Currently Playing Jill Paquette By Jill Paquette see related

Last night I drove down to Mound to spend the night with Jessica.  We had the most amazing thunderstorm!  I love thunderstorms.  About three am it got pretty violent outside and we both woke up and checked the news.  No tornado warning so we just enjoyed it.

I don't understand when people are afraid of them.  I think they're incredibly beautiful...and romantic too...even more so than sunsets. 

I think it's finally settling in exactly how far away Virginia is from Minnesota.  I may be getting a case of cold PHC feet.  I've thought about my half-completed Wheaton application and mentally paged through decent in-state schools (which are few).

Someone smack me before I fall off the wagon!

So while I'm not being terrified about leaving home I'm responding to a post talking about women pastors on another board.  I noticed that it's not quite coherent, but I'll post it anyway...

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Interesting topic...

I should start off by saying that God is sovereign and can call any person he chooses to any profession he chooses. Throughout history, biblical and modern, there certainly are instances where God has placed woman in positions of political and ecclesiastical authority. (I'm about to digress into some stuff about women in political power because I feel it's closely related to women in church power, so hang in there.)

The most common example cited is Deborah the prophetess, placed by the Lord as judge over Israel. (Judges 4)

Another is Queen Victoria, queen of England during the late 19th century.

In more modern times we might think of Margaret Thatcher or Phyllis Schlaflay.

All of these women shouldered immense responsibility in their respective callings and emerged unshrinking, leaving the world a better place than when they found it.

I believe these women were just as ordained and legitimate as any man would've called, but I also belive they were the exceptions, not the rules.

(Also consider that in many cases these women were not in high places alone. Deborah was married to Lappidoth (Judges 4:4.) Queen Victoria to Prince Albert. It is even said that she submitted completely to Albert's will and never made a political decision without him. Margaret Thatcher was married to Denis Thatcher, and Phyllis accomplished all her political feats while caring for a husband and raising six children.)

Insinuating that these isolated cases debunk an overwhelming supply of basic biblical principles is illogical. Deborah in spiritual and political leadership over Israel does not justify women pastors or leaders in general anymore than one rainstorm makes the Sahara a temperate zone.

This evidence aside, Scripture says the following:

"A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent." 1 Timothy 2:11-12

"Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church." 1 Corinthians 14:34-35

Are these scriptures saying that women must become mute and non-participatory the second they cross the church threshold? Don't be ridiculous. The New Testament has numerous examples of women who labored in the church. Romans 16 is littered with the names of women whose service and guidance were invaluable to the early church. Phoebe, Priscilla, Mary, Tryphena and Tryphosa. Elsewhere are Lydia, Euodia and Synteche, Nympha, etc etc...

While these women were almost assuredly involved in teaching to some extent (such as counselling their husbands or other church elders), they are never portrayed as having direct pastoral influence over men, which I would consider to be the point of these scriptures.

The aforementioned women are today's worship leaders, sunday school teachers, women's bible study leaders, and even pastor's wives, not pastors themselves, nor elders or deacons for that matter. (See the requirements of elders and deacons in Titus 1 and 1 Timothy 3. Both say it is a job for a "husband.")

While I do not doubt that many of the women pastors we see today are righteous and spirit-filled, I do not believe it is God's ideal situation. There are so many vitally important minsterial positions aside from pastoral leadership that need women to fill them. There is a veritable stampede of girls wanting to be pastors, and so few who actually have interest in biblically-mandated positions such as the training of younger women (Titus 2.)

I am never going to pretend to know the individual calling God has on any woman's life. However I do know the scriptures show an overarching calling on women to be submissive wives, nurturing mothers, and godly teachers to younger women.

I would definitely encourage any woman pursing pastorship to search scriptures as well as their hearts, and perhaps seek a more biblically-supported position of ministry. _________________________________________________________

Now off to do something productive...

Cheers!