Women in Ministry 5: How Deborah Exemplifies the Five-Fold Ministry Positions in Ephesians 4

In today's podcast, we discuss how Deborah was not only a leader, but an ultimate leader like unto Moses.   The Holy Spirit embedded pictures within Deborah's life to connect her leadership back to the life and leadership of Moses.   Moses was a leader like no other in the Old Testament, because he was prophet, priest, king, judge, and sage all rolled up into one person. 

Through this study, we'll see how Deborah was the female version of Moses as a leader. 

Then we'll explore how Deborah's leadership in the Old Testament correlates with the five-fold ministry positions in Ephesians 4.

Listen to today's podcast to be encouraged by Deborah's example!
 
SCRIPTURES STUDIED
Judges 4:4-5
Judges 5:3, 31 [Deborah as an evangelist.]
Exodus 18:1-27  [Moses judges the people.]
Ephesians 4: 10-16, especially verse 11 [Five-fold ministry positions]
Leviticus 10:11; Deuteronomy 33:10  [Priests teach the Word.]
Deuteronomy 17:8-13   [Judges, Levites, and Priests judge cases.]
Exodus 15:1-2 [Song of Moses]

RESOURCE LINKS
Article on how women played a role in the world's largest church:

https://ifphc.wordpress.com/2017/11/02/yoido-full-gospel-church-how-women-ministers-fueled-the-growth-of-the-worlds-largest-church/

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1.  How was Deborah an ultimate leader like Moses?  Why is this important?  [Think of how Moses was a Prophet, Priest, King, Judge, and Sage?  Then, think of how Deborah expressed each one of these positions through her life.]

2.  Consider why God chose to put so much into Deborah's example of an ultimate female leader.   [She was really the one and only example.  Her one example encompasses all the exceptions that can be made from her time into the future.]

3.  How does Deborah fulfill all the five-fold ministry positions in her time as leader over Israel?  [Five-fold ministry positions:  Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, Teacher, and Evangelist]  With her as a precedent, are there any restrictions for any woman God would raise up to be a leader?  Why or why not?

4.  How was Deborah in the position of teacher of the Word of God in the Old Testament?  Why was this so unusual back then?   How does her position of teacher "over all Israel" speak to us today? 

5.  Do you agree that the enemy is trying to thwart the advancement of women in the Church?  Why or why not?  If you agree, in what ways have you seen the devil at work? 

6.  Reflecting on the article of the "largest church in the world" in Korea, why do you think God blessed that church?  What did the pastor have to overcome in order to receive what God was telling him to do?

How can man's tradition and culture hold women back from taking their place in the Church and the kingdom?

ACTION STEPS

1. Study for yourself the passages shared in this podcast episode. 

2.  Subscribe and share this podcast with others who may be interested. 

3.  Go over this podcast and meditate upon these connections: 
Similarities between Deborah and Moses
How Deborah's leadership parallels Moses' leadership
How Deborah's leadership expresses the five-fold ministry positions in the New Testament

I want you to see the steps I took to show how Deborah expressed all the five-fold ministry positions. 

4.  "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind" in this area.  What steps will you take to have a deeper Biblical understanding and conviction about women leaders and women in ministry?  How will you speak up on behalf of women in this area?

5.  As a woman or a man, how will you be a "boundary breaker" in  this area to support women in a Biblical way?