The Problem With Feminism In The Church
Posted on 17. Aug, 2010 by Debra in The Church
The Politically “Correct” Church
It seems every time you walk into a Christian bookstore or even watch a Christian TV station you’ll probably run across an energetic, and articulate woman preaching the Word of God or promoting her book. Women like Juanita Bynum, Paula White, and Joyce Meyers are just a few of the popular women pastors who have crept into the church to stake their claim on the title of pastor or preacher in congregations all across this nation. But we do need to ask ourselves, “Is this biblical?” and use the Word of God as our final authority and not be swayed by our emotions or the feminist movement. Which by the way is not biblical as well. What does the bible say on this matter? Well there are no scriptures that tell us that women can be pastors or elders, but we do have scriptures that tell us the very opposite.
Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do… not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. -1 Timothy 2:11-12
The Biblically Correct Church
Priscilla and Aquila brought Apollos into their home and they both discipled him, explaining the Word of God to him more accurately (Acts 18:26).That is biblical for discipleship but not for being a woman elder in the church. In Romans 16:1, even if Phoebe is considered a “deaconess” instead of a “servant,” that does not indicate that Phoebe was a teacher in the church. “Able to teach” is given as a qualification for elders, but not deacons (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:6-9). Elders/bishops/deacons are described as the “husband of one wife,” “a man whose children believe,” and “men worthy of respect.” Clearly the indication is that these qualifications refer to men. In addition, in 1 Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:6-9, masculine pronouns are used exclusively to refer to elders/bishops/deacons. If men are to be the heads of their homes as said in Ephesians 5:23 why would he make her head of the church? God is a God of order and in Him there is no confusion.
But all things should be done decently and in order. -1 Corinthians 14:40
Biblical Womanhood
Now of course scripture is very clear that older women should teach and train the younger women (Titus 2:3-4) who in turn should teach their own children at home. Timothy was raised by his mother and grandmother who taught him the scriptures from very early in his life. And that’s not to say in a church setting a woman can’t disciple, answer questions or encourage a brother in Christ (who her husband knows or having her husband’s permission). Those things in parenthesis are my own personal convictions. But this idea that men aren’t stepping up to the plate to preach so women have to take on those roles is ridiculous. God is sovereign over all things and the bible does warn us that not all should be quick to teach because of the greater judgment. In many weak and shallow churches in America all you need is charisma and the willingness to step up to the pulpit to preach the word of God whether you are male or female. But to be a pastor, preacher or teacher is a gift, a calling that must be tested and proven so that those who should not be teaching can be weeded out. Women are to be keepers of their homes and their primary ministry is their children. That is not a lesser calling or something to be shunned at, but a blessing that the Lord has given to us. Just because we see many popular and successful women pastors in the world doesn’t mean it is right. It is only success based on the values of this fleeting world and not according to scripture. We want to be biblical, not popular.
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, -2 Timothy 4:3
K. Tanner Barfield
Aug 17th, 2010
Great article Debra!
Shawn B
Aug 17th, 2010
Excellent, and i do appreciate hat you placed your opinion in parenthesis. very good article. 2 tim 4:3 = solid ending to this blog.
William Jacobson
Aug 18th, 2010
Great article!
elise (sola5girl)
Aug 18th, 2010
I’ve had similar thoughts about the husband being the head of the household. How then could a women be his head at church? Just doesn’t make sense to me.
Great article. Maybe another article to dig even deeper on this subject.
Thomas Warren
Aug 23rd, 2010
”For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have
put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye
are all one in Christ Jesus. ”
“Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.”
“Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created”
“And God made man in his image, in the image of God he made him: male and female he made them”
“Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation: To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God”
“The Lord gave the church gifts of His choosing in the form of men and women who would lead the church into perfection (Ephesians 4:8-12).”
Jesus said, “Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother” (Matthew 12:49-50)
William Jacobson
Aug 23rd, 2010
Thomas, hello brother. Question’s: are you going to bother to explain how any of those verses are relevant to the discussion? Or will you tell us what you mean by posting them? And finally, what translation did you use for Eph. 4:8-12? Is that your own paraphrase? Because that is not what that scripture says. I would love to discuss. Hopefully you will answer back.
-Billy
Les
Aug 23rd, 2010
@Thomas, I just checked ever translation I can find… none of them look anything like your take on Ephesians 4.
There is no question that God gives gifts to women… but I’m with William here… what are you getting at, Thomas?
Tanner
Aug 24th, 2010
Hey there is more discussion on this article over here.
http://www.facebook.com/tanner.barfield?v=wall&story_fbid=140690589302491&ref=notif¬if_t=share_comment
Tanner
Aug 24th, 2010
Hey, I found out where the verse was referenced incorrectly. It appears that this is the misleading article.
http://bible.com/bibleanswers_result.php?id=141
Steve Camp
Aug 24th, 2010
Debra:
Excellent aritcle on this important issue. I appreciated your biblical foundaiton on all of your points greatly. Thank you for not making this a cultural or sexist issue; but a biblical one.
