Should women teach in the church?

[Jethro Bodine]

What if a man, being the head, affords her the authority?

Well, actually, I think that's exactly what has happened when you see a 'husband/wife' pastor team in a church.

I simply will not attend such a church. It's out of order. If they can't get the plain words of Paul's counsel about men only pastors, and the reasons for it, why would one expect they are somehow going to provide reliable spiritual teaching and guidance?

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Isn't proclaiming the good news part of evangelizing?

Yes.
But the office of evangelist is just that...an official office and anointing to do that. They do it full time and they do it well. They don't just share the good news, they're reaping the harvest big time. But for us regular people in the church, we've planted and watered seeds here and there in our comings and goings, and perhaps have led a person or two to the Lord, but we're simply not raking in the hoards like an evangelist does.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

If one evangelizes, isn't said person an evangelist?

No, I don't think so.
It's an official office. Different from what we do in that an evangelist travels, and is particularly gifted in sharing the message effectively, and has lots of harvested souls to show for it. The rest of us are mainly planters and waterers along the way in our everyday lives, with the occasional ripe fruit plucked from the field to our credit...maybe. Nothing wrong with that. It can be fun and edifying (but also dangerous), and motivated out of genuine love and passion for Christ and the gospel. But it's hardly what one would consider the life and calling of an evangelist.

 

[Edward]

No, I don't think so.
It's an official office. Different from what we do in that an evangelist travels, and is particularly gifted in sharing the message effectively, and has lots of harvested souls to show for it. The rest of us are mainly planters and waterers along the way in our everyday lives, with the occasional ripe fruit plucked from the field to our credit...maybe. Nothing wrong with that. It can be fun and edifying (but also dangerous), and motivated out of genuine love and passion for Christ and the gospel. But it's hardly what one would consider the life and calling of an evangelist.

No I disagree here. Women can certainly evangelize and are charged to do so.

The Spirit of the Law certainly has precedence over the letter of the Law here. Wouldn't you think?

What is Joyce Meyers? Pastor? Evangelist? False Prophet? What?

 

[Jethro Bodine]

No I disagree here. Women can certainly evangelize and are charged to do so.

Oh, I think you misunderstand.
I have shared in an earlier post that women can be called to be an evangelist.
Though I can't think of one off hand.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

The Spirit of the Law certainly has precedence over the letter of the Law here. Wouldn't you think?

In regard to pastoring, no. But I think you agree with that already...I mean the pastoring part. So I'm saying this for the sake of other readers.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

What is Joyce Meyers? Pastor? Evangelist? False Prophet? What?

Do I have to answer that, lol?

But seriously, she is a teacher, not a pastor. As far as being an evangelist, I don't know. I haven't listened to her in years, but I think I recall that she said she opened up her meetings off camera at the end to receive new converts. Does that mean she's an evangelist, too? I don't know. Probably. The fruit of those evangelistic parts of her meetings would speak the most to that being the case, IMO. But one thing's for sure, I do not think she ever considered herself a pastor. I don't think she even has a church. She has a ministry. But again, I haven't listened to her in years. Apart from her apparent love of riches(?) she's a smart cookie when it comes to teaching people how to relate to God in that which actually counts-godly character.

 

[Edward]

Oh, I think you misunderstand.
I have shared in an earlier post that women can be called to be an evangelist.
Though I can't think of one off hand.

Joyce Meyers is an evangelist. I think/ I don't think she has a permanent church anywhere, she does guest speaker engagements.

 

[Edward]

In regard to pastoring, no. But I think you agree with that already...I mean the pastoring part. So I'm saying this for the sake of other readers.

What if no man Pastor was available but there was a well equipped woman who thought she could take it on? Should she still be denied?

 

[Edward]

Do I have to answer that, lol?

