Would you walk out of your church if a woman missionary came to pulpit to speak ?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

notuptome

Senior Member
May 17, 2013
15,050
2,538
113
This has happened at churches I have attended in the past. While I never walked out (I guess they don't train us in Australia as well as they trained some of you Americans), it did make me very uncomfortable, and I really missed hearing a proper message those Sundays, as important as the missionary testimonies might have been.

(The other thing I don't like - wouldn't it be better for single women who are missionaries to marry another missionary, and support her husband in his work? Then there would be no need for her to speak in church at all. I understand there may be situations where marriage to a Godly missionary is not possible for some women, but I believe the single woman missionary is more common than it should be).

As a Christian man, I can't accept anything a woman might preach in church as a message from God, because if she were really sent by God, surely she would be obedient to Him by being submissive and even silent during the service? As a side note, we have a lot of feminism in Australian churches, but it seems to me, the more feminist a church becomes, the weaker its doctrine and faith (the numbers might be many, but the faith and doctrines are shallow or outright false). I am convinced that women preachers are an attempt by the devil to introduce false doctrines that Godly men would not be deceived by. Has anyone else had similar experiences?
Our church supports a woman missionary. She is a doctor and ministers in Haiti. She come and gives a report of the ministry in Haiti but does not preach. The pastor preaches. When she is on the field she shares the gospel with those she tends to as a doctor but she does not preach on the Lords day in the church. In other words she witnesses but she is not nor would she dream of being a preacher/pastor.

She remains single and she is very dedicated to the Lord and the work to which He has called her. I cannot begin to tell you of the personal sacrifices she has made for the Lord but I know her reward in heaven will be great.

For the cause of Christ
Roger
 
R

reject-tech

Guest
[h=2]Would you walk out of your church if a woman missionary came to pulpit to speak ? [/h]
Naw. All those gender behavior instructions are just fleshly examples of spiritual instructions.
The "man" and "woman" in each person, regardless of physical gender.
 
H

hope_is_love

Guest
"wouldn't it be better for single women who are missionaries to marry another missionary, and support her husband in his work"

This makes me sad, and a little frustrated. First of all, you are assuming that a person of marriageable age will of course find a spouse when they are ready. That is unfortunately not the case. There are many godly people who will either never marry or spend significant portions of their lives as singles. Even if they will eventually marry, do you expect women to just be on stand by until that time? That certainly goes against the teachings of Paul in I Corinthians.

Women are called to serve God, too. You don't necessarily know what His purpose is for another person. Telling women that they have to wait to serve God until they are "activated" by marriage is wrong. It's also naive of you to think that a woman supporting her husband's work is the equivalent to following God's purpose in her life.

God has a purpose for all people, including spouses. If or when God brings you into a marriage, it is important to understand that God has a plan for you as individuals as well as a family unit. Sometimes they will be the same, sometimes complimentary (one supporting the other), and sometimes they will be different. Submission to God and respect for each other makes it work.
excellente!
 

iamsoandso

Senior Member
Oct 6, 2011
7,865
1,567
113
and see i assumed that from the beginning all understood that the word "missionary",,,does not ever appear in the Greek text of the new testament.,,,,, Missionary - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia the word missionary was not used until 1598 by the Jesuits,and it stems from a word in Latin "missionem" and it means (act of sending).

as we know from the new testament there was never any official office known as (an missionary) it could be a religious entity or non religious entity,,,,,,so as to the direct wording,,, "would you walk out of your church if a woman missionary came to the pulpit to speak?",,,,

(1)if a woman missionary,ect.,,and was giving records concerning a water well they were digging in a poor nation,i would not walk out.

(2)if a man missionary came to the pulpit and spoke about the church,i would not walk out.

(3)if a woman missionary came to the pulpit ect. and spoke about the crayons,clothes,medicine,food,blankets ect. they needed to accumulate for the mission,i would not walk out.

