Expert: Dr Don Howe - 12/17/2008

Question
Ok, I am a member of a Missionary Baptist Church, and I have recently become so confused that i have stopped attending and have missed the last 3 services. I am trying to find out if it is against by law's or something for a woman to teach a saved male, such as in sunday school, as well as if it is wrong for a man that is living with a woman and not married to hold office as a men's sunday school teacher. I have been told that it is wrong for that to occur, but he is the pastor's best friend. Also, are there certain qualifications for a sunday school teacher? I have been at this church since I was saved on january 24, 2007, I was voted in as a youth leader the following may and have done alot of good with the youth. I do not want to leave my church, but I am struggling with many things that are going on there that do not feel right. These questions are only the beginning of my confusions.. I have prayed over this, and the only answer I have recognized from God is to follow my heart.. the problem is my heart doesn't know what to do.I need to know if the questions i mentioned have any answers. Thank you SO much for your time, and PLEASE pray for me if you get a moment. Thank you!

Answer
Angel, thank you for your questions. I want you to stop being confused, stop being stressed out, calm down, take your shoes off, stop being confused about the false prophets that are in your church, stop feeling you are being  punished by the spiritual abuse that is going on in your church. And let us rightly divide the Word of Truth for Your Edification.
    You have many questions about the spiritual leadership in the church and whose role is what according to the Bible. Angel, the church has allowed feminism to come into the church, men in the church have not stood up and exhorted their leadership in the church as Paul tells them to do in his epistles,  and our society as a whole has become more feminine. You can see in every church where men have not accepted the spiritual leadership role in the church, and anything gets done in the church the women get-er done. Then some church have gone to the extreme on the other end in which the male leadership in the church has been pharisaical, controlling, spiritually abusive, and women have to be passive and submissive, for example, the women in the Fundamental Latter Day Saints cult. There is spiritual abuse  going on in your church, Missionary Baptist Church, and you have seen this going on and it has caused some confusion and unhappiness. I will explain later about your church, specifically.
    WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT WOMEN TEACHING?
   You stated “I have recently become so confused that i have stopped attending and have missed the last 3 services. I am trying to find out if it is against by law's or something for a woman to teach a saved male, such as in sunday school.” God has allowed women to use their spiritual gifts from the beginning of the Church.
    Angel, to understand what the Bible says about male leadership and their responsibility, what type of spiritual gifts did women have in the first church, their behavior in the church and what do people today say.  I want to examine with you to show God allowed godly women to use their spiritual gifts in the first church in Acts. Acts 2:14-17 states “But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: "Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words. "For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is {only} the third hour of the day; but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel: 'AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,' God says, 'THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS.” Verse 17 says your daughter shall prophesy. This gift of prophesy is a “sign gift” given for the purpose of imparting new revelation from God while the New Testament was in formation. This is not preaching. Prophesy was for edification, exhortation, comfort, foretelling and forth telling. But God allowed women to have the sign gift of prophesy. This sign gift is no longer present today as we do not need it since we have the full canon of the Bible. There are no prophets and no prophesy for today’s times. You will see charismatic preachers call themselves prophets but they ARE FALSE PROPHETS.
      Acts  18:24-26 states “And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, [and] mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto [them], and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.” The word expounded in the Greek is ektithēmi  which menas to interpret more fully, explain, or teach. So Priscialla, a woman, taught Apollos “the way of the God more perfectly.” So a woman were allowed to teach but she was with  her husband, Aquilla, and under his leadership. Angel, this is no different today as all people who teach or who hold leadership possessions in the church, is under the leadership of the Senior Pastor, who like all us is accountable to Almighty God. Everyone in the church us under the headship of someone else. This is the way God designed it. The woman is under leadership of the man, the man is under leadership of Jesus, and Jesus is under leadership of  The Father. So women have been allowed to teach from the beginning of the Church.
    Some male authoritarian glory-seekers like to use 1 Cor. 14:34-35 to put women in submission and to try to silence them in the gift of  teaching and in these following verses they deals with prophesying. But let us look what God is saying. 1 Cor. 14:34-35 states “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but [they are commanded] to be under obedience, as also saith the law.   And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. Some legalistic churches today would say “see Paul is saying women need to be quiet in church.” You have to keep these verses in context as Paul is speaking of a specific problem in the Corinthian Church (not referring to all women in all churches)  as the women were speaking in the assembly out of order, and in a disruptive manner. In verse 34, Paul is saying let your women (the women in the Corinthian Church specifically) keep silence in the churches (the Corinthian churches). Paul saying that is not permitted unto them (the Corinthian women) to speak. In verse 35, Paul is saying if they (the Corinthian women) learn anything let them ask their husbands at home and it is a shame for women (still speaking of the Corinthian women) speak in the church (the Corinthian church).
    The Nelson Study Bible concurs with this being a problem in the Corinthian church states concerning verse 34 and 35 “Paul’s command here is  the subject of much debate, for it seems to contradict the fact that Paul spoke of women prophesying in 11:5. It has been suggested that Paul was addressing a particular problem in the Corinthian church, a group of women who were disruptive.”   
     And all this done (in verses 34-35) for edification (1 Cor. 7:26).
     Some say that 1 Cr. 14:34-35 is contradictory to 1 Cor. 11:4-6 which states “Every man praying or prophesying, having [his] head covered, dishonoureth his head. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with [her] head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.” Notice Paul is talking about specific  women when he address “every woman that prayeth or prophesieth” must have her head covering will be “dishonoureth her head.” Paul is not saying women could not pray or propheieth in public, but they must have their head covered. Can you imagine what the radical feminist of 2008 say about this one?
     Angel, this head covering issue was not so strange in Paul’s time, in fact it was a custom. Concerning this “dishonoureth his head” and “dishonoureth her head,” David Guzik in his Commentary gives some good insight and states “Because of this order of authority, it is inappropriate for men to pray under a head covering, and inappropriate for women to pray without a head covering. The idea of a head covering was important in this (and many other) ancient cultures. To wear the head covering (or, veil in some translations), was a public symbol of being under the authority and protection of another.” Clarke goes further and states ““It was a custom, both among the Greeks and Romans, and among the Jews an express law, that no woman should be seen abroad without a veil. This was, and is, a common custom through all the east, and none but public prostitutes go without veils.”
