Beth-El Baptist Church
07/16/06
Greg Tomlinson
What is the pastor’s wife supposed to do?
Last time we talked about the job of the pastor. Scripture identifies the job of the pastor is to be like a shepherd to sheep that sometimes need correction and healing compassion. All of his work is to be Word of God oriented. This leaves his primary job as teaching and preaching the Word of God. Now, what about the wife of the Pastor, does she have any particular job according to scripture?
1. Any specific scripture about the wives of church leaders?
Luke 1:5-6
1 Timothy 3:2-13 (especially v11)
In all of scripture, there is nothing particular about special roles of Pastor’s, deacon’s or other church leader wives. The only thing about them that is specified in scripture is that they are married to a church leader and they are to be honorable in character, temperate, free from wine and trustworthy (1 Timothy 3:11). This leads us then to look at women of the Bible and see what they are to be doing.
2. What is her participation in her husband’s ministry expected to be?
Genesis 2:18-24
Amos 3:3
Proverbs 31:11-12
The wife of a Pastor is to be an encourager of her husband and his ministry. Since they are but one flesh, the husband and wife ought to enter into and engage in the ministry together as one entity. The Pastor should not enter into full time ministry if his wife is against it. It could be the beginnings of the fall of his ministry. The important thing is that the husband and the wife view the ministry as a team. They are in the ministry together. It is not his ministry in which his wife has no part but it does not mean that she is to be the head or leader of the women’s or children’s ministries within the local congregation. She also needs to be careful that she does not damage her husband’s ministry.
3. What are some activities for mature believing women?
Titus 2:1-5
2 Timothy 2:15
Galatians 6:1-6
1 Timothy 2:9-12 See also
Isaiah 3:12
As a mature or spiritually minded sister in Christ, the pastor’s wife is to be a trainer and a helper to others in the congregation. Among the activities of the mature is the education of the younger in the aspects of marriage that they may also become Godly women of great virtue. There is also the necessity of bearing or helping out with the difficulties of life that another sister will have. This does not mean that they are to completely shoulder the burden and take it away from their sister but to help her through it and to bear up under it. The wife is to be careful that she not take the God given authority of her husband away from him.
4. What are some things for the Godly wife to remember?
Ephesians 5:20-24; 33
1 Peter 3:1-4
The most important is that he is to submit to her husband. This means that she is to honor and respect her husband and listen to him. She is to have the attitude that as the head of the house she is to expect that the decisions her husband makes are for her benefit and not to cause her any harm. She is to be more interested in her heart and character than on her outward appearance with respect to clothes and such.
More information about Godly wives can be found in the ‘wives.htm’ document.
The
Pastor’s wife really does not have any specific tasks assigned her by
scripture. Her primary work is to serve her husband by treating him
respectfully and honorably while ensuring that she not harm the ministry nor
his name or reputation. She is to behave herself as a mature believer, just as
any other Christian, which means that she understands that she is a servant of God
who serves other people.