Can women be Pastors?

Seems like a hot button issue nowadays!

What are your thoughts and why? Please cite Scripture.

There is not a single passage of Scripture that forbids women from being pastors. Of course, I can't cite what isn't there!

The argument revolves around three passages: 1 Corinthians 14:34-36; 1 Timothy 2:9-15; and 1 Timothy 3:1-13.

The Corinthian passage is usually held as a trump, because it (supposedly) forbids women from speaking in the assembly. This contradicts 1 Cor. 11:5 where women are permitted to pray and prophesy... and the context indicates it's in the assembly. There is good evidence that verses 14:34-35 are a quotation of another source that Paul included... and then soundly rejected in verse 36. Verse 34 says "as the Law also states"... only it doesn't. No such command is given anywhere in the Old Testament.

In 1 Timothy 2, Paul is addressing an aspect of Timothy's cultural-religious context, and there is good reason to conclude that he was talking about one woman, not women in general. Further, he is encouraging the teaching of women so that they are not unlearned. Verse 14, far from being an order from creation, is a correction of a pagan belief in that culture.

Finally, 1 Timothy 3 sets out the requirements for elders (though pastors are not necessarily elders). The first six verses in Greek do not have the word "he" as it appears in English. Only verse 4 is gender-specific, and is likely referring to polygamous men, rather than excluding women. Verse 11 begins, "The women likewise..."; the difficulty is that the Greek word for "women" is the same word for "wives", which is how many people read it.

Many people disagree with this view, and take the plain English to exclude women from any leadership role in the church. If you're genuinely investigating this, I can only recommend that you don't make a final decision for yourself until you have read both sides of the argument with an open mind.

I don't think we can put God in a box, but looking through Gods word and history, the order of things has always been a man leading his people or church, God did rise up Deborah to Be judge, if a man don't rise up, God can use a woman to shame the men for having more courage but Gods order was for women to learn in silence and all submission, as helpers, as the word says and Paul says he does not allow women to teach men or to excersise authority over a man, for it was the woman who was tempted by Satan, women tend to go by their emotions more than men, a pastor needs to be strong emotional and spiritually, the twelve disciples were men, the twelve tribes of Israel were men, God allowed Israel a king and not a queen, the kingdom of God is lead through men by Gods order of things but it doesn't exclude God using women in the church in a high level spiritually in which he died for them and saves them as he can all and uses them for his glory, it's just not the order of God doing what he does, throughout the Bible of time, only once He rose up a women in a position of authority and that women was Deborah, times change, cultures change, but God and his order doesn't not change.

There's already another thread on this subject which you might wish to examine.

SHORT ANSWER: NO.

as dear friend nehemiah said, short answer: no

the bible is clear on this subject. its a hot button issue only because today's culture is so left and liberal and we like non-biblical values. it will go more to this direction i believe. winds are blowing that way. all this until Jesus comes back to get us out of here.

scriptures are already mentioned in this topic so i wont

Perfect answer

It is only my opinion, I have not studied the subject since it is a minor issue.

In short, back in Paul's day there were Mystery Cults some led by women. These religions also had sexual prostitutes.
Women were discriminated against when it came to education, thus they were taught domestic work by their older women.
Paul was trying to keep a good reputation for the Church in general by avoiding possible scandal.

Today, Women are highly Educated, not acting as prostitutes in false religions --- so, I see no reason for God not to use them today.

This subject comes up often, and someone in another thread once brought up an excellent point that never seems to get addressed: if women are not allowed to speak or be leaders/teachers in the church, why are women relied on to teach Sunday School and/or vacation Bible school, or in Christian schools (such as what I grew up in)?

Why do these tasks seem to automatically be deligated as "women's work" (and, in the churches I grew up in, I'm pretty sure that for whatever reason, most people wouldn't bring their kids to Sunday School if the Sunday School teachers were all men--at least, not in the Lutheran/Assemblies of God churches I spent most of my life at.) I'm certainly not saying anything against men who work in ministries that serve children--I'm just saying that when I've asked some parents how they would feel about dropping their kids off with an all-male Sunday School/children/teen church staff, they're not entirely comfortable with the idea.