(4),,,,,well i could go on and on but as we see in the definition i supplied (see link) a missionary could be christian,the red cross,Muslim,Jewish,soldiers from the national guard passing out m.r.e's ect.ect.,,,,and see sometimes i would walk out and others not,,,,it's all in just actually who the missionary is sent to represent,and what they are actually saying.

now here on c.c. we most times are stickler at looking up the meanings to certain words,we look up the definition in Hebrew,Greek,English. rare few times do any of us bicker over a Latin word,,,well accept till now(i am iamsoandso,i am a kindergartener Latin student,lol)but at the same time some how or another we will need to establish the given definition to the Latin word,,,,,,,,,,,"missionary",,,,,then and only then can we see that it is not an official office in the christian church of Jesus Christ,,,,,,,
 
Last edited:
G

GreenNnice

Guest
and see i assumed that from the beginning all understood that the word "missionary",,,does not ever appear in the Greek text of the new testament.,,,,, Missionary - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia the word missionary was not used until 1598 by the Jesuits,and it stems from a word in Latin "missionem" and it means (act of sending).

as we know from the new testament there was never any official office known as (an missionary) it could be a religious entity or non religious entity,,,,,,so as to the direct wording,,, "would you walk out of your church if a woman missionary came to the pulpit to speak?",,,,

(1)if a woman missionary,ect.,,and was giving records concerning a water well they were digging in a poor nation,i would not walk out.

(2)if a man missionary came to the pulpit and spoke about the church,i would not walk out.

(3)if a woman missionary came to the pulpit ect. and spoke about the crayons,clothes,medicine,food,blankets ect. they needed to accumulate for the mission,i would not walk out.

(4),,,,,well i could go on and on but as we see in the definition i supplied (see link) a missionary could be christian,the red cross,Muslim,Jewish,soldiers from the national guard passing out m.r.e's ect.ect.,,,,and see sometimes i would walk out and others not,,,,it's all in just actually who the missionary is sent to represent,and what they are actually saying.

now here on c.c. we most times are stickler at looking up the meanings to certain words,we look up the definition in Hebrew,Greek,English. rare few times do any of us bicker over a Latin word,,,well accept till now(i am iamsoandso,i am a kindergartener Latin student,lol)but at the same time some how are another we will need to establish the given definition to the Latin word,,,,,,,,,,,"missionary",,,,,ten and only then can we see that it is not an official office in the christian church of Jesus christ,,,,,,,
Was Priscilla a missionary, a teacher, or a preacher ? :)

hi , iamHisiamsoandso
 

iamsoandso

Senior Member
Oct 6, 2011
7,865
1,567
113
Was Priscilla a missionary, a teacher, or a preacher ? :)

hi , iamHisiamsoandso
all we know is her and her (husband),,,gave testimony to Apollos,,,,did her husband Aquila teach him the Gospel and pracilla call her husband lord and go through the motions of submitting to her husband in front of Apollos?,,,,which part of the details do we supply to this?,,,,
 
Z

zech912

Guest
Yeah, the question is why would you walk out ??? Sounds to me like the issue is not the message or the messenger.If one walks out of a church before the woman speaks, then we have an unsolved issue in a very hardened heart towards women in authority that can date back to somewhere in childhood.My guess is mother,older sister,aunt or grandmother. It has nothing to do with the message or messenger but the idea of a woman in a position where you(a man) has no choice but listen to whatever she's going to say-and BTW;you don't in return get to challenge what she's going to say just so you can feel better !!! Then the issue is requires deep searching and praying to find forgiveness and healing...(My own opinion)
 

iamsoandso

Senior Member
Oct 6, 2011
7,865
1,567
113
greenNnice i do declare you have without sexual favoritism fought a very hard fight for women and their role in the church,i do utterly believe they are "our help meet,bone of our bones,flesh of our flesh ",,,i tell you in front of all of c.c. you have demanded all of the acknowledgement god demands the house of god to look upon our women and see them in the house of god.

there is an extremely important role/office appointed by the almighty god in the house of god,she is a woman,and the sermon of submission is given to her to preach to the house of god,let her be provided every tool for it to succeed. i could not have succeeded in mine life without my lord,he seeing this weakness in me sent me my beautiful wife,my girlfriend to fulfill my weakness,i see without her,you you would have had no benefit of me.

one is sent to preach,another to prophecy, one to baptize,one to die at the hand of the unbeliever. Moses said "why me?",,,he did not choose his role but the lord knew the man Moses,and chose him for that role. the apostles did not choose the day that they were born,but were sent at their appointed time to fulfill the desire of the lord according to the lords will. i had no choice in the bag of flesh i was sent forth in,the bag of flesh shaped in the fashion of an man.

