The Bible, Women and Leadership

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The Bible, Women and Leadership
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The Bible, Women and Leadership
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Key Issue
We have two major views among evangelicals today
regarding women in leadership.
Q Does the Bible teach an abiding principle
which places limits on women in church
leadership, or not?
Elders shall be men who
Elders shall be those who
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Understanding the views
Complementarian Created Equal with
Complementary Roles. Men given primary
responsibility to lead.
EgalitarianRoles based on giftedness.Gender
irrelevant for Spiritual leadership.
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 8 I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands
in prayer, without anger or disputing.  9-10 I
also want women to dress modestly, with decency
and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or
pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds,
appropriate for women who profess to worship God.
11 A woman should learn in quietness and full
submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach
or to have authority over a man she must be
silent. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve.
14 And Adam was not the one deceived it was
the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.
15 But women will be saved through
childbearingif they continue in faith, love and
holiness with propriety.. 1 Tim 28-15
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Key Quote
Evangelicals have not yet settled the
interpretive and theological issues involved
The issues are complex, and even the most
enthusiastic of promoters for one side or the
other cannot justifiably claim that the opposing
view is beyond the limits of orthodoxy.
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Key Quote
The need for a more peace making spirit among
proponents on both sides of this debate is as
strong as ever. Too often more heat than light
emerges when people get together to debate about
women in ministry. The church cannot afford to
waste precious energy and time reflecting excess
and overkill. The enemies who truly threaten the
integrity of the church are outside its walls,
not inside its walls.
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Key Questions
Do you think this is a salvation issue? Is this
issue about being a Bible believer versus being a
liberal (playing fast and loose with
Scripture)? Do genuine evangelicals hold views
in both sides of this debate?
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Understanding the strengths
Complementarian

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Understanding the strengths
Egalitarian

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Understanding the weaknesses
Complementarian

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Understanding the weaknesses
Egalitarian

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Can we get along?
Should a church split over this?
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Key Quote
"Evangelicals who are egalitarian can affirm the
core values of fellow Christians who are
complementarian. What we have in common as
Christians far outweighs our disagreements we
must therefore rehearse our shared values
frequently and clearly. We must regularly
reiterate our support of family values and the
responsibility of parents for their children we
must together affirm our commitment to the
authority of Scripture, the sacredness of the
family, and the centrality of evangelism and
missions." Egalitarian quote
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Some of your follow up questions

• 1 Why are the Elders raising this issue now?

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Some of your follow up questions

• 2 Are people really loosing sleep over this?

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Some of your follow up questions

• 3 Is it wise voting and effectively becoming a
  being a democratic organisation over key
  theological issues?

• they selected deacons (Acts 63-5).
• they sent Paul and Barnabas to help settle a
  doctrinal dispute (Acts 152, 3) and then
  confirmed, with the other elders, how the issue
  should be settled (1522).
• they administered church discipline (1 Cor 555
  2 Cor 26, 7).
• they sent out missionaries (Acts 1122 2 Cor
  819).

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Some of your follow up questions
4 Arent Elders ordained to clarify the main
tenants of our faith dont you think this is
one such issue?
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Some of your follow up questions
5 Wont most people be voting from personal
perspective, their own experience, or for all
manner of reasons?
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Some of your follow up questions
6 Why dont the Elders just present a firm
position instead of trying to please the majority?
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Some of your follow up questions
7 Shouldnt we be reluctant to change one of our
iconic positions, and one which represents a
sincerely held belief of our church fathers?
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The Elders Position
After prayer and study we as an Eldership are
undecided as to whether we should change our
church position on women in Eldership, so we feel
we need to give the congregation the opportunity
to seek Gods will on this together. The way we
suggest we do this is by changing our
constitution to be neutral, and allowing the
membership to seek the Spirits leading.
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A couple of comments
I sincerely pray that God would deliver a huge
measure of grace to those on either side who hold
this doctrine as non-negotiable, and that they
find the grace to remain at TBC without feeling
bitter.
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A couple of comments
I really pray that we are able to focus up away
from the micro issue of women in eldership, and
focus on the macro issue we are charged with a
serious mission as a body of believers, we are to
reach the lost. Satan is poised to damage as many
as he can in this lets stand against him and
not let his fiery darts through.
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