07. The Wrong Gender, When God Entrusts His Mission to Women
Who Are You Preventing From Leading? · Part 07
“Mary.”
With that one word, the risen Jesus transformed Mary Magdalene’s grief into recognition.
Then He entrusted her with a message:
“Go to my brothers and tell them…” John 20:17 WEB
The first person Jesus commissioned to announce His resurrection was a woman.
Mary did not remain at the tomb waiting for a man to carry the message. She obeyed:
“Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord.’” John 20:18 WEB
Jesus knew exactly whom He was sending.
God Used Women Throughout the Early Church
Priscilla, alongside Aquila, helped Apollos understand “the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:26).
Phoebe served the church and assisted many believers, including Paul himself (Romans 16:1-2).
Priscilla and Aquila risked their lives for Paul and hosted a church in their home (Romans 16:3-5).
Women prayed, prophesied, served, taught, financed ministry, opened their homes, strengthened churches, suffered for the gospel, and made disciples.
They were not merely standing behind the men doing the “real ministry.”
They were participants in the mission of God.
Have We Created a Barrier Jesus Did Not Create?
Christians may interpret certain passages about church leadership and offices differently. Those conversations deserve careful and faithful biblical study.
But disagreement over particular offices must never become an excuse for making half the Body of Christ passive in the Great Commission.
Jesus commanded His disciples to make disciples.
The Holy Spirit distributes gifts throughout the Body.
No follower of Jesus is exempt from praying, sharing the gospel, teaching others to obey Jesus, discipling new believers, serving the hurting, or helping multiply disciples.
Yet women are sometimes told, directly or indirectly:
- “Wait for a man to lead.”
- “Do not teach anyone.”
- “Your voice is less important.”
- “You may serve, but you must never initiate.”
When we silence women whom God has gifted and commissioned, we do not merely limit women.
We hinder the mission.
What Are We Losing?
How many women of peace remain unreached because we have not equipped women to reach them?
How many homes remain unopened?
How many children remain undiscipled?
How many communities remain untouched?
How many potential movements never begin because gifted women were taught to sit quietly instead of obey courageously?
The question is not whether women are capable of making disciples.
The New Testament has already answered that.
The question is whether we will recognize, equip, release, and support them.
The harvest is too great, and the workers are too few, for the Church to sideline half its laborers.
Are we faithfully applying Scripture, or allowing culture and tradition to silence gifted disciple-makers?
Jesus entrusted His resurrection message to a woman.
We should be very careful about silencing those whom Jesus is sending.
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