Women Who Preach or Teach Over Men in the Church

Greetings:

Hello Ladies! Thank you for tuning in today, and if you are new to this podcast welcome!

I apologize to you guys cause I do try to get an episode out every week. And if you had listened to the last episode and subscribed to this podcast I’m sure you were wondering why there was no episode last week. 

Well, here’s the story: 

SO I had season 2 all planned out. What books and female teachers I was going to look into. I had just finished up my notes on Rachel Hollis’s book “Girl Stop Apologizing”, researching her business and social influence when on my Facebook Feed I got the promo clip for the IF:Gathering. Now I had critiqued a bible study by Jennie Allen, the “vision caster” of IF, and Lysa Turkeurst, a popular speaker at IF; as well as having read articles by other discerning women about this conference and the speakers of it. SO of course this piqued my interest.  I decided to purchase tickets for the 2022 conference. I then realized that I had access to previous conferences. So I started watching 2021’s sessions and immediately I was concerned. There were 2 things I was concerned about: 1) The incorporation of psychotherapists, or trauma counselors which brought in a lot of talk on identity and victimhood. And 2) a higher focus on social justice and racial reconciliation then biblical justice and biblical reconciliation. I was curious to know if this was how the typical conference went. So I decided to check out the years before 2021. And found that, no, it wasn’t always like this. AND…this is how I went down the rabbit hole. Once in the rabbit hole I decided, if I’m gunna critique this conference, I am gonna be as thorough as my brain will allow. But to be thorough, it’s gonna take time and I’m gonna have to chuck my plans for season 2 out the window. Well, not all of it, but some. ANd so, ladies, for this thorough examination of this conference I need more time to listen to all of the conference sessions from the last couple of years and research the speakers. 

With all that said, I just want to thank you for your patience and mention that for during this study I will work on releasing an episode every other week as I am researching, listening to session, diving into Scripture, and learning how to edit and produce a podcast critiquing actual audio/video instead of a book, It’s a lot more work than I thought. 

Anyways, on to my introduction for this episode.

Introduction:

So in the first episode of this critique series I looked at the purpose of IF:Gathering as a ministry. We looked at what discipleship is and what is the purpose of discipleship. In the next episode I will present research in regards to the ministries of the most popular recurring speakers of the IF:Gathering Conferences. I also want to provide you with a sort of litmus test in determining if these women willingly put themselves under the authority of the Scriptures which they claim to teach. And one of those questions for the litmus text is the question of her submission to Scripture’s clear instruction on preaching over men in the gathering of the church to worship and receive the living word of God.

Today I want to dive into this a bit deeper. 

Before we get into Scripture on female pastors or females preaching to a mixed gender congregation, we must first wrestle with what we believe about Scripture. If Scripture is not inerrant and not sufficient then man will look toward other authoritative texts and ideas to equip them for ideas, worldviews, philosophies, and truths.

The Sufficiency and Authority of Scripture

• The Authority of Scripture – Where does scripture come from? How did it come about? How did the Old Testament and New Testament come about? What does Jesus say about scripture? What does Jesus say about the apostles and their testimonies?

Answers: 

Scripture is composed of writings of men directed by the Holy Spirit and written by the will of God.  2 Peter 1:19-21 states that 

We have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention ^has to a lamp shining in a dark place, until ⁱthe day ^jdawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, ²⁰ knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. ²¹ For ^kno prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God ^las they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. When we open up the Scriptures we open up a book that was penned by men carried along by the Holy Spirit. They are God’s very words. 

Are men still carried around by the Holy Spirit like they were in the Old Testament period? How has God chosen to speak to us now that the messiah has come? 

Long ago, at many times and ^ain many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, ² but ^bin these last days ^che has spoken to us by ^dhis Son, whom he appointed ^ethe heir of all things, ^fthrough whom also he created ^gthe world (Heb 1:1-2).  We are  in these last days that God speaks to us by his Son.

And it is this Son of God who chose men, in the New Testament period, to record His life and teachings. 

We find in the books that make up the New Testament, the Gospels; which were written so that [we] may ^xbelieve that Jesus is the Christ, ^ythe Son of God, and that by believing [we] may have life ^ain his name.(John 20:31)

Some of these men, the apostles, were chosen by Jesus to be given the Holy Spirit whom the Father [sent] in [Christ’s] name, he [taught them] all things and [brought to their] remembrance all that [Christ said to them]. (John 14:26; see also 1 John 5:13). These remembrances are found in the New Testament.

