An Elder Discussion on Women in Church Leadership
The elders of the Bible Church have had a goal in 2006 to have
a discussion about women in leadership in the Bible Church. Every
decade since our founding in 1971 the elders have had significant
discussions on this controversial issue. The main discussion is
whether women should be invited to the elder board and to become
pastors, those with all-church authority and responsibility. Just
as important is the issue of the elders listening to women (as
with all the congregation) and providing a voice to women relating
to major decisions.
In 2006, the elders had two broad discussions on this topic and have not come to a consensus. We have had several women, representing women of many persuasions, to converse with us. Presently we are coming to Sunday morning classes to present different perspectives and to listen to comments and respond to questions. We are doing this because:
- Some people disagree with the position that women may not be elders & pastors.
- Some people have questions about the church’s position.
- While women have become ministers, what are distinctions between minister, pastor and elder?
- As we have heard a woman teach from the pulpit, what may women do or not do?
- The elders desire to receive ongoing input from women in the church.
Our hope is for this discussion to bring insight into the complexity of the issue. We trust our church to discuss difficult issues in a spiritual and beneficial way. Following the Sunday morning discussions the elders will decide where to go from there. We will keep the church appraised of our decision process. (Any change to the CHBC constitution would require consensus by the elders and a 2/3 majority vote by the members at a called congregational meeting.)
To help your understanding, you will find in the following documents:
As elders, we thank you for your interest in this important discussion.
What the elders agree about concerning women in leadership
- Men and women are made in the image of God.
- Men and women are affected by the fall of mankind.
- Men and women are equal in personhood & relationship to Jesus Christ.
- Husbands & wives are to express mutual love and submission as well as specialized callings for husbands to lead in love and wives to lead in submission.
- Women were sometimes brought into called leadership in OT & NT times.
- Women were respected and dignified in the ministries of Jesus and Paul.
- Women were free to become deacons in the NT era as well as today.
- In many areas of our church life, women are encouraged to express leadership gifts.
- Women’s opinions, along with opinions from other groups (such as the church staff) are valuable and should be sought out in significant decisions. We have undervalued their input.
- Any decision the elders make should be consistent with Scripture, not made to be consistent with our present culture.
Questions from the elders concerning women in leadership
1. Does creation establish equality or hierarchy or both? What is the significance that Adam was created first?
Key passages: Gen 1:1-28; Gen 2:4-7, 18-25; I Timothy 2:11-15
Key question: Does word “helper (ezer) suitable for him” in Gen 2:18 suggest servant or counterpoint?
2. Is the curse of Adam and Eve a prescription or description of the future? What are the implications of the fall for women and men today?
Key passages: Gen 3:1-7; Gen 3:14-19; Romans 5:12-19; I Timothy 2:11-15
Key question: Is it okay for Adam and Eve to work to overcome the curse or should they just accept the consequences of the curse?
3. Are women leaders in the Old Testament God’s design or God’s exceptions?
Key passages: Judges 4-5 (Deborah); 2 Kings 22:14 (Huldah); Ex. 15:20-21 (Miriam)
Key question: Is it significant that there were no women priests?
4. Was Jesus’ positive treatment of women just an affirmation of dignity or a model for ministry?
Key passages: Luke 8:1-3; Luke 10:38-42; Mk 7:24-30; Mt 28:1-10
Key questions: Is there any significance that it was a woman who first understood a parable or that a group of women were the first people Jesus appeared to after his resurrection? Why did Jesus not call women to be apostles?
5. What does the concept of headship mean for our present culture? How does headship in the family impact on headship and leadership in the church today?
Key passages: I Cor 11:2-16; Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-2; Titus 2:4-5; Gal.3:26-29
Key questions: Does the NT teaching on equality of personhood co-opt or complement its teaching on headship? How does the teaching of equality yet headship of God the Father with the Son relate to the equality of personhood yet headship of husbands & wives? Men & women?
6. Were Paul’s instructions regarding women intended for particular situations or for the normative life of the church for all time?
Key passages: Galatians 3:26-29; I Cor 11:2-16; I Cor 14:34-35; I Tim 2:11-15
Key questions: In I Timothy 2:12 why did Paul use the word “authentein” instead “exousia” the regular word for authority? How does the description of women praying and prophesying reconcile with the admonition for women to be silent, to not speak in the Corinthian church? Do these passages allow or restrict women from being elders in the church? Why were women allowed to be deacons but not elders in 1 Timothy 3:1-13?
7. Are the examples of women in leadership in the New Testament to be considered exceptional or normative for the future?
Key passages: Acts 2:17-19; Acts 18 (Priscilla); Romans 16:1-16
Key questions: Do the illustrations of women in church leadership in the NT era, speak to unrestricted or somewhat restricted calling for women in church leadership today? What is the calling of elders beyond other leaders? Acts 20:17-18; 28-30
Central Passages to Study:
I Corinthians 11:2-16
I Corinthians 14:34-35
I Timothy 2:11-15
For a download of this text in Word format, click here.
To see Jimmy Long's responses, click here.
To see Randy Russell's responses, click here.
|
