Do you support female pastors?
- Thread starter DinoDillinger
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K
God is the same today. Why do we question the Holy Bible. Why do we go to the Old Testament? Are we still under the law" Are we to believe Paul sometimes but not always. I am not sure why men even preach. The Bible says God will teach us. Just ask God for wisdom and understanding, He will be happy to give them to us. Preaching in the man made structures (church buildings) today is a monologue not dialog. We start accepting what man says and not God. We read books by man when we should be reading the Holy Scriptures. A lot of the quotes are from mortal men not God. Lets get back to the Bible and discuss scripture.
It is not our opinion that counts, but our understanding of God and trying to get closer to God that counts.
It is not our opinion that counts, but our understanding of God and trying to get closer to God that counts.
J
I do not find anything in the scriptures that would indicate that women were to be pastors (which would give them authority over the men in the body); but have found several scriptures to the contrary (especially in Paul's writings), many of which have been previously posted. Personally, I am very uncomfortable with the idea of female pastors, but have served in womens ministry, as a Sunday School teacher, and as a worship leader.
Having said that, when men will not step up, God will use whomever He pleases to convey His message and do His work, as He did in the Old Testament when the man would not obey God and the victory was given to a woman. He even used a donkey once to get His point across, right?
My prayer is that more and more men will heed the call of the Lord, not just those called as pastors; but to lead their families in the way of the Lord as well...be the priests of their homes. Can you imagine the power that would result from this? Statistics show that children, especially male children, are more likely to continue to attend church if their FATHERS attend regularly as well. Children learn by our example, not by our words.
When we follow God's plan, it's always the best plan. Other plans will DO, but can be far from being the BEST plan.
Having said that, when men will not step up, God will use whomever He pleases to convey His message and do His work, as He did in the Old Testament when the man would not obey God and the victory was given to a woman. He even used a donkey once to get His point across, right?
My prayer is that more and more men will heed the call of the Lord, not just those called as pastors; but to lead their families in the way of the Lord as well...be the priests of their homes. Can you imagine the power that would result from this? Statistics show that children, especially male children, are more likely to continue to attend church if their FATHERS attend regularly as well. Children learn by our example, not by our words.
When we follow God's plan, it's always the best plan. Other plans will DO, but can be far from being the BEST plan.
Ephesians 5: 22-33 explains why. As reflected in marriage,the husband is symbolic of Christ,the woman is symbolic of the church,the church can never have authority over Christ,hence the woman not permitted to be in authority over a congregation.Revelation 19:7-9 relates that same message,note the bride is the church,so the church is discribed as a woman,why?Because women multiply as do congregations.Yet if a woman filled with knowledge comes across a man with less understanding,she has every right,and is expected,to correct and perfect his understanding as is expected,just not in a 'public' way.A good example of that is in Acts 19:24-26 where Aquilla and Priscilla took Apollos (a teacher who was mighty in the scriptures),aside and taught him in the 'way' more perfectly concerning the Holy Ghost.So the woman still has a measure of authority,it's the method in which she expresses that authority that is conditioned.
Personal observation...it's funny to me that people will quote Paul that women should remain silent in church and say "Amen" and apply it to mean that women should not be pastors. Often these are the same people who have women leading worship, praying out loud, teaching Bible classes, etc.
It is a narrow view that the "context" needed to interpret scripture is only the written context and not the historical and sociological context of the letters in question. It seems pretty clear when one examines historical context that there were exceptional things going on in Corinth and Ephesus (where Timothy likely was) when Paul wrote his directions concerning women. To ignore this and the possible implications is to be biased in one's interpretation of scripture.
It is a narrow view that the "context" needed to interpret scripture is only the written context and not the historical and sociological context of the letters in question. It seems pretty clear when one examines historical context that there were exceptional things going on in Corinth and Ephesus (where Timothy likely was) when Paul wrote his directions concerning women. To ignore this and the possible implications is to be biased in one's interpretation of scripture.
Oh, and those who continue to quote the passage identifying the qualifications for elders ("the husband of one wife"). Paul was not married, and explicitly says so. Why do we take this verse to mean not more than one wife, and yet we do not take it to mean that elders must be married? I can already tell you that there is NO contextual or grammatical reason to interpret this one way and not also the other. As far as we know, only Peter among the apostles was married, so I guess the rest should not be considered for eldership.
My reason for posting this and the previous note is simply to point out that, generally speaking, EVERYONE applies scripture selectively. EVERYONE picks and chooses, only some pick and choose differently than me, so they must be wrong.
My reason for posting this and the previous note is simply to point out that, generally speaking, EVERYONE applies scripture selectively. EVERYONE picks and chooses, only some pick and choose differently than me, so they must be wrong.
Where in the Bible does it say that Paul was an elder? Paul never held the office of "elder" in any of the congregations that he started. Neither did any of the other apostles. Paul was an apostle. Nowhere does it say that an apostle should be the "husband of one wife". For one who is critical of other's interpretation of the bible, be careful that you do not yourself misuse scripture in defending your opinions. Different offices have different qualifications. None of the apostles would ever have become elders as their offices were different.
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P.S. You are right that the correct interpretation is that the elder should be married. An elder gains experience and demonstrates his abilities in spiritual leadership by correct governing of his own household. One who is unable to master his own house, cannot be expected to have any success in governing those within the church congregation.