds. Alvin Padilla, Roberto Goizueta, and AÍDA BESANÇON SPENCER is Professor of New Testament at Eldin Villafañe (Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon, 2005), ch. 6. Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, Mass,. 6. Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.22. and an ordained minister of the word with the Presbyterian 7. For further description, see my “Jesus’ Treatment of Women in Church U.S.A. She has co-edited Global Voices on the ,” Discovering Biblical Equality: Complementarity without Hi- Biblical Equality and Marriage at the Crossroads, erarchy, . eds. R W Pierce and R. Merrill Groothuis (Downers Grove, Ill.: among other books and articles. She serves as IVP, 2005), ch. 7; Beyond the Curse: Women Called to Ministry (Peabody, book review editor with Priscilla Papers and is on Mass.: Hendrickson, 1989), chs. 2, 4. For a global description of women the board of reference of Christians for Biblical in the church, see Aída Besançon Spencer, William David Spencer, and Equality. Mimi Haddad, Global Voices on Biblical Equality: Women and Men Serv- ing together in the Church, fHouse o Prisca and Aquila (Eugene, Ore.: Wipf and Stock, 2008).

24 • Priscilla Papers ◆ Vol. 23, No. 4 ◆ Autumn 2009