Dino cited the passages I have been taught/studied throughout my years in church and Christian schools in Post #2, so I won't just repeat them, but I have to wonder why it's so often thought that it's perfectly fine (even expected, and a spiritual duty) for women to teach and lead children, but not full-grown adults?

Does that mean that once her students turn 18 (or 21, or whatever age is defined as being an "adult"), any spiritual leadership and authority she had over them the day before their "adulthood" birthday is now null and void, and if it's a young man, does he now automatically have spiritual authority over her, even if she's twice his age?

And if so, what is being taught in churches to reinforce this? Are young men told that they now have spiritual leadership and authority over the women in the church once they become "of age"? Will the men of the church tell their wives that they must follow and submit to the spiritual lead of any 18-year-old (or whatever the age of adulthood is seen as) on the ministry staff?

And why is this topic never addressed whenever it's said that women can't hold positions of spiritual leadership in the church?

Did Deborah prophesy by the Holy Spirit? If a woman speaks and the Holy Spirit bers witness, I LISTEN.

commentaries often cite Genesis 3:16 & Numbers 30:3-12 as references to this -- not as references specifically forbidding women to speak in the assembly, because they don't, and i don't know of anyplace that does -- but in that in Genesis 3 explicitly, and in Numbers 30 implicitly, the woman is spoken of as being in submission to her husband and her father.
Genesis 3:16 ought to be familiar, and Numbers 30 describes how that if a woman makes a vow or pledge herself to God, she is not bound by it if her husband or her father objects -- but a man is bound by what he says.

the explanation i'm seeing ((looking into the point Dino raises)) is that 'as the law also says' is with reference to the woman's natural station being in submission to a man, not with reference to keeping silence specifically, and that the custom of silence, as it were 'at the gate' where wise men debate and judgements are rendered, is an application inferred from the more clear statements about positional authority.

we know, though, that in Christ there is neither male nor female. so long as a woman is no longer a woman there is no objection ((ha!))

-- more salient, though: we are spoken of, as an whole, as the bride of the Lamb. which is a woman. so we all ought to keep silent and let the Lord, our Maker, our Husband, speak

Yes, an never ending story. In scripture I found no example of an female Pastor. If we Count an Pastor as eldest, then he should have only one Wife. (1, Tim 3). An female Pastor with one wife, i cant See from the scripture.
Look you today into the World then everybody can become a Pastor, even a female Pastor with only one Wife.

But because of different way to interprete the scripture, its possible to discuss till the Lord Returns, without becoming
an end. Every Side is shure to be right, and cant be convinced.
So it is wasting time.

Paul uses the word for an ADULT MALE when laying bare the qualifications of a Bishop............but hey......in this day and age the bible is only a book of suggestions........

No scripture?

This is the first time I have heard the term, "sexual prostitute."

The question I've always had is-if wifes are to submit to their husbands-how can they be rulers of their house?

Referring to married women pastors.

If a woman addresses a local church as a pastor or teacher, the Holy Spirit will bear witness to her disobedience. It is the Holy Spirit who forbids women to speak within the church.

The only reference to fobidding women is from Pau sayiing "I" do not permit.

I have not seen where woman are excluded by the Holy Spirit…….

Paul is specific in saying it is his thinking andnot a commandment from God.

It is written to take at home between husband and wife. Believe you me, wives certainly have the floor at home any time it is their need.

Keep in mind husband and wife are one body just as we form the Body of Christ with Him as the head always. This does not contradict the wWord since to our Father there are no men no women just soukld. Think on that, also think on what Jesus teaches about us come the resurrection, and perhaps this will release any from their prejudice due to some lines in the epistles.

No, she may not.

Genesis 2:18 And the LORD God said ... I will make him an help meet for him.

Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food ... she took of the fruit thereof ... and gave also unto her husband ...

1 Timothy 2:13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

Our Father breathes the same life into all people, the very same. The soul has n distinction in His sight. He has given all roles on the earth, in this material existence,, but many here are verging on some kind of heavenly matwerial world where all men who make there will have 70 virgins to serve them. Read what our Salvtion, Jesus has to say about men, women and reproduction and also who belongs to whom come the Kingdom. Perhaps that will clear the air on the subject. A person speaking with the Holy Spirit giving understanding will never be denied by others understanding by the Same.