The Role of Women in the Baptist Faith

[Yeshua1]

You probably already know these verses and interpret them another way, but I just want to point out the biblical basis for the statement you referenced above for others to consider:

A woman serving as an apostle:
Romans 16:7
"Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me."

Women preaching:
Acts 1:13-14; 2:1-18
1:13 When they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. 14 These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

2:1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. 5 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 They were amazed and astonished, saying, “Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.” 12 And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others were mocking and saying, “They are full of sweet wine.”

14 But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words. 15 For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day; 16 but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:

17 ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says,
‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
And your young men shall see visions,
And your old men shall dream dreams;
18 Even on My bondslaves, both men and women,
I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit
And they shall prophesy.

Acts 21:8-9
8 On the next day we left and came to Caesarea, and entering the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we stayed with him. 9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who were prophetesses.

1 Corinthians 11:4-5
4 Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head. 5 But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head...

A woman serving as a deacon:
Romans 16:1
"I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant (Greek - diakonon, "deacon") of the church which is at Cenchrea...'



We agree.


Did you notice that Priscilla is teaching a man, Apollos? Her ministry is not restricted to women.


Yes, men and women under the same standard.

Thank you for your thoughtful analysis.

The first one was not to be understand as a woman being an Apostle, but as a woman among their ranks as being in their company, and many see that name as being male though also!
And no one disputes that women cn have been used in various gifts at that time, nor to be numbered among them, but there is still NO NT that states directly that a female was set apart as either Pastor or as Elder!

 

[Baptist Believer]

The first one was not to be understand as a woman being an Apostle, but as a woman among their ranks as being in their company, and many see that name as being male though also!

You do not have to tell me the history of the dispute, I know all about it. I think your position is extremely weak based on my study of it.

And no one disputes that women cn have been used in various gifts at that time, nor to be numbered among them...

Have I made that claim? No, I have not. I know you want to throw rhetoric at me to make it sound like you are correcting me, but you are simply puffing yourself up.

...but there is still NO NT that states directly that a female was set apart as either Pastor or as Elder!

Have I made that claim? No, I have not. However, I believe it is not ruled out by the New Testament. In fact, there are hints that women held very significant leadership roles in the New Testament churches, but I don't have the time to go through them now.

 

[Jerome]

I think your position is extremely weak based on my study of it....In fact, there are hints that women held very significant leadership roles in the New Testament churches, but I don't have the time to go through them now.

John Yates of the Gospel Coalition ably refutes 'Yeshua1' on this! (Yates serves alongside Mark Dever, Al Mohler, etc. on the Council of The Gospel Coalition):

From his sermon "St. Paul and Women":

"Priscilla really had the gift of leadership and discernment. She and her husband were single-handedly responsible for straightening out Apollos, that wandering preacher. A mighty preacher he was, but he didn't quite understand the gospel or the Holy Spirit. Together they straightened him out. Funny how God always seemed to raise up women in the places where [Paul] started churches, strong women who shared with [him] in leadership like Timothy did, and Titus did. There were two in Philippi, Syntyche and Euodias—strong ladies. They had some quarrels between the two of them, but they led powerfully. Phoebe—she was a deacon in the church at Cenchrea—was a tremendous help to [Paul]. Then, in Rome, there were so many women who were in leadership there with the men. There was Persis; there was Tryphosa; there was Tryphena; and so many other women who shared. Then Andronicus and his wife, Junias—they were so gifted in church planning and in leadership that we sort of referred to both of them as apostles together. Although it certainly wasn't customary in those days for women to do anything beyond their traditional roles, it was clear from the beginning that the Lord did intend women and men both to teach, to lead, to organize, to minister together."

"Many churches have found that having an ordained woman as one of their pastors has strengthened the whole pastoral team greatly. To some, it would feel uncomfortable to have a woman preach or stand at the Holy Table. To others, it would be rather comforting. Listen, a person's gender is not as important as their wisdom and their maturity and their gifts when it comes to ministry."

 

[Yeshua1]

You do not have to tell me the history of the dispute, I know all about it. I think your position is extremely weak based on my study of it.


Have I made that claim? No, I have not. I know you want to throw rhetoric at me to make it sound like you are correcting me, but you are simply puffing yourself up.


Have I made that claim? No, I have not. However, I believe it is not ruled out by the New Testament. In fact, there are hints that women held very significant leadership roles in the New Testament churches, but I don't have the time to go through them now.

I am not trying to make you bad or me good on this issue, just stating that the scriptures have no direct reference to a female being either pastor/Elder in a local church, nor any passage to support them being such!

