The story of the women of Pentecost

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Women played an important role at the original Pentecost, which St Peter felt obliged to explain to the crowds. This is the story …

Joel’s prophecy

At Pentecost St Peter quoted the prophet Joel. The traditional Authorized (KJV) renders it as: “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28 KJV). To understand this we need to understand the nature of Old Testament prophets and prophecy.

Prophets

Our English word ‘prophet’ comes from the Greek word ‘prophetes’ which meant to speak on behalf of another, so a prophet was a spokesperson, and in the religious context that is a spokesperson for God. Prophets were people (men or women) who were regarded as messengers, and sometimes assigned a special mission by God. They were believed to speak on behalf of God, and were both forth-telling and fore-telling.

The Books of Prophets

In the Bible there are books called the Major Prophets – Isaiah, Jeremiah and the Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel. The term ‘major’ here is a reference to the length of the books rather than their significance. There are also 12 books known as the Minor Prophets being Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. Likewise, the term ‘minor’ is a reference to the comparatively shorter nature of the books rather than their significance.

There are prophecies of the coming Messiah in Isaiah and Micah, and prophecies of the future in Ezekiel, Daniel and Zechariah. However, these books are not packed with predictions of the future. Most prophecy was words relevant for the people of the day, reminding people of God’s will and encouraging people to reject idolatry and repent, what we might now call preaching.

The understanding was that a select few people (male or female) were inspired by God to preach on his behalf.

Female Prophets of the Old Covenant

In the Bible, most of the prophets were men. In a patriarchal society, perhaps this is to be expected, but there were female prophets too, sometimes called prophetesses. First we have Miriam, sister of Moses who is called a prophet (Exodus 15:20). The judges were the leaders of Israel before the monarchy, and the fourth Judge was Deborah, who was called both a judge and a prophet (Judges 4:4). The often-overlooked Huldah (2 Kings 22:14-20) was a female prophet who both King Josiah and the high priest deferred to, even in preference to other male prophets.

One of the first characters we meet in the New Testament is Anna (Luke 2:36-38) who is called a prophet, with the implication that she had been a prophet for many decades, putting her into the inter-testamental period. Anna and Simeon, and then John the Baptist are often considered the last prophets of the Old Covenant, before the start of Jesus’s ministry.

Joel’s Prophecy

When we come to Joel, there is a prophecy that one day with the coming of the Holy Spirit, both men and women will prophesy. The traditional Authorized Version renders it as: “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28 KJV).

Almost all Bible translations into English keep the word ‘prophesy’. The problem with this is that it is a bit misleading, because In English the verb to prophesy and the word ‘prophesying’, are generally understood in common parlance to mean predicting or foretelling the future, but actually that was only what happened sometimes. The Good News Bible, perhaps trying to solve that problem, unpacks it as ‘your sons and daughters will proclaim my message’. The EasyEnglish Bible, translated for people who do not have English as their first language, unpacks it as ‘Your sons and daughters will speak my message to people’.

How do we understand what Joel wrote? It is not that people didn’t prophesy. Nor is it that women never prophesied, because the Old Testament does list female prophets. What Joel seems to be saying is that there will come a time when the Holy Spirit will be poured out and available for everyone, not just the select few, and then it will be more normal to hear ordinary men and women proclaiming his message. He seems to imply that when the Holy Spirit comes, God will make no distinction based on gender.

Pentecost

Skip forward to Pentecost, about AD 33, after the Ascension of Jesus (Acts 1:9), and Luke records in Acts that the eleven surviving apostles went back to Jerusalem and went to the Upper Room (Acts 1:12-13). They were joined by ‘the women and Mary mother of Jesus and his brothers’ (Acts 1:14). Gathered at Jerusalem was a group of 120 believers (Acts 1:15), which included women. These women are not all named but some are named elsewhere by Luke as ‘Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others’ (Luke 8:2-3) and then later ‘Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James; they and the other women…’ were at the empty tomb (Luke 24:10). Luke seems to make a point of mentioning the role of the women in the story. Those who are named, may simply be those who were active in the Early Church who Luke knew, and had interviewed for his account.

The Holy Spirit

Then in Acts 2:4 it says ‘All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.’ So, those speaking in tongues included women as well as men. In this instance, these tongues were not some sort of charismatic ecstatic speech, but proper human languages, because the text records people understanding in their own languages (Acts 1:11). Hearing these men and women each proclaiming about God and speaking in different languages led the crowds to be amazed and puzzled (Acts 1:12). They were not used to seeing so many people preaching together. They were not used to people preaching that early in the day, and they were not used to seeing women preaching. Some people made fun of them and accused them of drinking too much (Acts 1:13).

Then Peter stood up and addressed the crowds and tried to explain what was happening (Acts 1:14) and addressed the issues which puzzled the crowd. First, he said that they were not drunk (Acts 1:15), and then he explained that it was a fulfilment of Joel’s prophecy (Acts 1:16). This makes little sense unless he was explaining why women were also speaking. The reference to Joel implies that both men and women are prophesying, and the context tells us that this prophesying was in the style of proclaiming and preaching, not in the style of predicting the future.

Prophecy in the Early Church

The idea of prophecy continued in the Early Church, and some are named. Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen (a close friend of Herod the tetrarch from childhood) and Saul are mentioned as prophets and teachers at Antioch in Acts 13:1. Judas and Silas are mentioned as prophets in Acts 15:32, and Agabus is mentioned as a prophet in Acts 21:10.

The role of prophet seems to be similar to the modern idea of a preacher. Prophets were fallible. In Peter’s second letter he writes about ‘prophecy of Scripture’ (2 Peter 1:20-21) which seems to be about preaching from the Scriptures (which was then what Christians call the Old Testament). St Paul wrote that when prophets spoke others should evaluate what is said (1 Corinthians 14:29), and they did not always get it right. St John and St Peter warned against false prophets in their letters (2 Peter 2:1 and 1 John 4:1).

Female Prophecy in the Early Church

We know that there were also women who were prophets in the Early Church, because later Luke notes that Philip the Evangelist had four daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:8-9). Then when St Paul writes to the Christians at Ephesus he says ‘Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up’ (Ephesians 4:11 NIV).

The gender limitations on these roles were added later over the centuries by different church traditions, but are not here in the list. Rather, in his first letter to the church at Corinth when St Paul comments on the practice of women praying aloud and prophesying, his only concern was that their heads were uncovered (1 Corinthians 11:5). Thus, for many people, the first reference we have to women preaching in the Early Church is right there at the start at Pentecost and continued into the Early Church.

