The apostles and New Testament authors were all men, but that doesn't mean that the early Christian Church was an "all-male club." In fact, women played a vital role in the life of the early Christian Church. Paul, for example, often speaks of women who played important roles in the Church's ministry. Specifically, in Romans 16, he expressly calls out several women, most notably Phoebe, a deacon in the church who helped many, and Priscilla, who, along with Aquilla, is referred to as Paul's co-worker.