    So every woman could pray and prophesy in public with her head covered was customary. The woman who did this  and prophesied in the church  could not interpret the prophesy as this was limited by the men in the assembly. D. A. Carson in his book Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood concurs with this interpretation “Paul has just been requiring the church in Corinth carefully weigh the prophecies presented to it. Women, of course, may participate in prophesying; that was established in chapter 11. Paul’s point here, however, is that they may not participate in the oral weighing of such prophecies. This is not permitted in any of the churches.”
    God has given women and daughters to prophesy (Acts 2:14), women could teach men while they were under authority of a man, as Priscilla taught Apollo (Acts 18:24), every woman could prophesy and pray in the assembly with her head covered (1 Cor. 11:4-6), and Paul is specifically speaking to the women in 1 Cor 14:34-35 because they had been so disruptive.
    So Angel, women could pray, prophesy, and teach under the authority of the husband (with her head covered), and the husband is under authority of Christ (with his head not covered), and Christ under authority of God the Father. I am showing you that God had great leniency with the women in the New Testament church and there was much ministry that women did in the church. But Paul had to come down hard on the Church in Corinth as the women were totally of control before Paul came to them.     
     Some have taken 1 Tim. 2:8-15 out of context and stated that women could not teach men. And this refers back to your question “I am trying to find out if it is against by law's or something for a woman to teach a saved male, such as in sunday school.” Take each verse at time. The setting is the church in Ephesus.
    1 Tim. 2: 8 states “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.” The word will is  boulomai  in the Greek which means to will deliberately or have a purpose. Paul is using strong words here. He is  purposefully “I will thererore that men pray every where.” The term that men Paul is expecting men to lead the public worship. Guzik states “Paul assumed men would take the lead at meetings of the congregation. Since the lifting up of hands was a common posture of prayer in ancient cultures, this text speaks of men leading public prayer - men representing the congregation before God’s throne. The ministers of public prayer must be the men of the congregation, not the women. Hands that are lifted up must be holy - hands that are set apart unto God, and not given over to evil. Such prayers must be without wrath (praying “angry” prayers) and without doubting (praying without faith). When we pray angry, or pray without faith, we can do more bad than good – especially when the prayer is public” (my emphasis). So men are purposefully to lead the prayers in public and pray everywhere with holy hands that are set apart from God and not praying angry prayers or prayers without faith.
      Verse 9 states “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.” Paul is saying in like manner the women are to be like the men being holy, set apart from God, not be angry, and no doubting in public worship by adorning themselves in “modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety.” The word modest is kosmios  which means well arranged, modest, or of good behavior. Shamefacedness is a mouthful which means aidōs or propriety, reverence, regard for others, respect for others, modesty, like  being appropriate for the occasion not being overdressed, or underdressed. Sobriety is sōphrosynē  which means soundness of mind or self-control. So Paul is saying he women need to be like the men and in public worship should dress in a well arranged or modest manner showing reverence and regard for others, not being overdressed our underdressed and being under self-control. How many times have you seen women in church who were dressed inappropriately? Paul is saying for women to be holy they should not dress like that (being inappropriate) and should not have braided hair, gold, pearl, or costly array.
    Angel, you can already see that Paul is saying that public worship should be reverent, not having angry or doubting prayers in public by men and women should be holy just like the men by not overdressing or under dressing in public worship.
      Verse 10 states “But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.”  The best adornment is godliness exhibited by good works. Guzik states about this “The most important adornment is good works. If a woman is dressed in propriety and moderation, with good works, she is perfectly dressed. Good works make a woman more beautiful than good jewelry.” I like what the Nelson Study Bible says “A Christian
Woman’s beauty is found in her godly character and her love for the Lord as demonstrated in all types of good works.” In today’s world, we would say “putting on the dog” in church does not cut it as far God is concerned, but He wants women to be dressed appropriately and do good works as this what pleases him.
    Verse 11 states “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.” Paul had a great respect for women in the church. The “let the woman learn” is a command that she should learn in silence. Some have taken this out context and said women are forbidden to speak at church meetings and this interpretation is from hell itself. No, no, no. God forbid. The word silence in the Greek is hesuchios  which means quiet or quietness which is the same word in 1 Tim 2:2 which refers to quiet and peacefully and without contention (means causing strife or trouble). Nelson Study Bible states “Paul ignored popular myths about women being incapable of learning and urged Timothy to provide opportunities for women to be educated. In silence refers to the woman’s attitude or manner while learning, as should be true of all believers. Paul was not saying that a woman could not speak in the local assembly.”
    The NIV uses the word submission, but NJV uses a better word of subjection which means obedience.
    Paul is saying that women are commanded to be able to learn in quietness and obedience. This is the way all Christians should learn from the Word of God.
     Verse 12 is the hot one and it states “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” The word suffer is  epitrepō  in the Greek which means, to permit, give leave, commit, or instruct. Paul is saying I will not permit or give leave of  a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in quietness and peace.  Paul’s meaning seems clear. Women are not to have the role of a teaching authority (meaning leadership) in the church. This is a leadership position like a teaching pastor. Being a female Sunday school teacher is not a position of leadership of running the church (the Senior Pastor, associate ministers, and deacons do this), but the Sunday School teacher is to be in obedience and quietness to the spiritual leadership of the men of the church. Zuck states “The females in the congregation should receive instruction from the male leadership with quietness and submission. They should not attempt to turn the tables by clamoring for the office of congregational teacher or by grasping for authority over men.” Nelson clarifies this even more “It seems best to understand this passage as teaching that women may exercise their spiritual gifts in a variety of ministries in a local assembly, as long as those gifts are exercised under the appropriate leadership of men. Other commentator’s have viewed this verse as and example of Paul using his apostolic authority to curb the spread in Ephesus of false teaching that apparently was becoming popular among some women who had not been properly instructed.” So Angel, this is not about a female Sunday School teacher who can not teach men, but a woman can not overthrow (usurp) the authority of the male leadership of the church so she can teach about doctrine or scriptural interpretation. This is  more about whose is in control and in the leadership position of the church and women are to be obedient to the male leadership of the church and not to over throw that leadership by teaching doctrine. David Guzik keeps it all in perspective “Paul is saying that the church should not recognize women as those having authority in the church regarding matters of doctrine and Scriptural interpretation.” And this would fall right in line with 1 Cor. 14:34-35 in which a woman is allowed to  prophesy but could not interpret the prophesy as this was limited by the men in the assembly and “they may not participate in the oral weighing of such prophecies.”
    Guzik shames all weak male leadership in the church and home states “The failure of men to lead in the home and in the church, and to lead in the way Jesus would lead, has been a chief cause of the rejection of male authority - and is inexcusable.”
     Verse 13 states “For Adam was first formed, then Eve.” The first reason for male authority in the church is order of creation. Adam (man) was created first, and given original authority on earth (Guzik).