Pentecostals

The modern Pentecostal movement takes its name, and its cue from the story of Pentecost. The modern Pentecostal movement mainly dates back to the 1904-5 Revival in south Wales, which came out of the Welsh Calvinist Methodist movement. This led to many women and men becoming singers, evangelists, teachers and preachers. The story is told in a new book called “Carriers of the Fire – The Women of the Welsh Revival 1904/05” by Karen Lowe. Pentecostals often refer to Joel’s prophecy (Joel 2:28-29), which was quoted by St Peter at Pentecost (Acts 2:16-18), which makes little sense to quote unless it means women can also speak.

Aimee McPherson

In the USA, the Pentecostal movement is usually described as dating from the Asuza Street Revival in Los Angeles of 1908. This had taken its cue from the earlier one in south Wales, which had had visitors from Los Angeles.

Today, the largest Pentecostal denomination in the world is the Assemblies of God (AoG). AoG has been ordaining women to ministry since it started in 1914. This year 2024, is its centenary. One of the most famous female preachers of all time, Aimee Elizabeth Semple McPherson (1890-1944), was ordained as an evangelist by the Assemblies of God in 1919. Her church Angelus Temple in Los Angeles, built in 1923, was the first megachurch in the USA, and she pioneered radio evangelism. She also opened a food bank, a soup kitchen and distributed food, clothing and blankets, which are ministries which many churches still do today.

Pentecost in 2024 is on Sunday 19 May. Let’s not forget the women from the story who often get overlooked in retelling it.

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25 Ways to Serve a Single Mom This Mother’s Day

With 15 million single mothers in the United States today, it is likely that you know a single mom. Maybe you were raised by one and saw how hard she worked to make ends meet and effectively balance the demands on her time. Many of the single mothers in our lives are juggling carpool, daycare, two jobs, or maybe career and secondary education. The lists of demands are endless. We implore the body of Christ to actively look for ways to invest in single mothers and their children. Impact a single mom. Impact her children. Impact a nation. With Mother’s Day quickly approaching, it is important to recognize that the single moms in our lives often do not have someone to create a special day of celebration for them, particularly if they have small children. 

That said, how can we, as loving, compassionate, members of the global body of Christ, reach out and show love to single mothers this Mother’s Day? Maybe the single parents in your life seem like they have it all together. There are some amazingly strong single mothers today, and many are achieving success parentally and emotionally while finding great freedom in their walk with the Lord. But even those strong, amazing single moms could use an occasional helping hand and an extra special show of love during this holiday season. 

Here are a few practical ways to brighten a single mom’s holiday: 

1. Babysit for free and do it often! Single mothers often work many hours per week and do not want to ask for help. They may even work a second or third job or may be attending a local college, too. Babysitting can be expensive. Encourage single mothers in your life to take the night off. Even if a single mom has adequate childcare during the day, while she works, it is very unlikely that she is ever taking a night off to do something special for herself (or simply sleep)! Make an offer to babysit her children for an afternoon or evening so that she can get a few things done around the house.  (It is always recommended that a strong relationship exist prior to making an offer to babysit one’s children).  

2. Offer to grocery shop for her. Shopping is a simple task, but shopping alone with three children hanging from the buggy can seem overwhelming. The simple task of collecting groceries for the week may not seem like much, but this act of kindness can alleviate stress from a single mom’s regular routine and save her time that can be devoted to other things.  

3. Give her some girl time. Sometimes the best way to serve a single mom is to invite her for coffee for some adult conversation. The Lord created us for fellowship. We know how important Godly friends in our lives are to our ability to grow, fellowship, and enjoy life.  Unfortunately, when times are busy, and the demands of a schedule take over, friend time is often the first thing to go. Get to know a single mom in your church or community. Give her a listening ear. Give her the opportunity to talk about something meaningful – her hopes and dreams. Let her know that you see her and that she is not alone.  

4. Bake a single mom a treat. Surprise a single mom this Mother’s Day with a special cake, cookies, meal, or other treat. It’s especially meaningful, when you can get her kiddos involved in the surprise!   

5. Wash & fold clothes. Let’s face it. Who really ENJOYS washing and folding clothes? If you do, you are among the previous few! Taking some time to do a practical, yet necessary chore, can be one way to serve a mom this Mother’s Day!  

6. Buy a single mom a free car wash or oil change. Any car maintenance or repair can be expensive, so whether it is an oil change, tire rotation, tire balance, new windshield wipers, oil change, or other, this can be a helpful, pracical way to serve a mom. 

7. Create a homemade gift that has an encouraging Scripture on it. Or use several Scriptures and write them on notecards or index cards that she can strategically place throughout her home, employment, and car, as a reminder of her Heavenly Father’s love for her.  

8. Rent a movie and provide popcorn for a movie night.  Movie nights are a great way to provide entertainment for both single moms and their children, while also providing an opportunity to get to know her better.  

9. Offer to do some yard work. Whether she’s a homeowner or renter, many single moms have the pressure of keeping their yard manicured.  Perhaps it is even an extra expense for her already-tight budget.  Offering to cut the yard for her on occasion is a great way to show the love of Christ.  

10. Perform carpentry, home repairs, and odd & end jobs.  Married women often have what is referred to as a “honey-do list” for their spouses to perform on the weekend.  Maybe a single mom has a leaky sink, stubborn faucet, or some other light home repairs. For the handyman, this could be a practical way to serve.  (NOTE: We recommend that all men serve in groups of 3 or more. For more details on how men can serve single mothers and widows, visit New Commandment Men’s Ministries).  

11. Clean her house or apartment. A little toilet bowl cleaner and window cleaner can go a long way to show the love of Christ to a worn-out single mother.  

12. Buy her lunch. This is a creative way to not only save a single mom a few dollars but bless her with some adult company while doing so.  

13. Write a handwritten, personal note to a single mom in your life. Let her know how much she is loved and cared for, how valuable she is to her children and community, and highlight Scriptures of encouragement.  

14. Provide gas money or groceries. 

15. Save your travel-sized toiletries from hotel rooms and donate them to her. Toiletries can be expensive, and many hotels offer high-quality toiletries, free-of-charge that are often thrown away when a guest checks out.   

