Complementarianism in the Church

The Austin Stone Community Church has long valued and sought to empower women in ministry and mission. From the earliest days of the church, our elders have sought to wisely cultivate the flourishing of God’s daughters in the context of the local church, in light of the full counsel of His Word. Over the past few years, our elders have had many conversations with female leaders and other women in our church about their experiences, and the common request has been for clarity on our perspectives about roles in the church. Our desire is to provide that clarity, because it encourages the flourishing of women and, as a result, the rest of the church.

The position paper linked below covers topics including the role of women in the church, the fact that men and women are equal in dignity and distinct in roles, and the nature of governance in the church. It also includes answers to commonly asked questions and a prayer for our church.