Understanding a Woman's Place of Authority

By Stephen Fraser

Throughout history, churches have traditionally taught—and congregants have widely accepted—the notion that women should have only limited leadership roles in churches. Many ban them entirely from such positions. Even among churches where women preach, teach, and lead in spiritual matters, many still harbor doubts. This is due, in part, to scriptures such as 1 Timothy 2:12, "And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence."

In this book, Stephen Fraser rightly divides the Word of God and brings greater insight into the God-ordained authority that is available for women in the Body of Christ and beyond. No longer can we allow religious tradition to undermine and limit one of our greatest assets. The Bible declares, "The Lord gives the word [of power]; the women who bear and publish [the news] are a great host" (Psalm 68:11, AMP).

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Oct 30, 2020
• ISBN: 9781735002132

Book preview

AUTHOR

Understanding a Woman’s Place of Authority

ISBN-13:  978-1-7350021-3-2

Copyright © 2020 Immerse Publications

First edition 2009. Second edition 2020.

Published by Immerse Publications - a division of Life of Faith Bible Church & Stephen Fraser Ministries

14200 Spegal Lane  |  Louisville, KY 40299  |  lofbc.org  |  888-542-2555

Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. Contents and/or cover may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without the express consent of the publisher.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®, Copyright© 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (AMPC) are taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.lockman.org

Scripture quotations marked NIV are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB),

Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.lockman.org

Cover Image: iStockphoto LP

CHAPTER ONE

God’s Plan for Women

The first man, Adam, was the absolute picture of perfection, living a life that knew no lack. He was bright, brilliant, and powerful—no other being stood in his class. Then he met his match—someone who was his equal in every way and not inferior to him in any way. This amazing someone was a woman. Soon they would marry and together have dominion over the entire earth.

When this woman, Eve, first came to Adam, she arrived complete, entirely whole, and lacking nothing. She was neither needy nor insecure. It is evident from Scripture that God removed Adam’s rib and used it to form and fashion a woman. Genesis 2:22 says, The rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He BROUGHT HER TO the man (emphasis mine). If God brought her to the man, then she wasn’t there with him in the beginning of her life. The word made in this verse literally means to build and establish.1 I believe Eve was built physically and established spiritually and mentally, a whole person from the start. Then God brought her to the man—ready spiritually, physically, and mentally—to help him govern and rule over the earth.

When Adam and Eve rebelled and sin entered the earth, the harmony required for men and women to rule together side by side was greatly damaged. In Genesis 3:12, we see Adam’s response when God asked him to account for his