A young man emailed me on this site and questioned my calling to be a youth pastor because he said that women should not be allowed to be pastors. He quoted 1 Corinthians 11 and 1 Timothy 2 as his reasons. What are your thoughts out there? I'll post my response later, but I was just curious to hear what BIBLICAL references those of you might have towards this topic!
I'll quote Metropolitan Krill on this issue, "I believe women have a critical role to play in the church, but I do not believe it is in the [priesthood or as bishops],Forgive me if this offends you."
And while history shows us that women have a place within the church, but not as clergy.
Praise the LORD JESUS CHRIST and peace be unto you from GOD our FATHER and HIS SON JESUS CHRIST, the SON of the FATHER, in truth and in love.
Thank GOD for women being willing to testify CHRIST. Thank GOD for the Boldness of alot of women. Such as the woman at the well who testified CHRIST to the men in her city.
Women can and always has been greatly used of GOD. However, according to the Holy Sciptures (Specifically I Cor chp 14 and I Tim Chp 2), women are not to teach in the assembly of believers (the church). But they are to rather learn in silence. Now certainly there are many thoughts concerning why the Apostle Paul stated what he did. Some would give this or that reason as to what was going on in the assembly at Corinth when Paul said that the women are to keep silent; but we are not to base our Christian walk on hearsay, but rather on what the WORD of GOD says. The Holy Scriptures (the written WORD) is what JESUS used to defeat the devil when tempted in the wilderness and it is what we are to use today to defeat the same devil.
It is actually a shameful thing for women to speak in the church says the WORD of GOD (not Paul). This command Paul makes clear didn't come from himself, but rather from the LORD JESUS CHRIST (I Cor 14:37).
While all Christians should testify CHRIST everywhere we are as GOD leads, things are to be done decently and in order. Women speaking "in the church" (Phrase used when this topic is discussed in Scripture), is contrary to good order (the order of GOD).
As Christians, we must me careful not to allow the ideals of the societies in which we live move us away from Sound Doctrine. As far as many in our society see it, there is no such thing as man being the head of the woman. And a woman submitting to a man is to many an awful thing to think or even suggest. No wonder our country is in the shape that it is in. If we loose our identity in the House of GOD, which is the Pillar and Ground of the Truth (I Tim 3:15), then no doubt it will cause us to loose our identity in our every day lives (esp, in the home).
I believe that if women saw more of the example of the headship of man in the church, it would help them to better understand their duty to submit themselves to their own husbands.
With that said, I do not blame the women mostly for the disorder in the churches, but rather the male leaders who allow this rebellion against the WORD of GOD to take place.
When the command was given, it was not given as "women keep silent in the churches", but rather "let your women keep silent in the churches". So it's up to the man to ensure that the WORD of GOD is being honored in this area.
This is not to discourage you my dear sister, but rather to honor GOD and HIS Holy WORD. GOD is the HEAD of CHRIST, CHRIST is the HEAD of the man, and the man is the head of the woman. GOD made man first and gave man this authority. Not because GOD loves women any less than man. If a parent has 2 children both of whom are of age to be left home alone and the parent puts the elder child in charge and orders the younger child to do as his/her older sibling instructs, does this mean that the parent loves the eldest child more? Ofcourse not.
I say that because I know of and have seen women greatly take offense to the stance I take in this area, by the grace that GOD has given me.
Some will say, "well people are saved when a women teaches and preaches, so it has to be right." We must remember that GOD'S WORD saves, no matter what gender delivers it. However, getting saved is the start. We then have to grow into all that GOD desires. I'm pursuaded that if we break even the least of GOD's commandments, we hinder our growth and that of others. GOD knows what HE is doing.
Some will say, "Well the men are not doing the job". GOD forsaw what man would or would not be doing as it relates to ministry when HE (GOD) had Paul to give the instruction around 2000 years ago, but HE still had him to give the command that women are to keep silient in the churches (as it relates to teaching).