BIBLICAL LATITIDUE.
   Mal Couch states “Although it is obvious that the Scriptures put prohibitions on women in the church in certain positions, there is tremendous latitude for women’s ministry in the local church. Including teaching.” He goes on “the spiritual qualifications of a woman in a leadership position such as children’s church director, or a Sunday school teacher should be as high as those for the men, since in these positions they need  to exhibit responsibility as well as teach through word and deed. They need to be an example of mature Christian womanhood for those whom they teach. It is for this reason that candidates for these positions should be measured by the qualifications given in 1 Tim. 3:1-13, and 2 Tim. 2;21-26.” Women should be measured by the same standards as men. This leaves the pastor, his friend, and the deacons of Missionary Baptist church out. They are going by their own statndards.
    So Angel you can see God loves women and has given plenty of ministries for women to do.  
    Back to your first original question “I am trying to find out if it is against by law's or something for a woman to teach a saved male, such as in sunday school.’ The answer is “no” it is not against anyone’s law, especially what God’s word, says that a woman can  teach a man in the local congregation as a Sunday school teacher. All the verses above should prove to you a woman can teach in a local assembly even men under the male leadership of the church, but she can not try to usurp the authority of the male leadership just so she can teach like being a teaching pastor or senior pastor on matters of doctrine or scriptural interpretation. The female Sunday school teacher should be one who is obedient and peaceful in carrying her teaching ministry and not to wear clothes that make her overdressed or underdressed. Female Sunday school teachers should met the same qualifications as male Sunday school teachers.

