Posted: 29 December 2003 at 4:34pm | IP Logged

The debate rages over the place of women in the church-especially in leadership positions.

The answer lies in identifying what God said about it.

The debate needs to leave the arena of feminist and be removed from the backdrop of patriarchal society. The minute we allow either societal philosophy to cloud our perspective we become wrong.

There are two important truths that we need to consider first in answering the question of whether or not it is right for women to be preachers.

• That men and women have equal worth in the sight of the Lord.
  
• That men and women have been assigned different roles in the Lord's church--and both are criticially important to the welfare of the church.

There is no doubt that women are intellectual equals with men. Whenever someone considers submission to be a disparaging insult to someone and their abilities, or an indictment of their inferiority, it shows that he doesn't understand the place of either leadership or submission in the Lord's church.

There is no doubt that women are spiritual equals with men. God makes no distinction, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28). It is not a question of worth.

Although we are to hold tenaciously to the view that women and men are equally valuable in the Lord's eyes, we must also admit that men and women have different roles to fulfill in the church.

God has issued a divine order of authority and position in the church, and it is wrong for either men or women to reverse or reject it! "But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God." (1 Corinthians 11:3).

It is not about subservience. It is about recognizing authority. Even though there is a relationship of authority and submission between men and women, there is still an interdependence on one another, "Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 11:11).

God has arranged for men to be leaders in the church--elders, deacons, preachers. The qualifications for elders demand that these individuals be men (1 Timothy 3:1-7). The credentials for deacons demands that they be men (1 Timothy 3:8-13). The work done by preachers demands that they be men (1 Timothy 2:12). Even the responsibilities of worship leaders demands that they be performed by men (1 Timothy 2:8).

No one is denying women their right to positions of leadership in the church--according to the Scriptures that is not a right they can claim! The Bible says, "Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless she will be saved in child-bearing if they continue in faith, love and holiness, with self-control." (1 Timothy 2:11-14).

God indicated two reasons why He does not permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man.

• Because her role in the church reflects the original act of creation in which man was first created, and woman was created to be a helper comparable to him, "For Adam was formed first, then Eve." (1 Timothy 2:13; cf. Genesis 2:18).
  
• Because her role in the church reflects the fact that it was the woman who was first deceived by Satan and fell into sin, "And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression." (1 Timothy 2:14; cf. Genesis 3:1-6,16).

The woman's role in the church is closely connected to her unique role of submission in the home, "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything." (Ephesians 5:22-24).

Submission is not a position of dishonor or disgrace. Actually, anyone who is looking for a position of honor in the Lord's kingdom doesn't understand the nature of the kingdom, "But Jesus called them to Himself and said, 'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave--just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.'" (Matthew 20:20-28).

Some of the greatest characters in the Bible were women-Mary, Dorcas, Lydia, Phoebe, Euodia, Synteche, Eunice, Lois, Priscilla, etc. But one of the things that made these women great was that they recognized the place that God had for them, and the honor that He bestowed upon them in their submission, "Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility: 'for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.' Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time." (1 Peter 5:5-6).

The beauty of these women was in "the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God" (1 Peter 3:3-4). Those who clamor loudest for women to be in positions of leadership and authority in the church don't have this kind of spirit!

There is nothing demeaning about submission. Actually in one way or another, we are all in submission to each other, "submitting to one another in the fear of Christ" (Ephesians 5:21).

It is not a question of men being uncomfortable and threatened by women competing with them for positions of leadership in the church. It is a question of being uncomfortable and threatened by people who don't care what God said about the subject--people who are more interested in adopting the thinking of our times than the timeless wisdom and instructions of God. "But the word of the Lord endures forever. Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you." (1 Peter 2:25).

It is not a slap in the face of women to forbid them from pulpits and positions of leadership in the church--it is a slap in the face of God to demand that He allow it!

--Rob Harbison
rharbison@rome4christ.com

Posted: 29 December 2003 at 5:25pm | IP Logged

I found some more important facts off the web.

No women preachers recognized among the Brethren:

• Acts 1:16 There were no women preachers at the replacement for Judas. No woman qualified to be an Apostle.
  

• Acts 3:22 There is an attempt by some feminist to say Jesus was a woman. According to this text, God was to raise up a Prophet (not a prophetess) like unto Moses. The word Prophet could not here also mean a female prophet.
  

