Phoebe The Deaconess Series

In May of 1972 deacons from Baptist churches throughout Virginia gathered for a special

conference dealing with the work of the deacon. The leader noted a number of women in the

crowd. He welcomed them as wives of the deacons. He was quickly set straight when it was

pointed out to him that they were full fledged deacons sent by their churches to the conference. He

was surprised, as are many Baptists, that deacon is no longer a male term or office. Scores of

Southern Baptist Churches now have women deacons.

Leon McBeth in his book title women in Baptist life estimates that the number of female

deacons in Baptist churches run into the thousands, and in many cases they are the chairman of the

board, or rather, the chairperson. A number of churches have changed their bylaws to require that

50% of the deacons be women. This is only new in the sense that it is a trend of the times. There

are records of women deacons that go back into the 1920's in Southern Baptist Churches. It has

only been since 1965, however, that many churches have changed their policy from men only on

the deacon board.

Why this change? There are a number of factors that caused the church to change. One is the

change in society. Daughters now get as good an education as sons. This means they grow up to

be as well informed and prepared to be of service in the church. Women now work in every field,

and they lead men in all kinds of ways in industry. These things have affected the life of the

church. Secondly, the main reason for change is new insight into the Word of God. Biblical

research has caused many Christians to change their minds about God's will for women in the

church.

The idea that the Bible requires women to be kept in silence in the church is fast eroding as the

Bible is searched for light on women. The negative restrictive passages of Paul are being seen in

the light of Paul's positive passages, and they are being seen in context. The general positive

attitude of Paul toward women is becoming a focus. Modern Baptists are discovering that they

have been victims of a tradition detrimental to over half of the members of the church. Intensive

research into the New Testament reveals that God does recognize the other half of the human race.

One of the key passages that becomes a foundation for what is happening today is right here in

Rom. 16. Nowhere in all the Bible is there a chapter that does more to exalt the role of women in

the church. In this chapter we see Paul not dealing with controversial issues, but as a loving leader

showing how he really felt about women. It is something of a shock to those who think of Paul as

one with a negative view of women, for here he treats them as equals, and as fellow laborers in the

work of Christ. This chapter forces us to go back to the negative passages and find out what is so

wrong in those contexts that Paul seems to be so down on those that he is so up on here.

He begins this chapter of greetings to 26 individuals with a commendation of a woman, and

Phoebe is her name. It means shining, and she was, indeed, a light in that dark world. Here was a

woman that Paul loved, respected, and trusted on the same level as he did any of his male partners

in the ministry. All agree that Phoebe was the carrier of the Epistle of Romans to Rome. Paul let

a woman carry his letter that changed history, but more important, God let her carry this letter

which was to become one of the most important parts of his revealed Word to the church. Here

was responsibility on the highest level entrusted to this godly woman. Any idea that Paul was in

any way opposed to women serving the cause of Christ is based on ignorance of his clear

statements.

In Phil. 4:3 he wrote, "...help these women, for they have labored side by side with me in the

Gospel." And we know they were not just washing dishes. Paul did not hesitate to work with

women, and to give them tasks of the highest level of importance. There is no support from Paul

to keep women limited to the kitchen. They work side by side with Paul in the Gospel, and that

means they were witnessing and sharing the faith in preaching and teaching.

Phoebe was the name of the moon in the ancient world. It was the object of pagan worship, but

this Phoebe had found new light in Christ, and she was now shining for Him. She did not change