16. Cook a meal, or even help plan meals for the week. A slow-cooker meal requires almost no time to prepare but can mean a great deal to a mom who is struggling to keep food on the table for her children.  Helping to plan meals for the week may be another way to remove the burden from her shoulder.  

17. Start a running or walking group where single moms can bring their kids for exercise & girl-time. This can become a great time of community fellowship that can also double as a great way for the kids to get exercise.  

18. Give a single mom a rose. In some cases, it could have been months or years since a single mother has received fresh flowers. Discount stores and grocery stores often sell a dozen roses for $10.99 or less. What a beautiful gesture.  

19. Bring cookies & baked goods to her home with an encouraging note. Or offer to bake cookies with her children while she takes a nap.  

20. Bring a gift basket full of goodies. Some ideas could include cleaning supplies, toiletries, great women’s devotionals, candy, bottled waters, hair products, smelling lotions, or something similar.  

21. Offer a day of window shopping, coffee, and a ride through town. It seems like a small act of kindness, but many of the single mothers we’ve worked with say that their lives consist of home, work, home, work, home, work, and they often feel they are “losing themselves” in the day-to-day grind of parenting and working.   

22. Visit a single mom! Make regular visits part of your weekly or monthly routine. Maybe the single mom lost her husband unexpectedly to an illness, and she’s grieving. Maybe she has never actively been in a local church and isn’t comfortable trying it out yet.  Whatever the reason, make it a point to visit a single mom regularly. It just may save her life! 

23. Commit to praying for a single mom regularly. Whether she knows it or not, make her (and her children) part of your regular prayer time. Pray for her children, as you would pray for your own. Pray for financial provision, wisdom, favor with her employer, protection of her lives, healing for a wounded heart, and rest.  Commit to lifting her up to the Lord. She needs it. 

24. Offer tutoring or homework services for her children. When a mom has worked an 8-10 hour day and then has to come home to prepare dinner, wash the clothes for the evening, clean the house, and do homework, it can be exhausting.  Maybe one night a week, offer to do homework with her children. (This is especially helpful if you have children that are similar in age who may be taking similar classes).  

25. Surprise her with a special gift.  Gifts don’t require lots of money. They require thought.  The most beautiful gifts given are those who have a meaningful purpose.  You can visit any dollar store or discount store and find beautiful journals for less than $5. Years may have passed since this single mom has received a special just-because gift.  

Jennifer Maggio is a mom to three, wife to Jeff, and founder of the national nonprofit, The Life of a Single Mom Ministries. She is author to four books, including The Church and the Single Mom. She was named one of the Top 10 Most Influential People in America by Dr. John Maxwell in 2017 and 2015 and has appeared in hundreds of media venues, including The New York Times, Family Talk Radio with Dr. James Dobson, Joni and Friends, and many others. 

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Christian Teacher Wins $360,000 Settlement After Opposing School’s Gender Identity Policy

A California school district has agreed to pay $360,000 as part of a settlement with a Christian teacher who sued after she was fired for her refusal to comply with the school’s gender identity policy.

According to a complaint filed by her attorneys, Jessica Tapia, a teacher in the Jurupa Unified School District, was previously told by school officials she must refer to students by their preferred pronouns, refrain from expressing her religious beliefs with students or on her social media accounts, and allow students to use the bathroom or locker room that matched their preferred gender.

When she refused, the district terminated her. Tapia insisted that complying with the district policy would be a form of lying and, therefore, would violate her Christian faith. God “defines human sexuality,” her complaint said, citing Scripture.

“Ms. Tapia also believes that all students, regardless of sexual orientation, race, or gender, should be treated with respect, kindness, and love,” the complaint said. “But her faith precludes her from endorsing policies that cause her to reject her faith, such as facilitating a student’s gender transition or withholding information about it from the student’s parents.”

Tapia sued the school district, asserting that her constitutionally protected rights, including those related to the free exercise of religion and free speech, had been violated.

This week, the school district agreed to pay Tapia $285,000 and $75,000 for her attorneys’ fees as part of a settlement. The district did not acknowledge wrongdoing.

“Today’s settlement serves as a reminder that religious freedom is protected, no matter your career,” said Julianne Fleischer, legal counsel for Advocates for Faith and Freedom, the group that represented Tapia. “If the school district’s actions were legal, no teacher of faith would be qualified to serve as a public school teacher. Jessica’s story is one of faithful courage. She fought back to ensure her school district was held accountable and that no other teacher has to succumb to this type of discrimination.”

Tapia said her case is not unique.

“Across the country, we are seeing teachers’ freedom of speech and religious liberty violated through policies that require them to forsake their morals,” Tapia said. “I want teachers to be confident in the fact that the best thing we can do for students is educate in truth, not deception.… I am confident that we are making progress to ensure that no teacher has their faith violated within schoolhouse gates again.”

Jacquie Paul, a Jurupa Unified spokesperson, told the Los Angeles Times the settlement was a “compromise of a disputed claim.”

“The decision to settle this case was made … in the best interest of the students, such that the district can continue to dedicate all of its resources and efforts to educate and support its student population regardless of their protected class,“ Paul said in a statement.

The complaint said Tapia had “invested her entire career into encouraging, loving, and mentoring her students.“

The complaint said, “Students, parents, and faculty have often highlighted her exemplary teaching abilities. “Her performance reviews even referred to her as a ‘distinguished’ teacher.”

Meanwhile, Tapia and Advocates for Faith and Freedom launched “Teachers Don’t Lie,“ a resource for educators in a similar situation. The new initiative helps teachers understand their constitutional rights.

Photo credit: ©Advocates for Faith and Freedom

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Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

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Will Things Get Worse During the End Times? Matt Chandler’s Take on Cultural Chaos and ‘Embers’ of Spiritual Revival

Matt Chandler, pastor of The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas, sees “embers” of spiritual revival popping up all around the nation, even as chaotic cultural conundrums seem to be increasing.

Listen to the latest episode of CBN News’ “Quick Start” podcast

“There’s been an earnest desire to see God do something significant for a long time,” Chandler, author of the new book, “The Overcomers: God’s Vision for You to Thrive in an Age of Anxiety and Outrage,” told CBN News.

The Texas preacher said last year’s Asbury outpouring, mass baptisms, and other events show an elevated spiritual fervor breaking out in various areas of the country.

And Chandler believes these events have helped inspire the faithful.

