What Does the Bible Say About Submission in Marriage? A Louisville Church Answers

By Evan Hardwick, Senior Minister, Lyndon Christian Church — Louisville, KY

If you've ever searched "what does the Bible say about submission in marriage" or "is Ephesians 5 sexist," you're not alone. At Lyndon Christian Church in the East End of Louisville, we just started a new sermon series, Blueprints for the Home, walking through Ephesians 5–6, and the first message took that question head-on.

A Building That Collapsed From One Wall

In 1968, Ivy Hodge struck a match to make tea in her 18th-floor London flat. Gas had leaked all night. The explosion blew out one wall, and because the Ronan Point tower was built so every wall held up the others, an entire corner of the building came down. Families work the same way. When one person carries all the weight, or one person grabs all the power, the household gives way.

Paul Wasn't Repeating Aristotle

In Paul's world, Aristotle's household rules said a husband commands and a wife obeys in silence. Paul rewrote that. Before he said a word to wives, he told the whole church to submit "to one another out of reverence for Christ" (Ephesians 5:21). The Greek verb means "I place myself under": a free choice, not something forced on you. Submission is not subjugation. It doesn't mean losing your voice, and it never means putting up with abuse. Paul also defined a husband's headship by sacrifice: Christ leads the church by giving himself up for it.

The result is a Christian marriage where the question isn't "Who wins?" but "What does Christ want?"

Why Choose a Smaller Church in Louisville's East End?

Louisville is blessed with churches of every size, including large congregations like Southeast Christian Church and Northeast Christian Church. But if you're searching for a "church near me" in 40222 or 40242 where the pastor actually knows your name, Lyndon Christian Church offers something different:

• You'll be known, not lost in a crowd. Fill out a connect card on Sunday and you'll hear from our pastor that same afternoon.

• Honest answers to hard questions. Topics like marriage, gender roles, and biblical authority get careful, in-context Bible teaching, and you can talk them through with real people afterward.

• Room to serve right away. No waiting list for a volunteer slot. Your gifts are needed now.

• Close to home. We're an easy drive from Lyndon, St. Matthews, Middletown, Prospect, and the surrounding East End, just minutes from Westport Rd., Brownsboro Rd., and Shelbyville Rd., without megachurch traffic or crowded parking lots.

  
  

Looking for Biblical Marriage Advice and Spiritual Guidance in Louisville?

Whether you're married, single, a parent, or simply looking for a Bible-teaching church in Louisville, KY, Blueprints for the Home is for you. Next week, we'll look at what Ephesians 5 asks of husbands.

Join us this Sunday at Lyndon Christian Church. Find service times and directions at lyndonchristian.org.