• Acts 10:23 Wherefore Brethren look ye out seven MEN among you of honest report. This is long after Pentecost. If women could not have authority over other women here, they could not have been understood to have authority over men in preaching.
  

• Acts 11:1 This text begins: "And when the Apostles and Brethren that are in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God." There are no women preachers among this collective group of New Testament Ministry.
  

• Acts 12:17 Peter is delivered from prison in this text. He sends a message to James and the Brethren as he flees for his life. He gives no woman preacher this notice.
  

• Acts 13:27 This text describes that the words "voice" of the Prophets are read each Sabbath Day in the Jewish synagogues. No woman wrote any portion of the Bible, so the voices of all women are silent there.
  

• Acts 15:1 Certain men came down and taught the Brethren. There were no women preachers at this time as roving teachers, evangelist, or prophetesses instructing Men of God.
  

• Acts 15:7 Peter addresses only men and Brethren. Again, there are no women preachers present at this time in the Church. We are many years now after Pentecost.
  

• Acts 15:23 Apostles, Elders, and Brethren. No women preachers recognized or acknowledged.
  

• Acts 15:36 Let us visit our Brethren. Paul desires to go back to the mission field. He wants to visit those men that were ordained to see how their Churches are doing. No women yet ordained or Pastoring.
  

• Acts 17:10 Brethren sent Paul away. No women preachers here among the party. Acts 18:26 Aquila and his wife Priscilla "expound" to Apollos the more excellent way. The setting is at home, not Church. See Jdg. 14:4, 9; expound means to boldly explain. Mark 4:34; expounded means to solve further. Luke 24:27; expounded means to explain thoroughly. Acts 11:4; expounded means to explain. Acts 18:26; expounded means to expose by way of witnessing. Acts 28:23; expounded means to declare by testimony. In every case, it is not preaching in a Church service.
  

• Acts 20:32 Paul commends the Brethren to God. No woman preacher here commended to God.
  

• Acts 21:17 Paul returns to Jerusalem. The Brethren receive him. No woman preacher here. We are now approximately 60 A.D. and 32 years after Pentecost.
  

• Acts 28:14 Found Brethren. No women preachers found in Italy.
  

• Acts 28:15 Brethren in Rome came to Appii forum to meet him. No woman preacher in Rome to come.
  

• Rom. 1:13 Paul instructs the Roman Brethren. No woman preacher here in the Rome Church to instruct. Read also Romans 7:1; 7:4: 8:12; 10:1; 11:25; 12:1; 15:14-15; 15:30; 16:17. Brethren are addressed each and every time. There is no hint of women preachers.
  

• 1Cor. 1:10 Only Brethren commanded to speak the same things because only Brethren were recognized as New Testament Ministers. No woman preacher in the Corinthian Church.
  

• 1Cor. 1:26 Specifically recognizes only Brethren having a calling into the New Testament Ministry.
  

• 1Cor. 7:24 Brethren let every man wherein he is called, therein abide. No women preachers recognized here at all.
  

• 1Cor. 11:2 Paul declares the ordinances only to the Brethren. No woman preacher receives the ordinances as a preacher.
  

• Gal. 1:11 Sent to the Brethren. No woman preacher in the Galatian Church.
  

• Eph. 6:23 Brethren. No women preachers here in the Ephesus Church.
  

• Philip 1:12 Brethren. No women preachers in the Philippi Church.
  

• Col. 1:12 Saints and faithful Brethren. No woman preacher acknowledged at the Churches of Laodicea or Nymphas.
  

• James 1:16 James instructs the Brethren. He does not acknowledge women preachers in the Jerusalem Church.
  

• Rev. 2:20 The only Church in the New Testament where a woman is charged guilty of teaching men. She is unnamed, but is spiritually called Jezebel by the Lord Jesus Messiah. She is a harlot and she taught young Ministers to have fornication without guilt, and to eat things sacrificed to idols. This is the nearest anyone will find to a woman preacher in the New Testament.

The New Testament contains a very clear testimony that there were never any ideas of women preachers. Women were most assuredly converts and admitted into the Church. They performed a great and noble service to their husbands, their children, their friends, the Ministry, and the Church. But not a single one of them was ordained to preach. This is the true light!