Women Pastors, page 1

INTRODUCTION
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In today's modern church age, more and more women are holding pastoral positions. But, did God call women to preach and teach, or should men hold the positions of leadership in the church? This is a good question; one that is frequently and intensely disputed in the church today. Recently, I was engaged in dialogue with a fellow believer and co-worker on the issue of women pastors. That conversation prompted me to write this article.

The goal of this article is to affirm the position that God exclusively ordained men to be pastors. Scripture is very clear that God has established distinct roles for men and women in the home and the church. Unfortunately, the principle of leadership by men has been corrupted due to the infiltration of false leaders, ignorance, decrepitude, and the feminist self-seeker movement. On account that my retort may not be popular with many, some people may not take cordially to my perspective. An accurate exegetical study of the Bible, however, will uphold this author's viewpoint.

This is not an issue of male chauvinism, prejudice, or the suggestion that men are superior to women. By no means, are women to be marginalized to any second class status. In Christ, women occupy the equivalent personhood as men and bears God's image equally (Gen. 1:27). It should come as no surprise that there are many key narratives in the Bible that plainly and effectively discloses the inherent value and vital roles of women in the early church.

To note a few for example, older women are encouraged to teach younger women (Titus 2:4-5). Both Priscilla and Aquila spoke privately to Apollos (Acts 18:24-26), correcting his false teachings. There were a number of women who played important roles in the ministry of the Apostle Paul (Romans 16:1-16, Phil. 4:2-3). Similarly, women played significant roles in the ministry of Jesus Christ (Luke 8:1-3). At the upper room prayer meeting, women were among the disciples in prayer and supplication (Acts 1:12-14).

Although women were created equally with men and held a place of prominence and propriety in the expansion of the gospel, in the context of teaching and leading a church, the Bible is emphatic in upholding the male leadership principle. Women are never alluded to and qualified as "pastors" and "preachers" in the Bible. In today's modern church age, women who hold the pastoral position within a church facility have entered a domain of activity for which the Lord has never devised for them; and thus, have stepped out of God's divine order.

AFTER THE FALL: THE BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE OF THE SEXES
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Over the course of history there have been power struggles going on between men and women. The failure of many marriages and the discontent of many others that are surviving can be attributed to what occurred after the fall into sin as stated in Genesis 3:16.

*"To the woman He said, 'I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.' " (Genesis 3:16)

It is the interpretation of the latter half of this verse that is the main point of discussion in this section: "Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you." The key word is "desire," translated from the Hebrew word "tesuqah" a rare word that is used only three times in the Old Testament: Here in this verse, Genesis 4:7 and Song of Songs 7:10. It can be rendered as a sexual desire between a wife and her husband as in Song 7:10. However, in this verse and in Genesis 4:7, the renditions are parallel. In this context, the word "tesuqah" appears to signify a desire that is corrupt in nature such as a thirst for power. The Brown, Driver and Briggs, a Hebrew lexicon, renders the word "tesuqah" as "unusual and striking."
Thus, God is announcing that a woman's desire will be to gain the upperhand and control her husband, but her husband will respond in like manner and dominate her by force. This is not the husband's proper authority over his wife; and as such, his authority is a perversion of God's original plan. An excellent read on this issue is by Susan T. Foh, "What is the Woman's Desire?", Westminster Theological Journal (1975): pages 376-383. In her commentary, she states:

"After the fall, the husband no longer rules easily; he must fight for his headship. The woman's desire is to control her husband (to usurp his divinely appointed headship), and he must master her, if he can. Sin has corrupted both the willing submission of the wife and the loving headship of the husband. And so, the rule of love founded in paradise is replaced by struggle, tyranny, domination, and manipulation."

In regard to Genesis 3:16, John MacArthur, author of "The MacArthur Study Bible" and pastor of Grace Community Church, adds:

"Sin has turned the harmonious system of God-ordained roles into distasteful struggles of self-will. Lifelong companions, husbands and wives will need God's help in getting along as a result." (The MacArthur Study Bible, page 21)

The perfect relationship between Adam and Eve as well as all humankind was shattered by sin and supplanted by a relationship of conflict and subjugation. Needless to say, this was not God's ideal plan. Where leadership and submission are discussed in the Bible, guidelines are given for how relationships may be managed so that they function in godly love and peace and not with abusive treatment. God's word does not exclude man's leadership, but warns that authority should be applied in a manner that brings honor and glory to Christ. Moreover, those who are required to submit to authorities are directed by scripture to submit in a godly manner and not with a rebellious demeanor.

THE DEVALUATION OF WOMEN THROUGHOUT HISTORY
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The collusion by men and women against God's divine order has produced cultural definitions and prejudices. During ancient times there was a much depreciated view of women; particularly in pagan societies. Male pagan gods were recklessly misogynistic. As a result, women in pagan cultures were defamed and frequently treated with slightly more decency than farm animals. Pagan societies considered women to be personal property of husbands or fathers.

