Charles Spurgeon on Women in Ministry
Written By Charles Spurgeon from The Olde Path Blog
I share the apostle Paul’s feelings when he bade women be silent in the assembly.
Yet there is work for holy women, and we read of Peter’s wife’s mother that she arose and ministered to Christ. She did what she could and what she should. She arose and ministered to Him.
Blessed are they who do what they should do. It is better to be a good housewife, or nurse, or domestic servant, than to be a powerless preacher or a graceless talker. She did not arise and prepare a lecture, nor preach a sermon, but she arose and prepared a supper, and that was what she was fitted to do. Was she not a housewife? As a housewife let her serve the Lord.
We greatly err when we dream that only a preacher can minister to the Lord—for Jesus has work of all sorts for all sorts of followers. Paul speaks of women who helped him much, and, assuredly, as there is no idle angel there ought to be no idle Christian. We are not saved for our own sakes, but that we may be of service to the Lord and to his people; let us not miss our calling.
In like manner, you Christian people who cannot talk,—the women especially,—I mean that you cannot preach, you are not allowed to preach,—I want you to shine. Some people seem to think that there is no shining without talking, whereas the very best shining is that of Christian women, who, if they have little to say, have a great deal to do.
They make the house so bright with heavenly grace, and decorate it so sweetly with the flowers of their cheerful piety, that those round about them are won to Christ by them. Therefore, shine, dear brothers and sisters, by your gracious godliness, for so you will bring glory to God.
Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
1 Timothy 2:11-14
10 thoughts on “Charles Spurgeon on Women in Ministry”
I think one of the saddest results of women taking on men’s roles is the desertion of our own. Who will fill it? Who will make the home a haven and invest in our future (our children) and by extension our communities and nations if the mothers don’t. We look around and see all the destruction of our communities and so much of it could have been stopped if mothers didn’t abandon their posts. Without full time mothers in the homes kids got into porn, they did things with each other that couldn’t be undone. Now those have grown up broken people and are blindly repeating the cycle.
I’m astounded at the amount of women who have been sexually abused in some way. The numbers are staggering. But I’m even more astonished at the percent of them who leave others in charge of their precious offspring to do the same things to their girls and boys or not raise their sons to not be a perpetrator but hand them over to public schools where if we are honest and have any memory at all, we remember were full of lust and masochism.
What excellent points. A huge reason that I believe God wants women to be keepers at home is to protect their children. We live in a wicked culture and children need full-time protection, teaching, and training by their mothers.
Lori, I 100% agree. Still a wife’s 1st responsibility is to her husband then to her children. This is important to keep in mind so the wife has more than just leftover scraps to give her husband after childcare and keeping the home.
We have recently become acquainted with a woman who runs a discipleship program for young teen/early 20’s girls out of her home. She teaches them how to study their Bibles, how to teach children, how to visit with the elderly and how to practice hospitality in a very practical way. She lodges the girls in her home and has them shop for food and prepare a meal for about 100 community people. They all visit a local nursing home to encourage the elderly. She said that the most important aspect is teaching the girls how to study their Bibles and to be content in serving the Lord. We thought this was another wonderful example of older women teaching younger women!
Hi there Lori, you are going to get a truck load of nonsense from people who are going to say to you that you are giving advice in 2019 from a man who died in 1892 and how on earth is that relevant in our modern time? I can hear it already – it’s sad that people would think like this!
Just know I will be praying for you double tonight – plus some!☺
Sadly people don’t understand that God’s Word has NO expiry date and it is as relevant today as it was thousands of years ago!?
They need to realize God’s Word is a living Book and it never changes it is the same yesterday today and forever!
That said we do all interpret it differently, I strong believe that is why God tells us to work out our own salvation in fear and trembling – because it is a great responsibility and only when we stand before God Himself will we know if we have gotten it right – I pray God that I get it right and bring glory to my Heavenly Father!
Much love to you and yours!???
I would be interested to know if this woman is (or was) married. If so, is she divorced or widowed?
Sounds like she might be teaching some decent things but there are a couple of things regarding husbands that are not included in that list of things she is teaching.
Like I have said before, if women don’t raise our children to become good Christians, who will? It won’t be the state, that’s for sure. I pray mothers return to their homes to raise our future.
Hi Trey!
Yes, she’s married with 9 children. Her husband worked in printing before being commended to missionary work. He’s a traveling Bible teacher in the US and Canada. He also has gone overseas, but I’m not sure where. The name of the ministry is: In Tents Discipleship in Michigan. I think they have a website. There’s more info there.
Dear Lori and Friends, and i suspect these women preachers, who aren’t supposed to be in the pulpit in the first place, preach out of newFANGled “bibles.”
I really appreciate how you highlight the great importance that God has given to the role He created for women. My wife often feels that she is looked as less important as a SAHM. She has been a blessing and continues to impact our children, even as they are moving into their own homes. It is a sacrifice for her to be home, but it would be a greater sacrifice for her not to be home with our children.