Do Complementarians Rejoice When A Woman Preaches?

I have a simple question for my Complimentarian friends. The debate about women in ministry is well-worn and most of us know the key texts to discuss, the key theological paradigms that are debated, etc. The two camps are not entirely monolithic however, and there is plenty of room for nuanced positions and even some differing approaches to exegetical, theological, and practical issues on both sides. I’m sure we can all agree that there are good arguments and bad arguments on both sides, and that there are hurtful ways of approaching the question on both sides too.

I was recently struck by a thought, and it’s a thought that I’d like to pose as a question to my Complimentarian friends. Is there any room to rejoice when a woman preaches? Yes, I know that you’re not an Egalitarian for reasons that you find compelling and convincing. I have no doubts about that. But is there any room for rejoicing?

Here’s the text from Paul’s letter to the Philippians that got me going on this. Consider what Paul says here:

“It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice” (Philippians 1.15–18a, NIV).

Paul rejoiced when the gospel was preached by those with bad motivations. But I wonder how many Complementarians rejoice when the gospel is preached by women with good intentions. When I read statements by John Piper on why women shouldn’t be professors in Seminary, or when I read this personal blog post by a student from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary lamenting that women graduated from his seminary with an M.Div. in Pastoral Ministry, I’m left wondering how much room there might be within Complementarianism to rejoice. I don’t see these two examples as being on the same level in a number of respects, and I’m not suggesting that there aren’t Complementarians out there who can and do rejoice that the gospel is preached. I believe that such Complementarians exist. And I would love to hear that although they may disagree, they nevertheless rejoice. If we are not able to rejoice, I really do wonder whether we’ve conflated Complementarianism with the gospel, or elevated it to a status above the gospel.

Will you join me in rejoicing?