Although, I am ordained as an Evangelist/Missionary, my views are very different than many women in ministry in that, I do not think God intended or has called women to be as PASTORS over a church. I'm not speaking about His call on women in ministry or the spreading of the gospel, because there are many examples of women in ministry in the Old and New Testament.
My view and reasoning, is based on what is in Ephesians chapter5, and God's setup of the original family in the beginning with Adam and Eve over the garden (home) which is like unto the church. He put man in charge of the garden, just as he put man in charge of the home.
On the other hand, I feel, if there is not a man to be in this position, and a woman minister is available, she is able to stand in until a man is there to take over. I base this on Genesis chapter 29, wherein Raechel is recorded as being the first woman shepherdess tending sheep, up UNTIL Jacon came , then she turned it over to him. Same principle...
God has an order of roles and postions for the man and the woman, and the unity of marriage is compared and symbolic to the church. And just as He never intended nor purposed in the beginning nor called or placed women to be heads of households, He never called or place a woman head of His church.
When the man is out of place, it is reason for the woman to take the lead and be head of her household, BUT, this was not in God's original painting of the family. When a man and woman are married they are one therefore, if the man is the pastor of a church, would it not go to reason that his wife is co-pastor along side of him? Therefore, she would be UNDER his covering yet, she still does not have authority OVER her husband OR the church. She is only CO-pastor with him.Just as she would be co-head of the household along side of her husband in the home.
What your thoughts about women who have the title of PASTOR over the church?
Do you think the SBC is wrong for their actions in this case?
Baptists to Cut Ties with Ga. Church Over Female Pastor
By Audrey Barrick|Christian Post Reporter
A more than 95-year-old church in Atlanta may be ousted from the Southern Baptist Convention over a woman pastor.
The Rev. Mimi Walker has been serving as co-pastor at Druid Hills Baptist Church with her husband, the Rev. Graham Walker, since 2003. But earlier this month, leaders of the Georgia Baptist Convention recommended cutting ties with the local congregation.
"It seems sad that they decided to go backwards in time," Mimi Walker told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I'm not sure what the value is of trying to go back in time when women were held in subservience."
According to the Southern Baptist Convention's 2000 Baptist Faith and Message, the office of pastor is "limited to men as qualified by Scripture."
In keeping with the confession statement, the state convention voted on March 16 to declare Druid Hills "not a cooperating church."
It added, "The GBC has never been opposed to women serving in ministry positions other than pastor," according to Associated Baptist Press.
This is the second time the Georgia Baptist Convention has moved toward severing ties with a local church over a female pastor. Last year, the convention voted to end its relationship with First Baptist Church in Decatur over the congregation's decision to bring a woman to the pulpit. Julie Pennington-Russell became senior pastor of First Baptist in 2007.
"I�ve seen women in the ministry and worked with women in Presbyterian and Methodist churches," Walker told AJC. "They are moving forward in the process of keeping women involved in the ministry and moving toward equality.
"Our disagreement is related to how you interpret Scripture."
Amid ongoing conflicts over female pastors, some Southern Baptist leaders have made clarifications to what they believe.
Dr. Richard Land, president of The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, said the Baptist Faith and Message does not state that "women are to be subservient to men." They are of equal worth before God, he stated earlier.
And though women are gifted for service in the church, Land says the New Testament teaches that "a woman is not to usurp authority over the man" and thus women are not to serve as pastors.
The Georgia Baptist Convention, which has roughly 3,600 churches and is one of 41 state conventions throughout the country, will vote in November on the recommendation to sever ties.
I agree with you BBT, I am a woman but i dont think bible teachings have so much impact to the flocks if the Pastor is a woman.To me man and only man who has a character of a good overseer of the flocks can be a Pastor.but I also agree that it is better to have a woman stand up and teach than nothing at all. The woman will stand up if there is really a call / need but she must be very careful to use words so that it wont offend or downgrade men.
I would like also to take this opportunity to thank those who participate in the many topics chosen which I really learned a lot even the very sensitive issues. I think free flowing of ideas should be encouraged even they are so sensitive for us to learn from each other. As one says, it is how you say it . A very sensitive issue can be discussed as long as you wont use vulgar and very offensive words.
May everyone here grow in knowledge and wisdom of the Lord.
You are too funny! How snippy you get when you are confronted with the truth. Very typical of you. You have yet to demonstrate in any discussions/debates we have had, as to where any exegesis I presented was in any error. Demonstrate means to prove. I am sorry to have to inform you that your opinion doesn't count as proof.
The scriptures are clear no matter how you try and twist the meaning to suit your personal and very unbiblical belief.
Husband of one wife is a GENDER SPECIFIC qualification for being a Bishop/Elder/Pastor. Women are never permitted by God to assume this position nor does God call women into these positions. WHY? Because if God were to do that then HE would be contradicting HIS written Word and then that would make God a liar.
Can GOD contradict His written word? Prove it.
Does God being sovereign allow Him to lie?
Does God being sovereign allow Him to contradict His written word?
Does God being sovereign, who established the church leadership positions as being for men only, sealed the cannon of scripture, can now change and contradict His written Word and call women into those specific leadership positions? NO WAY!
Can God who is sovereign, who said through the Apostle Paul in dealing with rules within the Church,
1 Tim 2:12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.
Can God now change these ORDAINED rules/requirements/commandments?
A Pastor/Bishop/Elder has authority over the local church and teaches all in the church including men obviously.
So since a woman is forbidden to teach or have authority over a man, how can a woman be a Pastor/Elder/Bishop who teaches and has authority over men?
1 Cor 14: 37 If anyone thinks he is a prophet or a spiritual person, he must acknowledge that what I am writing to you IS THE LORD'S COMMAND
38 But if anyone ignores this, he should be ignored.
This is what the Lord God has commanded! PERIOD!
How many here really want to go against what God has commanded? Some of you are.
How many here really want to go against GOD? Some of you are.
