So what is wrong with the above article? After all Joel did speak this prophecy about women prophesying in the last days , didn't he?"...Jesus instructed his followers to preach the good news of the Kingdom and to make disciples.( Matt. 28:19, 20; Acts 1:8 ). This commission to be ministers of the good news applies to all Christians, whether men, women, boys or girls. That this is so can be seen from the prophecy found at Joel 2:28, 29, which the apostle Peter showed had a fulfillment at Pentecost 33 C.E.: " In the last days, God says, 'I shall pour out some of my spirit upon every sort of flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy...and even upon my men slaves and upon my women slaves I will pour out some of my spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.' " ( Acts 2:17, 18) As we have noted, the evangelizer Philip had four daughters who prophesied. -Acts 21:8, 9. When it came to teaching within the congregation, however, God's Word limited the appointment of Christian overseers and ministerial servants to men. ( 1 Tim 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9). Paul, in fact, stated: " I do not permit a woman to teach, or to exercise authority over a man, but to be in silence." - 1 Tim. 2:12"
Well, let us look at what was the gift of prophecy in the first century church and how and where was this gift used? Perhaps apostle Paul can answer this question the best.
Watchtower Society quotes Joel's words when approving preaching, or evangelizing of female witnesses in territories, house to house or in informal witnessing. But was the gift of prophecy in the first century the same as "evangelizing" ?
In his letter to Corinthians apostle Paul told to his fellow believers:
According to Paul, prophesying was not evangelizing, it was a speech given by Christians IN THE CONGREGATION to believers, not to outsiders. Prophesying was to encourage, up build and console fellow brothers and sisters." On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their up building and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue build up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church." ( 1.Corinthians 14:3-4), ESV version.
This point is made even stronger by a few verses down in 1 Corinthians 14:22:
I can not help but understand from these verses that prophecy was ( and is) a gift used in the congregations - among believers gathered together for worship, not house to house preaching- evangelizing. Women in the first century congregations were using this gift along with the gift of teaching and leading a prayer in the congregations!"Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers."
Apostle Paul was encouraging all believers ( women and men) to prophecy- that is to console and up build the fellow believers while they were gathered together for worship ( read 1 Cor 14:39).
So why are Jehovah's Witnesses prohibiting sisters from talks on a platform or even leading prayers in the congregations?