yet but i find i am an naked bag of flesh without my clothes,i am split in half without mine wife,half an man with lips to preach,yet none to preach it to,save the woman the lord gave me and the children she is the mother of. there is a proton,there is a neutron,and electrons,they do not waist their time arguing to become the other. an oak tree does not find it an inconvenience in that it is not an pecan tree. the moon is not jealous of the sun but is content to reflect it's light,,,,,,,

a man,whom is born an man, whom pretends that he is an woman,and lay with an man,we see clearly he is perverse. he that man pretends he is an blade of grass instead of an man,he saith i am a boat and will sail the ocean,and all the while he is an rock and will always sink.

it is a beautiful thing to contemplate,a woman in the midst of all of the creation of god. without the air you will die,without the food you will starve. the soil is left wanting without the seed sprouting in it,as if he were an man without an woman. woman,woman,,,preach to me the sermon the lord gave you to preach,and preach it well,submit to your husbands so i can hear the voice of the father,abide in the proverb you were sent to speak.

woman,,,i am trembling being an man as well as you are trembling being an woman,i find mine own self no more in an less aqua-rd position,,,if you seek to learn ask me at home in private,the deeper matters,of the mark,or the beast,i am required by the same law to provide,but i will squirm at times in fear of impotence.,,,,well,cut up the pin number if you receive it,,,,,

one is sent to baptize,by god,he should do no other work, one to lay hands on,he should do no other. one is sent to be a frog,and he not to be a squirrel. a flower blooms in its time and it is not an rock. the stars move about in the heavens and do not bicker if they are not an fish.

woman it is preciseness for you to be a woman today,it is precious in the house of god,there is no man without an woman. you are the fine example of the church of Christ,do not falter from it,,,,,,,preach your sermon well,,,,,,,,,,,,,,i am in the midst of loving you,,,,,,,,
 
G

GreenNnice

Guest
greenNnice i do declare you have without sexual favoritism fought a very hard fight for women and their role in the church,i do utterly believe they are "our help meet,bone of our bones,flesh of our flesh ",,,i tell you in front of all of c.c. you have demanded all of the acknowledgement god demands the house of god to look upon our women and see them in the house of god.

there is an extremely important role/office appointed by the almighty god in the house of god,she is a woman,and the sermon of submission is given to her to preach to the house of god,let her be provided every tool for it to succeed. i could not have succeeded in mine life without my lord,he seeing this weakness in me sent me my beautiful wife,my girlfriend to fulfill my weakness,i see without her,you you would have had no benefit of me.

one is sent to preach,another to prophecy, one to baptize,one to die at the hand of the unbeliever. Moses said "why me?",,,he did not choose his role but the lord knew the man Moses,and chose him for that role. the apostles did not choose the day that they were born,but were sent at their appointed time to fulfill the desire of the lord according to the lords will. i had no choice in the bag of flesh i was sent forth in,the bag of flesh shaped in the fashion of an man.

yet but i find i am an naked bag of flesh without my clothes,i am split in half without mine wife,half an man with lips to preach,yet none to preach it to,save the woman the lord gave me and the children she is the mother of. there is a proton,there is a neutron,and electrons,they do not waist their time arguing to become the other. an oak tree does not find it an inconvenience in that it is not an pecan tree. the moon is not jealous of the sun but is content to reflect it's light,,,,,,,

a man,whom is born an man, whom pretends that he is an woman,and lay with an man,we see clearly he is perverse. he that man pretends he is an blade of grass instead of an man,he saith i am a boat and will sail the ocean,and all the while he is an rock and will always sink.

it is a beautiful thing to contemplate,a woman in the midst of all of the creation of god. without the air you will die,without the food you will starve. the soil is left wanting without the seed sprouting in it,as if he were an man without an woman. woman,woman,,,preach to me the sermon the lord gave you to preach,and preach it well,submit to your husbands so i can hear the voice of the father,abide in the proverb you were sent to speak.

woman,,,i am trembling being an man as well as you are trembling being an woman,i find mine own self no more in an less aqua-rd position,,,if you seek to learn ask me at home in private,the deeper matters,of the mark,or the beast,i am required by the same law to provide,but i will squirm at times in fear of impotence.,,,,well,cut up the pin number if you receive it,,,,,

one is sent to baptize,by god,he should do no other work, one to lay hands on,he should do no other. one is sent to be a frog,and he not to be a squirrel. a flower blooms in its time and it is not an rock. the stars move about in the heavens and do not bicker if they are not an fish.