“For those who are outside of a smaller group that have been really kind of contending for this and asking God to do this, it put it back in … maybe the center of the imagination of what’s possible,” Chandler said.

These moments come at an intriguing time, as culture and society seem to be in tatters, particularly on the moral and ethical fronts. With culture always marching toward the end of days, some have wondered, biblically speaking, whether negative events happening indicate we’re now closer than ever.

But the baptisms and elevated spiritual temperature of late could throw some common beliefs up into the air. For instance, some might assume revival or spiritual outpourings won’t happen as the end draws near, but Chandler believes both can unfold, simultaneously

“I think they absolutely will happen at the same time — that it will get better and worse, simultaneously,” Chandler said. “More than the Bible paints a picture of things getting worse, and worse, and worse, and worse, and worse until the Lord comes, it paints a picture of both happening.”

He believes Jesus referenced this very thing in Matthew 13:24-30, when He talked about wheat and tares growing together until the “harvest comes.”

“The wheat and the tares … they’re growing up together … until the harvest comes,” Chandler said.

He also cited other end-times verses to argue that some people might be misreading Scripture by assuming everything will simply be terrible in the end.

“The Bible says that people will be getting married and given in marriage, just like they were in the day of Noah,” he said. “It’s an ordinary time. There’s horrible things; there’s beautiful things. We’re just going to be getting married. We’re going to be doing the things that we normally do, and then the end will come.”

Watch Chandler explain.

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Isaac’s Shocking Trust – by Sue Braid

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“As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, ‘Father?” ‘Yes, my son?’ Abraham replied. ‘The fire and the wood are here,’ Isaac said, ‘but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?’ Abraham answered, ‘God himself will provide for the burnt offering, my son.’ And the two of them went on together.”
Genesis 22:7-8

They weren’t whiners in those days — those patriarchs. They were learning to listen to God and act on what He said. Imagine being Isaac’s father, Abraham, hearing God’s inconceivable command to sacrifice his miracle child. His adored, only child. Imagine, too, making the excruciating choice to obey, deliberately preparing for the trip, courageously starting the three-day journey.

Now imagine Isaac’s point of view. Isaac observed the absence of an offering and asked, “Where is the lamb?” Abraham’s answer showed more faith and hope — for the presence of provision — than he either knew or felt. With well-grounded confidence in his loving father, Isaac accepted the explanation.

Later, lying there tied up by his father, seeing the knife, what did Isaac feel? Incredulity, terror?

We know only that at the very last minute, he was rescued. The angel of the Lord called a halt and pointed out the replacement sacrifice — a ram which foreshadowed the perfect substitute as the sacrifice for us, Jesus, the Lamb of God.

What happened to Isaac after the consternation and shock? We never hear of a debriefing with a counselor or of him acting out in anger. Genesis 24:63 suggests he became a contemplative man. He also became a comforted man — “Isaac …married Rebekah. So she became his wife and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death” (Genesis 24:67b).

As for me, how do I respond to the inexplicable events God allows? Do I trust my truly loving heavenly Father as much as Isaac trusted Abraham?

Father of love, in your divine purposes you allow things in my life that I don’t understand. I’m tempted to doubt your long range plans. I can’t see the big picture. But I can read your Word and recall the incredible rescues you orchestrated. I can thank you for setting a precedent that you are more than able to deliver me and I can trust whatever you do with my life. Amen.

By Sue Braid
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

• Choose Trust

•  Blessed Obedience

• How to Trust God

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The story of the women of Pentecost

(Photo: Getty/iStock)

Women played an important role at the original Pentecost, which St Peter felt obliged to explain to the crowds. This is the story …

Joel’s prophecy

At Pentecost St Peter quoted the prophet Joel. The traditional Authorized (KJV) renders it as: “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28 KJV). To understand this we need to understand the nature of Old Testament prophets and prophecy.

Prophets

Our English word ‘prophet’ comes from the Greek word ‘prophetes’ which meant to speak on behalf of another, so a prophet was a spokesperson, and in the religious context that is a spokesperson for God. Prophets were people (men or women) who were regarded as messengers, and sometimes assigned a special mission by God. They were believed to speak on behalf of God, and were both forth-telling and fore-telling.

The Books of Prophets

In the Bible there are books called the Major Prophets – Isaiah, Jeremiah and the Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel. The term ‘major’ here is a reference to the length of the books rather than their significance. There are also 12 books known as the Minor Prophets being Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. Likewise, the term ‘minor’ is a reference to the comparatively shorter nature of the books rather than their significance.

There are prophecies of the coming Messiah in Isaiah and Micah, and prophecies of the future in Ezekiel, Daniel and Zechariah. However, these books are not packed with predictions of the future. Most prophecy was words relevant for the people of the day, reminding people of God’s will and encouraging people to reject idolatry and repent, what we might now call preaching.

The understanding was that a select few people (male or female) were inspired by God to preach on his behalf.

Female Prophets of the Old Covenant

In the Bible, most of the prophets were men. In a patriarchal society, perhaps this is to be expected, but there were female prophets too, sometimes called prophetesses. First we have Miriam, sister of Moses who is called a prophet (Exodus 15:20). The judges were the leaders of Israel before the monarchy, and the fourth Judge was Deborah, who was called both a judge and a prophet (Judges 4:4). The often-overlooked Huldah (2 Kings 22:14-20) was a female prophet who both King Josiah and the high priest deferred to, even in preference to other male prophets.

One of the first characters we meet in the New Testament is Anna (Luke 2:36-38) who is called a prophet, with the implication that she had been a prophet for many decades, putting her into the inter-testamental period. Anna and Simeon, and then John the Baptist are often considered the last prophets of the Old Covenant, before the start of Jesus’s ministry.

Joel’s Prophecy

When we come to Joel, there is a prophecy that one day with the coming of the Holy Spirit, both men and women will prophesy. The traditional Authorized Version renders it as: “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28 KJV).

Almost all Bible translations into English keep the word ‘prophesy’. The problem with this is that it is a bit misleading, because In English the verb to prophesy and the word ‘prophesying’, are generally understood in common parlance to mean predicting or foretelling the future, but actually that was only what happened sometimes. The Good News Bible, perhaps trying to solve that problem, unpacks it as ‘your sons and daughters will proclaim my message’. The EasyEnglish Bible, translated for people who do not have English as their first language, unpacks it as ‘Your sons and daughters will speak my message to people’.

