Submission is:
| Functional | a distinguishing of our roles and the work we are called to do |
| Relational | a loving acknowledgment of another’s value as a person |
| Reciprocal | a mutual, humble cooperation with one another |
| Universal | an acknowledgment by the church of the all-encompassing lordship of Jesus Christ |
Submission is voluntarily cooperating with someone, first out of love and respect for God and then out of love and respect for that person. Submitting to unbelievers is difficult, but it is a vital part of leading them to Jesus Christ. We are not called to submit to nonbelievers to the point that we compromise our relationship with God, but we must look for every opportunity to humbly serve in the power of God’s Spirit.