Is It Authorized For Women To Be Children's Ministers?
The word “minister” is the word that is translated from the Greek word diakanos. The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology states: “It means a servant in a wider sense in Matt. 20:26; Mk. 10:43, and a helper in Eph. 6:21; Col. 4:7. Esp. in Paul, the word receives a specifically Christian sense; e.g., a servant of the new covenant (2 Cor. 3:6), of righteousness (11:15), of Christ (11:23; Col. 1:7; 1 Tim. 4:6), of God (2 Cor. 6:4), of the gospel (Eph. 3:7; Col. 1:23), and of the church (1:25). Christ himself is called a diakonos in Rom. 15:8 (of Israel). In Rom. 13:4 the secular ruler is called a servant of God.” (“diakone÷w,” NIDNTT-A, 137).
Phoebe, a member of the church of Christ in Cenchrea, is called a diakanos in Romans 16:1,2. She was a servant just as all Christians are called to be servants in imitating Christ, the Ultimate Servant (1 Corinthians 11:1; Mark 10:45). Women do have a great role in service to the spiritual body of Jesus Christ; for women to serve as a minister and teacher for children is a way to facilitate in edifying the body of Christ. Though women are authorized to be servants for other women and children, they are still under the oversight of the men/elders (Acts 20:17,28; Hebrews 13:7).
The Bible forbids women to be teachers and ministers that would usurp the authority of the role of men (1 Timothy 2:11,12; 1 Corinthians 11:2-16; 14:34,35). The Bible does not forbid women in being ministers to other women and children.
Yes, it is scriptural for women to be children's ministers.
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