Making a case for women in leadership

[Aaron56]

Correct me if I am wrong but the bible has a role "Overseer", but no role of Priest in the NT. And as I see it the role of Bishop has evolved out of the unbiblical role of Priest. If we are to be biblically correct, there are zero 'intermediaries' between the Believer and God.

A priest is someone who administrates God’s current covenant. To that end, we are all, male and female, priests of God - royal priests, in fact. This is not just that we serve at the pleasure of the King, but that we are of His familial line, too.

As far as intermediaries go… there is One who is in all who believe, the Holy Spirit. This gives all in Christ the right to handle any measure of grace they are given. Now, by handling this grace wisdom is gained. Because we function as One Body, it is expected that those who operate within more grace make that grace available to others. Built into the Body is the need for each part, functioning as God intended, to work in support of the other parts.

As we mature in spiritual matters more will be given. It is expected that the mature will work to support the immature. It is also expected that the immature look to the mature for guidance. The mature, then, must give an account for those whose souls are watched over. Jesus gave an account for 12 souls. How many do you think a person, today, might be able to watched over effectively?

 

[Cameron143]

Basically I am pointing to the hypocrisy of those who criticise the election of female overseers as unbiblical, but who would defend the unbiblical practices of our "shepherds" somehow "feeding the lambs" while living like Princes in Palaces...
Personally, I am 100% confident looking Jesus in the eye and saying I accepted the administrative authority of that humble woman because I believed that the Holy Spirit was moving powerfully within her. So, help me God!

I don't believe woman should be overseers in the church, but biblically God has used women in a variety of roles outside of that. Could God raise up a woman for the task...sure, but this isn't His generally prescribed means.
As far as God providing richly for some while not for others, that's God's business. There are plenty of wealthy people in the Bible. Wealth isn't the issue: stewardship is. And each has to give an account for how well they stewarded the resources God put them over, regardless of how much or how little.

 

[Maori_Aussie]

As we mature in spiritual matters more will be given. It is expected that the mature will work to support the immature. It is also expected that the immature look to the mature for guidance. The mature, then, must give an account for those whose souls are watched over. Jesus gave an account for 12 souls. How many do you think a person, today, might be able to watched over effectively?

This thread has made me reflect on how this works in the Salvation Army. The women elected to be our Overseers are effectively business / mission managers. The cells (4-12) of fellow Believers into which Soldiers self-select are the primary pastoral carers and instruments of church discipline. The teams (4-30) of fellow Believers into which Soldiers self-select are the direct mission managers. The officers and staff of the Church are just on-call resources. But, on mission, in the field, officers Plan, Lead, Organise and Control (the traditional four roles of management).

 

[Dino246]

Correct me if I am wrong but the bible has a role "Overseer", but no role of Priest in the NT. And as I see it the role of Bishop has evolved out of the unbiblical role of Priest. If we are to be biblically correct, there are zero 'intermediaries' between the Believer and God.

We have one priest in the NT Church: Jesus Christ. “Priest” as a human role in the Church does not exist.

 

[Cameron143]

We have one priest in the NT Church: Jesus Christ. “Priest” as a human role in the Church does not exist.

What about 1 Peter 2:9? What do you make of that?

 

[Dino246]

What about 1 Peter 2:9? What do you make of that?

It is not a role in the Church in the same way that elder, deacon, pastor, and teacher are roles.

 

[Taylorj2]

We're all to spread the gospel whether men or women. Lots of service for God are open to both men and women.

The positions of authority within the church are for men though, not women. But women aren't any less because of that - they just have different function.

But Satan works hard to make women feel as if they're less to try to destroy the hierarchy God had set. But if you look at the Trinity of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, God the Father is the highest authority. You don't ever see Jesus or the Holy Spirit try to usurp the Father's position. Also, all the 2/3 of angels that remained with God remain in their position in the heirarchy as well.

Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the angels that remained - none of them have any problems with their position and not being the #1 in authority. Only women seem to have that problem with Satan making them feel inferior.

I personally don't have that problem. I'm pretty independent, but I can do the work I'm called to without feeling inferior about my place in the heirarchy.


🚟

I suppose my question to you would be why does Paul affirm certain women in ministry?

 

[Maori_Aussie]

I suppose my question to you would be why does Paul affirm certain women in ministry?

The female Apostle Junia, being Jewish, and being in Christ before Paul, may have had an established ministry when Paul first arrived in her location (Caesarea?). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junia_(New_Testament_person)