- Scripture affirms that men and women are equal in importance and personhood, created in the image of God, and created to reflect his glory (Gen. 1:26-27; Isa. 43:7).
- Scripture affirms important distinctions of roles between men and women and establishes a biblical framework for authority, including male headship, which was instituted prior to the Fall (1 Cor. 11:7-9; Eph. 5:21-33; Col. 3:18-19; 1 Tim. 2:11-15).
- While the Fall created gender confusion and distorted God’s intended design for men and women, the redemptive work of God in Christ seeks to erase the distortions that were inaugurated at the curse.
- In this biblical model, husbands are called to love their wives as Christ loved the church (Eph. 5:25-30). Wives happily submit to this sacrificial love (Eph. 5:22-24). When men and women fulfill their God-ordained roles by living according to his design, namely, for husbands to love their wives and for wives to respect their husbands, they put the glory of God on display!
- The Trinity provides a model for interpersonal relationships.
- The Trinity helps us see equality that exists among men and women, clergy and laypeople, employers and employees, etc.
- The Trinity helps us see the role distinctions between men and women.
- The Trinity provides us with a framework for authority; i.e. the Son submits to the Father, and the Holy Spirit submits to the Son, etc.
- The Trinity shows how to find joy in a relationship where there are clearly defined role distinctions.
As a complementarian, I affirm the responsibility of biblically qualified men to serve as elders in the household of God and to lead and shepherd the people of God (1 Tim. 2:11-15; 1 Cor. 14:34-36; 11:2-16).[i] Therefore, the office of elder/pastor is reserved for men.
I deny an egalitarian framework that rejects role distinctions between men and women.[ii]
[i] “1 Timothy 2:8-15 imposes two restrictions on the ministry of women: they are not to teach Christian doctrine to men and they are not to exercise authority directly over men in the church.” See Douglas Moo, John Piper and Wayne Grudem, Ed. Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood (Wheaton: Crossway, 1991), 180.
[ii] Mark Dever alerts us to the troubling trend of egalitarianism: “… There may be no way the authority of Scripture is being undermined more quickly or more thoroughly in our day than through the hermeneutics of egalitarian readings of the Bible. And when the authority of Scripture is undermined, the gospel will not long be acknowledged.” Cited in Wayne Grudem, Evangelical Feminism: A New Path to Liberalism (Wheaton: Crossway, 2006), 19.
Dr. David Steele has been in pastoral ministry since 1991. He holds BS and MA degrees from Multnomah University and Multnomah Biblical Seminary and a D. Min from Bakke Graduate University. Following graduation from Multnomah University, he served eight years as Pastor to Students at Lacey Chapel. In 2000, he became the Pastor of Theology at First Baptist Church in La Grande, Oregon where he served for over eleven years. In 2012, he became the Senior Pastor at Christ Fellowship in Everson, Washington.
He is the author of Bold Reformer: Celebrating the Gospel-Centered Convictions of Martin Luther, A Godward Gaze: The Holy Pursuit of John Calvin, and The White Flag: When Compromise Cripples the Church.
At Christ Fellowship he leads the staff, serves as the Pastor for preaching and vision casting, and oversees Veritas (adult theological education) and Iron Men (men’s leadership development).
His personal mission is to positively influence people, impact the world one person at a time and to glorify God by enjoying him forever. His passion in ministry is preaching, teaching, and leadership development. Specifically, his aim is to educate the mind, engage the affections, equip the whole person, and encourage God-centered living that treasures Christ above all things.
He and his wife, Gerrene were married in 1991 and they have two children.
