Biblically has God ever used a woman to teach men His truths?

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A

Ariel82

Guest
#1
I believe that question is the root of whether women should or shouldn't be allowed to be pastors.

It's been on my mind because I believe God has called me to some type of ministry.

I am not sure what role it is but I know He has blessed me and expects me to bless others .

I know he will show me how to help others and where to go.

However, I also believe in using the Bible to test my feelings and innermost thoughts to see if they really are from God.

Right now I feel a call to ministry and have applied to become a Stephen minister.

.I believe going to Stephen ministry training is a good step....that's when you do one on one counseling with people who need prayer and someone to listen to them..men with men and women with women, so folks don't need to freak out about the word minister.

My question goes down to what duties within the church can a woman hold according to the Bible?

I know many people will throw man made traditions and history on both sides of the debate, but from the Bible what are we told?

I will pull what I wrote in another thread and ask your thoughts upon it.
 
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BeyondET

Guest
#2
I believe God has called me to some type of ministry.

I know he will show me how to help others and where to go.
Is the above statement enough like sitting under a fig tree, or do you need more conformation.
 
B

BeyondET

Guest
#3
James 1

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
 
Dec 2, 2016
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#4
I suppose you could do any ministry accept be in obvious authority over men.
 
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BeyondET

Guest
#5
I suppose you could do any ministry accept be in obvious authority over men.
Ahh the male pride, truly hampers men, and has led to devious things.
 

phil36

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2009
8,260
2,111
113
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#6
I would say yes women can teach and show men God's truths... Know one can deny this as females evangelise just as much as men. Whether or not women should hold a position of authority in the local body of believers is a different matter (whatever side of the argument you stand).What we have in life, sin destroys and ebbs away.

If you feel led to go into some sort of ministry meeting the needs of those perishing or evangelising you go for it for Ariel.
 
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Spokenpassage

Guest
#7
Leading a woman's bible study is a good one, or children's/youth-kind-of ministry. :)
 
A

Ariel82

Guest
#8
Is the above statement enough like sitting under a fig tree, or do you need more conformation.
Yes, i need more than just feelings to make that step, because I lack self confidence.

Which I have come to decide is NOT a bad thing.

I can explain later, but let me just say that I came to this site 7 years ago and learned a lot.

When i mentioned that i thought God was calling me into ministry or to become a pastor.
.
I was told that the desire was unbiblical and couldn't be from God but demonic.

I have since researched and prayed and learnt some things i can share later.

The point being I listened and decided i didn't want to step into the minefield and paint a target on myself be trying to become a woman minister.

I got a degree teaching high school science, but God showed me that it wasn't where He wanted me. Plus it was hurting my family life and quality of time spent with my kids.

So now i am a stay at home mom that volunteers a lot for school, church and community. My husband has encouraged me to go to seminary because he knows I spend hours on this site and more hours off site reading the Bible and discussing it with people.

I keep my days busy. I watch preschool aged kids for a moms connect group at my church, lead a small Christcare group of women, lead a Reading group for 3rd graders, coach a science Olympiad team for the super slueth event and give of my time and talents where I feel God calls me. My kids are involved in scouting and we camp a lot.I look forward to being a leader of a group of teenagers this summer for the AT home ( 3 adults, 5-8 teenagers, 5 days, 30 plus miles backpacking in the Appalachian trail)

I know God is calling me into ministry, what exactly and where I dont know.
 
A

Ariel82

Guest
#10
I am waiting between meetings...wanted to share the assignment I just wrote for my 3rd graders.

******

Assignment

1. Choose your favorite character and scene from the book.

2. Identify his or her character traits and write them in your journal, use examples out of the book to support your analysis.

3. Write a monolog for your favorite character summarising your favorite scene in your journal. Have the teacher check and suggest revisions or get approval for step 4.

4. Practice monolog out loud. Try and memorize if possible

5. Preform monolog for group and listen respectfully to other group members performance.

6. Give positive and constructive feedback on performance using a grading rubric, and stating what you liked and what could be improved upon.

****

Need to write the rubric.
 
B

BeyondET

Guest
#11
Yes, i need more than just feelings to make that step, because I lack self confidence.

Which I have come to decide is NOT a bad thing.

I can explain later, but let me just say that I came to this site 7 years ago and learned a lot.

When i mentioned that i thought God was calling me into ministry or to become a pastor.
.
I was told that the desire was unbiblical and couldn't be from God but demonic.

I have since researched and prayed and learnt some things i can share later.

The point being I listened and decided i didn't want to step into the minefield and paint a target on myself be trying to become a woman minister.

I got a degree teaching high school science, but God showed me that it wasn't where He wanted me. Plus it was hurting my family life and quality of time spent with my kids.

So now i am a stay at home mom that volunteers a lot for school, church and community. My husband has encouraged me to go to seminary because he knows I spend hours on this site and more hours off site reading the Bible and discussing it with people.