Jesus stated that all who listen and accept the apostles accept him and the father (Matt. 10:40). Those who are from the world  …speak from the world, and the world listens to them. ⁶ We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.(1 John 4:5-6). 

So because Scripture is God’s very words given to us by the Holy Spirit working through the prophets and Apostles, they are authoritative; given to us to be studied and obeyed.

• The Sufficiency of Scripture 

While many of us who call ourselves Christian make the claim that Scripture is authoritative. Where we tend to go off track, is that scripture is also sufficient enough to direct, instruct, and guide all of the church into good works. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Tim.3:16-17). It is God’s word that is truth and by His truth we are to be sanctified (John 17:17).

 Does that include directions and instructions on how the church should be run as the community of believers who meet together, worship, serve, and learn about God and their Lord, the head of the church, Jesus Christ? Yes.

So let’s dive into a little ecclesiology. Ecclesiology is the study of the church. Biblical theology as applied to the nature and structure of the Christian Church. Such topics as: What is the Church? How the Church is built. What is the purpose of the Church? How does the Church gather, when does it gather, etc. For this episode and this topic we need to look specifically at WHO is the Head of the Church?

Christ is Head of the Church

Most Christians understand that the Church is made up of people who call themselves Christians. The original greek word for Christians is  “Christianos” meaning little anointed ones or little christs. The Church are God’s chosen people called by God to trust in Jesus, call Him Lord and be a disciple or “christiano”; little christs.

The Church’s Lord is Christ. For most American churches today, there is a nod to Christ as Lord, but His authority gets lost underneath the vision or calling of the leader/ vision caster.

Under the guise of receiving a calling from God, said vision caster can neglect clear instructions from our Lord given to us in Scripture for what he believes God is instructing  him to do in his vision. Scripture is very clear that God put all things in subjection under Christ’s feet, and gave Christ as head over all things to the Church (Eph. 1:22; see also Eph. 5:23). While the Church is identified as the body of Christ ( Ephs. 4:12), Christ is it’s head; He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything ( Col. 1:18).

Peter gives ample warning to the early church of men and women who say they speak for God, but deny him as Master by following their senses, emotion, feelings, or even a supposed vision from God, instead of following and obeying the clear instruction given to Christ’s shepherd’s on what to teach and how to teach it.

But ^mfalse prophets also arose among the people, ⁿjust as there will be false teachers among you, who will ^osecretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master ^pwho bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. ² And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth ^qwill be blasphemed. ³ And ^rin their greed they will exploit you ^swith false words. (2Pet.2:1-3)

Women may speak about loving Scripture, reading it all the time and even studying it in depth, but if they bring in worldly knowledge to run around clear, simple to understand instructions in Scripture to justify their disobedience to it; this reveals who their authority really is. Their own desire. Oh, yes, God’s word is beneficial to them, they want the blessings of God, and want to teach these blessing to others, but they do not want to truly obey out of love for Christ, but love for themselves as they pursue the blessings of God and the notoriety that come with teaching these blessings. 

As Christ has been given all authority and is Head of the Church.

Paul, Christ’s Apostle, was chosen to give instructions to the Church

Paul, an apostle, who is chosen by Jesus to preach to the Gentiles, was given the Holy Spirit. He was proven to be chosen by Christ by the miracles and power given to him by God to perform signs and wonders. Even Peter urges the church to listen and pay attention to his teachings and writing (2 Pet 3:14-16; Ephs.3:2).

The same Spirit that empowered Paul, chose to speak through him . The Holy Spirit knowing all things (this includes Paul’s education, the society of Paul’s day, the society of every nation of every decade, century, millennia, etc) would know exactly how to make Paul say exactly what the Holy Spirit wanted to convey. No society or cultural differences, nor any mis-education or mis-knowledge/understanding would hinder the Holy Spirit from making Paul or any of the other prophets, disciples or Apostles say exactly what He wanted to say. These writings are God’s very words, not the interpretation of man, nor were they written by the will of man, but the will of God (2 Pet. 1:21 again ;)).

So what did Paul write in regards to preaching, teaching, authority, and the roles of women in the work of ministry? 

