Women were central to spreading the gospel and building early Christian communities. Take Lydia, for example — a savvy businesswoman who turned her home into one of the first house churches in Philippi. However, despite the apostles supporting women’s roles in church leadership, today’s churches often hold women back from similar positions. By revisiting Lydia’s story, we can recognize the vital contributions of women to Christianity and rethink current views on female leadership in the church.
Who Is Lydia in the Bible, and What Did She Do?
Lydia is a notable figure in the New Testament, specifically mentioned in Acts 16. She was a businesswoman from the city of Thyatira, known for dealing in purple cloth, a luxury item (Acts 16:14). Lydia is described as a “God-fearer,” meaning she worshiped God but was not fully converted to Christianity.
The Apostle Paul encountered Lydia during his second missionary journey when he visited Philippi, a Roman colony in Macedonia. On the Sabbath, Paul spoke to a group of women gathered by the river for prayer, and Lydia was among them.
As the story goes, “Lydia, who, impressed by the preaching of Paul, is baptised along with her household into Christianity and then becomes the head of a house where a Christian community meets in Philippi. Before dedicated church buildings were built, Christians met up in houses that also offered hospitality to travelling missionaries. Lydia was, therefore, the head of a house church” (Jesus and Women, p. 119).
Lydia’s story is a testament to the transformative power of faith and the pivotal role women can play in spiritual leadership. Her example challenges contemporary practices and invites us to reimagine how inclusive and dynamic church communities can be when all members are empowered to lead. As we reflect on Lydia’s contributions, we are called to foster environments that recognize and celebrate the diverse gifts and callings within our faith communities.
What Can We Learn from Lydia in the Bible?
Lydia’s story highlights her conversion, baptism, and the establishment of a house church in Philippi. While there are many takeaways from this story, let’s focus on what we learn about the essential contributions of women in the spread of the gospel.
By opening her home for gatherings, Lydia played a pivotal role in establishing one of the first Christian communities in Europe. This underscores the potential for women to lead and nurture spiritual communities.
Lydia’s prominent role also challenges contemporary views that often limit women’s leadership in the church. Her story encourages reevaluating and embracing the diverse gifts and callings of women in spiritual leadership.
Applying Lessons from Lydia to the Church Today
Learning about Lydia in the Bible makes it clear that women significantly impacted the spreading of the gospel and building of the early church. The question becomes, if the apostles thought women could do church leadership, why do we try to suppress or discourage women from these roles today?
Despite the clear examples of female leadership in the early church, many modern denominational practices and cultural contexts continue to limit women’s roles within church leadership. This was recently highlighted in the SBC controversy about women as pastors.
This suppression often stems from traditional interpretations of biblical texts and long-standing patriarchal structures within religious institutions. As a result, women are frequently excluded from key decision-making positions and denied the opportunity to fully exercise their spiritual gifts and leadership abilities. This not only stifles the potential contributions of half the church population but also contradicts the inclusive spirit demonstrated by early Christian communities like Lydia’s.
Using Lydia as an example can profoundly transform current attitudes toward women in leadership roles within the church. By championing her story and highlighting her contributions, churches today can embrace the diverse talents and perspectives that women bring to ministry. Encouraging and empowering women to take on leadership roles can lead to more dynamic and inclusive church communities, ultimately strengthening the spread of the gospel. Lydia’s legacy serves as a powerful reminder that effective church leadership relies on the active participation and recognition of all its members, regardless of gender.
If you would like to dive deeper into these ideas, I encourage you to read my book, Jesus and Women. In it, I explore the influence of women on the Early Church and a path forward for restoring their rightful place in church leadership.