woman it is preciseness for you to be a woman today,it is precious in the house of god,there is no man without an woman. you are the fine example of the church of Christ,do not falter from it,,,,,,,preach your sermon well,,,,,,,,,,,,,,i am in the midst of loving you,,,,,,,,
And, I pray, hope, IamHissoandso, that I, indeed, do respect men's, and, women's opinions, on this subject, the Lord leads, and, He causes me to believe that He can, indeed, call a women to the pulpit and over men too. NOT God's perfect way of doing things, but, it CAN, indeed, be His way, because we are to understand His ways are NOT our ways and His thoughts are HIGHER than our thoughts .

That is important to note, that, and, the fact that the Holy Spirit speaks to everyone differently and IF God calls a woman to the pulpit because no man will STAND IN THE GAP or she's worked hard in seminary and shows an fluency in Scripture, then, God honors that fact and God will do great things, GREAT FRUIT will come to that church that is supportive of His CHOICE for PREACHING THE WORD to all in that church . :)

I, think, too, of the fact that women ARE teaching in churches ALREADY today and to be condemning women when they are ALREADY teaching in a church is just not right sounding to me. That's just wrong to be making people who have a woman as their church's pastor as doing things against God's Word. The bottom line: God is doing things all the time, EVEN allowing things that are NOT PERFECT, according to His Word, but He will have things come out according to His ends, even a place of destruction for the wicked, so, a woman pastor who is NOT helping her church produce fruit will be 'pruned,' and, IF she is still in adultery or moral gullibleness, etc., she will be CUT OFF. :(

God speaks of John 15 of this.
 
Oct 12, 2012
1,563
929
113
68
Would you walk out of your church if a woman, who was a missionary, came up to the pulpit to give her testimony ?
Why or why not?

Would this be considered a woman having authority over a man, as 1 Tim. 2:12 states, if she were to recount her experiences of having seen God at work through her in a far-off land ?

1 Timothy 2: 12 : "I suffer not a woman to teach or have authority over a man but to be silent."
Keep in mind that 'to teach' goes with the word 'authority,' you are wrong to think that a woman is being told here by Paul to NEVER teach a man nothing. That's pathetic understanding of the English language, I think
:(

The verse should read: "I suffer not a woman to teach (authority) or have authority over a man but to be silent."
The word 'authority goes with 'to teach,' it is IMPLIED, for all those English scholars out there :)

So, is a woman missionary imposing her authority over a congregation, filled with women AND MEN, if she recounts how God moved in her life in the days/months/years she was in the heart of AFrica's Congo, or, wherever she was missionary, bringing the lost to Jesus ? :) Keep in mind, let's just say it outright, she is going to give a POWERFUL testimony, full of faith :)

Yes or no. And, I thought hard about including this third poll choice, too, but, yeah, the Lord leads, so I will, 'depends.'

Can we, please, keep specific to this topic, no, going out on tangents about women preachers, etc., there are enough of those threads already silencing God's hand on what's His way and not our way and His thoughts and not our thoughts way of doing things that people, for some reason, like to THINK they and their bible scholariness CAN outTHINK God when it comes to women who are ALREADY patoring a church, fillwed with women AND MEN :) But, I digress.....

Women missionaries, what of them? Can they explain God's mighty hand on their life in parts unknown to modern day worldphites ? Can she tell others of her time that brought thousands and thousands to Christ? Can she exhort you to bring others to Christ, too ? Or, is this missionary woman like 'Dragnet,' to you, no nothing else, 'Just the fact, ma'am.' :)
What an excellent idea! I'll get a woman to come preach and maybe all of those jackas#^%*, sorry, I mean wolves with sheepskins over their head and faces will get up and leave! Your a genius! Love you man! lol
 

iamsoandso

Senior Member
Oct 6, 2011
7,865
1,567
113
And, I pray, hope, IamHissoandso, that I, indeed, do respect men's, and, women's opinions, on this subject, the Lord leads, and, He causes me to believe that He can, indeed, call a women to the pulpit and over men too. NOT God's perfect way of doing things, but, it CAN, indeed, be His way, because we are to understand His ways are NOT our ways and His thoughts are HIGHER than our thoughts .

