Women and Leadership in the Church

[GO CATS]

What's your opinion on womens leadership in the church? I am on the fence on this issue and wanted to see other peoples opinion.

[kygirl]

My opinion on women and leadership in the church-being a woman I've studied to find exactly what my role in church should be. I looked to scripture - 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 and 1 Timothy 2:11-15 seemed to limit the roles women can play in the church.

 

As I looked more closely to scripture I found that in the church "there is not...male and female." (Gal. 3:28 AT) Church roles in the New Testament are nowhere defined on the basis of gender. This is because the concept of the local church in the New Testament is an organic one, not a hierarchial one. As Paul says, it is only as each one does his or her part that "the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love." (Eph. 4:16) The governing principle of relationship is that the local church is one of mutual submission, not top-down management. We are called to submit ourselves to one another out of reverence for Christ (Eph. 5:21). Indeed, we are called to submit ourselves for the Lord's sake "to every human creature." (1 Peter 2:13)

 

God gifts women in exactly the same ways he gifts men. Nowhere in the New Testament are gifts restricted to a particular gender. Women are affirmed as prophets, teachers, deacons and worship leaders. They are commended for their faithfulness and excellence as apostles, evangelists and patrons. They are praised as coworkers, coprisoners and colaborers in the gospel. Now let's say you were given a gift from someone but never opened it just how would that make you feel?

 

God intended the male-female relationship to be equal and mutual. "Bone of my bones," "flesh of my flesh" and "woman" are phrases that drive this truth home (Gen. 2:18, 23). The creation order of male and female is egalitarian. This comes through loud and clear in the accounts of Genesis 1-2. Equality is the keynote--an equal task in society (dominion), an equal role with regard to the family (fruitful), equally created in God's image, and spiritual equals in God's sight.

 

Ministry and leadership in the New Testament are a cooperative venture, whose success depends on the gifting and empowerment of women and men committed to serving Christ and his church.

[Hatz]

My opinion on women and leadership in the church-being a woman I've studied to find exactly what my role in church should be. I looked to scripture - 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 and 1 Timothy 2:11-15 seemed to limit the roles women can play in the church.

 

As I looked more closely to scripture I found that in the church "there is not...male and female." (Gal. 3:28 AT) Church roles in the New Testament are nowhere defined on the basis of gender. This is because the concept of the local church in the New Testament is an organic one, not a hierarchial one. As Paul says, it is only as each one does his or her part that "the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love." (Eph. 4:16) The governing principle of relationship is that the local church is one of mutual submission, not top-down management. We are called to submit ourselves to one another out of reverence for Christ (Eph. 5:21). Indeed, we are called to submit ourselves for the Lord's sake "to every human creature." (1 Peter 2:13)

 

God gifts women in exactly the same ways he gifts men. Nowhere in the New Testament are gifts restricted to a particular gender. Women are affirmed as prophets, teachers, deacons and worship leaders. They are commended for their faithfulness and excellence as apostles, evangelists and patrons. They are praised as coworkers, coprisoners and colaborers in the gospel. Now let's say you were given a gift from someone but never opened it just how would that make you feel?

 

God intended the male-female relationship to be equal and mutual. "Bone of my bones," "flesh of my flesh" and "woman" are phrases that drive this truth home (Gen. 2:18, 23). The creation order of male and female is egalitarian. This comes through loud and clear in the accounts of Genesis 1-2. Equality is the keynote--an equal task in society (dominion), an equal role with regard to the family (fruitful), equally created in God's image, and spiritual equals in God's sight.

 

Ministry and leadership in the New Testament are a cooperative venture, whose success depends on the gifting and empowerment of women and men committed to serving Christ and his church.

 

I would like to :dancingpa for your answer. :thumb:

[ladiesbballcoach]

If the roles of women and men are to be equal and we are to look at Jesus as our role model, simply put, why did he not choose any women as his 12 apostles?

 

You can through out the culture argument, than I would have to counter with the question of "are you saying Jesus altered his message by a man built custom in society?"

 

If women were to have an equal role and Jesus was upsetting the cart, why wouldn't he have named a women equal to the position that he did for the 12 apostles?

[jahearme]

If the roles of women and men are to be equal and we are to look at Jesus as our role model, simply put, why did he not choose any women as his 12 apostles?

 

You can through out the culture argument, than I would have to counter with the question of "are you saying Jesus altered his message by a man built custom in society?"

 

If women were to have an equal role and Jesus was upsetting the cart, why wouldn't he have named a women equal to the position that he did for the 12 apostles?

