Women at Bethlehem Baptist

Bethlehem Baptist Church does not permit women serve as Pastors or Elders (governing members of the church). One woman on staff at Bethlehem Baptist explained, in a 2012 interview, that when church leaders have meetings, all the male leaders sit around a conference table. Their assistants, many of whom are women, sit on the outside of the table or next to them. Women, the staff member told me, have a voice in the decisions made at the table, because they are especially good at translating the ideas of the men into reality. She told me that the men need the women and the women need the men because men were good at the “big picture” and women were good with the “details,” so the two fit together. 

This idea of a perfect male-plus-female puzzle is an example of "complementarianism," an ideal explored in great depth by John Piper, Bethlehem's long-time pastor, in his 600-page 1991 book Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. In this book, Piper says that the Bible lays out distinct roles for men and women, which he describes as such:

"At the heart of mature masculinity is a sense of benevolent responsibility to lead, provide for, and protect women in ways appropriate to a man’s differing relationships. At the heart of mature femininity is a freeing disposition to affirm, receive and nurture strength and leadership from worthy men in ways appropriate to a woman’s differing relationships."¹ 

In a 2012 interview, Char Ransom, former Head of Children’s Ministry, gave a related description of the roles of women at Bethlehem:

Q: "I noticed, and correct me if I’m wrong, that the elders and the pastors are all men and that there aren’t women?"

Char: "That’s exactly right."

Q: "Is there a biblical reason for that?"

Char: "There is, and they take it from first Timothy, whatever chapter, where… [it says] basically that the elders are to be husbands of one wife and be able to handle their children and that kind of thing—there are qualifications there. And then from the conviction that—from way back in the Old Testament—that men are to be the spiritual leaders in their homes and in the church.

So Bethlehem feels very strongly about that and we’ve had people leave because they can’t handle that, and when we interviewed Pastor John I didn’t believe that… so I used to argue with him about that… we’re fast friends now, but I argued that point.

But I am convinced that, for the leadership of the church, that does not mean that women don’t have a voice. In fact, Pastor John spoke at this women’s conference and he said that we believe that men are the spiritual leaders of the church, but it doesn’t mean that women are any less significant, that women have a powerful influence in their homes and their church and in their families and in their world… So we would never have a woman pastor."

"Men are the spiritual leaders of the church, but it doesn’t mean that women are any less significant." - Char Ransom

Although this complementary view prevails at Bethlehem, it doesn't mean that gender is not a complex and controversial topic of discussion in the church. In 2023, there was controversy over the gender-related statements of Joe Rigney, who was then a candidate for the presidency of Bethlehem College and Seminary and has since been selected for the role. Although Bethlehem Baptist Church is distinct from the college, the two are associated, and some congregants expressed concern over Rigney's presidency. In an interview with Christianity Today, concerned Bethlehem parishioner Janette Takata discussed video where Rigney spoke about "women using emotional manipulation or falsely claiming abuse." Takata questioned how this "would square with the church’s own ministry to care for victims.² Clearly, gender at Bethlehem is not a simple issue.