Got Questions? (2)

Week 2 - What Does the Bible Say About Female Pastors?

Todays topic is one that has sprung up much controversy in Christendom over the last few decades but especially in the last few years. Many different Denominations have fought each other over this topic and caused great division in the body of Christ. As a matter of fact, just last year the Southern Baptist Convention had an entire meeting about this topic alone where several churches were kicked out of the convention for ordaining women as pastors.

We know from Scripture that God has used many women throughout history to make an eternal impact on history and for His glory. We also know that God and the Apostle Paul value women and dont view them as inferior to men.

But it is a legitimate question: If God views men and women as equal, then why are women not allowed to be preachers?

To answer this question we need to look at what the Bible says about 3 things:

What are the Requirements (qualifications) to be a Pastor/Preacher?

Can a Woman Meet those Qualifications?

What is the Difference Between Preaching and Teaching?

I. The Requirements to be a Pastor/Preacher

1 Timothy 3:1-7 gives us the qualifications/requirements for a person to be a “bishop” which is the NT word for a “pastor”

V.1 says “if a man desire the office of a (pastor) he desireth a good work”

It is a good thing to desire the position of a pastor, but unfortunately, a desire to be a pastor is not enough of a qualification in God’s eyes for you to become one. Paul explains in the following verses

It is a good thing God has qualifications for this because if He didnt, then anyone who wanted to be a pastor could become one and they could cause a lot of damage within the body of Christ.

It is also not unfair that He has these requirements. Every job you apply for has certain requirements that you need to meet in order to qualify for the job, why would the office of pastor be any different?

Requirements

Blameless = the word literally means “nothing to take hold upon”. It means there must be nothing in his life that others can take hold of and attack the church

This is a broad term for a man who lives a righteous life that can be SEEN as righteous. No one can rightfully accuse the man of grievous sin.

Husband of one wife = this means he is a “one-woman man”. It does not mean that a pastor MUST be married, nor does it mean that someone cannot pastor if their wife has passed away or he has divorced biblically. It simply means his love and affection is given to only his lawfully wedded wife

3. Vigilant = not given to extremes. They are reliable and trustworthy, you dont have to worry about dramatic swings in mood, vision, or action

4. Sober = able to think clearly and with clarity. They know how to deal with serious subjects in a serious way.

It does not mean they dont have a sense of humor, but rather he does not cheapen the ministry by foolish behavior

5. Of good behavior = This means they are “orderly” or “dignified”

6. Given to Hospitality = They are willing and able to open up their homes to friends and strangers

7. Apt to teach = they are skilled enough in the Bible to teach, either in public or in one-on-one situations

8. Not given to wine = being addicted to wine or any intoxicating drink

9. No striker = a man who is not given to violence either publicly or privately; a person who can let God fight his battles for him

10. Not greedy of filthy lucre = one is who greedy for money

11. Patient = the kind of man who takes Jesus as his example, not some super-hero

12. Not a brawler = the kind of person who is always looking for a fight about something

13. Not covetous = this speaks about more than being greedy for money. The covetous man is never satisfied with anything, always demanding something more or different

14. One who ruleth well his own house (v.4-5) = his leadership ability is displayed first in his own home.

15. Not a novice (v. 6) = new converts should never be given leadership too quickly. A Pastor should be well beyond the “novice” stage of his Christianity before leading a congregation

16. A Good testimony (v. 7) = He must be as good a christian outside the walls of the church as he is inside. Unbelievers should notice a difference in them.

II. Can a Woman Meet Those Qualifications and Be a Pastor?

Now lets back up to 1 Timothy 2:12-15 and see the answer to that question

So is Paul a Chauvinist? Does he just hate women and not want them to have authority because he views them as beneath him? That is not the case at all! Let us remember Paul is writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and he gives examples for why this is the case

The example of Creation (v. 13)

Adam was created first, and then Eve was created out of the ribs of Adam. In so doing, God established an order, a primacy, and a headship in human affairs. This does not mean that women are inferior to men. It simply means that God has established an order of authority in the home and in the church that the man leads. It denotes rank, not worth.

Priority does not mean superiority

Because the Pastor is an “overseer” of the church, he has authority over the flock God has given to him

Women are not to usurp the authority of the man within the church or in the home.

2. The Example of The Sin in the Garden (v. 14)

Satan deceived the woman into sinning in the Garden of Eden; the man sinned with his eyes wide open. Because Adam rejected the God-given order, he listened to his wife, disobeyed God, and brought sin and death into the world.

See the difference here: Adam disobeyed, but Eve was deceived

Adam was given the instruction from God directly that he was not to eat of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. It was then Adam’s responsibility to convey that message to Eve and make sure she followed that command.

When Satan came to Eve, he deceived her by assaulting 3 things: 1) the authority of the Word 2) the accuracy of the Word 3) the acceptability of the Word

Authority - “Yea, hath God said...” = “How do you know it is really the Word of God? After all, you werent there when this supposed Word was given”

Accuracy - “ye shall not eat of every tree?” = “How do you know that the Word is an accurate and inerrant account of what God actually said? After all, you only have what has been handed down to you from your husband. You dont have the original because you werent there when the command was given

Acceptability - Satan directed her attention to the fruit and filled her mind with longing. The Devil convinced her that it was simply unacceptable for her to heed a supposed demand of God.

But Adam KNEW the Word of God because he had received it from God directly. This is why Satan did not come to Adam but to Eve. As a matter of fact, Satan didnt bother trying to deceive Adam, he let Eve do that for him. Adam abandoned what God had clearly said and did what his wife said and it led to the fall of man.

Men can receive great godly counsel and advice from good godly women, but they should never be allowed to usurp authority in the church.

So when it comes to being a pastor or as the Bible defines it an “overseer”, a woman cannot hold that position. Again, this does not imply that women have no place in ministry or that God cannot use them, but God has a different role for them.

God gives women several roles that they can have in ministry and service to Him:

Raise godly children (1 Timothy 2:15)

Teaching other women (Titus 2:3-4)

Teaching children (2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15)

Women Can even teach men in private settings and in certain situations - Aquila and Priscilla taught Apollos in Acts 18.

Prayer

The idea is that women are not to take lordship or usurp the authority of the men in the church.

III. What is the Difference in Preaching and Teaching?

So if a woman is allowed to teach but not preach, what is the difference

Preaching - a heralding forth of God’s Word typically from a place of authority that invites a response to the truth that has been told

what Brother Kenny does on a weekly basis. He gives the Word of God and he confronts you with a decision and invites you to respond

Teaching - a transfer of information from one party to another

What I am doing right now - I am giving you information of the truth of God’s Word and helping you to understand it so that you can learn to apply it to your daily life

All preaching has an element of teaching in it, and all good preaching is based on good teaching.

However, teaching typically does not have elements of preaching in it, an immediate response to the message is not typically called for.

Conclusion

Dont ever get it in your mind that God views women as less than or inferior to men just because they cannot pastor a church. God simply has different roles for men and women that He has established for the good of mankind.

A man cannot take on the role of a mother, a man cannot carry a child and give birth to it, that is a role designated for women.

View it like the military: every single soldier in our military is important, but they all have different roles and rankings. A sergeant has more authority than a private, but he does not have more WORTH than a private, for the Sergeant cannot carry out his duties without the private. This is how the role of men and women in the church works as well.