 

So are you saying that women should not serve in the church today?

[True blue (and gold)]

I would like to :dancingpa for your answer. :thumb:

 

I second that!

[Hatz]

If the roles of women and men are to be equal and we are to look at Jesus as our role model, simply put, why did he not choose any women as his 12 apostles?

 

You can through out the culture argument, than I would have to counter with the question of "are you saying Jesus altered his message by a man built custom in society?"

 

If women were to have an equal role and Jesus was upsetting the cart, why wouldn't he have named a women equal to the position that he did for the 12 apostles?

 

There were women who were right beside him all the way. In fact at the cross there were only women left (except for John whose presence is only mentioned in his own gospel.). The same at the tomb.

 

To be a disciple is for everyone. To be an apostle seems to add ecclesical authority and really for the most part that is what was happening after Jesus ascended and not while he was here.

 

If we deduce that because there were no women in the 12 who were sent out or the 12 mentioned, what do we deduce by the lack of the 12 at the cross or tomb?

 

If you think about it, it was a woman who was the first one commissioned to proclaim (preach if you will) the good news. Mary was told to tell Peter and the others what she had seen.

[Alabama Larry]

Women have very important roles in the church. I couldn't imagine our church without women stepping up and doing the things needed.

 

As "Leaders" that word could be used several ways. In our church they cannot hold an office. Bible says, but neither can I Bible says. Women are Ok with that and so am I.

 

I know of a church in my area that has female Head Pastor/Deacons. I don't go there and do not bother them. But have met members of the church and asked them questions.

 

Where are the disciples as Jesus was being Crucified?

 

Women came to the tomb to care for his body and he told Mary to tell them in the upper room, "I have risen" but does this give her leadership in the church. No where in the Gospels does it show Mary as a leader.

[GO CATS]

Women have very important roles in the church. I couldn't imagine our church without women stepping up and doing the things needed.

 

As "Leaders" that word could be used several ways. In our church they cannot hold an office. Bible says, but neither can I Bible says. Women are Ok with that and so am I.

 

I know of a church in my area that has female Head Pastor/Deacons. I don't go there and do not bother them. But have met members of the church and asked them questions.

 

Where are the disciples as Jesus was being Crucified?

 

Women came to the tomb to care for his body and he told Mary to tell them in the upper room, "I have risen" but does this give her leadership in the church. No where in the Gospels does it show Mary as a leader.

 

Are you southern baptist, just out of curiosity?

[ladiesbballcoach]

So are you saying that women should not serve in the church today?

 

Serve, absolutely. We all should serve.

 

Be in leadership roles, don't see it Biblically supported.

[ladiesbballcoach]

There were women who were right beside him all the way. In fact at the cross there were only women left (except for John whose presence is only mentioned in his own gospel.). The same at the tomb.

 

To be a disciple is for everyone. To be an apostle seems to add ecclesical authority and really for the most part that is what was happening after Jesus ascended and not while he was here.

 

If we deduce that because there were no women in the 12 who were sent out or the 12 mentioned, what do we deduce by the lack of the 12 at the cross or tomb?

 

If you think about it, it was a woman who was the first one commissioned to proclaim (preach if you will) the good news. Mary was told to tell Peter and the others what she had seen.

 

I think you are supporting my position that Jesus did not have women in leadershp or authority roles but they were right there in serving and teaching. I have no problem with the serving, teaching and spreading the good news.

 

But don't see them in the Bible serving in authority position.

 

And Jesus was nothing if not about doing what he wanted to do and was right despite what the culture of the time and the religious leaders of the time said. And so, if he felt women should be in that ecclesical authority(honestly, I don't even know what the bolded truly means but just guessing.) he would have put them there.

 

And yet he does not seem that he did.

[jahearme]

Serve, absolutely. We all should serve.

 

Be in leadership roles, don't see it Biblically supported.

 

Can you define please.

[rockmom]

Question, if women are not to be in leadership roles within a church, meaning no "preaching", how does one rationalize that a woman was the first to spread the word of Christ's resurrection? The Crucifixion and the Resurrection are the defining events in Christ's life. And women were the chosen ones to bear witness and spread the word of them.

[toppop]

When there were no men who would step forward in Israel, God chose Deborah as a Judge.

 

However, this was a rarity.

[Trojans]

What's your opinion on womens leadership in the church? I am on the fence on this issue and wanted to see other peoples opinion.

 

My opinion doesn't matter one bit but the bible says that women should not have authority over a man (in the assembly). If you want verses let me know.