If Jesus asks his followers, both men and women, to evangelize to the nations, why then is a woman pastor in opposition to the Word of God? 

Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul gives this command from God to women of all generations:

• 1 Timothy 2:12-14 "I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman who was deceived and fell into transgression."

To better understand the origin of this prohibition, we must go back to the Garden of Eden. Eve came into existence after Adam. 

Following an encounter with the devil incarnated into a serpent, he awakens in her the same desires as him: domination and autonomy. Eve allows herself to be seduced and deceived, then leads Adam into deception and the human race is plunged into corruption. All participants are cursed. 

In her deceived heart, Eve had committed the sin of rebellion because she had desired to elevate herself to the same level as God and disrupt the divine order of authority and submission.

• Genesis 3:4-5 "You will not surely die, the serpent told her. For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

If you carefully read the following verse, you will notice that God puts a curse upon Eve in two areas:

• Genesis 3:16 "To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.”

1 - She will experience discomfort during pregnancy and will give birth in pain. 

2 - Her desires for dominance and autonomy against her Creator will be directed toward Adam, but he will rule over her. 

Far from making her a slave, the Lord Almighty ordained that the man should rule over the woman, in order to clearly establish a divine order and eliminate any confusion. Eve's curse is universal and perpetual, for just as the woman still gives birth in pain to this day, so also the man's dominion over her has not been revoked.

But does that necessarily imply a woman can't preach? 

The woman is called to teach. Older women are to set an example and teach younger women how to be good and respectful wives in their homes (Titus 2:3-4). 

The woman is also called to share the Gospel. She can proclaim God's name to all nations and prophesy.

• Acts 2:17-18 "In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on My menservants and maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy."

BUT, to avoid blaspheming and dishonoring the Word of God, a woman is forbidden to preach as a LEADING PASTOR AND LEADER within the church of the body of Christ, because the role of "leader" of the church is exclusive to men. In other words, a woman pastor who collectively leads men in the church is by virtue of this very role exhibiting (consciously or unconsciously) the same desires as Eve: defiance and opposition to God.

• 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 "Women are to be silent in the churches. They are not permitted to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they wish to inquire about something, they are to ask their own husbands at home; for it is dishonorable for a woman to speak in the church."

Likewise, when men are complacent to the authority of a female pastor, they too are the most obvious evidence of churches rebelling against God.

• 1 Corinthians 11:3 "But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God."

Notice that YAHWEH has occasionally used godly women to speak for him, but never in dominant roles over men. 

In the Old Testament we find the following examples: 

► Mary, sister of Aaron: a prophetess and singer, ELOHIM used her to encourage fellow women as well as the people in worship, but it was Moses who led the crowd. Exodus 15:20-21

► The prophetess Deborah was a judge. God used her on one occasion to deliver a message to Barak. But when it came to going to war against the enemies, she could not lead the armies. Judge 4

► The prophetess Huldah delivered a message to Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah from the Lord concerning a potential calamity due to their idolatry. 2 Kings 22:14-20

In the New Testament we have the following examples:

► Anna the widow, she praised God, and proclaimed the name of Jesus in Jerusalem. Luke 2:36-38

► Phoebe the deaconess, she helped and supported the apostle Paul in his evangelistic campaign. Romans 16:1-2

► The four daughters of Philip the evangelist prophesied to those who visited their father's house. God used them but not in a religious service. Acts 21:8-9 

The only prophetesses who strongly opposed the authority of men and ruled over them were enemies of God: Jezebel and her daughter Athaliah. 

May the Holy Spirit help you in understanding this message.