Grace and peace,
Steve
2 Cor. 4:5-7
Steve Camp
Aug 24th, 2010
Thomas:
Your Scripture citations do not apply to the authority within the church. Some of the references didn’t even jive…
1 Tim 2:11-15 is the wheelhouse text on this issue. Do you see this truth that women cannot serve as pastor/elder in the church in light of this clear passage?
Interested in your thoughts.
Steve
2 Cor. 4:5-7
Clark
Aug 24th, 2010
Thanks Tanner for showing where that Eph 4:8 misrepresentation came from. That was certainly an intersting article. Incredibly wrongheaded but interesting.
It is surpising how many ideas were in that Bible.com article that were not even germane to the issue. Also it seems that most text was spent explaining away the clear statements prohibiting women from “pastoral” leadership.
Women are called, equipped, blessed with gifts, but not for pastoral ministry.
The Black Bot
Nov 24th, 2010
God forbid that we entertain the idea that women might actually have viable ideas or can think for themselves. If we give them this inch, what will happen next? They’ll have the right to vote?!
Faith, Hope, Love
Dec 8th, 2010
Greetings Brothers and Sisters,
First let us continue to search the scriptures for Christ’s template of the Church. The body or Christ’s bride (note the us of Bride does not negate men) was not an establishment confined to cold text and stone buildings but rather, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Christ said it is better for Him to go so that the Comforter may come. The Church was then groups of people being discipled. This is the great commandment to Go and make disciples of all the nations (as opposed to church attendees). Thus if Priscilla discipled Apollo fulfilling the Great Commandment then isn’t obvious that the commandment given by Jesus after His resurrection to preach the Gospel in one account and make disciples of all the nations in another account are the same command. Furthermore the first proclamation of “Jesus is Risen” made to the highest (it’s hard to use such an adjective when Jesus himself said you must become the least) ranking individuals in the church was given by Women. The Resurrection Gospel was first preached by women as instructed by Christ himself.
As far as the use of masculine words to negate women (recall being the Bride for the inverse having to be true if you follow a strict adherence to gender pronouns) from a mere survey of latin based languages it is clear that he is used for he or she. In fact there often is no they, but rather a plural form of he for males and females, whereas for the female she is used to specifically note females.
In addition references to men being the head of women are probably more accurately translated (as is now the custom) as the source. Eve being taken out of the man. Head here not being used as lord but rather as in head-waters, (ie. source) 1 Corinthians 11: 11,12 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.
Therefore, the balance is that the source (head) of woman (Eve) was man (Adam), but the balance of history since shows the source (head) of all men being women. The first become last and the last first. Let us continue to hold each other high regards thinking them better then ourselves.
In addition the reference for A Woman being silent in church is a specific reference to a specific woman (note the change from a general women to the specific A Woman). It can be understood that just as Paul refers to A Brother with similar specific reference he is referring here to a specific woman. Don’t forget that when we meet we must all bring a word. God used female judges and queens (Esther and of Sheiba), also prophetesses and deacons and disciplers. And God is no respecter of persons, let us not cripple the ministry of fellow believers since they preach the gospel (remember to that when people were preaching for personally gain they Paul said not to stop them as long as the truth was being sent forward. How much more those who honestly seek God first and for whatever reason have a gender that is not traditionally accepted by our culture) If they are for Christ than they are doing the will of Christ.
Liz
Jan 25th, 2011
First, I do not agree with much of the attitude or teachings from many women teachers, but that does not mean that I believe women should not be able to preach. There are wonderful women who teach humbly and Biblically such as Kay Arthur but they are few and far between.
I have been in churches where women were allowed to be pastors and ones where women were treated less than a second class citizen. I prefer the first.
First of all, Paul stated that there is no difference between male and female, we are all one in Christ. There is no indication from any of Paul’s confirmed writings that women could not teach men. When I refer to confirmed writings I do not include 1 & 2 Timothy or Titus. For the last 200 years the majority of scholars who study textural criticism have concluded that Paul did not write those letters. The Greek used in these writings was common 150 years after Paul’s death not the greek that Paul used. It was the same greek used in the book “The Acts of Paul” which was not accepted as Scripture for good reason. The book also includes the names of the two men in the beginning of 1 Tim. who made trouble for Paul.
Why did God allow these books in the Bible? I believe for the same reason God allowed divorce – because of people’s hard harts. The society was not ready for women preachers. We are now but hearts are still hard in the Church.
I heaven there is no male or female. There should the same standard in the Church here on earth but that is not the case. The church will be judged for ignoring this problem and for those who abuse the priviledge of women preachers.