The principle of appointment is evident in the sixth chapter of Acts. The fast-growing Jerusalem church experiences its first internal crisis. Greek-speaking Jews complain that their widows are being neglected as compared with Aramaic-speaking (Hebrew) widows.
Here is a matter related directly to meeting the needs of women. Since women often best minister to women, this seems an ideal time for the apostles to place lady leaders in charge, perhaps female deacons of some sort. But even in this situation of service to females, men are called upon to lead.
And the twelve [apostles] summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them (Acts 6:2-6).
Why select just men? Why not include a few women, say five men and two women? Surely, among so many Christians there are women “of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom.” Why, then, are women not named? The answer may be found in the nature of this service. It rises to the level of public selection and appointment (Acts 6:3, 5-6). Evidently, an enduring principle is at work in Acts 6. That principle has to do with leadership. The Greek phrase for “appoint to” is kathistemi epi. As other versions show, it means “appoint over,” “give responsibility to” or “put in charge of.” The seven men are being appointed to a public role involving the leading of others in the church.