In other words: CLA provides training and global recognition, but we do not overrule local church governance. Local leaders prayerfully discern who they will commission—whether male or female—based on their convictions and practices.
If a local church does not ordain women, CLA does not force the issue.
If a local church or Soul Center joyfully commissions women, CLA stands ready to support and recognize those ministers as part of our global clergy family.
We believe Scripture gives strong support for women as gospel messengers, beginning with Peter’s Pentecost sermon.
After Jesus rose from the dead and ascended, the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost. The disciples spoke in other languages as the Spirit enabled them, and the crowd—filled with visitors from across the known world—heard “the mighty works of God” in their own languages (Acts 2:7–11).
When people asked, “What does this mean?” Peter explained—first with a simple clarification:
“These aren’t drunk… it is only the third hour of the day.”
Then he anchored the moment in the prophecy of Joel:
“I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh… your sons and your daughters will prophesy… on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit… and they will prophesy.” (Acts 2:16–18)
From the very first Christian sermon, we see:
Peter’s message centers on the risen Christ and the Spirit’s empowerment for witness (Acts 2:32–33), ending with a call to repent, be baptized, and follow Jesus.
Based on Acts 2 and other biblical passages, Christian Leaders Alliance recognizes that in these last days, ministry-trained men and women are called to be messengers of the gospel.
Therefore:
Our aim is to be faithful to Scripture, to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and to the principle that Christ is Lord of His church in every place.
The question of whether women may serve as ordained ministers has been debated across history. Christian Leaders Alliance affirms the ordination of ministry-trained women, while also respecting churches and commissioning bodies that, in good conscience, hold a different view.
We do not judge those who do not ordain women.
We simply bear witness to the biblical and historical reasons we believe women may serve as ministers.
As the apostle Paul raised up a new generation of Christian leaders to spread the gospel beyond the first apostles, he included educated and ministry-trained women in his mission.
On his missionary journeys, Paul:
One notable example is Phoebe.
Phoebe was a well-resourced woman from Cenchrea (a port town near Corinth). Paul describes her as a “great help” to many (often understood as a benefactor/patron), and he entrusts her with carrying his letter to the believers in Rome.
Paul writes:
“I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a diakonos of the church in Cenchreae…” (Romans 16:1–2, paraphrased)
Throughout church history, interpreters have debated whether diakonos here should be translated servant, deacon, or minister—but what is clear is that Paul:
Phoebe stands out as a woman who was:
In the Roman world, women’s education was rare compared to men’s. This cultural reality helps explain why Paul gives certain situational instructions in specific contexts—such as in 1 Corinthians 14:33–35, where he addresses disorder and learning dynamics in the gathered church.
Christian Leaders Alliance views these texts as contextual instructions addressing real situations, not as a blanket erasure of women’s ministry examples—especially in light of trained women like Phoebe and others commended in Romans 16.
Paul also highlights women such as:
Scholars such as Richard Bauckham have explored the named women and their roles within the early Christian movement (Gospel Women, 2002).
Christian Leaders Alliance also sees support for women’s ordination in early church practice—particularly regarding women deacons in various regions and eras.
Work such as Gary Macy’s research argues that women deacons were present in the Western Church for a long period of history (Women Deacons in the Western Church, 2011).
Around 110 AD, Pliny the Younger wrote to Emperor Trajan about how to handle Christians. In his inquiry, he reported torturing two enslaved women who were called ministrae (a Latin term that can correspond to service/ministry language used for deacons in some contexts).
This suggests that by the early second century:
From Phoebe—a woman of means—to enslaved women called ministrae, early Christianity included women serving across very different social levels.
Historical references, inscriptions, and records include women associated with diaconal ministry, such as Olympias (c. 370 CE), known as a deacon in Constantinople.
Some movements (such as Montanism) also demonstrate that early believers did not universally restrict Spirit-empowered ministry participation to men, though Christians today may evaluate such movements critically and thoughtfully.
So—are ordained women ministers allowed?
At Christian Leaders Alliance, we believe yes: women and men may serve as deacons/ministers and as gospel messengers, when ministry-trained and locally endorsed.
Therefore:
Our heart is to:
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