During the old covenant, Jewish tradition degraded and debased women ... considering them inferior to that of men. And during the time of Jesus, women were treated with little dignity. The main objective of many Jewish men was to keep women in a condition of ignorance and pregnancy. They believed that women were not qualified to be included in the process of learning, especially in spiritual matters. Let me point out for the record, these traditions that devalued women were non-biblical traditions.

In our western culture, there have been an innumerable ways women have been derided and devalued. Underneath layers of anger and frustration, many women began to retaliate against the opprobrious manner in which men classified them. Determined to prove their "equality" with men, some women began overreacting to their suppression by distorting Scripture ... creating God in their own image or seemingly making it permissible to hold leadership positions within the church.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF WOMEN'S ORDINATION
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The state of discord that was brought into effect after the fall of Adam and Eve has now infiltrated the church where women are now contending for positions of authority over men. Christian feminists, contesting that women are equally capable of qualifying for the pastoral office in the church, is the major contributing factor to cultivate the idea that God permits women to teach in a position of having authority over men. Moreover, rather than being content with their God-given roles, some feminists have used manipulative power plays against unconcerned and nerveless men to successfully accomplish their desires in gaining pastoral positions.

Below is a list of some beginning dates for the ordination of women. On account that many women have been ordained since the seventeenth century, for the sake of brevity, this list is not all inclusive.

) In 1647, George Fox, the founder of the Quakers, ordained Margaret Fell (1614 - April 23, 1702) to the pastoral office. The Quakers' subscribed to the egalitarianism perspective -- that is -- all persons are acknowledged to have equal worth, autonomous of their gender or class. Using this reasoning, they found it acceptable to ordain women to leadership positions within the church.
) In 1853, the Congregationalist Church in Butler, New York ordained Antoinette Brown (May 20, 1825 - November 5, 1921). She was a notable lecturer at many Women’s' Rights meetings. In 1920, at the age of 95, she was the sole participant of the Women's Rights Convention in Worcester, Massachusetts, to observe the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which gave women the right to vote.
) In 1863, Olympia Brown (January 5, 1835 - October 23, 1926) was ordained by the Universalist Church. As a blossoming preacher, she devoted much time fighting for women's rights. She played an important and supporting role in the women's suffrage movement and was one of a small number of suffragists to vote in the 1920 presidential election.
) In 1880, Anna Howard Shaw (February 14, 1847 - July 2, 1919) was ordained by the Methodist Protestant Church. Along with accepting the pastoral office, she was a leading civil rights leader and a physician. Moreover, she was engaged in the temperance movement; serving as national superintendent of franchise for the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. She was one of the chief leaders in the women's suffrage movement, heading the National American Woman Suffrage Association from 1904 to 1915. During World War I, she was the first woman awarded a Distinguished Service Medal for her work as chair of the Women’s Committee of the National Council of Defense. In the year 2000, she was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, NY, the birthplace of women's rights. Established in her honor, The Anna Howard Shaw Center at Boston University School of Theology was built to advance and cultivate the practices of women's empowerment.
) In 1889, Louisa Woosley (March 24, 1862 - June 30, 1952) was ordained by the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Three years later, Woosley published her book "Shall Woman Preach" which explained and defended the ordination of women. Woosley, believing that "God is no respector of persons," associated women's ordination with equality of men and women.
) In 1965, Marjorie Matthews (July 11, 1916 - June 30, 1986) was ordained by the United Methodist Church. While serving the Wisconsin Episcopal Area, she attempted to "accustom people to the idea that either a man or a woman can be a bishop." Matthews was a strong advocate of women's empowerment ... accentuating to women in her workshop: "There’s nothing wrong with ambition. Where do you see yourself in the ministry ten years from now?" Determined to fulfill her passions, she was elected for the position of district superintendent; and in 1980 was elected to the office of bishop at the North Central Jurisdictional Conference.

Again, this list is a small example to illustrate the ordination of women into positions of leadership within the church. Today, there are thousands of women who occupy the pastoral office. Consider the following statistics:

) The Assemblies of God has ordained approximately 4,000 women.
) The Southern Baptist Church has ordained 1,225 women.
) The United Methodist Church has ordained 4,743 women.
) The Presbyterian Church has ordained 3,715 women.
) The United Church of Christ has ordained 1,803 women.
) The Evangelical Lutheran Church has ordained 2,358 women.
) The Disciples of Christ Church has ordained 1,564 women.
) As reported by a study by the National Council of Churches, women ordained to ministry in 1986 elevated from 10,470 in 1977 to 20,730 in 1986. The research indicated that 84 of 166 denominations ordain women to teach.

These facts give testimony of the apostasy that exists in our present time. Feminism, women's rights, women's lib, a woman's choice, equality for women, and so forth, undermines and rejects scriptural compliance. Using a method common to false teachers, many pro-woman ordainers have twisted and exaggerated their interpretation of scripture for the sake of their own self-fulfillment.