Sunday school isn't something we see practised in Scriptures and this shouldn't be used as an outlet for women to teach in the churches. I've learned as any who has walked with the LORD for any period of time, that doing things GOD'S way is the best way, always. Praise the LORD.
I am one of those that believe that the church has gone the way of the synagouges, and that these scriptures speak figuratively. We are all the Bride of Christ so it's important to only let the Lord speak, aka. the Bible. But, even so, that is in our fellowship.
Within churches, I see women in such positions as wrong. They may be very excellent teachers, but in order to respect the laws of the Bible they should be teaching to other women or to children, thus providing a great example of respecting the Lord's authority--not man's. I don't see this as any less an honor since we are all given our duties and I actually see it as one of the most opportune moments to spread the word since older women and men tend to be set in their ways. Tell them something that disagrees with what their fathers and their fathers believe, and they draw up arms.
Instead, you could not only steer but speed up the children's knowledge, so that perhaps one day they will know even more than the men before them. Teach them the languages, teach them history, START A SCHOOL FOR THEM! Heaven knows we need the women of Christ more than ever to replace the Godforsaken federally-controlled-and-tainted schools.
1 corinthians 14:34-37 34 Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. 35 And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church.
36 Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? 37 If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.
1 timothy 2:12-14 12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.
now folks i cannot argue with the word of GOD here. as paul says the things which i write to you are the commandments of the LORD. and in 1timothy 2:14 we see the reasoning behind it... the why we might say..
with that said, i and my gospel music ministry group did have the privalege of traveling with and sharing the pulpit with a woman pastor in my earlier years of being saved. she was in her eighties and full of life.. she also in my opinion was a very good preacher. she had her own tv show and had us on there also.. she clearly loved the LORD ..
even with all that , i cant preach to you that it was permissible ... as the scripture clearly states that its not to be so.. although i am reminded kinda of the man who the apostles wanted to stop casting out demons in JESUS S name. and JESUS stopped them and said summin like he who is not against us is for us. and he who casts out a demon in MY name will not soon speak ill of ME or summin like that ifn i remember correct..
I think the role and limitations placed upon women in ministry can be overstated.
Women disciples had very important roles, if not as apostles and preachers then as guides and administrators. Indeed, Mary was present at Pentecost! Her devotion has lessons for adult men, women and children alike. Likewise with the stories of many female saints. While their roles are not formalized in priesthood, women continue to play an important role in promoting the faith.
Man and women were joined together. There is no authority granted to males that is not matched by that given to females. There are gender roles, and incredibly strong physiological, cultural, social and theological reasons for continuing them.
It is inappropriate to ignore or confuse these roles. And equally as wrong to use them to undermine the value of others. The work of men is equal to the work of women, even if they may take different forms.
Well, I've actually been discussing this very issue in my seminary class so I'm going to leave my comment. First of all, the letter to the Corinthians has a lot of cultural issues in it and we only see one side of the conversation (Paul was replying to a letter they had written to him). A lot of scholars believe that Paul wrote what he did about the women in Corinth because they weren't educated (because of the culture) and therefore, shouldn't be the ones teaching and preaching (which makes perfect sense). In our culture, however, women are educated and so why not be teachers and preachers?
Secondly, if you read the Genesis acount, the word "adam" is believed to mean "human" not literally "Adam" (at first). When God created Eve, though, that's when the "human" was separated into both male and female. Also, it says they were made in the image of God . . male and female (as a pair). So only as a team - both the male and the female - do they truly reflect the image of God.
Therefore, true leadership in any church only reflects the image of God when there are BOTH male and female leaders. This could mean that there is either a male or female pastor along with male and female deacons/elders. The point is that you can't have JUST male or JUST female leaders - you need both.
If you want to read more about women in ministry, I suggest "25 Tough Questions about Women and the Church" by J. Lee Grady.
dear folks, here is what the bible tells us of the bishops and deacons, overseers,,, qualifications..
Qualifications of Overseers
3 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); 6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Qualifications of Deacons
8 Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, 9 holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. 10 But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. 11 Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13 For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
The Great Mystery
14 These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; 15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
