Female Preachers and Pastors

This by no means a popular subject. And the perspective I’m about to give you is generally that of an ancient Baptist viewpoint, just so you understand where I am coming from. If you choose to ignore the content of this article, that is your God given right. Please understand that I am not trying to be mean or malicious here. My intent is to give you my understanding of what the scriptures tell us.

The Apostle Paul said “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.” You may think I’m about to talk about long hair on men and short on women. No. What I want you to notice is that the Apostle said “we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.”.

We Baptists, generally speaking, have no such custom as ignoring what the scriptures say about the roles of men and women in the church just as Paul said we have no such custom as a man wearing long hair or the woman having short hair as a member of the church body.

Now either you believe what the Bible says or you don’t. It’s your choice. Personally I believe what is written and I also believe that it is just as much for us today as it was two thousand years ago and before. It is defiantly written: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

So then, what does the Bible say about the role of a woman who is a Christian? In Titus two the Bible says “The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” Some ladies would look at this and think they are supposed to be some kind of slave or that the wife is less of a person than a husband. No, that is being prideful and the Bible tells us that pride goeth before a fall.

Ladies, you were created from man’s rib which is at his side as his. You weren’t created from the foot bones so you are not to be under mans foot by no means. On the other hand you weren’t created from the bones of his head, so you aren’t to be head over him either.

There are certain positions God has placed us as man and woman in the church. Man was given the position of leading. Women have been given the position of nurturing. Without the God given nurturing love that the good Lord has placed in you as part of your very nature, the children wouldn’t be prepared to make the decisions of accepting the Lord Jesus as Savior. Your position is crucial to the kingdom of God.

But when the scriptures say: ”But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” Everyone seems to get in an uproar. Tail feathers get ruffled and the argument is on. Is the reason because sometimes we think God is unfair? Well if that is your belief, you may need to do some checking up on your heart or even your salvation because God is fair and just and holy. There is none that are as right as God because God is righteousness.

So therefore, if the woman were a preacher, she would be doing two things. Number one, she would not be silent in the congregation. Number two, she would be in authority over the man. There is nothing complicated about it. Either you are silent or you aren’t and you are in a position of authority over men or you aren’t. There is no grey area here. And if you assert that the men choose to allow that authority over them, they are also going against the scriptures.

Now as for the position of pastor, what does the scriptures say in that matter? The Bible uses the term bishop often when referring to a pastor and it says: “If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach;” Notice that "If a man", not a woman is at the beginning of the passages! Not only that, but he must be the husband of one wife. How can a woman be "the husband of one wife"? If she is the husband of one wife, then she is a practicing homosexuality and defiantly disobeying God's word.

One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) If she rules her own house then she is also out of Gods will because the head of the family is the man, not the woman! In Ephesians, the Bible says “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.”

But hey, you also have the God given right to believe what you want to believe. And if you choose to disregard the scriptures or believe these passages weren’t written for us in the twenty first century, that is also your choice.

Pastor Tim Davis is the webmaster for "The Old Pathways", a message board dedicated to asking and answering questions concerning the Bible, Salvation, and Christianity. The web address is http://101info.org/oldpath/ and you are most certainly welcome to come and post your questions. There is no need to register on the board if you do not want to. Questions can be asked without registration.