Fellowship & Faith: Men Lead, Women Serve?

My Ministry Mission is looking for 4 Christians to join me on a Fellowship & Faith episode. This is a fireside chat style discussion with other believers to engage and challenge each other about tough topics. The purpose of Fellowship & Faith is to share insights, ideas, and wisdom related to theological topics.

If you’re interested in being a part of this conversation, please use the form on this page to submit your request. I will review the submissions and choose a group of individuals who will be invited into a virtual chat room to enjoy some fellowship, share faith, and have a fun conversation.

Recording Date: 8/8/2026
Recording Time: 5:00 PM PDT

Estimated Release Date: 8/20/2026

Men Lead, Women Serve? The Debate The Church Can’t Avoid

Few debates have reshaped and divided Protestant Christianity more consistently than the question of whether men and women are called to distinct roles in the home and the Church. Complementarians hold that Scripture establishes male authority in pastoral leadership and marriage. Egalitarians hold that the New Testament vision — especially after Pentecost — erases those distinctions. Both camps claim the Bible. Neither is going away.

Complementarianism is the view that men and women are equal in dignity, equal in worth, and equal heirs of salvation, but that God has designed distinct roles for them in the home and in the Church. Under this view, Scripture reserves the role of senior pastor or elder for men, and calls husbands to lead their families with sacrificial love. This is the position of the Southern Baptist Convention, the Presbyterian Church in America, and most Reformed and conservative evangelical traditions.

Egalitarianism is the view that while men and women are different, the New Testament does not establish permanent gender-based restrictions on ministry or leadership. Under this view, if the Spirit gifts a woman to teach, lead, or preach, the Church should affirm and release that gift. This is the position of the Assemblies of God, the Wesleyan Church, the United Methodist Church, and a growing number of non-denominational congregations.

• What Does the Bible Actually Say?
• Does Pentecost Change Everything?
• Is the Marriage Covenant the Same as the Church?
• First-Tier Doctrine or Second-Tier Disagreement?
• Why Are Women Leaving, and Does This Debate Have Something to Do With It?
• What Does Faithful Love Look Like Across This Disagreement?

Note: These are general guidelines and opportunities to have an in-depth conversation. During this Fellowship & Faith conversation, we will definitely let the Spirit guide us so we may or may not touch on all of these key points (or something altogether different).

1. Be respectful: The most important thing to remember is respect. We may have different perspectives on these topics, so having a respectful conversation is key to making this meaningful.
2. Take turns: Talking over each other on an audio podcast can cause distortion and make it hard for the listeners. Please wait for an opportunity to speak, and if you are speaking please be respectful of time.
3. Focus on Scripture: It’s okay to have opinions and share them, but in the end Scripture wins. Whatever perspective you have, be prepared to support it from the Bible.
4. Handling Disagreements: Debating topics and healthy conflict make conversations interesting, but if your goal is to win … then you’ve already lost. Focus on resolving differences or accepting disagreements, and trust the listeners to make up their own minds in the end.
5. Have Fun: The whole purpose of this chat is to have fun and fellowship with other Christians, so yes … having fun is a rule!