The Increasingly Feminised Church 

Examining the biblical roles of men and women in the Church

Women now make up about one-third of all clergy in the Church of England (around one-third also in the Church of Scotland and in the Methodist Church). The proportion of women entering training for ordained ministry is rising. Recent figures are showing more women ordinands than men - 58% of ordinands in 2023 were women. This suggests the proportion of female clergy will continue to grow.

This cannot simply be ascribed to ‘pushy women’; rather, it is a mark of the inadequacy of men. Men have refused to take up the biblical masculine roles which are their calling.

Shaped by feminine values

Christianity in the United Kingdom, both mainstream and free evangelical, has become increasingly shaped by feminine values, culture and participation. Generally, the culture, worship style and priorities of the modern Church have become less appealing to men and more oriented towards women.

This is clear from contemporary worship, which often emphasises emotional expression, intimacy with God, and gentle imagery. This can be seen in the choice of worship music and hymns in many churches. Men who prefer action-oriented worship or intellectual engagement can be turned off by what is perceived as feminine, touchy-feely worship. There seems little place for manly men, especially working-class men, in much of contemporary worship.

Sermons and ministries often focus on relationships, inner healing, and community support, rather than challenge, mission, or sacrifice.

This has led to a change in congregational leadership and participation in many denominations. As well as ordained posts, women now make up the majority of lay leaders, volunteers and attendees in most churches. Men, by contrast, are more likely to disengage or attend only sporadically, if at all.

The pastoral tone of the Church has also altered. Sermons and ministries often focus on relationships, inner healing, and community support, rather than challenge, mission, or sacrifice. Sometimes a sermon series or even an entire ministry is described in official communications as ‘therapeutic’ or ‘nurturing’.

When the Church stops calling men to lead and take risks for their faith, it loses part of the biblical vision of discipleship. This can be linked directly to the rise of feminism and the decline of traditional gender roles, as culture questioned male authority, the Church followed suit, and as a result declined in numbers and influence.

Men as Leaders

Western culture and many churches have become ‘feminised,’ promoting values like sensitivity and emotional expression at the expense of strength, authority and courage. Any holistic expression of Christianity calls men to embrace their God-given identity as leaders, protectors and providers.

This is not as a cultural preference but is a theological truth firmly rooted in Scripture and the very fabric of creation. At the core of the relationship between the sexes lies the doctrine of complementarianism. This teaches that men and women possess equal intrinsic worth in the eyes of God - both are made in the image of God Genesis 1:27 - yet they are bestowed with distinct roles and responsibilities.

Men and women possess equal intrinsic worth in the eyes of God - yet they are bestowed with distinct roles and responsibilities.

For men this means assuming the responsibilities of leadership. This is borne out by Scripture from passages such as Genesis 2–3, where Adam is created first and Eve is described as his helper, and Ephesians 5:22–33, which compares the husband’s leadership in marriage to Christ’s leadership of the Church.

This created order shows that male leadership is not a product of human tradition or a supposed patriarchy but part of God’s original design. To reject these roles is to reject the Creator’s plan for human flourishing.

In both the home and the Church, men are seen as divinely appointed leaders who bear responsibility for the moral and spiritual direction of those under their care. This leadership, in theory, is not meant to be authoritarian or self-serving, but sacrificial and loving, reflecting the way Christ leads the Church. This is servant leadership, where authority and humility go hand in hand.

However, in practice, this biblical teaching can be distorted where weak men cling to positions of final authority and women are expected to follow their guidance no matter what. This usurpation of masculine leadership is just as much a distortion of biblical teaching as is the abdication of masculine leadership.

Jesus the Warrior

Modern Christianity has lost sight of Jesus’ strength, courage and willingness to confront evil. The Bible highlights biblical images of struggle and battle, such as the ‘full armour of God’ in Ephesians 6:10–18 and the victorious Christ in Revelation 19. Men are called into a life of spiritual warfare.

Passivity is not enough, deep within their souls, men need a higher calling.

The Christian man mirrors Jesus by fighting for truth, defending his family, and standing firm against cultural or moral decay. This is dismissed by many within the feminised Church as ‘muscular Christianity’, yet it frames discipleship as an adventure, calling men to reclaim boldness and risk-taking as spiritual virtues. The 'Quiet Revival' which has seen the influx to conservative churches of a great many young people, shows how young men in particular need identity, direction and challenge in life. Passivity is not enough, deep within their souls, men need a higher calling.

Sin

We see the failure of male leadership most clearly at the beginning of the Bible; Adam’s passivity allowed sin and destruction to enter creation (Genesis 3). Therefore, men’s ongoing temptation is to avoid responsibility, while women’s is to overstep their God-given role.

Salvation, then, is not only about personal faith but about restoring proper order within creation, including between the sexes. When a man comes to Christ, he is not only forgiven but also renewed in his calling to lead, protect and provide. True redemption restores men to their biblical manhood and women to their biblical womanhood, each fulfilling their roles in harmony.

The Family

The home is a ‘little kingdom’ where divine order is reflected on a small scale: the husband represents Christ, the wife represents the Church, and the children are under both parents’ loving authority. When a husband leads well, spiritually, emotionally and materially, the family functions as God intended. This emphasis on family order ties theological ideas directly to daily life, blending faith with cultural expectations about gender and family structure.

Men are called to take up leadership, courage and moral strength as spiritual duties. This offers clarity and purpose in an age of confusion and threat to Church and family.

Only as men undertake to fulfil their masculine roles can we begin to reclaim the Church and society.

(Prophecy Today will be following up this article with one offering an alternative viewpoint, also based on biblical teaching)