I’m going to read 2 passages of Scripture. 1 Timothy 1 ver 3 to chapter 2 verse 7 and 1 Corin.14:33-35.

I’ve chosen to read a larger section of 1 Timothy because it’s in the very context of instructing Timothy in the role as shepherd to the flock in Ephesus. In this epistle, Paul focuses on urging Timothy to remain in the good doctrine, remind him of Christ choosing Paul to be an Apostle, guide Timothy unto certain instructions for eldership and practice of the church, and encourage him to fight the good fight of the faith. It’s in this context where Paul informs Timothy on WHO an elder should be.

•  1 Timothy 1: verse 3 starts with:

As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not ^hto teach any different doctrine, ⁴ nor ⁱto devote themselves to myths and endless ^jgenealogies, which promote ^kspeculations rather than the stewardship¹ from God that is by faith. ⁵ The aim of our charge is love ^lthat issues from a pure heart and ^ma good conscience and ⁿa sincere faith. ⁶ Certain persons, by ^oswerving from these, have wandered away into ^pvain discussion, ⁷ desiring to be teachers of the law, ^qwithout understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.

⁸ Now we know that ^rthe law is good, if one uses it lawfully, ⁹ understanding this, that the ^slaw is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, ¹⁰ the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers,² liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to ^tsound³ doctrine, ¹¹ in accordance with ^uthe gospel of the glory of ^vthe blessed God ^wwith which I have been entrusted.

Ok, so Paul gets right to instructing Timothy to charge certain persons not to teach any other doctrine than what he was taught. Let’s look at where Paul goes next.

¹² I thank him ^xwho has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, ^yappointing me to his service, ¹³ though formerly I was a blasphemer, ^zpersecutor, and insolent opponent. But ^aI received mercy ^bbecause I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, ¹⁴ and ^cthe grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the ^dfaith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ The saying is ^etrustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus ^fcame into the world to save sinners, ^gof whom I am the foremost. ¹⁶ But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. ¹⁷ To ^hthe King of the ages, ⁱimmortal, ^jinvisible, ^kthe only God, ^lbe honor and glory forever and ever.⁴ Amen.

¹⁸ This charge ^mI entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with ⁿthe prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may ^owage the good warfare, ^{19 p}holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have ^qmade shipwreck of their faith, ²⁰ among whom are ^rHymenaeus and ^sAlexander, whom I ^thave handed over to Satan that they may learn not to ^ublaspheme.

So, Paul, after instructing Timothy to charge other teachers to teach ONLY what was sound doctrine, Paul explains first that it was Christ that chose Paul for the very task of giving this doctrine to the Gentiles, and then goes into what this good doctrine is; that Christ came into the world to save sinners, from whom Paul was an example to all the world, him being the chief sinner. Side note here- I love this part of the passage. Paul is basically saying that if Christ is patient and so gracious to such a sinner as himself, Christ is just as patient and gracious to all who come to Him. That includes you and me. What a savior! But I digress…

But along with proclaiming Christ’s great patience and mercy, Paul is reminding Timothy of the authority Christ has given Paul in His selection of Paul. It is by this authority that Paul then goes on to give instructions to Timothy on what is good for the church to do when they gather and who are to lead and teach them in these matters. 

2 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, ^{2 v}for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and ^wdignified in every way. ³ This is good, and ^xit is pleasing in the sight of ^yGod our Savior, ⁴ who desires ^zall people to be saved and ^ato come to ^bthe knowledge of the truth. ⁵ For ^cthere is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man¹ Christ Jesus, ^{6 d}who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is ^ethe testimony given ^fat the proper time. ^{7 g}For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (^hI am telling the truth, I am not lying), ⁱa teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

There Paul goes again, reminding Timothy (and all who read this epistle) that Paul was “appointed a preacher and an apostle, a teacher of the Gentiles in the faith and truth”. It is with the authority given to him by Christ that he now states the text that we are honing in on. 

I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; ⁹ likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, ¹⁰ but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. ¹¹ Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. ¹² I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. ¹³ For Adam was formed first, then Eve; ¹⁴ and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 

So not only does Paul have authority to instruct Timothy on what is good doctrine, he has the authority to direct the Church in what is done when they gather to worship, and who is to be leading the church in worship. But like good ol’ Paul, he gives us a reason why women are to remain quiet; and that is because of creation.