 

[Yeshua1]

John Yates of the Gospel Coalition ably refutes 'Yeshua1' on this! (Yates serves alongside Mark Dever, Al Mohler, etc. on the Council of The Gospel Coalition):

From his sermon "St. Paul and Women":

"Priscilla really had the gift of leadership and discernment. She and her husband were single-handedly responsible for straightening out Apollos, that wandering preacher. A mighty preacher he was, but he didn't quite understand the gospel or the Holy Spirit. Together they straightened him out. Funny how God always seemed to raise up women in the places where [Paul] started churches, strong women who shared with [him] in leadership like Timothy did, and Titus did. There were two in Philippi, Syntyche and Euodias—strong ladies. They had some quarrels between the two of them, but they led powerfully. Phoebe—she was a deacon in the church at Cenchrea—was a tremendous help to [Paul]. Then, in Rome, there were so many women who were in leadership there with the men. There was Persis; there was Tryphosa; there was Tryphena; and so many other women who shared. Then Andronicus and his wife, Junias—they were so gifted in church planning and in leadership that we sort of referred to both of them as apostles together. Although it certainly wasn't customary in those days for women to do anything beyond their traditional roles, it was clear from the beginning that the Lord did intend women and men both to teach, to lead, to organize, to minister together."

"Many churches have found that having an ordained woman as one of their pastors has strengthened the whole pastoral team greatly. To some, it would feel uncomfortable to have a woman preach or stand at the Holy Table. To others, it would be rather comforting. Listen, a person's gender is not as important as their wisdom and their maturity and their gifts when it comes to ministry."

This what happens when someone thinks that either God was wrong in this area, or try to bind the scriptures to current cultural norms and practices!

 

[Jerome]

This what happens when someone thinks that either God was wrong in this area, or try to bind the scriptures to current cultural norms and practices!

Yes, that's exactly what you are doing. Imposing your own cultural norms and practices!

 

[Revmitchell]

Yes, that's exactly what you are doing. Imposing your own cultural norms and practices!

Until you can provide one instance of a woman being a pastor you and the mighty Gospel Coalition cannot be anything but wrong.

 

[Reformed]

You probably already know these verses and interpret them another way

Yes. I do.

Blessings.

 

[Yeshua1]

Yes, that's exactly what you are doing. Imposing your own cultural norms and practices!

God already imposed for us His views on this , so why disagree with Him and have women pastors/elders?

 

[Yeshua1]

Yes. I do.

Blessings.

There is no legit other way to see them though!

 

[Revmitchell]

There is no legit other way to see them though!

I don't agree with them. Women cannot be pastors. However, you guys need to stop saying things like this it is never true.

 

[Jordan Kurecki]

What part of Husband of one wife, is so hard to understand? That makes it pretty clear that the office of Deacon and Pastor are to be MEN.

 

[Yeshua1]

I don't agree with them. Women cannot be pastors. However, you guys need to stop saying things like this it is never true.

IF one just sticks to the Bible itself, there ar e no verses to support women as either pastor/elders in a local church!

 

[Yeshua1]

What part of Husband of one wife, is so hard to understand? That makes it pretty clear that the office of Deacon and Pastor are to be MEN.

Yep, as paul could have stated both male and females qualifications for such offices!

 

[Jerome]

Yep, as paul could have stated both male and females qualifications for such offices!

He did!

I Tim. 3:11 In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.

 

[Revmitchell]

IF one just sticks to the Bible itself, there ar e no verses to support women as either pastor/elders in a local church!

Reasonable people can "stick to the Bible" and come to differing conclusions. You are a nice fella. It would be a shame for you to let your Calvinism make you arrogant.

 

[Yeshua1]

Reasonable people can "stick to the Bible" and come to differing conclusions. You are a nice fella. It would be a shame for you to let your Calvinism make you arrogant.

I appreciate your words, was just saying that if one wants to prove God OK's women as pastors/.Elders, no verses that support that on their own, would have to bring into the Bible preconceived culutural notions of today and what to you seems right!

 

[Yeshua1]

He did!

I Tim. 3:11 In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.

That passage was detailing to us though the spiritual qualifications that a Deacon's wife should have, not her to be the Deacon!

 

[Jerome]

That passage was detailing to us though the spiritual qualifications that a Deacon's wife should have, not her to be the Deacon!

Huh? Which word used by Paul means "wife"?

 

[Yeshua1]

Huh? Which word used by Paul means "wife"?

He said that he wasa describing their the wives of the deacons are to be such!