The place for women in the Church, volume 3...

I wanted to post this on the last thread that got closed, but while I was typing this response up, it got closed... (My life story I guess... LOL)... any way, here is what I was posting when it got closed...

Thank you Archangel for you kindly pointing out what you believe are my errors...
I choose to disagree with you.

The Seminary I am going to is Palmer Theological Seminary in Philly... (Actually I will be attending the WV campus).. and yes, it is probably more liberal than most here like. Oh well. (It is part of the American Baptist Churches USA)

I guess the fact that I feel at home in the ABC/USA instead of SBC makes a difference also.

Just because Christians disagree over women pastors does not mean there are not good Christians on both sides. By declaring that a church that has a woman pastor is unbiblical is an opinion...

BTW.. I was raised to believe that a woman shouldn't pastor a church, or have leadership, or even be able to talk in church AT ALL... including business meetings.
I was raised that only the men could come around the altar for prayer, the women set in submission, making sure the children were taken care of.. .and if the woman missed something because of a crying baby, she was to ask her man at home.

She was to wear dresses, keep her mouth shut in submission, and NEVER work outside the home. If she had an opinion, or thought, she was to keep it to herself, after all, God only spoke to the men!

I thank God that when I joined a church in the ABC/USA 20 yrs ago, I quickly learned the value of grace and freedom in Christ, and that even women are spiritually gifted equal with men. I learned what it meant that in Christ there are neither male or female.

I did not mean that anyone that disagrees with me on this is uneducated. (BTW, I am not talking about degrees, because I have met some very educated people that didn't even graduate high school!... I may not have a M.div yet.. but I am educated, just ask anyone that I have taught college level classes to) I have some very educated friends on this board and elsewhere that disagrees with me.. .

For instance, ABC and her husband disagrees with me, and I have no closer friends than them, and consider him to be very educated (lol... notice ABC, I left you out!!!! hahaha.. just jokin... she is pretty smart for being from Kentucky! LOLOL)

I also want to make it clear, I am not advocating women pastors.. I have worked well beside them, and their churches are flourishing, and people are being saved and discipled.. so I am still in the air about that one. The question I am asking myself is this: is my cultural upbringing keeping me from accepting women pastors as legitimate, or is it really I want to take a theological stand on? I would encourage everyone to examine your beliefs and determine if they are there because of what you were culturally brought up with, or are they there because they are consistent with the whole council of scripture (Not just some prooftext, like this thread is built upon.)

I usually don't get pulled into this type of debate, but freeatlast sounds like the very people I was raised with... and I guess I am reacting to the type of nonsense I saw as a child and teen.. the type of bigotry that existed toward women then by making them inferior to men burns a hole in my saddle when I am confronted with it again here in the 21st century.

I guess my stance right now is this.. If a woman believes God is calling her to preach or pastor, she had better obey God. That doesn't mean I am called to listen, or approve of her calling.

As for all other roles in a church, I have absolutely NO hesitation approving a woman, because I see biblical examples of women in leadership roles. Yes, even Deacons.. (Phoebe)...

And did I mention that all these male dominated churches I was raise in was what I call
Dysfunctional Fundamental Baptist churches.. .
They all had major problems, and some don't exist anymore... I wonder why?

Now will someone tell me how to explain away Philip's daughters prophesying?
Or if this wasn't cultural, and it dates back to Eden, then why did God approve of Deborah being the leader of Israel.. shouldn't the same logic apply there... she should have been under the headship of a man, if the sole reason is what happened in Eden.

I still believe this passage was cultural to the Ephesians (Where Timothy was pastor).. as was the passages to the Corinthian women...
Since both were Roman cities, it was a reaction to Roman culture.

That's my take on in... and unless someone specifically asks me a question, or mentions something in my post, I am through with this thread. I have to go study some books of Spiritual disciplines (oooops... one is written by a woman!!!... uh oh)

I just want to say that I respect all of your opinions.. even though they may differ from mine, and I am always right.... (LOL... just ask my wife.. I trained her to agree with me!..NOT)

 

freeatlast posted this in the other thread before it was closed.

Our pastor and deacons are all men, and that's not likely to change.

Women chair the Decorating Committee and Kitchen Committee and Lord's Supper Committee and that's not likely to change either. The Decorating and Kitchen committees are uniquely suited to their gifts and talents.

