What do you think about women in ministry? What positions can she hold? Why did Paul write what he did?
Wow, what a loaded question. I feel somewhat safe though entering into the fray. I got me five beautifully, talented girls and an amazing, gifted, incredible wife. One of my five girls, I even adopted. I couldn't get enough! Regardless of what I say, no one can doubt me that I am indeed pro-women!
Genesis 1:27 - Man and Woman are made in the image of God. They are equal in value and equally gifted and necessary for God's plan of redeeming the world to Himself.
But, what about women in ministry, specifically, church pastoral ministry...?
Here are the two extremes:
In one corner, women are not allowed to be pastors, elders, teach or hold authority over a man.
The verses likes these are cited:
1 Timothy 2:11-15
11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.
The command is based not on women's lack of learning or a cultural issue that Paul is dealing with. His reasoning is based on God's created order as established in Genesis.
1 Timothy 3:2-5
2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?
An elder is the husband of one wife, It seems pretty clear that the leadership structure is set so that men will lead the churches.
1 Corinthians 14:33-34
33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says.
33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says.
Again, not exactly politically correct, but clear, and refers to the law as its reasoning.
And the verses in that corner are, uh, hmm...
Well, o.k. there is this verse:
Galatians 3:27-28
27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Great verse but says nothing about church leadership.
Or Priscilla was talked about as a leader of a church plant in Romans 16.
She was definately a team with Aquila in the planting of a church, and her name often comes before her husbands. But, there is nothing clear regarding God's plan for church leadership in the little we have about her.
Other than that, there aren't a lot of verses that seem to support this idea of women holding pastoral leadership positions in the church. Now, I am just stating it as I see it, but I can't understand how people can justify it biblically.
So, what does that look like practically?
A women can teach other women, like it says in Titus 2.
A women can teach children like it says in 2 Timothy 1:5 and 2 Timothy 3:14
A women can teach men like Priscilla did to Apollos in Acts 18:26.
A women can be a deacon according to 1 Timothy 3:8-13, (deacon being a gender neutral term and the passage is structured different than the elder passage in 1 Timothy 2)
A women can even teach at a conference or at a bible study or praying in front or sharing in a church setting... Why would I say that? Because what is being talked about mostly here is the teaching that comes with the authority that comes with leading and shepherding a church as an elder.
So, a women cannot be an elder which is a pastor. That was ordained by God in the Law and in the created order. Why? I don't know. Maybe because women are specially designed to bear children and have the ability to raise children. That is an amazingly difficult role, one of which my children are very thankful that I do not have. God doesn't always give reasons why but in this scenario, with this specific question, I have to go with the clear evidence that I see in the Bible...
So, as my little girls become little women, I will teach them clearly and with gentleness and humility what the Bible has to say. But, I will teach them to teach others that God may spread the word of God to the world through their lives and words... Amen!
I would love to hear any other feedback. Bring it on!
(I just got a comment "There is nothing wrong with women in ministry." I just want to clarify that I totally agree with that comment. There are a whole assortment of ministry options for women. Missionary, youth, women, conferences and much, much more... I was just speaking specifically of being an teaching elder/pastor of a church.)