That is important to note, that, and, the fact that the Holy Spirit speaks to everyone differently and IF God calls a woman to the pulpit because no man will STAND IN THE GAP or she's worked hard in seminary and shows an fluency in Scripture, then, God honors that fact and God will do great things, GREAT FRUIT will come to that church that is supportive of His CHOICE for PREACHING THE WORD to all in that church . :)

I, think, too, of the fact that women ARE teaching in churches ALREADY today and to be condemning women when they are ALREADY teaching in a church is just not right sounding to me. That's just wrong to be making people who have a woman as their church's pastor as doing things against God's Word. The bottom line: God is doing things all the time, EVEN allowing things that are NOT PERFECT, according to His Word, but He will have things come out according to His ends, even a place of destruction for the wicked, so, a woman pastor who is NOT helping her church produce fruit will be 'pruned,' and, IF she is still in adultery or moral gullibleness, etc., she will be CUT OFF. :(

God speaks of John 15 of this.
,,,,,,,,,,,,a woman cannot assert her authority in the church,,,,,the sermon she is given to preach is that she is in submission to her husband,,,,look very close at all of the exact wording of my post,,,,,
 
M

Married_Richenbrachen

Guest
"This makes me sad, and a little frustrated. First of all, you are assuming that a person of marriageable age will of course find a spouse when they are ready. That is unfortunately not the case.
I agree that not all women will find a husband, but I think the feminism that saturates our society and churches these days actually teaches girls to plan not to find husbands. I believe this is wrong, and if girls were taught right, far more would be enabled to support their husbands in ministry, and this would provide for stronger churches, families and doctrines.

"There are many godly people who will either never marry or spend significant portions of their lives as singles. Even if they will eventually marry, do you expect women to just be on stand by until that time? That certainly goes against the teachings of Paul in I Corinthians."
Perhaps I was not clear in what I said. I believe as a general rule, girls should be trained up to find a Godly husband and support him in his ministry. This will not always happen, as Paul teaches in Corinthians. What I most certainly oppose, however, is girls being brought up to think that they are the same as men, never looking to marry, and then when there are fewer men in ministry because there are fewer wives to support them, using this as an excuse to take on responsibilities only suitable for men.

Women are called to serve God, too. You don't necessarily know what His purpose is for another person. Telling women that they have to wait to serve God until they are "activated" by marriage is wrong.
I agree with this. However, it is also wrong for women to think they can disobey God because there are fewer men available for service, because some (not all) of these same women have not submitted themselves to support Godly husbands in marriage.
It's also naive of you to think that a woman supporting her husband's work is the equivalent to following God's purpose in her life.
I don't think this is naive. God designed the family, and if the husband is a Godly husband and God's purpose for the woman was to marry the man, how can supporting him and their family not be her purpose?
 

Misty77

Senior Member
Aug 30, 2013
1,746
45
0
Married, we can argue the details all night long, but I want to address the heart of the issue. There seem to be two mindsets as to the role of women. Either we are equal heirs as children of God, or we are no more than vaginas with legs created only as an accessory line to the main product: man. Either we are fully people or we are chattel.

Your dog is happy to do nothing more than adore you and please you. Would you put the same limitations on a woman with a mind and God given gifts? She is supposed to be using those to serve the body of Christ along side her brothers. I Corinthians 12 doesn't distinguish the giffts as belonging to one gender over another.

Personally, I get nauseated when I hear some man whine about feminism. First of all, "gird up now thy loins like a man." Actually behave like a man and stop blaming women. You are only responsible for your actions, not anyone elses'. Of course there are women who take it too far; there are crazies in every camp. But most victims of physical abuse and sexual assault are still female by a long shot. And 97% of rapists will never spend a day in jail so I think we still have a long road ahead to end the objectification of women and girls.

I know very few Christian women who don't want to get married. Those who don't, frequently have a good reason why. In my experience, we are given the impression that our only value to the church is to provide sex and babies to a good husband. The church leadership will occasionally toss us a bone in letting us pick the paint colors and of course expect us to run the children's programs under the supervision of a man. But we are left with a waiting game. Since there are 2 single women for every single man in the church, odds are not in your favor if you were not a cheerleader in high school. So we wait and pray and cry and ask God what is so terribly wrong with us that we are forgotten by him and unloved by his sons. So we have a choice to either boldly serve our Savior as ezers (warrior-like strong helper, impotently translated as help meet) or to remain indefinitely on the sidelines waiting for a man to rescue us from our slumber.
 
