Expert: Mr. McClellan - 12/8/2007

Question
Hi, what is your view about women PAstors?

1 Corth. 14:34-35--Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, “Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church” (NIV).

this passage really bothers me.. yet I believe that no one should restricts the spirit on having a part on our Church wether its a male or female..

Answer
Hi Mariella,
I'll be glad to answer your question.
First,three verses in the New Testament include the word “pastor” (in various forms): Ephesians 4:11, Acts 20:28, and 1 Peter 5:2.

In Ephesians 4:11, Paul discusses various roles that Christ placed in the church. He intends for “pastors and teachers” to serve in the church. The expression “pastors and teachers” identifies a single group.

Homer A. Kent writes, “Pastors and teachers are named as one grammatical unit (by use of just one article in the Gk text)” (Ephesians: The Glory of the Church, Chicago: Moody, 1971, p. 72). Pastors (i.e., shepherds), as they care for the flock, are also teachers.

In Acts 20:28, Paul again refers to pastors. Here, however, he uses the verb form of the word, which is translated “to feed” (ASV) or “to care for” (ESV). Pastors feed, tend, and protect the church. They are to do all the things that a shepherd would do for a flock. Note in this verse that the church is called “the flock.”

Similarly, in 1 Peter 5:2, Peter encourages these servants by saying, “Tend the flock of God . . .” The word “tend” is again the verb poimaino, which W. E. Vine defines as, “to act as a shepherd” (Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, McLean: MacDonald, n.d., p. 427).

From these verses we learn that pastors are to act like shepherds by caring for the flock, and this care includes teaching. But a closer look at these verses will demonstrate that the responsibilities for pastors involve more than teaching.

In Acts 20:28, Paul identifies those who are to “take heed . . . to all the flock” as “bishops” (i.e., overseers or administrators). Likewise, Peter instructs these servants to “act like shepherds” as they “oversee” the flock of God (1 Pet. 5:2). This exhortation is addressed to “the elders” (1 Pet. 5:1). We observe how the words “bishop” and “elder” are interchangeable in another passage as well—Titus 1:5-6.

These terms—elder, bishop, and pastor—are used of the same service in the church. These words describe a man who is older and experienced in the faith (i.e., an elder); a person who is a decision-maker, manager of church affairs, and leader (i.e., bishop); and one who maintains a careful watch for the spiritual needs of all the members of the flock (i.e., a pastor).

When other passages are considered, we learn that pastors, bishops, or elders must meet scriptural qualifications (1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9), and they serve in a plurality over a single congregation (Titus 1:5; Acts 14:23; 1 Pet. 5:1-2). B. F. Westcott observed, “From a consideration of these passages it is evident that there was not as yet a recognized ecclesiatical hierarchy” (St. Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians, Eugene: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 1998, p. 62).

The modern-day “pastor” system is as much a departure from the New Testament pattern of church organization as is an ecclesiastical hierarchy. No one man can assume the role of “the pastor,” whether by title or by practice, for a congregation. Neither can a congregation delegate one man to be the sole church manager, regardless of the unanimity of vote or the crises at hand.

Second, the New Testament authorizes woman a domain of authority within the home. Younger widows are advised to marry, bear children, and “rule the household” (1 Tim. 5:14). Lenski says:

”’To rule the house’ means as the wife and mother in the home, to manage the household affairs. This is the domain and province of woman, in which no man can compete with her. Its greatness and its importance should ever be held up as woman’s divinely intended sphere, in which all her womanly qualities and gifts find full play and happiest gratification” (Lenski, p. 676).

This does not indicate, of course, that woman’s authority in the home equals the man’s. He is the head of the wife and she is to be in subjection to him willingly (Eph. 5:22,23). Yet, he should lovingly allow her the freedom to exercise authority in the management of domestic matters, for God has ordained it.

It hardly should be necessary to labor over the point that no woman is authorized to serve as an elder; the Bible is clear on this matter. The elder is to be the “husband [Greek, aner, a male as opposed to a woman (Arndt, p. 65)] of one wife” (Tit. 1:6; 1 Tim. 3:2). The “elder women” (presbuteras) of 1 Timothy 5:2 (cf. Tit. 2:3) are simply older women in contrast to the younger (neoterous); they are not church leaders.

The New Testament does not authorize a female (public preaching) ministry, but rather absolutely prohibits such.

Perhaps the most effective way to approach this matter is to examine some of the currently circulated but illigitimate arguments in support of women preachers. But that would take quite a lot of space and time. However, if you want that information I will be glad to supply it.

If a person really believes that the Bible is the word of God and that no one, as Paul said, had any right to add to it or make any kind of changes to what had been said by himself or the other apostles, not even an angel from heaven, then women cannot serve as pastors in the Chruch of God (Christ). Now, on the other hand, anyone can do whatever they want in a church that is not the true church and follows the teachings of a false Chirst and false apostles as most, if not all, churches do these days. The list of churches illigitimately claiming to be Christian churches is a long one and a person would be seriously hard pressed to find one that was not following one of a large number of false Chirsts. The first thing they'd have to know, of course, is how to distinguish a false Christ from the real one. I wouldn't be surprised if I could count the number of people who can actually do this on one hand.
I hope this helps.
Sincerely,
mr. mcclellan