Judges 4: Who Says Women Can’t Lead?

“Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time.” -Judges 4:4

Many theologians like to claim women have no right to lead. Building on the limitations for men as elders in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, these types add many additional “don’t,” ranging from a woman leading music to praying to sharing a testimony in front of a church congregation. Others suggest broader principles, claiming women should not lead in government or run for president, teaching “the woman’s place is in the home.”

I’m sure these people have read Judges, but may have missed the part about Deborah leading Israel. God never condemned her leadership. Rather, Deborah was greatly used of God to help rescue the nation from its enemies. She led, and improved, her society through her godly influence.

Why can’t women do the same today? The truth is that women can and they do. Every day. I could list a hundred examples of godly women who have made a spiritual impact in my life, from my mom to the ladies who prayed for me as a kid to the blessings of my daughters today. Yes, the Bible does note differences between thekindsof leadership roles men and women should take, but there is one important observation to be made: men and women can both provide godly leadership.

Deborah was one powerful example. May God bless those women who lead in the tradition of Deborah today.

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Dillon Burroughs is the author and coauthor of numerous books and is handwriting a copy of all 31,173 verses of the Bible at HolyWritProject.com. Find out more about Dillon at Facebook.com/readdB or readdB.com.