M

Married_Richenbrachen

Guest
Either we are equal heirs as children of God, or we are no more than vaginas with legs created only as an accessory line to the main product: man. Either we are fully people or we are chattel.
Or both men and women are equal before God, but not the same, and have different roles (i.e. "equal" does not mean "the same"). That's the belief I have, based on scripture. Also, remember that both men and women are God's property. So we can be people, and owned at the same time.

I Corinthians 12 doesn't distinguish the giffts as belonging to one gender over another.
I don't say that women can't have or use gifts, but these gifts should be exercised in obedience to the scriptures. Remember what Paul says about his instructions in 1 Corinthians 14 about orderly worship? "If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord."

Personally, I get nauseated when I hear some man whine about feminism.
I get a similar feeling with all things feminist, but moreso that so many people can't see feminism for the communist program of usurpation that it is. Sadly, that's the fallen world we live in.

Actually behave like a man and stop blaming women. You are only responsible for your actions, not anyone elses'. Of course there are women who take it too far; there are crazies in every camp. But most victims of physical abuse and sexual assault are still female by a long shot. And 97% of rapists will never spend a day in jail so I think we still have a long road ahead to end the objectification of women and girls.

I know very few Christian women who don't want to get married. Those who don't, frequently have a good reason why. In my experience, we are given the impression that our only value to the church is to provide sex and babies to a good husband. The church leadership will occasionally toss us a bone in letting us pick the paint colors and of course expect us to run the children's programs under the supervision of a man. But we are left with a waiting game. Since there are 2 single women for every single man in the church, odds are not in your favor if you were not a cheerleader in high school. So we wait and pray and cry and ask God what is so terribly wrong with us that we are forgotten by him and unloved by his sons. So we have a choice to either boldly serve our Savior as ezers (warrior-like strong helper, impotently translated as help meet) or to remain indefinitely on the sidelines waiting for a man to rescue us from our slumber.
I'm not blaming women for my actions. What I am saying is that actions have effects. As Eve's sin caused Adam to sin, so I believe the proliferation of feminism has driven men from many churches, which has led to the situation you describe of 2 single women for every single man, and so it goes. (Incidentally, the violence against women in the world you describe probably has a large root in feminism - if feminism preaches men and women are the same, and a man falls for this lie, why would he treat a woman any different and not use his strength against her, as he would another man?) The answers to the problems in the church lie not in inventing new ways to get around God's wise commandments in ever-escalating vicious cycles, but to obey Him, and allow his healing to restore.

I think this post is getting a bit off the original topic, so will try not to deviate further. :) I hope I don't offend - that's not my intention, either.
 
Sep 18, 2013
70
1
0
Fairness isn't everyone getting the same thing. Fairness is everyone getting what they need, by working hard for it. Women have worked hard to get the rights that we have, and in America we need more rights since we are still on the receiving end of most of the sexual and domestic-abuse crimes, in a country with the highest report rate of such crimes in the world. Then too, the report rate is higher because in America, we don't look the other way while such things happen. It doesn't mean the rate at which such crimes occur is higher in America, it man even be lower. We need more rights in other countries too, in the countries where such crimes often go unreported. Men need more rights too, both in America and in other countries. Women don't need more rights than men, nor do men need more rights than women, it isn't a contest. Americans, both men and women, have got the rights we have by working hard for them. What we need to do is team up and work hard for the even more rights that we need. This is supported by the Bible teaching that men should be advocates and protectors for women, and for each other. It is also supported by the Bible teaching that women should be help-meets to men in all things. . Assuredly this means women should be helping men in the protection and advocacy for women and men. .
 
Sep 6, 2013
4,430
117
63
Wow, what an interesting thread! I don't believe that someone sharing her testimony is in any way placing her in a position of authority in a church. She isn't teaching doctrine, preaching, or making spiritual decisions for the church body. No one has been called to submit to her, as they would be to an elder or pastor. She isn't there on a regular basis. She is sharing what God has done in her life. I do not see this as any sort of leadership position spoken of in the Bible.

This heads down a slippery slope. If a missionary cannot share her testimony to a church, perhaps she cannot speak individually with church members, or help with sunday school, or even sing in the choir. How far would this go? I definitely support men in all leadership positions that involve spiritual teaching or decision making. Women are needed for the Body to function properly though.