Paul’s argument against women having authority over men is rooted in creation. That man was created first. Notice also that Paul reminds the reader that the woman was deceived. And that Adam was not. We must also take note that while it was the woman who was deceived, and Adam was not, yet Adam is identified as the one whom the curse of sin is passed on and to which the whole world was subjected to death (Rom.5:12). The responsibility and authority over the Earth, to work it and keep it, was given to Adam; along with God’s first command to not eat of the tree of knowledge and evil. These were given to Adam before Eve was even created. He, by being created first and by being given the instructions of God, was given authority to instruct Eve unto these things. And Eve was created to be Adam’s helper in accomplishing that which God instructed. 

When we understand this, we then understand why death comes from Adam’s sin and not Eve’s. So Adam not only had authority, and was the federal head as he represented all of humanity. He was a type of Christ who would be the federal head of all who are chosen, the Church (1 Cor.15:22, 45; Rom.5:12-17). Headship is at the heart of the way God instituted authority and order in creation. We see it in Genesis, in Exodus (as He chose Moses as His prophet and chose from the line of Levi those who would be the Priests of His temple). We see it in all of the historical records of Israel, as Kings were men. And we see God continuing His choosing of men to hold authority in His Church as He (Christ) chose 12 disciples who would go on to become Apostles. These Apostles, understanding headship, would then choose men from among their disciples to become elders. And that is exactly what we see in this epistle. After pointing out that Adam was created first and that Eve was deceived, Paul goes right into what Timothy should be looking for in choosing an Overseer, or Elder of the Church.

Note – Paul, writing under the will of God by the Holy Spirit, uses creation as his argument for headship in the church. The Holy Spirit would not allow any scriptural writer to misunderstand or misinterpret the Old Testament as He would not allow a lie, or misunderstanding because the Holy Spirit cannot lie or mislead in any way.

If we say that women can be pastors, elders or hold any position of authority over men within the church because these passages prohibiting female authority were only written to protect cultural norms at Paul’s time we then imply that the Holy Spirit intended to teach something that would end. This contradicts the Holy Spirit’s teaching that the instructions given by Paul were rules given to all the churches (1 Corin.14:33-35). 

As in all the churches of the saints, ³⁴ the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. ³⁵ If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.

Now there are several things of note in regards to this passage: 

1) That this is in the context of a letter written to the Corinthians corrects certain practices or traditions as he calls them that the Corinthians were abusing. In chapter 11 it was headcoverings, where Paul wanted to correct this practice as it was an outward symbol of an inward truth, and the Lord’s Supper as people were partaking of it without first discerning or judging themselves, for one who partakes of the Supper is to do it in remembrance of CHrist and in proclamation of the Lord’s death.

Continuing in this correctional manner, in chapter 12 Paul directs the Corinthians into correct usage of the spiritual gifts, instructing them that love is at the heart of all spiritual gifts. In this love Paul instructs the people that if they are to speak in tongues they are to have an interpreter, and that those who prophecy, do it one by one, and are to be judged by the other prophets for “the spirit of prophets are subject to prophets”. It is in this context that Paul gives the prohibition against women speaking in the church. Women are not to bring a judgment or “weigh what is said” upon the prophecies given but are to learn with submission. If the Spirit of prophecy came upon a woman in the church, she might speak, but to expound upon the prophecy, teach or exegete it, she was to remain quiet and submit herself to elders who would judge or weigh what is said.  

2) This passage states that women should be in submission AS THE LAW ALSO SAYS; referencing the law or Torah, which describes the institution of headship with God’s creation of Adam and Eve. The fact Adam was created first, and given the authority to name God’s creation as well as work the land, gives clear evidence to Headship. And as Eve was created, not only after Adam, from Adam, and was named by Adam, she was created FOR Adam to be a willing helper equal and fit for him. It is in this nature that the law of headship and submission is displayed. 