I keep my days busy. I watch preschool aged kids for a moms connect group at my church, lead a small Christcare group of women, lead a Reading group for 3rd graders, coach a science Olympiad team for the super slueth event and give of my time and talents where I feel God calls me. My kids are involved in scouting and we camp a lot.I look forward to being a leader of a group of teenagers this summer for the AT home ( 3 adults, 5-8 teenagers, 5 days, 30 plus miles backpacking in the Appalachian trail)

I know God is calling me into ministry, what exactly and where I dont know.
Here's a place that might be helpful...

http://http://www.todayschristianwoman.com/articles/2000/may/needconfidenceboost.html?start=1
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#12
I believe that question is the root of whether women should or shouldn't be allowed to be pastors.

It's been on my mind because I believe God has called me to some type of ministry.

I am not sure what role it is but I know He has blessed me and expects me to bless others .

I know he will show me how to help others and where to go.

However, I also believe in using the Bible to test my feelings and innermost thoughts to see if they really are from God.

Right now I feel a call to ministry and have applied to become a Stephen minister.

.I believe going to Stephen ministry training is a good step....that's when you do one on one counseling with people who need prayer and someone to listen to them..men with men and women with women, so folks don't need to freak out about the word minister.

My question goes down to what duties within the church can a woman hold according to the Bible?

I know many people will throw man made traditions and history on both sides of the debate, but from the Bible what are we told?

I will pull what I wrote in another thread and ask your thoughts upon it.
Biblically, I've seen a child teach teachers, so yeah. But that child had something going for him that we do not.

Biblically, I've seen a woman judge, a foreign girl, a seller of purple cloth, and a young, poor girl from Judah teach men. BUT by example, not as a rabbi.
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#13
I believe that question is the root of whether women should or shouldn't be allowed to be pastors.

It's been on my mind because I believe God has called me to some type of ministry.

I am not sure what role it is but I know He has blessed me and expects me to bless others .

I know he will show me how to help others and where to go.

However, I also believe in using the Bible to test my feelings and innermost thoughts to see if they really are from God.

Right now I feel a call to ministry and have applied to become a Stephen minister.

.I believe going to Stephen ministry training is a good step....that's when you do one on one counseling with people who need prayer and someone to listen to them..men with men and women with women, so folks don't need to freak out about the word minister.

My question goes down to what duties within the church can a woman hold according to the Bible?

I know many people will throw man made traditions and history on both sides of the debate, but from the Bible what are we told?

I will pull what I wrote in another thread and ask your thoughts upon it.
Feeling doesn't cut it. I'll give you this much. Angela and I both felt a calling from God. She was called to be a pastor and I was called to be a counselor. We didn't leave it at the feeling. We researched the Bible to see if it was from God or from ourselves.

For me, I did it the stupid way -- started learning how to be a counselor by going to school for it. Fortunately, the school was smart enough to give me the homework assignment which was to check if God called me to it. By the time I turned in that paper, it became my resignation letter too.

The Bible taught me I could not be a counselor in the way I thought I would. I had plans for family counseling. I suspect you ask this question because you see the same problem I saw. Who is the head of a family under God? Me? Um, nope! And who does the head of the family go to when he seeks help? Me? Nope! I was inserting myself on the ladder as an extra step that should NOT be there.

Does that mean I wasn't called to counsel? Apparently not, according to Titus 2. I do counsel! I just don't counsel heads-of; i.e. men above me on that ladder.
 
Dec 19, 2009
27,513
128
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#14
I believe that question is the root of whether women should or shouldn't be allowed to be pastors.

It's been on my mind because I believe God has called me to some type of ministry.

I am not sure what role it is but I know He has blessed me and expects me to bless others .

I know he will show me how to help others and where to go.

However, I also believe in using the Bible to test my feelings and innermost thoughts to see if they really are from God.

Right now I feel a call to ministry and have applied to become a Stephen minister.

.I believe going to Stephen ministry training is a good step....that's when you do one on one counseling with people who need prayer and someone to listen to them..men with men and women with women, so folks don't need to freak out about the word minister.

My question goes down to what duties within the church can a woman hold according to the Bible?

I know many people will throw man made traditions and history on both sides of the debate, but from the Bible what are we told?

I will pull what I wrote in another thread and ask your thoughts upon it.
The Lord had Deborah rule over Israel for a period of time. Does that count?
 

Johnny_B

Senior Member
Mar 18, 2017
1,954
64
48
#15
Yes, i need more than just feelings to make that step, because I lack self confidence.

Which I have come to decide is NOT a bad thing.

I can explain later, but let me just say that I came to this site 7 years ago and learned a lot.

When i mentioned that i thought God was calling me into ministry or to become a pastor.
.
I was told that the desire was unbiblical and couldn't be from God but demonic.

I have since researched and prayed and learnt some things i can share later.

The point being I listened and decided i didn't want to step into the minefield and paint a target on myself be trying to become a woman minister.

I got a degree teaching high school science, but God showed me that it wasn't where He wanted me. Plus it was hurting my family life and quality of time spent with my kids.

So now i am a stay at home mom that volunteers a lot for school, church and community. My husband has encouraged me to go to seminary because he knows I spend hours on this site and more hours off site reading the Bible and discussing it with people.

