W e ' r e m o r e t h a n j u s t a C h u r c h . . . W e ' r e a F A M I L Y !
Pastor Carter addresses Questions on
WOMEN IN MINISTRY
I know there is Scripture that says that women are to keep silent in the church. If that's the case, why are there women preachers/pastors? If women can't speak in church, how then can a woman who's a pastor conduct the business of her church in business meetings? What about having all the women go into another room to pray for the men as they do the business of the Church?
If a woman is qualified enough to be a pastor, she should be qualified enough to conduct the business of the local church she leads. On the other hand, if she's not qualified enough to conduct the business of the church she pastors, then she's shouldn't be considered qualified enough to pastor it either. But, just because a man knows the difference between the Book of 'Job' and holding a 'job' doesn't make him qualified to pastor AND conduct the business of his church either.
If the individual, whether male or female, is not capable of conducting the business, then they are not capable of pastoring either.
I'm not saying women should not be allowed to pastor... I'm saying there are some men who are not fit to pastor and shouldn't be pastors just because they are men and can read a Scripture reference. If they can't add 2 and 2 to conduct the business, then they shouldn't pastor either. But if a woman is gifted enough to pastor and teach from the Word of God, then surely she is also capable of conducting the affairs of her own local church.
Having said that, I'm not sure, however, the Scripturality of a woman pastor. I don't see any Scriptural example of such, although I don't see any Scriptural prohibition of it either. There are certainly references to women in ministry (evangelistic, deaconesses, prophetesses, etc), but no references that I'm aware of to pastors.
BUT, IF they are qualified to pastor, then they should be permitted to conduct their own business as well. It's a double-standard to prohibit them from it.
As far as the Scriptural reference about women keeping silent in the church... I've heard it explained in the past as such:
In Jewish tradition and attendance of synagogue, the men and women were separated. Women sat on one side and men sat on the other. During instruction of the Word, some of the women were calling out across the isle to their married counter-part asking clarification or generally conferring. It was disruptive to a service and distracted from the issue as hand - concentration, meditation, learning from the Word of God. For this reason, they were asked to keep silent until they got home, and there they could speak openly about what was going on.
How true this is, I don't know for sure. But I think it's a lot more palatable than to say that women are supposed to have no input in the Church.
It's demeaning to women to say they're smart enough to teach, preach and pastor, but too ignorant to understand and conduct the business.
And this business about all the women going into the other room to pray while the men conduct business... If you want intercessors in the other room praying for important matters - GREAT! Send in a selected group of volunteers, women AND MEN, to pray together. Or, better yet, here's an unbelievable idea... have EVERYONE PRAY before you do your business and then just get down to it.
Let me parenthetically insert this here... Please don't think, by my answering of this question in the first place, that I even ascribe to the idea that all the members are supposed to have a say-so a local Church's affairs. I, quite honestly, don't believe that. Nor, however, does that mean that I believe only the male members should have a say-so. I'm of the firm belief that the Pastor is supposed to be the visionary of the house and therefore should lead the local flock in all things. I believe the Pastor, surrounded by a group of men AND WOMEN that he has designated and appointed, should have full spiritual and governmental oversight in the affairs of the local church.
Contact FHC with your questions and Pastor Carter will answer them here.
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PASTOR CHAD CARTER
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Salem, IN 47167
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