Women pray in our church services and other congregational gatherings (such as fellowship meals). The same Paul who told the Corinthian women to shut up in church (14:34) also told the women not to pray in church with their heads uncovered (11:4-5) I think the admonition to keep silent is related to the prohibition against teaching men in the Corinthian church, and their abuse of tongues.

Regarding my claim that I know of no one in our church who disagrees with women serving on committees, which you doubted, it is possible that you are right. If there are dissenters, they have not made their disagreement publicly to the church or privately to me.

 

Yes, thanks.

 

Good question.

And if it is not cultural, and it dates back to Eden, why is this "male headship" mandate limited to church, as many here claim?

 

The reason this is limited in this passage is because in the home is covered in other places. Eph. is one. When a heart is filled with rebellion the rebellious person does all that they can to justify their sin. One claim is that a passage is cultural. Another is to call a position not one of leadership but of service.

 

As tinytim has noted, Paul's statement about women's silence in I Tim. 2:12 is not qualified.

Some seem to want to add "at church" or "in church services (except not Sunday School or Wednesdays or business meetings or committee meetings)" or who knows what other convoluted qualification to limit its application.

Others morph teach into "preach (in an open service)" or "be an elder".

Another way they limit the passage is to change "man" into "adult men while at church", etc.

Paul's instruction was simple, why add all these caveats?

And why limit this male headship theory to just church and home? If it originated from Eden, isn't its application universal?

 

I read all three threads in one sitting; do I get a cookie?

I read everyone's thoughts and I found myself agreeing with RAdam on more than one occasion.

I do believe that the husband is the head of the wife. I also believe that a woman has a place in the church. No, she should not interrupt the Pastor to ask a question. No, she should not stand in position of authority. However, when the floor is granted her, she has every right to speak. She has value in the church. She can pull up a chair at the table and know that this place is just for her---she is welcomed.

My husband has delegated certain things to me (mostly financial----he is involved, but lacks time, so I handle it). It can be the same in the church.

Society has defined roles. It really doesn't have to be that way.

And, Ann, I have worn the godly woman uniform in my day, and let me tell you, I have been set free! What a relief!

I stand in the liberty that Jesus gave me when He set me free!!!

 

I have a question. What if my (male) pastor asks me to teach a class consisting of both men and women? I would be under the authority of the pastor. Would that be acceptable?

 

Amy choose the authority of God and not a rebellious Pastor. You have a clear word from God. Believe it! Don't try and fix it or change it. Don't trust any man who tries to over ride God's word with parlor tricks because this is how satan works by trying to make people believe that God does not mean what He says. The scripture does not say:
But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence (unless she or some Pastor can figure a way around it.) Don't fall to the garden temptation, becoming Eve, and the rebellion of these false teachers today.

 

Hi Bob

Threads like this may seem like a big waste of time, but they are not.

Here at the BB, we are dealing with people; And sometimes it takes a while, to get through our hardheadedness(myself included).
Thus, threads like this are very important.
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Hello Tim

You said.......

At what point, does the plain teaching of God’s Word, became a fact?

Is it just my opinion that Baptism must be by immersion, or that today’s tongues speaking is heresy, etc.

At some point, people need to simply admit that the Bible means what it says and says what it means.
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I remember back before I learned better, trying to convince a Pentecostal, that they were simply “disregarding God’s Word”, by standing their ground about tongues.

But there was something in them, that caused them to refuse to see the truth.

If nothing else, a thread like this, might catch someone, before they get too set in their ways.
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As for the statement........

I look forward to the day, that we are all on the same side! (God’s side)

 

Personally, TinyTim, I think you should be silent at the BB.

 

Not a chance!!! :laugh:
:tongue3:

 

How does Philip's daughters prophesying make them leaders of the church?

Brother, the passage from I Tim. is clear, there are no "if's" about it. Paul makes the argument for male leadership in the church (yes, he is specifically talking about the church and the Christian home) by referencing scripture (Gen.) and the creation.

You may have a case for "cultural" influence in the I Cor. passage, but not I Tim.

If you will read the passage from Judges 4, you will see that Barak the son of Abinoam was the leader of Israel. Deborah was a judge, but clearly understood that Barak was the leader of Israel... and even chastises Barak for wanting a woman to go with him into battle. So, yes, Deborah was under the headship of her husband (she is called the "wife of Lappidoth) and recognized the leadership of Barak.

peace to youraying: