136 FEMINIST VIEWS THAT UNDERMINE SCRIPTURE
is saying today. So this is right. Later we can discuss the ‘difficult pas-
sages.’” When prophecies are appealed to in this way in an argument,
it can seem to the reader that they are being given more weight than
Scripture in how the matter is decided.
Although I quote only the published writings of Cindy Jacobs, there
is substantial anecdotal evidence of such prophecies in many places. In
addition, some things I have heard personally in circles where prophe-
cies are allowed confirm that such prophecies are fairly common and
that they have a real impact on decisions that leaders and churches make
about women’s ministries.
But are these prophecies genuine? Are they really from God?
Elsewhere I have written extensively on the gift of prophecy and I affirm
that this gift is in the New Testament, that it is one of the gifts of the
Holy Spirit given for the new covenant age, and that there is a proper
place for it in the church.^2 But it also carries the danger of abuse, and it
must be tested by Scripture and used according to Scriptural guidelines.
What should we say, then, about people who claim that God is say-
ing through “prophecies” today that women should be pastors and
elders, and should teach the Bible to men? First, we have to ask care-
fully exactly what was said in these prophecies.
There may have been prophecies saying that a certain woman is
gifted in Bible teaching, or that she should commit her life to full-time
Christian ministry, or that God’s anointing is on her Bible teaching.
There is nothing contrary to Scripture in this, and the prophecies may
well be from God. These gifts can all still be used in teaching women in
the church, or teaching children in various ministries, with great
effectiveness.^3
But if the prophecies specifically say that a woman should become
a pastor or an elder, I do not believe we should accept these prophecies
as genuine. I do not think they are from God.
Paul commands that when Christians allow prophecies in the
church, they are to “test everything” and to “hold fast what is good”
(^2) See Wayne Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today, rev. ed.
(Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway, 2000). For a brief summary of my conclusions, see Grudem,
Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1994), 1049-1061.
(^3) For an analysis of which activities in the church should be encouraged for women and which
should be restricted to men, see Wayne Grudem, Evangelical Feminism and Biblical Truth
(Sisters, Ore.: Multnomah, 2004), 84-101.