To write about this might be crazy – there is no way to address all of the related issues pertaining to this subject in a blog. I might decide to turn this into a series… maybe. Let me deal with a couple of things this week and see where it goes from there.  In order to not turn this into a book, I will make more generalized statements and summarize issues and positions that I can explain later if anyone should ask – just keep that in mind as you read.

 Argument Against: No they should not
Women are very talented, intuitive, intelligent, creative and relational along with many other attributes that would take too long to address here. They have God given gifts, servants hearts and know how to nurture people often far better than men. What reasons could possibly be given to prevent women from being pastors and elders in churches? If a person disagrees that women should not be elders and / or pastors then they have to deal with these passages without a perfunctory dismissal that this is simply a culture obstacle.

First

The most obvious and clearest statement the Bible states that a woman is not allowed to teach or exercise authority over a man (1 Timothy 2:12).  The context of this statement is within three verses of chapter 3 which begins the discussion of the qualification of those men who desire to be an elder (3:1-7).  No indication is ever implied that women were considered for this role. Consequently, if we are not too distracted by some of the other statements or issues around these verses, it is stating that the responsibility of the role of being an Elder falls upon the men. Regardless of how we deal with other situations, the idea here is that in the church men are being called to take this role. Now I know some of you are ready to say that this is just an immature patriarchal culture and we have grown past that problem, but (I will elaborate on this next week) Paul’s argument for this is not based on culture. 

Secondly

1 Corinthians 11:3, 7-9 indicates that everyone fits into some context which is identified as “headship”. The term “headship” is simply the idea of leadership, but I will break it down into the idea of a “position of responsibility with accountability”.  So, a man has been given a particular “position of responsibility with accountability” to Christ; a woman is in a particular “position of responsibility with accountability” to the man; Christ is in this particular “position of responsibility with accountability” to God the Father.  Another way to express this is found in Matthew 8 where the centurion says to Jesus, “For I too am a man under authority….” which means he was entrusted with a responsibility and given the authority to carry out a very specific role, for a very specific reason AND he is clearly accountable to a higher authority for how he operates in that particular role. This is like “headship” explained in 1 Corinthians 11.  

 What does this mean?

I believe that God says to men, specifically in the context of a family (and the church) they are under authority, entrusted by God Himself  to have certain responsibilities to provide spiritual leadership and care for his wife. As the “head” he must be willing to lay down his life for her (Eph. 5:25); he is to nurture and cherish her (Eph. 5:29). This is not about turning into a dictator and making demands but a commitment to protect, provide and have certain perspicuity about God’s will for their relationship, not unlike what an Elder should do for God’s people. He will be accountable to Christ for how he commits to that responsibility.

The main point:

Even if women can do the job better in the home or church (for the sake of argument) God has not asked them to take this role. God established and delegated certain responsibilities to the men. God has established and delegated certain responsibilities to the women. I believe God has wired men and women differently and I don’t think that either one can simply take over and do the others role. I also do not believe this has anything to do with equality. Men and women are created in the image of God and together they reflect the full manifestation of His image. Regardless of our cultural debates of equality and skill set God is still going to hold men responsible for that role – men have been give a responsibility with accountability and God will ask us to give account.

Let me use one illustration:

If I am coaching a sports team and I ask a player to take on a certain position or role, and I ask another player to fill a different role I would expect them to do that. Often I will choose that role based on their unique abilities, temperament and mindset. If one decides not to do that role or neglects it or even decides that he is going to give that role to another player on the team, they are simply ignoring what I asked them to do. Either way, I am not going to be happy with them. Why? I asked them to take on certain roles. If they switch that role with someone else, I am going to be unhappy – because they are not doing what I asked them to do. There is nothing worse for a coach than when players will not play the role he assigned to them. As a coach, I would hold them accountable for that role even if they chose not to do it. In fact, I may bench them if they refuse to take on the role that I asked them to take.  So, I believe this is similar to what God has asked here in these passages.

Argument for: Yes Women should be Elders and Pastors 
This “blog” is too long now so I will do this next week.

Pastor Brad