How do we understand what Joel wrote? It is not that people didn’t prophesy. Nor is it that women never prophesied, because the Old Testament does list female prophets. What Joel seems to be saying is that there will come a time when the Holy Spirit will be poured out and available for everyone, not just the select few, and then it will be more normal to hear ordinary men and women proclaiming his message. He seems to imply that when the Holy Spirit comes, God will make no distinction based on gender.

Pentecost

Skip forward to Pentecost, about AD 33, after the Ascension of Jesus (Acts 1:9), and Luke records in Acts that the eleven surviving apostles went back to Jerusalem and went to the Upper Room (Acts 1:12-13). They were joined by ‘the women and Mary mother of Jesus and his brothers’ (Acts 1:14). Gathered at Jerusalem was a group of 120 believers (Acts 1:15), which included women. These women are not all named but some are named elsewhere by Luke as ‘Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others’ (Luke 8:2-3) and then later ‘Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James; they and the other women…’ were at the empty tomb (Luke 24:10). Luke seems to make a point of mentioning the role of the women in the story. Those who are named, may simply be those who were active in the Early Church who Luke knew, and had interviewed for his account.

The Holy Spirit

Then in Acts 2:4 it says ‘All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.’ So, those speaking in tongues included women as well as men. In this instance, these tongues were not some sort of charismatic ecstatic speech, but proper human languages, because the text records people understanding in their own languages (Acts 1:11). Hearing these men and women each proclaiming about God and speaking in different languages led the crowds to be amazed and puzzled (Acts 1:12). They were not used to seeing so many people preaching together. They were not used to people preaching that early in the day, and they were not used to seeing women preaching. Some people made fun of them and accused them of drinking too much (Acts 1:13).

Then Peter stood up and addressed the crowds and tried to explain what was happening (Acts 1:14) and addressed the issues which puzzled the crowd. First, he said that they were not drunk (Acts 1:15), and then he explained that it was a fulfilment of Joel’s prophecy (Acts 1:16). This makes little sense unless he was explaining why women were also speaking. The reference to Joel implies that both men and women are prophesying, and the context tells us that this prophesying was in the style of proclaiming and preaching, not in the style of predicting the future.

Prophecy in the Early Church

The idea of prophecy continued in the Early Church, and some are named. Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen (a close friend of Herod the tetrarch from childhood) and Saul are mentioned as prophets and teachers at Antioch in Acts 13:1. Judas and Silas are mentioned as prophets in Acts 15:32, and Agabus is mentioned as a prophet in Acts 21:10.

The role of prophet seems to be similar to the modern idea of a preacher. Prophets were fallible. In Peter’s second letter he writes about ‘prophecy of Scripture’ (2 Peter 1:20-21) which seems to be about preaching from the Scriptures (which was then what Christians call the Old Testament). St Paul wrote that when prophets spoke others should evaluate what is said (1 Corinthians 14:29), and they did not always get it right. St John and St Peter warned against false prophets in their letters (2 Peter 2:1 and 1 John 4:1).

Female Prophecy in the Early Church

We know that there were also women who were prophets in the Early Church, because later Luke notes that Philip the Evangelist had four daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:8-9). Then when St Paul writes to the Christians at Ephesus he says ‘Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up’ (Ephesians 4:11 NIV).

The gender limitations on these roles were added later over the centuries by different church traditions, but are not here in the list. Rather, in his first letter to the church at Corinth when St Paul comments on the practice of women praying aloud and prophesying, his only concern was that their heads were uncovered (1 Corinthians 11:5). Thus, for many people, the first reference we have to women preaching in the Early Church is right there at the start at Pentecost and continued into the Early Church.

Pentecostals

The modern Pentecostal movement takes its name, and its cue from the story of Pentecost. The modern Pentecostal movement mainly dates back to the 1904-5 Revival in south Wales, which came out of the Welsh Calvinist Methodist movement. This led to many women and men becoming singers, evangelists, teachers and preachers. The story is told in a new book called “Carriers of the Fire – The Women of the Welsh Revival 1904/05” by Karen Lowe. Pentecostals often refer to Joel’s prophecy (Joel 2:28-29), which was quoted by St Peter at Pentecost (Acts 2:16-18), which makes little sense to quote unless it means women can also speak.

Aimee McPherson

In the USA, the Pentecostal movement is usually described as dating from the Asuza Street Revival in Los Angeles of 1908. This had taken its cue from the earlier one in south Wales, which had had visitors from Los Angeles.

Today, the largest Pentecostal denomination in the world is the Assemblies of God (AoG). AoG has been ordaining women to ministry since it started in 1914. This year 2024, is its centenary. One of the most famous female preachers of all time, Aimee Elizabeth Semple McPherson (1890-1944), was ordained as an evangelist by the Assemblies of God in 1919. Her church Angelus Temple in Los Angeles, built in 1923, was the first megachurch in the USA, and she pioneered radio evangelism. She also opened a food bank, a soup kitchen and distributed food, clothing and blankets, which are ministries which many churches still do today.

Pentecost in 2024 is on Sunday 19 May. Let’s not forget the women from the story who often get overlooked in retelling it.

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Christian Teacher Wins $360,000 Settlement After Opposing School’s Gender Identity Policy

A California school district has agreed to pay $360,000 as part of a settlement with a Christian teacher who sued after she was fired for her refusal to comply with the school’s gender identity policy.

According to a complaint filed by her attorneys, Jessica Tapia, a teacher in the Jurupa Unified School District, was previously told by school officials she must refer to students by their preferred pronouns, refrain from expressing her religious beliefs with students or on her social media accounts, and allow students to use the bathroom or locker room that matched their preferred gender.

When she refused, the district terminated her. Tapia insisted that complying with the district policy would be a form of lying and, therefore, would violate her Christian faith. God “defines human sexuality,” her complaint said, citing Scripture.

“Ms. Tapia also believes that all students, regardless of sexual orientation, race, or gender, should be treated with respect, kindness, and love,” the complaint said. “But her faith precludes her from endorsing policies that cause her to reject her faith, such as facilitating a student’s gender transition or withholding information about it from the student’s parents.”

Tapia sued the school district, asserting that her constitutionally protected rights, including those related to the free exercise of religion and free speech, had been violated.

This week, the school district agreed to pay Tapia $285,000 and $75,000 for her attorneys’ fees as part of a settlement. The district did not acknowledge wrongdoing.