It is interesting that many professing Christian women say, "I want to serve God, I want to bring honor to God," on one hand, then on another hand will deliberately violate God's command as it relates to divine authority in the home and the church. Ironically, in their efforts to gain positions of leadership in the church, so called Christian feminist have actually defamed femininity by deprecating natural gender distinctions.

The dismissal and denial of the veracity of scripture by representatives of the feminist movement has been unopposed by apprehensive, passive, and irresolute men in politically correct churches. Rather than possessing the moral courage to confront this issue, they have found it more convenient to conform to an infidelic and social agenda by adopting to a policy of theological liberalism. It takes an adaptation of the Berean model (Acts 17:11) to unveil this ingrained and misguided practice.

CONFIRMING THE TRUTH
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The proper exegesis of scripture is required to bring truth to this controversial issue. If we understand what the Word of God says, we will possess the ability to manage those who deviate from truth. That said; let's now engage in a careful contextual analysis by examining the following key passages that link to the headship principle with the authority of male pastors:

*"Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression." (1 Tim. 2:11-14)

*"Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church." (1 Cor. 14:34-35)

While men and women are equal in personal worth and in spirit, it is important to understand that God has empowered distinctive functions to men and women. The two passages above indicate that God has established an authority structure within the church. The Apostle Paul specifically states that women are restricted from teaching and exercising authority over men. He says "Let a woman learn (Greek "manthano") in silence." In the church, the woman's role is that she is to be a learner, not a teacher. The word "silence" (Greek "hesuchia") in 1 Tim. 2:11 does not mean complete silence (Greek "siopao"), but is defined as maintaining a composure of quietness and peacefulness. This is diametrically distinctive to teaching and having authority over men in a church assembly.

In verse 13 of the first book of Timothy, chapter two, Paul references back to the beginning when God created Adam and Eve. He states that God formed Adam first. As being first in the creation order, Adam patently stood as the natural head. Later in God's creation process the Lord formed Eve from Adam's rib to serve the role as a helper (Gen. 2:18), not someone to exercise authority over him. The concept of this verse is to illustrate the correlation between Adam and Eve (the creation order) with the relationship between men and women in the context of a church assembly. Thus, leadership should begin with the man.

In verse 14, Paul states that Eve was deceived, not Adam. This means that women, in general, are more vulnerable to Satan's deceptive tactics than are men; and only in the context that they are the "weaker vessel" (1 Peter 3:7). It is a fact that women are typically more emotional than men; a trait that, if not balanced, has a tendency to cloud good judgment -- especially as it pertains to doctrinal and relationship issues. In any case, although Eve was the one who was deceived, Adam was the one who God held ultimately responsible (Romans 5:12-21). Authority is seated on those whom the Lord regards accountable.

The Apostle Paul's exhortation to "keep silent" can also be found in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35. In contrast to 1 Timothy 2:11-14, this passage differs in context -- in that it is speaking in terms of prophecy and tongues rather than authoritative teaching. However, the universal principle of male leadership within the church remains the same. The word "silent" (Greek "sigao") which is synonymous with "hesuchia" is used here to express this principle. In this context, Paul's interdiction that women "keep silent in the churches" is in reference to the judging of prophecy. If women were to publicly question or judge prophecy, they would be illegally taking authority in the church assembly. Supposing that women had inquiries regarding prophecy, they were to be submissive and ask their husbands at home (verse 35); or perhaps their questions could be addressed by other men in the church meeting. A woman's flagrant failure to adhere to God's divine order in the church is considered as "shameful".

Interestingly, there are some male pastors who allege that they can dismiss 1Timothy 2:11-14 and 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 by giving a woman permission to teach under his authority. However, if the Word of God states that a woman is prohibited from teaching or exercising authority over a man, then it is inapplicable for a pastor to use this line of reasoning to justify a woman to teach in a church assembly. This type of rationalism, which undermines the authority of God's Word, usually stems from ignorance and weak men who succumb to manipulative feminist pressures.

OTHER NOTEWORTHY POINTS TO SUPPORT MALE LEADERSHIP
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) Although Jesus had many women followers, He appointed no women apostles. They were all men.
) Only a man can be the "husband of one wife" and can "rule his own house well" (1 Tim. 3:2, 4; Titus 1:6).
) In the Old Testament, there was not one woman appointed as a priest. All priests were men (Exodus 28:1).
) Only masculine names are to be found in the genealogies of Genesis, chapters five and ten.
) Only men received the sign and seal of the covenant (Genesis 17:10).
) Abram is called; not Sarai (Genesis 12:1).
) Only men were commanded to appear before God (Exodus 23:17; Deut. 16:16-18; Neh. 10:36)
) The wife is under her husband's authority (Numbers 5:19; Eph. 5:23, 24; 1 Peter 3:1).
) All scriptures were written by men.
) Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church, was a man, not a woman.
) Not one woman baptized someone else.
) There is not a one instance in the Bible where a pastor shared authority with his wife.
) Adam, not Eve, represented humanity (1 Cor. 15:22)