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Living for What Really Matters
PHILIPPIANS
I love seeing women of God making a difference for the Kingdom of God. And our Heavenly
Father does too. That’s why I was delighted when I realized that the Philippian church existed in
part because of several women who fell in love with Jesus. They hadn’t met Jesus, and hadn’t yet
met Paul, but the good news about Jesus had spread to their city—and their hearts responded.
Even before he met the women of Philippi, Paul saw women as valuable partners in the gospel.
Did you know a woman was the first convert in Europe and then joined with Paul in founding the
first Christian church? Women weren’t included within the twelve disciples because these twelve
were to signify the twelve tribes of Israel, but on the day of Pentecost (when the Holy Spirit was
poured out), God showed the world that He was doing something even bigger, empowering both
men and women to spread the name of Jesus Christ:
I will pour out my Spirit
on every kind of people:
Your sons will prophesy,
also your daughters;
Your young men will see visions,
your old men dream dreams.
When the time comes,
I’ll pour out my Spirit
On those who serve me, men and women both,
and they’ll prophesy. (Acts 2:16B-17, MSG)
The people who led were men and women, converted Jew and Gentile, circumcised and
uncircumcised. We know God loves diversity, and we see that here as a new season unfolds.
Nothing was the same as it was before. Everything was new and uncharted.
HISTORY LESSON
Another woman leader in the New Testament was Priscilla (she and her husband Aquila hosted a
church in Ephesus and later another one in Rome). It’s interesting to note that Priscilla’s name is
usually mentioned first in scripture, which suggests that she is the more noteworthy and prominent
leader of the two. She is even listed first when she and her husband explained theology and doctrine
to Apollos in Acts 18:24-26. They are mentioned specifically by Paul in several occasions (2
Timothy 4:19, 1Corinthians 16:19, Romans 16:3-5).
OTHER WOMEN WHO LED WITH PROMINENCE OVER HOME CHURCHES:
Mary, the mother of John Mark (Acts 12:12)
Phoebe, deacon of the church in Cenchreae (Romans 16:1)
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