But seriously, she is a teacher, not a pastor. As far as being an evangelist, I don't know. I haven't listened to her in years, but I think I recall that she said she opened up her meetings off camera at the end to receive new converts. Does that mean she's an evangelist, too? I don't know. Probably. The fruit of those evangelistic parts of her meetings would speak the most to that being the case, IMO. But one thing's for sure, I do not think she ever considered herself a pastor. I don't think she even has a church. She has a ministry. But again, I haven't listened to her in years. Apart from her apparent love of riches(?) she's a smart cookie when it comes to teaching people how to relate to God in that which actually counts-godly character.

I think she is ok. If she ever misused God's money, that's between her and God! I don't begrudge her her own airplane, lol. I wish I had one.

 

[JLB]

While all true, I think it inappropriate to call her a pastor. I don't think the office of pastor is defined as one who has authority over women and children alone. She is simply a teacher of the women and children, not a pastor.

Do you agree that both the husband and wife are one?

And though the man is the head, they do share the God given authority over the home?



JLB

 

[JLB]

I agree (but not with the label of 'pastor', or 'co-pastor').
As long as she doesn't launch into some obnoxious, authoritative, corrective 'I'm going to tell you how it really is' rant she can, in an orderly and fitting way, prophesize, speak in a tongue/interpret, or just share. Just like the rest of us.

Ok

So it seems the term “pastor” is where you draw the line.

Got it.



JLB

 

[Edward]

Do you agree that both the husband and wife are one?

And though the man is the head, they do share the God given authority over the home?



JLB

That's a good point. We also know that if you have known Jesus you have known the Father!

 

[jaybo]

Well, actually, I think that's exactly what has happened when you see a 'husband/wife' pastor team in a church.

I simply will not attend such a church. It's out of order. If they can't get the plain words of Paul's counsel about men only pastors, and the reasons for it, why would one expect they are somehow going to provide reliable spiritual teaching and guidance?

Fine, then don't go! I'm sure your presence would not be welcomed anyway.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Ok

So it seems the term “pastor” is where you draw the line.

Got it.



JLB

I think that's a fair assessment.
A woman can be what she is in the church. Just don't give her pastoral teaching authority over men and don't call her a pastor.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Do you agree that both the husband and wife are one?

Yes, but not in ministry.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

And though the man is the head, they do share the God given authority over the home?

Over the home, not the church.

The wife of the pastor has no more authority over me than the Colonel's wife has authority over me. Vets will know exactly what I'm talking about here.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

What if no man Pastor was available but there was a well equipped woman who thought she could take it on? Should she still be denied?

That's the special circumstance I was talking about!

When men have dropped the ball so badly that God has to install a woman to lead the people of God, well, that's just the way it is (i.e. Deborah). But it doesn't matter anyway. Male pastoral authority is a bygone thing in the church today. It's not like she'd be taking on an authority that, in practice, doesn't really exist in the church today anyway.

So, I don't lose sleep over this issue. We're all free to go to whatever church we want to and sit under whatever pastor we want to. We either do that to our good, or to our harm. I think it's crystal clear that we are not to purposely let a woman be in pastoral teaching authority over a man. Ultimately, it is to our harm to do so. But like all the other things that can potentially harm us, each of us is free to indulge them.

 

[Edward]

That's the special circumstance I was talking about!

When men have dropped the ball so badly that God has to install a woman to lead the people of God, well, that's just the way it is (i.e. Deborah). But it doesn't matter anyway. Male pastoral authority is a bygone thing in the church today. It's not like she'd be taking on an authority that, in practice, doesn't really exist in the church today anyway.

So, I don't lose sleep over this issue. We're all free to go to whatever church we want to and sit under whatever pastor we want to. We either do that to our good, or to our harm. I think it's crystal clear that we are not to purposely let a woman be in pastoral teaching authority over a man. Ultimately, it is to our harm to do so. But like all the other things that can potentially harm us, each of us is free to indulge them.

Ok, somebody hand the lady a micrphone and it's between her and the crowd if there will be a lynching or not. ;)

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Ok, somebody hand the lady a micrphone and it's between her and the crowd if there will be a lynching or not. ;)

Probably won't be a lynching, lol. Those of us who know better will simply leave and go to church somewhere else. That's just how it is today.