More on women's roles in the church

Here is part two of my sermon series on women and their roles in the church. I'd love to hear what you think.


The Pastoral Epistles 1 Timothy 2:9-15
The role of women in the church (A two part series, part two.)

Intro…Pendulum swing…finding the middle balance….respected scholarly research on both sides of the “women speaking in church” issue.
We had a lively discussion in our home fellowship last week on this topic…and that was in a small group!
Initially I was all excited to continue on with the thought process/thesis from last week which was: “Women should be allowed to preach and teach in the church, under the blessing, guidance and authority of the men elders/pastor in the church.”
This week my thesis is: “Scripture seems to indicate that Paul is forbidding women from filling the office or role of pastor or teacher in the church/public worship gatherings. Paul also forbids women from exercising any type of authority over men in the church assembly, since God has called men as elders in the church.
I did a lot of reading again this week on this subject….and there is respected biblical research on both sides of this issue.

I think both arguments are valid. I want to do my best to present both sides well, so you can decide.

Also, please check these out for further reference:
http://www.equip.org/site/c.muI1LaMNJrE/b.2634597/k.C59E/DW252.htm
http://www.irvingbible.org/fileadmin/pdf/special_sections/women_ministry/women_ministry_IBC.pdf

Text: I Corinthians 11:3-12, I Corinthians 14:32-36
Some important points for today’s thesis:
There is order in God’s creation that still applies today, (I Co. 11:3) The head of every man is Christ, the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
(1 Cor. 11:8) Woman came from man and was created for her.
Yet we need each other, v. 11-12.

In reading a passage like 1 Cor. 11:3-12, it seems to say that women are a disgrace if they come to church without a head covering and they might as well be bald or go home and shave their heads!
So either we at Coastlands are in direct violation of scripture (in many ways, men praying or prophesying with a hat on?...v. 14 Long hair a disgrace to men? ) or we have recognized what that what those things meant in first century Corinth, they do not mean today in San Diego, Ca.
What is Paul getting at here? Let’s look at the original audience he was writing to.
Pagan and Jewish women who became Christians were given a place of honor and dignity, unprecedented in their former lives.
Jesus and Paul liberated women. They had women friends. Women served in the church and worshiped alongside men.
In Judaism, women were segregated in the synagogue and resigned to the women’s court in the Temple. They couldn’t even learn the Torah. The ritual for entry into Judaism was circumcision.
Along comes Christianity with a radical social statement which was that the ritual for entrance into Christianity is baptism, for both men and women!

Yet in today’s passage it seems like Paul is taking a step backwards.
In chapter 11-14 Paul discusses public worship, (for both men and women) and what you should and shouldn’t do.
The theme here is ORDER. Orderliness in worship, teaching these new Christians how to behave properly in worship.
1 Cor. 14:26- 33 (In regards to public worship) Everything that happens needs to be done for the strengthening of the church and done in order, ”For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” 1 Cor. 14:33 & 40
Paul first speaks to the women who were most likely taking their freedom to extremes, throwing off the customary veil or head covering which represented propriety, modesty and graciousness.

So how does that apply to today, what is the timeless principle?
We all need to be orderly in the worship service. A key way a Christian women today “cover their heads” is when they behave appropriately with modesty, graciousness and (if married) marital fidelity.
Take a look again at verse 5. Paul is talking about women praying and prophesying in public worship. They just need to make sure they do it in the proper way, that is recognizing the order of creation and the male leadership God set over the church, as we saw in verse 3.
This is a “problem passage” because it seems to contradict what Paul says later in 14:34-36
Seems pretty clear, huh? Coincides with 1 Tim. 2:11-12, “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, she must be silent.”
So, in today’s reading of these passages one can easily assume that Paul is saying the women should not be in a preaching or teaching role when there are men in the audience or congregation.
I think it’s ridiculous to say that women can never say a thing in church. (Remember 1 Cor. 11:5)
Paul is still reprimanding the Corinthian church because their services were chaotic and disorderly. They were putting too much emphasis on tongues, which was getting out of control.
Apparently some women were getting a little crazy with their new found freedom in Christ.
Paul is calling women to reverence, graciousness, and an attitude which does not call attention to ones self.

Here is some important things to remember on this topic:
God created both man and woman in His image. He offers the same Holy Spirit to both men and women at salvation. The same spiritual gifts are available to both men and women for service.
Jesus was completely radical in how he elevated women in his day. He ignored cultural barriers and invited women to be part of his ministry. Throughout the Bible we found God using women as leaders, prophets and teachers to further his kingdom.
He did, however, choose only men to be his disciples/apostles.

If you search both the Old and New Testaments for every reference to any kind of speaking ministry or leadership position carried out by women, you will come up with nearly 100 references.
“This is all the more remarkable in view of the fact that there are but two or three references which seem to be against women’s audible ministry. Yet these few references have been made the basis for muzzling women in spite of the fact that the main thrust of Scripture is against such silencing.”

“We need to acknowledge once again the difficulties associated with any scriptural study of the role of women in the New Testament church. It is a complex subject with great scholarship and godliness on both sides of the issue, and all who undertake to draw conclusions and set policy with regard to it must, in our view, do so with humility and openness to continued learning. This indeed is our commitment—never to conclude our perusal of God’s word on this subject as if we have determined God’s mind on the matter definitively for all times and peoples. Rather, we will continue to study God’s word and seek to be led by His Spirit in this and all other matters, praying always for the courage and integrity to implement whatever He shows us through that process.”

Conclusion:
I’ve presented two sides to the discussion in the last two Sunday’s, so you have to factor in what I said last week with today.
What I’m asking you to do (as you should do with every sermon you hear) is to search the scriptures, commentaries, books written etc. and see what God is telling you.
I personally am leaning towards women using their full giftedness in the church, under the blessing, guidance and authority of the men elders.