Would you allow a woman to lay hands on you?

[Bro. Curtis]

You nailed it. It's left to the elders, the office holders, the deacons, the authority figures.

 

[Brother Bob]

That looks like a real fishing hole Bro. Curtis at your website.

 

[Bro. Curtis]

It's an inlet to Placid Lake, where our cabin is. I've pulled some pretty tasty rainbow out of there, but I catch & release all others. I've also seen moose wading in this stream in the morning.

 

[Scarlett O.]

....(deleted)

 

[xdisciplex]

Um.... so I guess the question is can a woman be an elder?

 

[tragic_pizza]

Um.... so I guess the question is can a woman be an elder?

Yes. Happens all the time.

 

[Marcia]

As far as an ordination is concerned, no.

The presbytery is to lay hands on the man. A presbytery is composed of ordained men; the elders/bishops.

This is for the specific purpose of making it known to the public and God that you, as an ordained elder, believe this one has been called by God to the same office.

Outside of that particular instance, say if I was sick in the hospital or having personal problems, I don't think I would have a problem with one of the old sisters laying a hand on me for comfort and asking God to bless me.

There is, in my opinion, a difference in the way we conduct business in a formal worship service, using absolutely specified, in scripture, rules and practices, and the way we comfort one another outside of a formal worship service.

I agree with you on the ordination. I am wondering about the sick thing, though.

Since the book of James (5.14) says to ask the elders of the church anoint the sick with oil, does this mean it's okay for women to do it, since elders are men?

Also, James talks about anointing with oil but I don't think the NT outside the gospels and Acts has a passage anywhere instructing the laying on of hands for healing of the sick (aside from using hands to put the oil on). Am I right?

 

[atestring]

I would not have a problem with a woman laying hands on me. I have no problem with women elders.
I have no problem with women preachers. Anyone that has ever given to a Lottie Moon or
annie Armstrong offering believes in women preachers.

 

[Brother Bob]

That lets me out!

 

[Allan]

I agree with you on the ordination. I am wondering about the sick thing, though.

Since the book of James (5.14) says to ask the elders of the church anoint the sick with oil, does this mean it's okay for women to do it, since elders are men?

Also, James talks about anointing with oil but I don't think the NT outside the gospels and Acts has a passage anywhere instructing the laying on of hands for healing of the sick (aside from using hands to put the oil on). Am I right?

Remember the 'sick thing' is in a church setting as well.

Just to be sick and not let or allow any believer to pray for you is sillyness as Paul commands to pray for one another and also to pray for all things.
However the 'sick' in James (according to the text) strongly suggests not so much physical sickness (though it can be also) but spiritually sick as it makes reference to sins being forgiven.

In this situation it would be better to allow (as says the scripture) the 'righteous man' (one known or should be known to be in a right standing with God) to know you faults and pray for them. All of us know that sometimes prayer requests can become gossip sessions in disquise. It is not about them being more holy but in authority and being know told grab the hem line of Christ and pray without ceasing.

 

[Allan]

I would not have a problem with a woman laying hands on me. I have no problem with women elders.
I have no problem with women preachers. Anyone that has ever given to a Lottie Moon or
annie Armstrong offering believes in women preachers.

They were not preachers, nor did they EVER CLAIMED TO BE PREACHERS.

Using Southern Baptist missionaries, I assume you might be or have been at one time and therefore your serious lack of understanding and uneducated response concering them as being preachers is quite ridiculous and absurd.

They were teachers outside of any church setting. They would do a bible study AND NEVER A Church service. When those within the study wanted to be such they would send for an ORDAINED MAN to come and take the study and form a church.

Church is NOT a bible study NOR is it where two or three believers are gathered. The scriptual view of the Church (local body of believers) is more than just the New Age view of a couple of people being together, as the Church as a designated head or Pastor, it has structure just to name some.

 

[Marcia]

Remember the 'sick thing' is in a church setting as well.

Just to be sick and not let or allow any believer to pray for you is sillyness as Paul commands to pray for one another and also to pray for all things.

I didn't say not let women pray for you. I was talking about laying on of hands for healing not being instructed in the NT except for elders putting on oil. In other words, there is no instruction about laying hands on someone to heal them that I know of.

However the 'sick' in James (according to the text) strongly suggests not so much physical sickness (though it can be also) but spiritually sick as it makes reference to sins being forgiven.

In this situation it would be better to allow (as says the scripture) the 'righteous man' (one known or should be known to be in a right standing with God) to know you faults and pray for them.

Okay, so you're saying the James passage makes it clear that only elders (men) should do this.

 

[Marcia]

Um.... so I guess the question is can a woman be an elder?

Not biblically. Qualification for overseer (which I think is the same as an elder and pastor) in Titus 1:

namely, if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion.
For the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain,
but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled,
holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.

An elder has authority in the church. Also, if the Bible says that men are the spiritual head of their wives/families, how can a woman have authority over men in the church?

It's true that as a single mother, I was the spiritual head of my household, but that was only by default because there was no husband, and this was authority over a child, not a man.

 

[Allan]

I didn't say not let women pray for you. I was talking about laying on of hands for healing not being instructed in the NT except for elders putting on oil. In other words, there is no instruction about laying hands on someone to heal them that I know of.



Okay, so you're saying the James passage makes it clear that only elders (men) should do this.

With regard to this, yes - as it specifically says call for the Elders...

 

[tragic_pizza]

And where elders are women? Remember, not everyone is a Fundamentalist Southern Baptist Literalist...

 

[Allan]

There is no place in scripture where it designates or delineates a woman as ever being an Elder.

 

[atestring]

They were not preachers, nor did they EVER CLAIMED TO BE PREACHERS.

Using Southern Baptist missionaries, I assume you might be or have been at one time and therefore your serious lack of understanding and uneducated response concering them as being preachers is quite ridiculous and absurd.

They were teachers outside of any church setting. They would do a bible study AND NEVER A Church service. When those within the study wanted to be such they would send for an ORDAINED MAN to come and take the study and form a church.

Church is NOT a bible study NOR is it where two or three believers are gathered. The scriptual view of the Church (local body of believers) is more than just the New Age view of a couple of people being together, as the Church as a designated head or Pastor, it has structure just to name some.

Can you document your arument?

 

[Jim1999]

When I was ordained to the ministry, it was the deacons of the church I pastored who laid hands on me.......it is the local church that ordains and not a council of clergy.

Now, if Phoebe, a deaconess of the church, approved by the Apostle Paul, was there to lay hands on me, it would be quite acceptable, in my Book.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[Alcott]

Would you allow a woman to lay hands on you?

A stranger? A friend? A relative? A physical therapist? Or my girlfriend?

 

[hillclimber1]

I read that this is not biblical and this means that nobody should allow a woman to lay hands on him. What do you think about this? Does the bible not mentioning a woman laying hands on somebody necessarily mean that it*s not okay?

Laying on of hands is not for today. And its inability to do any good should prove to you its fallacy. All the sign gifts are gone. Have been for 2000 years.