When we confuse parachurch organizations with the local church, we end up with a muddled mess. We can’t definitively answer a question of “where does a woman belong in a complementarian organization?” because applications about teaching and authority only make sense in context of a community that actually possesses authority. Some would say to simply “err on the safe side” and apply the dynamics of local church ministry to parachurch organizations. But doing this may actually minimize the significance of the local church the same way that calling a woman to submit to all men diminishes the significance of her submission to her own husband.

If a woman speaks and a man learns something, did she teach him?

Last week, The Gospel Coalition held their National Conference in Orlando, FL. And last week, Jen Michel, author, speaker, and conference attendee, wrote a piece that probably surprised a few folks. Returning from the conference, Michel was struck by the lack of female representation, both in speakers and other attendees, which led her to ask the question: Where do women belong in complementarian organizations?

First a little background. The Gospel Coalition hosts two conferences on alternating years. One is referred to as the “National Conference” and is open to both men and women; however, the attendance leans heavily male, and if my observations are correct, toward those “in ministry.” Because of this, TGC (which holds a complementarian view of gender) does not invite women to be plenary speakers, although a few women teach breakout sessions. It should also be noted that plenary speakers, while not necessarily full-time pastors, tend to be ordained men with a high degree of theological education.

On the alternate year, TGC hosts a “Women’s Conference” which functions more classically as a lay conference. From outward appearances, it is more heavily attended by lay (female) members of the church than the National Conference; and while the speakers are overwhelming female, the form and structure is hardly distinguishable from the National Conference.

I’ve attended both, and I’ll be honest: I’ve always been confused by the relationship between the two. I’m not confused that a parachurch organization hosts a National Conference. I’m not confused that a parachurch organization hosts a Women’s Conference. I’m confused that the same organization hosts both.

The best I can figure is that TGC is trying to walk the difficult line of supporting more robust women’s discipleship at the same time that they are trying to honor one of their defining tenets—complementarianism.

But here’s the thing: Michel’s question (and my confusion) is less about TGC being a complementarian organization than about TGC being a parachurch organization. What TGC is really wrestling with is how ecclesiology works out in a multi-denominational setting. The questions under the question are about the differences between laity and elders, finding unity in context of diversity, and the relationship between the local church and parachurch organizations.

And unfortunately for Michel and a whole bunch of other complementarian women, these questions land on our heads.

Still, I understand that there isn’t an easy answer to “Where do women belong in complementarian organizations?” There are, however, some principles that could clarify the process of wrestling with it:

1. Remember that human beings flourish through male and female cooperation. Genesis 1 teaches us that God made mankind in His image, “male and female He made them.” But not only are men and women equal image bearers, we are dependent image bearers—dependent on Him and each other to accomplish the work of glorifying Him. God designed human beings so that if we don’t work together as male and female, we won’t survive. So while we are distinct, these distinctions only make sense in context of cooperation, not in separateness. (Try having a baby by yourself.) Of all people, complementarians should be the first to visibly honor and celebrate this truth in practice. How ever it works out, coalescing around the gospel should bring men and women into closer proximity, not greater distance.

2. Remember the difference between parachurch organizations and the local church. It’s interesting that Michel doesn’t ask “Where do women belong in complementarian churches?” She seems very at peace with where she belongs in her own complementarian church. Instead she asks a more difficult question that reveals evangelicalism’s complicated relationship with parachurch organizations.

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