Expert: Phillip Senn - 7/6/2006

Question

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Followup To

Question -
Please shed some light on what the scriptures mean when it says that the women are to be silent in the church and not to teach or usurp authority over the man. i have been told so many different things concerning this issue like... the women of that day were just unruly so paul was simply addressing "that" church and not every church...or there is neither male nor female in christ. please help me with this issue, i just want to be sure that i understand what scripture is saying concerning this matter

Answer -
Mr. Scott,

If these were the only references that were in Scripture, it might be hard to answer. However, there is one passage that is seldom dealt with by those seeking to justify woman "Pastors." In 1 Timothy 3:1-7 Paul was writing to young Timothy concerning those men that sought the office of Bishop. Bishop comes from the Greek word meaning undershepherd. It is also translated in other places as "Pastor". Paul wrote that this man "must be the husband of one wife." He was not trying to say women are inferior. He was saying that God has a divine order, which places man in the leadership role in the home (see verse 4) and this man that has proven his leadership role in the home would have met one of the conditions of being a Pastor that would be able to rule the house of God properly.

The passage you referred to about women keeping silence in the church may have been dealing with some trouble that was brewing at the church at Corinth. The passage in Timothy was not done in response to a problem, but was written to give instruction to young Timothy as to how to lead the body of Christ.

In Galations 3:28, Paul was not saying that there are no males nor females. If that were the case, there would be no need for separate bathrooms at church. It refers to the standing before God. We are all on a level playing field when it comes to our fellowship with God.

Paul does make a clear distinction as to leadership roles. He is specific under the Holy Spirit's direction to make clear that the man must be the husband of one wife. To usurp indicates taking something that isn't rightfully yours. If a woman assumes the role of Pastor, she has taken a position that God has not authorized.

I hope this helps.

With Love In Christ,
Phillip Senn

Thanks for your response to my questions. I can't began to tell you how pleasant it is to hear from someone who believes the bible. I am not looking to find fault in anyone I'm just concerned about whats truth and whats not truth according to scripture. There is a woman bishop here in my area who I have listened to for a number of years now. She has really helped me in a lot of cases through her messeges. I have recently been concerned about her being a bishop while her husband simply sits in his seat being fed by her. Is there any danger in hearing her if the only fault I see is that she is a woman. I have never attended her church, I simply hear her on the radio.  

Answer
Mr. Scott,

While I am not sure to whom you refer, I am somewhat confident that I know of her. If it is the one I am think of, her testimony is that God called her into this ministry. If all she were doing were sharing the Word of God with others, I would say, "AMEN". The fact that she doesn't submit to the teachings of Scripture concerning the qualifications of the office of "Pastor, Bishop, or Undershepherd" causes me to doubt that she is submissive to the Holy Spirit. That would cause me to not listen to her at all. Whether or not there would be a "danger" in listening to her, I cannot say. I simply want to surround myself with Godly counsel so that I can be blessed, as is the man in Psalms 1:1-3. "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."

Thanks again for your questions.

With Love In Christ,
Phillip Senn