“Today’s settlement serves as a reminder that religious freedom is protected, no matter your career,” said Julianne Fleischer, legal counsel for Advocates for Faith and Freedom, the group that represented Tapia. “If the school district’s actions were legal, no teacher of faith would be qualified to serve as a public school teacher. Jessica’s story is one of faithful courage. She fought back to ensure her school district was held accountable and that no other teacher has to succumb to this type of discrimination.”

Tapia said her case is not unique.

“Across the country, we are seeing teachers’ freedom of speech and religious liberty violated through policies that require them to forsake their morals,” Tapia said. “I want teachers to be confident in the fact that the best thing we can do for students is educate in truth, not deception.… I am confident that we are making progress to ensure that no teacher has their faith violated within schoolhouse gates again.”

Jacquie Paul, a Jurupa Unified spokesperson, told the Los Angeles Times the settlement was a “compromise of a disputed claim.”

“The decision to settle this case was made … in the best interest of the students, such that the district can continue to dedicate all of its resources and efforts to educate and support its student population regardless of their protected class,“ Paul said in a statement.

The complaint said Tapia had “invested her entire career into encouraging, loving, and mentoring her students.“

The complaint said, “Students, parents, and faculty have often highlighted her exemplary teaching abilities. “Her performance reviews even referred to her as a ‘distinguished’ teacher.”

Meanwhile, Tapia and Advocates for Faith and Freedom launched “Teachers Don’t Lie,“ a resource for educators in a similar situation. The new initiative helps teachers understand their constitutional rights.

Photo credit: ©Advocates for Faith and Freedom

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Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

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Isaac’s Shocking Trust – by Sue Braid

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“As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, ‘Father?” ‘Yes, my son?’ Abraham replied. ‘The fire and the wood are here,’ Isaac said, ‘but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?’ Abraham answered, ‘God himself will provide for the burnt offering, my son.’ And the two of them went on together.”
Genesis 22:7-8

They weren’t whiners in those days — those patriarchs. They were learning to listen to God and act on what He said. Imagine being Isaac’s father, Abraham, hearing God’s inconceivable command to sacrifice his miracle child. His adored, only child. Imagine, too, making the excruciating choice to obey, deliberately preparing for the trip, courageously starting the three-day journey.

Now imagine Isaac’s point of view. Isaac observed the absence of an offering and asked, “Where is the lamb?” Abraham’s answer showed more faith and hope — for the presence of provision — than he either knew or felt. With well-grounded confidence in his loving father, Isaac accepted the explanation.

Later, lying there tied up by his father, seeing the knife, what did Isaac feel? Incredulity, terror?

We know only that at the very last minute, he was rescued. The angel of the Lord called a halt and pointed out the replacement sacrifice — a ram which foreshadowed the perfect substitute as the sacrifice for us, Jesus, the Lamb of God.

What happened to Isaac after the consternation and shock? We never hear of a debriefing with a counselor or of him acting out in anger. Genesis 24:63 suggests he became a contemplative man. He also became a comforted man — “Isaac …married Rebekah. So she became his wife and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death” (Genesis 24:67b).

As for me, how do I respond to the inexplicable events God allows? Do I trust my truly loving heavenly Father as much as Isaac trusted Abraham?

Father of love, in your divine purposes you allow things in my life that I don’t understand. I’m tempted to doubt your long range plans. I can’t see the big picture. But I can read your Word and recall the incredible rescues you orchestrated. I can thank you for setting a precedent that you are more than able to deliver me and I can trust whatever you do with my life. Amen.

By Sue Braid
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

• Choose Trust

•  Blessed Obedience

• How to Trust God

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25 Ways to Serve a Single Mom This Mother’s Day

With 15 million single mothers in the United States today, it is likely that you know a single mom. Maybe you were raised by one and saw how hard she worked to make ends meet and effectively balance the demands on her time. Many of the single mothers in our lives are juggling carpool, daycare, two jobs, or maybe career and secondary education. The lists of demands are endless. We implore the body of Christ to actively look for ways to invest in single mothers and their children. Impact a single mom. Impact her children. Impact a nation. With Mother’s Day quickly approaching, it is important to recognize that the single moms in our lives often do not have someone to create a special day of celebration for them, particularly if they have small children. 

That said, how can we, as loving, compassionate, members of the global body of Christ, reach out and show love to single mothers this Mother’s Day? Maybe the single parents in your life seem like they have it all together. There are some amazingly strong single mothers today, and many are achieving success parentally and emotionally while finding great freedom in their walk with the Lord. But even those strong, amazing single moms could use an occasional helping hand and an extra special show of love during this holiday season. 

Here are a few practical ways to brighten a single mom’s holiday: 

1. Babysit for free and do it often! Single mothers often work many hours per week and do not want to ask for help. They may even work a second or third job or may be attending a local college, too. Babysitting can be expensive. Encourage single mothers in your life to take the night off. Even if a single mom has adequate childcare during the day, while she works, it is very unlikely that she is ever taking a night off to do something special for herself (or simply sleep)! Make an offer to babysit her children for an afternoon or evening so that she can get a few things done around the house.  (It is always recommended that a strong relationship exist prior to making an offer to babysit one’s children).  

2. Offer to grocery shop for her. Shopping is a simple task, but shopping alone with three children hanging from the buggy can seem overwhelming. The simple task of collecting groceries for the week may not seem like much, but this act of kindness can alleviate stress from a single mom’s regular routine and save her time that can be devoted to other things.  

3. Give her some girl time. Sometimes the best way to serve a single mom is to invite her for coffee for some adult conversation. The Lord created us for fellowship. We know how important Godly friends in our lives are to our ability to grow, fellowship, and enjoy life.  Unfortunately, when times are busy, and the demands of a schedule take over, friend time is often the first thing to go. Get to know a single mom in your church or community. Give her a listening ear. Give her the opportunity to talk about something meaningful – her hopes and dreams. Let her know that you see her and that she is not alone.  

4. Bake a single mom a treat. Surprise a single mom this Mother’s Day with a special cake, cookies, meal, or other treat. It’s especially meaningful, when you can get her kiddos involved in the surprise!   

5. Wash & fold clothes. Let’s face it. Who really ENJOYS washing and folding clothes? If you do, you are among the previous few! Taking some time to do a practical, yet necessary chore, can be one way to serve a mom this Mother’s Day!  