I keep my days busy. I watch preschool aged kids for a moms connect group at my church, lead a small Christcare group of women, lead a Reading group for 3rd graders, coach a science Olympiad team for the super slueth event and give of my time and talents where I feel God calls me. My kids are involved in scouting and we camp a lot.I look forward to being a leader of a group of teenagers this summer for the AT home ( 3 adults, 5-8 teenagers, 5 days, 30 plus miles backpacking in the Appalachian trail)

I know God is calling me into ministry, what exactly and where I dont know.
Sister God has not called you to ministry, He has placed you in ministry, you can't see the forest for the trees. If God has called you to something greater then what you are doing, He will lead. Would seminary take you away from the ministry He has placed you in? If so maybe He's not calling you to go there, maybe some online classes to further your knowledge of the Bible.

Angela53510 posted this site and if I remember correctly she went to seminary, so she might be a good one to talk with to know what the up side and the down side is on going to seminary. This was something I heard that makes lots of sense, "where God guides, He provides". From what I understand the classes are free, after I post the site, I'm going to post some Scripture for you to consider.

https://www.biblicaltraining.org/

I Timothy 2:8-15 "I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling;9 likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire,10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.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."

Titus 2:1-5 "
But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good,4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children,5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled."

From what you've mentioned it sounds like you are already doing what Paul said Titus. It seem like you want to make sure you are doing as Titus 2:1 says, so you can be sure that what you are teaching is sound, I'm not saying it isn't because I don't know what you are teaching and if you weren't I don't see a pastor letting someone continue in ministry if they were. I hope this helps
 

Johnny_B

Senior Member
Mar 18, 2017
1,954
64
48
#16
I forgot Scripture that might help with what Paul is saying in I Timothy 2:14-15, Genesis 3:16 To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.”
 
A

Ariel82

Guest
#17
I forgot Scripture that might help with what Paul is saying in I Timothy 2:14-15, Genesis 3:16 To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.”
???

Had two kids, the pain wasn't that bad..,was in intense labor for maybe 4 hours, but God helped me get through it.

My husband encourages me to go to seminary, so I don't know what your message is.

Could you elaborate?


Thanks for the website, will definitely check out the classes.
 
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Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
55,247
25,716
113
#18
Phoebe: A Diakonos

Of all New Testament women, Phoebe might be the most hotly debated in terms of her role in the early church. She is described in Romans 16:1 as a diakonos, which is generally masked in English translations as “servant.” However, diakonos is the same word that Paul uses to describe his own ministry (1 Cor 3:5; 2 Cor. 3:6, 6:4, 11:23; Eph 3:7; Col 1:23, 25), but it is unlikely that this parallel could ever be gleaned from English translations alone.

What is more is that the title of Phoebe as a diakonos accounts for the “first recorded ‘deacon’ in the history of Christianity.” Phoebe is tied to a specific local church, the church at Cenchrea, which makes her appointment a local function. Furthermore, the combination of diakonos with ousa “points more to a recognized ministry” or a “position of responsibility within the congregation.” “Minister” would be an acceptable translation in this regard or perhaps more appropriately, “[kai] also a minister,”whereas “servant” would prove inadequate. If Paul were simply aiming to convey a sense of service to her local church, this “would have probably been expressed by use of ‘diakoneō’ (Rom 15:25) or ‘diakonia’ (1 Cor 16:15).”

The alternate definition for diakonos, namely an “intermediary” or “courier,” is also appropriate here. Diakonos in this regard means “one who serves as an intermediary in a transaction.” In terms of Phoebe, this distinction would classify her as the letter carrier to the book of Romans. In light of the fact that many letters did not reach their designated locations in antiquity, the appointment of a woman as the carrier of the book of Romans is noteworthy, particularly since Romans is arguably the most significant book in the New Testament. https://www.sbl-site.org/publications/article.aspx?articleId=830
 

blue_ladybug

Senior Member
Feb 21, 2014
70,862
9,581
113
#19
He used a woman to bring His Truth into the world, didn't He? :)
 

Johnny_B

Senior Member
Mar 18, 2017
1,954
64
48
#20
???

Had two kids, the pain wasn't that bad..,was in intense labor for maybe 4 hours, but God helped me get through it.

My husband encourages me to go to seminary, so I don't know what your message is.

Could you elaborate?


Thanks for the website, will definitely check out the classes.
I am not saying do not go or go, I by no means have or claim to have any special insight. I was just asking, would it take you away from the ministry He has you in now. As far as the childbearing, I only post the Scripture so that you could maybe understand what Paul was saying in I Timothy 2:14-15. Was just trying to give you all that the Bible says about women and teaching men as your title asked and what guidelines the Bible gives.

Something to think about, with all you are doing would adding the work load of seminary interfere with your ministry and family life. As a husband we want to make our wife happy, so we suggest things, no counting the full cost (not financial) of it's effect on our lives. Again I do not know you or your husband I can just relate my experiences, which are just that, my experiences.

I truly hope I have not brought more misunderstanding to what I'm trying to say.