Women’s Role in the Church

1. The Issues facing the church today.

1. Women preaching, teaching – over the man.
2. Women as elders, deacons, having authority – over the man.
3. Women leading in prayer, leading singing, reading scripture, etc.
4. Let’s get the questions – ON THE TABLE.

1. Examples and Quotes – What is happening today?
2.  
3. The Issues are NOT:

1. Talents and Abilities – Amy Grant
   Suppose my talent is gardening, baking, cake decorating, golf
   Sculptor MUST make idols for the church to worship.
   
2. Customs and Traditions – Foot washing, Holy kiss, Laying on hands, Women wearing veils, Braided hair, etc.
   Customs – change, shift, come and go.
   With this command there is a God-given reason for the command.
   This reason supercedes any custom, culture, and tradition.
   
3. Today’s Society – Women working, Not 2^nd class citizens, Respected
   
4. Outside the Church – CEO, Teacher, Principle, Supervisor, Speak at PTA
   
5. Leadership in the Church – Pre-school department, over nursery, funeral foods, VBS, Ladies retreat, etc.
   
6. Women teaching – She is commanded to teach younger women (Titus 2:4)
   She can teach at home. She can teach children. She can teach in private. She can teach by example. She can teach the lost. She can teach the preacher.
   
7. Women commenting in a Bible Class – Women can participate in singing, prayer, Bible class, etc.
   The comments can teach (instruct) and edify all (men and women) including the teacher of the class.
   See Acts 18:24-26
   
8. Participation in Worship – Women not only can participate, they must do so. Women can – sing, pray, study, commune, give.

1. The Bible Passages to Study.

Acts 18:24-26

A. Private vs. public
B. Expounded = explain, teach, inform
C. All of us (men and women) can explain and teach so there is a fuller understanding of the Bible.

1 Corinthians 14:34-35

A. Background and context of this passage –
B. "Your women" – Not women in general, Wives of the inspired prophets
C. "Keep silent" = No sound. Period. Not permitted to speak – At All!
D. "Ask husbands at home" – Not for widow, divorced, one with non-Christian mate.

1 Timothy 2:8-15

1.  
   1. Men = male of the species, as opposed to the female; Not men as general term for all mankind.
   2. Pray everywhere (publicly)
   3. Women (9) = Female of the species, as opposed to the male.
   4. Learn in silence (11) = "silence" – calm, tranquil, peaceful
      1 Peter 3:4 "meek and quiet spirit"
      1 Timothy 2:2 "lead a quiet and peaceable life"
   5. Description of the life of one who stays at home doing his own work, and does not officiously meddle with the affairs of others
   6. Suffer (12) – Not allow, not permit, not approve of
   7. To teach = "deliver a discourse" preach a prepared lecture
   8. "Usurp authority" = exercise authority. This is not a question of how the authority was obtained. She many not be in a position of authority.
   9. "OVER THE MAN" – This phrase applies to BOTH "teach" and "exercise authority".
      That is – She may not teach OVER THE MAN.
      She may not exercise authority OVER THE MAN.
   10. Who is the "MAN" of this passage? All men, all males? If this applied to all males she could not teach her son, have authority over a male child.
       I believe the "MAN" of vs. 12 is the "MAN" of vs. 8. The Christian male who is able to lead in prayer, teach, preach.
       Example – Young men on 5^th Sunday PM – preaches, teaches classes.
   11. Question arises – Woman is teaching the 4^th grade class – One boy is baptized – Must she resign her class? This is not a clearly drawn line. The context would be the man of vs.8. This is a Christian male who leads in prayer.
   12. Silence (12) – See notes on vs. 11.
       In 1 Corinthians 14:34 – silence = no sound.
       Here is a different word meaning – calm, quiet, tranquil, and peaceful – NOT loud, obnoxious, boisterous.
   13. Argument #1 – Seniority – Man was 1^st formed – then woman. (13)
       NOT – Who is better looking, smarter, able to make decisions, handle stress of leadership, sinned 1^st, greater sinner.
   14. Argument #2 – NOT who sinned.
       Many think this passage teaches the woman sinned 1^st.
       This passage says – Man showed greater weakness. Eve was deceived. Adam was not deceived. Both were wrong. Being deceived is not an excuse for sin. Both were tempted – Both sinned – Both were punished.
   15. Argument #3 – She shall be saved in childbearing.
       Two ways to look at this passage –
       [1] While sin entered the world through a woman (Eve); The savior entered the world through a woman (Mary).
       [2] Every woman, in bearing and raising children, teaching them right, instilling in them moral values, and leading them to faith in God, serves to undo the wrong done in Eden.

Conclusions:

1. This passage does not forbid a woman from being a CEO, speaking at a PTA meeting, teaching High School English, or having authority.
2. The Bible does not forbid the following activities in the church –
   Teaching – Children, Other ladies, having ladies Bible class, devotionals
   Having authority – over nursery, funeral foods, primary department, prepare communion, over children in her home, over men at a factory, etc.
3. In the church – women can do all things that men can do EXCEPT
   [a] Teach (preach) over the man.
   [b] Have authority over the man.