Female Church Leadership

[ITS]

State specifically your comfort level with female church leadership in: (1) preaching / teaching, (2) staff positions, and (3) lay administration. Summarize your reasons.

[Chkwna]

State specifically your comfort level with female church leadership in: (1) preaching / teaching, (2) staff positions, and (3) lay administration. Summarize your reasons.
"Galatians 3:28 - There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."
I believe that women are called by God to do his work no matter what it may be. Women aren't inferior to men but they are the weaker vessel. We are the weaker vessel because that's how God created us to dwell with men. I don't think we should be looked at as people who can't teach, preach, or counsel, but we should be looked to for help in the local churches and our gifts whether teaching or preaching should be brought out.

[tiffanypencak]

State specifically your comfort level with female church leadership in: (1) preaching / teaching, (2) staff positions, and (3) lay administration. Summarize your reasons.

I find this an extremely "touchy" and sensitive area within the church. Even within the conservative private Bible College that I attended, a wide variety of beliefs were held. I firmly believe in the spiritual equality within men and women--They were both created within the image of God, with equal salvific opportunity, and specificly written will from the Father, to be accomplished. From there, it is a murky and slightly divided heart that I seek out my belief of the role of women within the church. Within our American culture of Christianity, women are accepted as unique, gifted, talented, and fully capable creature of God. Through specifically CHOOSING to submit to the New Testament instruction of scripture to submit to the male authorities of the church shows the strength and strong convictions they contain. I do believe that if instructed and approved by a church male leader, a woman may have the right to speak to both men and women. Furthermore, under instruction from Paul that a he does not permit a woman to teach men (I Tim. 2:11-12), holds subjective variation within our present century. What is the age that a boy becomes a man? May a woman with a PH.D in Theology lecture in a classroom of 18 year old men/boys? This is a question I wresle with, but lean towards "yes."
I do believe a woman has the Biblical right to hold positions within the church. She has been blessed with spiritual gifts for a reason: to be used within the context of ministry.
Lastly, with lay administration: again, if the woman is under the authority of the men of the church, she may hold such leadership, depending on the office and responsibility involved (A Sunday School board versus a board of elders).
Again, at this time I am still gravelying and processing to come to a full thought of conviction regarding these scriptural commands.

[tiffanypencak]

State specifically your comfort level with female church leadership in: (1) preaching / teaching, (2) staff positions, and (3) lay administration. Summarize your reasons.
"Galatians 3:28 - There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."
I believe that women are called by God to do his work no matter what it may be. Women aren't inferior to men but they are the weaker vessel. We are the weaker vessel because that's how God created us to dwell with men. I don't think we should be looked at as people who can't teach, preach, or counsel, but we should be looked to for help in the local churches and our gifts whether teaching or preaching should be brought out.

I have to ask how you meant to tie in the Galations 3:28 verse with your well put conviction stated below the verse. I do not quite see a uniform structure of thought. I do believe that this verse is structured to theologically infer to the equality of men and women in the image of God and posses the same opportunity for salvation.
The second paragraph is well put, and I agree with it. In what ways are females the weaker vessel? As a whole? I believe: not spiritually, not mentally; but as whole in their position on this earth and under the authority of God.
Lastly, I completely agree with the statement of not allowing women to use their gifts because they are considered "weaker". I believe we should focus on the opportunities, because they are numerous, and above all stand strong with the convictions God has placed in our hearts regarding those roles and opportunities within the ministry of the church body.

[its_brad]

Posted By: Betty Pike
Post Date: Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:23 am
Post Subject: Re: Female Church Leadership
ITS wrote:
State specifically your comfort level with female church leadership in: (1) preaching / teaching, (2) staff positions, and (3) lay administration. Summarize your reasons.
I am convinced that women can have a place in the church leadership. Women give an insight that men do not have. I see no problems with women having a positions of teaching and having staff positions. If a woman is qualified to handle the positions of teaching and staff positions, there is no reason she should not have the positions. I have questions as to why she wants the positions of layadministration and preaching. The same concerns could also be applied to men desiring these positions. What are there qualifications? Why do they want these positions? I have met women who are pastors of churches as well as women who believe that they are called to preach. If these women are where they believe God wants them, then who are we to go against them. I know that there are churches who say that women are to be quiet in church. If this is the case, then why do they allow women to teach classes? Is this not a contradiction? If a woman is well qualified in theology or the Bible, is she relegated to the back burner in training others in theology or the Bible? Many of us were raised that men were to be the leaders, but we forget that God did bless women as leaders throught Scripture. At this point, I am still struggling with women as pastors, but this may be a cultural issue. We let women on the mission field do the same as being lay administrators and pastors. Is it so wrong back home?