      MORE QUESTIONS.
    Angel you stated next “as well as if it is wrong for a man that is living with a woman and not married to hold office as a men's sunday school teacher. I have been told that it is wrong for that to occur, but he is the pastor's best friend.” This man that is living with a woman and they are not married are living in sin and it called  fornication and God treats this as the same as he does with adultery. This Missionary Baptist Church you were attending is a spiritually abusive church. The man who is committing fornication needs to be brought before the Board of deacons and stripped of his Sunday school position, and if he does not stop his fornication he needs to be kicked our the church AND YOUR PASTOR WITH HIM. If the Board of Deacons do not have the guts to face the pastor then they need to be stripped of their position. It does not matter if this man is a friend of the pastor or not, the pastor is big part of the problem because he is a FALSE PREACHER and the man is a FALSE TEACHER. This pastor needs to fired and he go sell cars for living as he is not fit to be shepherd of the a flock of believers.
    Angel look what 2 Peter 2:1 says about false teachers “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.” Peter is saying that “there were false prophets among the people” he is talking about Israel. Just as there were false prophets with the Children of Israel so there will be false teachers (note in the church we no longer have prophets or prophesy so it false teachers) among the Church. Privily here means to bring in secretly damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them. The pastor of your Missionary Baptist Church is a false teacher and he secretly has allowed his friend, who is committing fornication, to be in the position  of Sunday school teacher, and as far God concerned this is a damnable heresy. He is a false preacher and his friend is a false teacher. There are hundreds of verses talking about false prophets and false teachers. But you can get the idea from 2 Peter 2, and you should read the entire chapter for yourself.
     Angel you asked “are there certain qualifications for a sunday school teacher.” Yes there are. I have already  given them to you it is  
1 Tim. 3:1-13, and 2 Tim. 2;21-26, and you can look them up for yourself. But one qualification for bishop, deacon, or Sunday school teacher is found in 1 Tim. 3:2 and 1 Tim. 3:10. They both state they must be blameless. This  disqualifies the pastor of Missionary Baptist Church, disqualifies his fornicating friend as a Sunday school teacher, and disqualifies all the members of  Board of Deacons of Missionary Baptist Church because none of them are blameless and they are poor excuse for spiritual leadership in a church.
   In a spiritually abusive church usually the pastor is a false preacher and he is very controlling, very egotistical, sometimes very dynamic in personality, sometimes they have personality disorders like antisocial personality,  he may openly commit sin and expects no one to question his authority, he has all of his cronies around to protect him (like this fornicating friend), and usually the board of deacons are nothing but yes men and say “yes” to everything the false preacher does or says, and the false preacher will give leadership positions to his friends who will kiss his boots.

    Angel you stated “I was voted in as a youth leader the following may and have done alot of good with the youth. I do not want to leave my church, but I am struggling with many things that are going on there that do not feel right. These questions are only the beginning of my confusions.” I see a lot of ambivalence and dissonance in your questions. You first said you have missed last 3 Sundays which means you do not want to be in that church, but then you say “I do not want to leave.” Angel sounds like you have left already. AND YOU DO NOT NEED TO GO BACK AT ALL.  IF YOU DO YOU DO GO BACK YOU WILL BE SPIRITUALLY HURT TO NO END AND GOD DOES NOT WANT YOU TO BE WOUNDED IN ANYWAY. LEAVE THAT CHURCH AND DO NOT GO BACK. FIND YOURSELF A BIBLE BELIEVING NONDENOMINATIONAL CHUCH OR A BIBLE BELIEVING SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH.
          Angel, do not get in a confrontation with the pastor, his friend, or the board of deacons. It is not worth it and you will get hurt even more. Just quietly leave in good conscientious. Go visit many different churches in your area.
   But the most important thing to remember, God loves you so much that he gave his son for you and He wants the best for. Continue to pray that God will show you which way to go, what church you should go to, and I will continue to pray for you.
    I hope the explanations of some of these verses will calm your spirit and clear up your confusion. The bible is wonderful and it will come alive when you sit down and really study the verses.

    May God Bless you and May His face shine upon you. And give you peace. Amen.

         Dr Don Howe, RN, PhD, ThD.