What does the Bible say about women as leaders in ministry?

The Bible is full of stories of women in leadership roles. From Miriam and Deborah in the Old Testament to Lydia, Phoebe and Priscilla in the New Testament just to name a few, God uses the people He sees best fitted for the task regardless of background, age or gender. To be totally transparent, the Bible was written in a patriarchal culture and there are passages of Scripture that seem to shut down women in leadership roles. However, these passages need to be read in the context of history, culture and the Bible as a whole. Being a woman was and is rarely easy. Even so, within Scripture there are many examples of women leading both men and women and more than enough reasons to see that God values women as leaders. As one in Christ, we are all called to love and minister to others for the sake of the Gospel, regardless of gender (Galatians 3:28).

Lieutenant Stephanie Pavlakis 
Seattle, WA

How do I focus less on achievements and good works and more on a relationship with God?

Based on your question, it sounds like you are probably a pretty busy person. My initial thought is to ask how much time you spend being with God? Through God’s grace, we can be in a close relationship with Him but receiving this grace can be difficult if our focus is frequently elsewhere because we are not ready to receive it from God. Even in our good works, we can see distractions because our focus is on the work instead of God Himself. For instance, if we read the Bible every day, a good thing, but are focused on getting through a set number of passages, there might be some room for God to speak to us, but not as much as if you’re reading with the focus on how God is revealing Himself through the passages. The first way is a good exercise for our mind, but the second is a good practice for our soul. God wants to be close to us but will not force Himself upon us, so we have to be intentional in making sure that we have quality time to hear and experience the nature of God. I recommend looking at the traditional spiritual disciplines and Samuel Logan Brengle’s writings for other ideas on spending quality time with God.

Captain Clinton Trimmer 
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

How do I create intimacy with God?

I love hearing youth ask this question! If you’re asking this, it must mean you crave intimacy with God; that is the first step! Just like when you make a new friend and you spend time with them to get to know them better, you create intimacy with God by spending time with Him—talking to Him, attending a Bible study, listening to worship music and reading His Word. The Bible is filled with God showing His creation that He wants an intimate relationship with them. When we strive to spend more time with Him, He begins to guide our every step in life.

Captain Chrissy Cooper 
Southfield, MI

The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church.

An officer in The Salvation Army is an ordained minister of Christian faith. They dedicate their lives, skills and service completely to God. Submit your question to an officer at peermag.org/contribute