womens role in the church?

Question

I'm soo confused about this. I know the Bible says that women cannot lead. And, being a women, I'm willing to follow that command, but i don't understand how people justify ordaining women as pastors. Believe me, I go to an Assemblies of God church, which also allows women pastors, so I'm not accusing.

Could you please tell me your views, along with your DENOMINATION?

Answer 1

Paul says that women should not lead, but Jesus himself never says this. Do you want to put your faith in Jesus and follow his example? Or do you want to put your faith in a certain traditional or modern interpretation of a set of ancient manuscripts? Jesus did not preach unthinking adherence to dogma. He taught from the Old Testament, but he did not follow it blindly. He updated the old laws in light of the new era in which he lived. His message was to help us find a direct, personal relationship with our creator; he did not exhort people to simply accept whatever doctrines happened to be popular at the time. His faith was not in the Bible as it existed in his day; his faith was in the living spirit of his Divine Father. If you put your faith in Jesus and want to follow his example, then you need to seriously consider the example that he set for the people of his time. He said that he was the way to truth. Does this sound like he is saying "Find out what people have written about me, then blindly follow it with without regard for what seems right and true to you in light of your own experience and the cultural/historical context…"? No, Jesus did not tell us to worship any book, no matter how old and full of wisdom it may appear to be. He did not tell us to blindly follow any of his apostles. Jesus was a living spirit who knew his Divine Father directly. When he said he was "the way", he was inviting us to join his spirit, and this spirit was a spirit of rebellion against the soul-stifling dogmatism of his day. It was a spirit of love for humanity and fairness to the weak, poor, and downtrodden. It was a spirit of adventure – drop your old habits and knee-jerk prejudices; seek God directly through prayer and deep contemplation. THIS was the spirit of Christ, and this is what he meant by "I am the truth and the light…" Whenever you forfeit your own inner light, you forfeit your connection to the true spirit of Christ.

Now, in a prayerful and contemplative mood, consult your own inner light. Ask honestly and with a truly open mind: "Should women be allowed to lead?" Does it REALLY seem right to you that men should monopolize the structures of power in the church and in government? Is this truly what is best?

If your are feeling uncertain about how you really feel, you might try imagining this: Suppose that God personally told you to do what I have just suggested. Suppose he says, "I'm going to let you write a new book of the Bible because in my divine opinion the Bible needs to be updated, and I'm picking you to write the new book." He goes on to tell you that it is crucial that you be brutally honest with yourself about how you feel. The weight of God's new message to the world rests on your shoulders, and the fate of the world rests on your ability to be insightful and honest about your feelings. Now, again, ask yourself "Is there anything truly wrong with a woman being a pastor?" What would you want to write in your new book of the Bible? Would you really feel right about telling women all over the world that they cannot have God's blessing if they acquire a position of leadership?

THIS is what it means to truly follow in the spirit of Christ. Find your own inner light –your own connection to Divinity – and speak from there. This is what Jesus did. This is what he wants us to do. The Bible is not the end of truth, it is just the beginning.

As for my denomination, I have none. Mine is the path of self-knowledge and truth, wherever it may lead.

Answer 2

Whoever does that does not follow Christian teachings.

In his infinite wisdom, Jehovah created Adam first, then Eve. She was created “out of man,” “for the sake of the man,” and apparently with less physical strength than man. (1 Timothy 2:13; 1 Corinthians 11:8, 9; compare 1 Peter 3:7.) This is a fact of life that many women seem to have difficulty in accepting.

According to the divine order of things, Adam was answerable to Jehovah, Eve was under the headship of Adam, any children would be under the direction of their parents, and the animals were in subjection to humankind. Man and woman had their respective roles, and each could live a happy and productive life. Thus, ‘all things could take place decently and according to order.’—1 Corinthians 11:3; 14:33, 40,

It was Paul who wrote that women keep their proper place within the Christian congregation. In the normal run of things, they were not to do the teaching at congregation meetings. (1 Corinthians 14:33-35) If, because no male Christian was present or because she prophesied under the impulse of the holy spirit, a Christian woman spoke at a meeting, she was required to wear a head covering. This covering was “a sign of authority,” visible proof that the woman recognized God’s arrangement of headship.—1 Corinthians 11:3-6, 10.

I'm following in Christ's footstep.

Answer 3

I belong to a non-denominational church. http://www.alcf.net We have male elders and our senior Pastor and the majority of Pastors are men. There is one woman who is a Pastor and she is in charge of the children's ministry. Personally I don't think that women should be Pastors but when you read the book of Judges and look at Deborah it's clear that when men won't step up to fill their God ordained roles He can use women to fill in the gaps.

If a church has a woman as an elder or as the senior Pastor that church is in trouble. It isn't that women are not as smart as men or as able to tell other people about what the Bible says. It's that God has ordained men to fill the leadership roles with Christ over all.

1 Timothy 2:12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. 15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

Paul isn't saying that bearing children saves a woman. He is talking about the roles that God has ordained. Obviously men cannot bear children. The person who says that women took leadership roles in the New Testament is demonstrating their ability to read into Scripture with a desire to find something. Here is a link that carefully examines women's roles in the Pauline missions. http://www.cbmw.org/resources/articles/women_pauline_mission.pdf It's in the adobe acrobat format so you have to right click on it and save the target if it won't open in your browser.

Answer 4

Seraph is wrong
1 Cor. 14:34-35
1 Cor. 7:10-11
Col. 3:18
1 Tim 2:9-15
the Bible does give rules for women--but they are no longer STRICTLY followed.
The Bible gives rules on how to treat slaves too
You have to remember that WOMEN were considered property-something to produce children-that whole barefoot and pregnant way of thinking is SCRIPTURAL--if you believe that we should adhere strictly to the scripture I would say that you are living in an Amish community.
I would admire your dedication to your beliefs but would still view you as a bit culturally backward.
I think that as times change as we learn more we should also reflect that in our faith. Women are not property nor are our rights to God in any way less than a mans.
I left the Christian church when I saw the hypocrisy of which rules apply and which don't-when all are claimed as DIRECT VERBATIM WORD FOR WORD GOD'S BIBLE.
My answer to your question comes from my understanding of my research BEYOND just the Bible.
I am a Deist that believes in Christ.
http://www.deism.com/deism_defined.htm

Answer 5

I don't belong to any denomination. I meet with fellow saints in a house church setting. And there is NOTHING in the Bible that says women cannot lead. Scholars who have done NT research are unanimous on one thing about woman's role in the early church: they were very active, and took on leadership roles, even as apostles!

Answer 6

Jesus treated women as equals so women should be able to lead just like men. God will use people he thinks are fitted to do a certain role to do that certain role. We're the body of Christ but the body can't be all preachers. God will use you in the role he knows will profit the kingdom the most no matter what sex.

Denomination: Christian

Answer 7

God uses anyone who will serve Him. So many men reject their rolls as Christians and women have to do what the men won't. I have women friends who are pastors and my wife is attending college to be a pastor. To reject a woman as a pastor is to be narrow-minded when there is such a need for pastors.

Answer 8

Depending on what church you go to depends on how high on the totem pole you can reach.
The Mormon church doesn't allow any of their women hold any part of the priesthood. It's only been since the late 70's that they have let Black's hold the priesthood. It just shows how prejudice the church is.

Answer 9

Its sort of a long story but here is the short version. In the beginning God gave Adam the priesthood and Eve motherhood both equal but with different roles to play in his plan to exalt people to a higher level.
I am LDS. (Mormon)

Answer 10

Any organization that does not allow women to hold the same offices as men is a corrupt organization and not one that I want anything to do with.

An Agnostic