6. Buy a single mom a free car wash or oil change. Any car maintenance or repair can be expensive, so whether it is an oil change, tire rotation, tire balance, new windshield wipers, oil change, or other, this can be a helpful, pracical way to serve a mom. 

7. Create a homemade gift that has an encouraging Scripture on it. Or use several Scriptures and write them on notecards or index cards that she can strategically place throughout her home, employment, and car, as a reminder of her Heavenly Father’s love for her.  

8. Rent a movie and provide popcorn for a movie night.  Movie nights are a great way to provide entertainment for both single moms and their children, while also providing an opportunity to get to know her better.  

9. Offer to do some yard work. Whether she’s a homeowner or renter, many single moms have the pressure of keeping their yard manicured.  Perhaps it is even an extra expense for her already-tight budget.  Offering to cut the yard for her on occasion is a great way to show the love of Christ.  

10. Perform carpentry, home repairs, and odd & end jobs.  Married women often have what is referred to as a “honey-do list” for their spouses to perform on the weekend.  Maybe a single mom has a leaky sink, stubborn faucet, or some other light home repairs. For the handyman, this could be a practical way to serve.  (NOTE: We recommend that all men serve in groups of 3 or more. For more details on how men can serve single mothers and widows, visit New Commandment Men’s Ministries).  

11. Clean her house or apartment. A little toilet bowl cleaner and window cleaner can go a long way to show the love of Christ to a worn-out single mother.  

12. Buy her lunch. This is a creative way to not only save a single mom a few dollars but bless her with some adult company while doing so.  

13. Write a handwritten, personal note to a single mom in your life. Let her know how much she is loved and cared for, how valuable she is to her children and community, and highlight Scriptures of encouragement.  

14. Provide gas money or groceries. 

15. Save your travel-sized toiletries from hotel rooms and donate them to her. Toiletries can be expensive, and many hotels offer high-quality toiletries, free-of-charge that are often thrown away when a guest checks out.   

16. Cook a meal, or even help plan meals for the week. A slow-cooker meal requires almost no time to prepare but can mean a great deal to a mom who is struggling to keep food on the table for her children.  Helping to plan meals for the week may be another way to remove the burden from her shoulder.  

17. Start a running or walking group where single moms can bring their kids for exercise & girl-time. This can become a great time of community fellowship that can also double as a great way for the kids to get exercise.  

18. Give a single mom a rose. In some cases, it could have been months or years since a single mother has received fresh flowers. Discount stores and grocery stores often sell a dozen roses for $10.99 or less. What a beautiful gesture.  

19. Bring cookies & baked goods to her home with an encouraging note. Or offer to bake cookies with her children while she takes a nap.  

20. Bring a gift basket full of goodies. Some ideas could include cleaning supplies, toiletries, great women’s devotionals, candy, bottled waters, hair products, smelling lotions, or something similar.  

21. Offer a day of window shopping, coffee, and a ride through town. It seems like a small act of kindness, but many of the single mothers we’ve worked with say that their lives consist of home, work, home, work, home, work, and they often feel they are “losing themselves” in the day-to-day grind of parenting and working.   

22. Visit a single mom! Make regular visits part of your weekly or monthly routine. Maybe the single mom lost her husband unexpectedly to an illness, and she’s grieving. Maybe she has never actively been in a local church and isn’t comfortable trying it out yet.  Whatever the reason, make it a point to visit a single mom regularly. It just may save her life! 

23. Commit to praying for a single mom regularly. Whether she knows it or not, make her (and her children) part of your regular prayer time. Pray for her children, as you would pray for your own. Pray for financial provision, wisdom, favor with her employer, protection of her lives, healing for a wounded heart, and rest.  Commit to lifting her up to the Lord. She needs it. 

24. Offer tutoring or homework services for her children. When a mom has worked an 8-10 hour day and then has to come home to prepare dinner, wash the clothes for the evening, clean the house, and do homework, it can be exhausting.  Maybe one night a week, offer to do homework with her children. (This is especially helpful if you have children that are similar in age who may be taking similar classes).  

25. Surprise her with a special gift.  Gifts don’t require lots of money. They require thought.  The most beautiful gifts given are those who have a meaningful purpose.  You can visit any dollar store or discount store and find beautiful journals for less than $5. Years may have passed since this single mom has received a special just-because gift.  

Jennifer Maggio is a mom to three, wife to Jeff, and founder of the national nonprofit, The Life of a Single Mom Ministries. She is author to four books, including The Church and the Single Mom. She was named one of the Top 10 Most Influential People in America by Dr. John Maxwell in 2017 and 2015 and has appeared in hundreds of media venues, including The New York Times, Family Talk Radio with Dr. James Dobson, Joni and Friends, and many others. 

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The story of the women of Pentecost

(Photo: Getty/iStock)

Women played an important role at the original Pentecost, which St Peter felt obliged to explain to the crowds. This is the story …

Joel’s prophecy

At Pentecost St Peter quoted the prophet Joel. The traditional Authorized (KJV) renders it as: “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28 KJV). To understand this we need to understand the nature of Old Testament prophets and prophecy.

Prophets

Our English word ‘prophet’ comes from the Greek word ‘prophetes’ which meant to speak on behalf of another, so a prophet was a spokesperson, and in the religious context that is a spokesperson for God. Prophets were people (men or women) who were regarded as messengers, and sometimes assigned a special mission by God. They were believed to speak on behalf of God, and were both forth-telling and fore-telling.

The Books of Prophets

In the Bible there are books called the Major Prophets – Isaiah, Jeremiah and the Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel. The term ‘major’ here is a reference to the length of the books rather than their significance. There are also 12 books known as the Minor Prophets being Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. Likewise, the term ‘minor’ is a reference to the comparatively shorter nature of the books rather than their significance.

There are prophecies of the coming Messiah in Isaiah and Micah, and prophecies of the future in Ezekiel, Daniel and Zechariah. However, these books are not packed with predictions of the future. Most prophecy was words relevant for the people of the day, reminding people of God’s will and encouraging people to reject idolatry and repent, what we might now call preaching.

The understanding was that a select few people (male or female) were inspired by God to preach on his behalf.

