Expert: Rev. Robert Woods - 9/14/2009

Question
Our church has had two forums on ordaining women deacons.I stated tonight that women fill all other roles in our church, moderator, serving on finance committee, personnel committee, serving as trustee, usher, and teacher to adult men in Sunday School. I asked why then can we not have women deacons. One deacon said, "fear". When I asked fear of what, I didn't really get an answer. So, I am asking your opinion, fear of what?

Answer
Blessings and thank you for your question.

I have no way of knowing exactly what this man means but I can take a good guess.  Men have several things to fear.  First of all, men have a responsibility to be the spiritual head of their household and to love their wives like Christ loved the church.  Very few men take this responsibility seriously.  This is has been part of the problem with the breakdown of the family.  Many men see this breakdown continuing into the church.

Secondly, most men have a hard time following women in leadership.  So a woman being a deacon, would be a spiritual person in authority over them and they don't like it.

However, scripture tells us that

2 Tim 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of sound mind.

1Jn 4:18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.