Frankly Answered Questions - FAQs

Why don't you allow women pastors and elders in your church??

Q: I'd like your take on an issue. Women as ministers/pastors, leading heads so to speak. I'm quite sure this is forbidden, I've read in the scripture that men are to have the shepherd title, not that women can't also be very effective as leaders in another capacity, but that as the head leader it isn't their place. Am I right? If so, why are there so many women acting as leaders in so many churches? Shortage of men, or straying from the right choices??

This came up because my sister's church just recently took on a lady as minister. My sister has been married in that church, and has attended it for over 17 years. She was going to look for another church, but found that after listening to this woman speak, she may stay as the messages are very insightful and inspiring. She's asked me for advice.

I am aware of some passages that seem to say only men should lead in the church, but aren't these commands meant for just those times, like women covering their hair in 1 Corinthians 11?

A: Based on 1 Timothy 2:12, we believe the Bible limits the office of elder to men. The reason that Paul gives for this limitation is because of the way God created male and female (equal, but with different roles). Also Paul mentions some concern about women and deception. This probably sounds like male chauvinism. But I really want you to understand that chauvinism is NOT my motivation. Try as I might I cannot find a way around passages like 1 Timothy 2:11-15 and 1 Corinthians 14:33b-38. I have heard all the arguments for women teaching and having authority and all of them involve ignoring these passages or an interpretation of the passages that just can't be sustained.

This issue caused quite a bit of stress in my own life, because I was originally part of a large mainline denomination in the United States. I was told by the leaders of the presbytery that they would not ordain me as a pastor unless I was willing to ordain women as elders and pastors. I just could not in good conscience ignore what the Scriptures said on this issue, so I was forced to leave the denomination (and a free seminary scholarship). Most of the mainline churches in the United States would at least allow (if not require) women leaders in the church. Most of these denominations are theologically liberal and the pastors, seminary professors, and church leaders believe that not ALL of the Bible is the Word of God. They believe in a view of "partial inspiration."

My personal experience with churches that have women pastors is that the women are very sincere, caring, and often gifted, but what I have seen happen over time is that the men recede into the background and become less and less involved. My aunt and uncle's church is a good example. The pastor is a woman. All the elders are women. Where are the men? At the all-male volunteer fire department! This makes for a VERY weak home life and church life.

I really believe that what is going on is the same action that took place in the Garden. Men are more than willing to allow women to take the lead in spiritual matters. Adam was with Eve when she spoke to the serpent (Genesis 3:6 -- "who was with her") and the man stood silently by while allowing Eve to make the spiritual decisions. This is a weakness IN MEN, not women. God being well aware of this male tendency to cope out of spiritual matters reserves certain activities in the church for men only -- forcing them to engage with the church and God.

That is why at New Life, we limit the office of elder (and pastor) to men -- since this office involves both teaching and authority (those are the activities prohibited in 1 Timothy 2:12). Teaching is defined as "preaching or teaching the meaning of passages of Scripture." So women are prohibited from teaching over men and ruling over men, but they can share testimonies, give illustrations, read Scripture, pray, and be deaconesses in the church. Of course, they are completely free to teach other women and children. I don't think the women in our church feel stifled. There are plenty of opportunities for significant ministry and use of their gifts.

If you have visited our congregation, you might have noticed that at every opportunity we try to put men in front of the church body leading, teaching, directing. This is intentional. In the church service men do the Call to Worship, direct the flow of the service, the announcements, the teaching, and the Benediction. When there are times of testimony or sharing we make sure the men participate and that it does not become a women-only activity. Co-Ed Sunday school classes on Bible books are taught by the men. In my opinion this has created a church where men are very engaged in their relationship with the Lord and in the life of the church. I believe the pattern they see in church has transferred in many cases to their home -- men leading their families as a servant, teaching their families the Scriptures, and directing them in the things of the Lord.

Of course none of this male leadership stuff should ever be used as an excuse for treating women impurely, dishonorable, or unequally in Christ. I have seen husbands who use the leadership passages in the Bible to club their wives into "submission." That is a total misunderstanding of gentleness and what it means to be a servant leader. The marriage passages on submission were written to wives, not to husbands to tell their wives. Likewise the passages on male leadership in the church were not written to keep women oppressed, nor to make them inferior, but to spell out the God-given roles that work in this life for men and women.