Female Prophets of the Old Covenant

In the Bible, most of the prophets were men. In a patriarchal society, perhaps this is to be expected, but there were female prophets too, sometimes called prophetesses. First we have Miriam, sister of Moses who is called a prophet (Exodus 15:20). The judges were the leaders of Israel before the monarchy, and the fourth Judge was Deborah, who was called both a judge and a prophet (Judges 4:4). The often-overlooked Huldah (2 Kings 22:14-20) was a female prophet who both King Josiah and the high priest deferred to, even in preference to other male prophets.

One of the first characters we meet in the New Testament is Anna (Luke 2:36-38) who is called a prophet, with the implication that she had been a prophet for many decades, putting her into the inter-testamental period. Anna and Simeon, and then John the Baptist are often considered the last prophets of the Old Covenant, before the start of Jesus’s ministry.

Joel’s Prophecy

When we come to Joel, there is a prophecy that one day with the coming of the Holy Spirit, both men and women will prophesy. The traditional Authorized Version renders it as: “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28 KJV).

Almost all Bible translations into English keep the word ‘prophesy’. The problem with this is that it is a bit misleading, because In English the verb to prophesy and the word ‘prophesying’, are generally understood in common parlance to mean predicting or foretelling the future, but actually that was only what happened sometimes. The Good News Bible, perhaps trying to solve that problem, unpacks it as ‘your sons and daughters will proclaim my message’. The EasyEnglish Bible, translated for people who do not have English as their first language, unpacks it as ‘Your sons and daughters will speak my message to people’.

How do we understand what Joel wrote? It is not that people didn’t prophesy. Nor is it that women never prophesied, because the Old Testament does list female prophets. What Joel seems to be saying is that there will come a time when the Holy Spirit will be poured out and available for everyone, not just the select few, and then it will be more normal to hear ordinary men and women proclaiming his message. He seems to imply that when the Holy Spirit comes, God will make no distinction based on gender.

Pentecost

Skip forward to Pentecost, about AD 33, after the Ascension of Jesus (Acts 1:9), and Luke records in Acts that the eleven surviving apostles went back to Jerusalem and went to the Upper Room (Acts 1:12-13). They were joined by ‘the women and Mary mother of Jesus and his brothers’ (Acts 1:14). Gathered at Jerusalem was a group of 120 believers (Acts 1:15), which included women. These women are not all named but some are named elsewhere by Luke as ‘Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others’ (Luke 8:2-3) and then later ‘Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James; they and the other women…’ were at the empty tomb (Luke 24:10). Luke seems to make a point of mentioning the role of the women in the story. Those who are named, may simply be those who were active in the Early Church who Luke knew, and had interviewed for his account.

The Holy Spirit

Then in Acts 2:4 it says ‘All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.’ So, those speaking in tongues included women as well as men. In this instance, these tongues were not some sort of charismatic ecstatic speech, but proper human languages, because the text records people understanding in their own languages (Acts 1:11). Hearing these men and women each proclaiming about God and speaking in different languages led the crowds to be amazed and puzzled (Acts 1:12). They were not used to seeing so many people preaching together. They were not used to people preaching that early in the day, and they were not used to seeing women preaching. Some people made fun of them and accused them of drinking too much (Acts 1:13).

Then Peter stood up and addressed the crowds and tried to explain what was happening (Acts 1:14) and addressed the issues which puzzled the crowd. First, he said that they were not drunk (Acts 1:15), and then he explained that it was a fulfilment of Joel’s prophecy (Acts 1:16). This makes little sense unless he was explaining why women were also speaking. The reference to Joel implies that both men and women are prophesying, and the context tells us that this prophesying was in the style of proclaiming and preaching, not in the style of predicting the future.

Prophecy in the Early Church

The idea of prophecy continued in the Early Church, and some are named. Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen (a close friend of Herod the tetrarch from childhood) and Saul are mentioned as prophets and teachers at Antioch in Acts 13:1. Judas and Silas are mentioned as prophets in Acts 15:32, and Agabus is mentioned as a prophet in Acts 21:10.

The role of prophet seems to be similar to the modern idea of a preacher. Prophets were fallible. In Peter’s second letter he writes about ‘prophecy of Scripture’ (2 Peter 1:20-21) which seems to be about preaching from the Scriptures (which was then what Christians call the Old Testament). St Paul wrote that when prophets spoke others should evaluate what is said (1 Corinthians 14:29), and they did not always get it right. St John and St Peter warned against false prophets in their letters (2 Peter 2:1 and 1 John 4:1).

Female Prophecy in the Early Church

We know that there were also women who were prophets in the Early Church, because later Luke notes that Philip the Evangelist had four daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:8-9). Then when St Paul writes to the Christians at Ephesus he says ‘Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up’ (Ephesians 4:11 NIV).

The gender limitations on these roles were added later over the centuries by different church traditions, but are not here in the list. Rather, in his first letter to the church at Corinth when St Paul comments on the practice of women praying aloud and prophesying, his only concern was that their heads were uncovered (1 Corinthians 11:5). Thus, for many people, the first reference we have to women preaching in the Early Church is right there at the start at Pentecost and continued into the Early Church.

Pentecostals

The modern Pentecostal movement takes its name, and its cue from the story of Pentecost. The modern Pentecostal movement mainly dates back to the 1904-5 Revival in south Wales, which came out of the Welsh Calvinist Methodist movement. This led to many women and men becoming singers, evangelists, teachers and preachers. The story is told in a new book called “Carriers of the Fire – The Women of the Welsh Revival 1904/05” by Karen Lowe. Pentecostals often refer to Joel’s prophecy (Joel 2:28-29), which was quoted by St Peter at Pentecost (Acts 2:16-18), which makes little sense to quote unless it means women can also speak.

Aimee McPherson

In the USA, the Pentecostal movement is usually described as dating from the Asuza Street Revival in Los Angeles of 1908. This had taken its cue from the earlier one in south Wales, which had had visitors from Los Angeles.

Today, the largest Pentecostal denomination in the world is the Assemblies of God (AoG). AoG has been ordaining women to ministry since it started in 1914. This year 2024, is its centenary. One of the most famous female preachers of all time, Aimee Elizabeth Semple McPherson (1890-1944), was ordained as an evangelist by the Assemblies of God in 1919. Her church Angelus Temple in Los Angeles, built in 1923, was the first megachurch in the USA, and she pioneered radio evangelism. She also opened a food bank, a soup kitchen and distributed food, clothing and blankets, which are ministries which many churches still do today.

Pentecost in 2024 is on Sunday 19 May. Let’s not forget the women from the story who often get overlooked in retelling it.

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