SPECIAL TOPIC: QUALIFICATIONS FOR FEMALE CHURCH WORKERS

SPECIAL TOPIC: FEMALE CHURCH WORKERS IN THE NT

List of women who were greeted by Paul in Romans 16 as fellow-workers
1. Phoebe ‒ Rom. 16:1 (called a deaconess)
2. Prisca ‒ Rom. 16:3
3. Mary ‒ Rom. 16:6
4. Junia/Junias ‒ Rom. 16:7 (possibly a woman apostle)
5. Tryphaena and Tryphosa ‒ Rom. 16:12
6. Persis ‒ Rom. 16:12
7. "his mother" ‒ Rom. 16:13
8. Julia ‒ Rom. 16:15
9. "his sister" ‒ Rom. 16:15
  A good discussion of these names is found in F. F. Bruce, Tyndale NT Commentary, pp. 266-284.
List of qualifications from 1 Timothy
1. dignified (1 Tim. 3:11)
2. not malicious gossips (1 Tim. 3:11)
3. temperate (1 Tim. 3:11)
4. faithful in all things (1 Tim. 3:11)
5. not supported by relatives (1 Tim. 3:11)
6. hope fixed on God (1 Tim. 5:5)
7. continues in prayer (1 Tim. 5:5)
8. above reproach (1 Tim. 5:7)
9. over sixty years old (1 Tim. 5:9)
10. wife of one man (1 Tim. 5:9)
11. reputation of good works (1 Tim. 5:10)
  1. raised children well (1 Tim. 5:10)
  2. showed hospitality to strangers (1 Tim. 5:10)
  3. washed the saints' feet (1 Tim. 5:10)
  4. assisted those in distress (1 Tim. 5:10)
  5. devoted to every good work (1 Tim. 5:10)
Apostolical Constitutions
M. R. Vincent, Word Studies, vol. 2, pp. 752 and 1196, says that the Apostolical Constitutions, dating from the late second or early third century, makes a distinction between the duties and ordination of female church helpers.
1. deaconesses (cf. Rom. 16:1)
2. widows (cf. 1 Tim. 3:11; 5:9-10)
3. virgins (cf. Acts 21:9 and possibly 1 Cor. 7:34)
  These duties involved
  1. caring for the sick
  2. caring for those physically persecuted
  3. visiting those in prison for the faith
  4. teaching new believers
  5. assisting in baptism of women
  6. some overseeing of female church members

SPECIAL TOPIC: WOMEN IN THE BIBLE

SPECIAL TOPIC: WOMEN WHO FOLLOWED JESUS