3) notice where, in both the 1Timothy and 1 Corinthians passage, it is shameful for a woman to speak- the church. We have several instances of women prophesying outside of the church (as in the case of Anna), even instances of women helping men in correct teaching (as in the case of Priscilla). In the ministry of proclaiming the Gospel to unbelievers women are encouraged to speak. It is because the Church is separate from the world and is the gathering of believers who devote themselves to the Apostles’ teachings (Acts2:42) that the authoritative roles of teaching and preaching on these things are reserved for men. In Ephesians 4:11-16 we read that the  Lord  gives… the ⁿapostles, the prophets, the ^oevangelists, the ^pshepherds³ and teachers,^{4 12 q}to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for ^rbuilding up ^sthe body of Christ, ¹³ until we all attain to ^tthe unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, ^uto mature manhood,⁵ to the measure of the stature of ^vthe fullness of Christ, ¹⁴ so that we may no longer be children, ^wtossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in ^xdeceitful schemes. ¹⁵ Rather, ^yspeaking the truth in love, we are to ^zgrow up in every way into him who is ^athe head, into Christ, ^{16 b}from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, ^cwhen each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. 

The authority given to the men who fulfill these roles is for the building up of God’s people to become like Christ and speaking the truth in love, we grow in every way into Christ. When the Church body is working properly in the roles given to it, it grows, building itself up in love. 

This is why women should learn quietly with all submissiveness (1 Tim.2:11). Because in so doing they are being built up unto maturity and becoming more and more like Christ.

Since the admonition against women speaking in ways that teach and hold authority in the church is rooted in creation and the law, that in choosing to reject this prohibition, a woman would not merely be misunderstanding God’s word, but would be sinning against God.

This is something we don’t think about a lot. I think in most discussions in regards to women teaching and holding authority within the church gathering, we talk as if this is a secondary issue that one where one comes to Scripture based on how they interpret it. Yet, Paul is specific to mention the Law here. 

Michelle Lesley from a blog post titled “Women Preaching: It’s Not a Secondary Doctrinal Issue” on her website, MichelleLesley.com states:

“Women serving as pastors, women preaching, women teaching men Scripture in the church, and women exercising authority over men in the church is not a secondary issue. Nor is it a primary or tertiary one. It does not belong in the category of “doctrine” in the same way baptism and eschatology do. It belongs in the category of sin in the same way murder, gossip, and adultery do. Let’s take a look at the reasons for this…

 Secondary and tertiary doctrines can be open – to varying degrees – to biblical interpretation. Every stripe of non-heretical eschatological thought can provide you with chapter and verse passages that can, depending on the angle from which you approach the subject, be biblically plausible and scripturally supported. There is no biblical support for anything God prohibits. No one can cite a properly handled, in context Bible verse in which God says, “It’s OK to commit adultery,” or “Women are allowed to preach.” There can be multiple views on a secondary or tertiary issue that can all be considered biblical, but there can only be one view of sin that is biblical…

Differing beliefs on secondary and tertiary issues are not born of disobedience and rebellion toward God. Usually, it’s quite the opposite. When someone has studied a theological issue enough to hold a particular position on it, it’s usually because she is striving to please God and to be biblical in her beliefs. Differing behavior on issues of sin is born out of disobedience and rebellion toward God. Someone who steals has already decided in her heart that her desires are better than God’s command. A woman who knowingly holds improper authority over men in her church is doing so because she has already decided to defy God’s clear command against such.”

And finally in 1Corinthians 14:36-38  Paul states:

Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? ³⁷ If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. ³⁸ If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. 

And this rule, that women are to be silent in the church comes from God’s Law, not any cultural issue.

Notice too, Paul’s response to those who might question this rule. He basically says, “Did God speak through you? Are you the only one’s God has spoken to?” The answer to this rhetorical question is NO. God has spoken through the Scriptures written by the Prophets and Apostles. And that if we think we are spiritual and know better than they, we should know better and take ALL their writings as commands from the Lord. Then he ends by stating that if one does not recognize that these things he writes are God’s very commands then that person is not recognized (either by the Apostles or God).

Now I want to take you down a path that doesn’t get thought about much in regards to women either calling themselves Pastors or choosing to preach over men in a Sunday morning service even under the guidance of elders, and that is this: 

What is the spiritual role of a Pastor and what is the purpose of Preaching?

What does it mean to preach? What is preaching? Could the nature of preaching have something to do with WHY God chooses men over women? 

The role of preacher is instituted by God and given to a man to “proclaim” or “herald” the Good News. 

 Rom. 10:14-17 states: How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?  And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”  But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

The preacher brings the good news of the Gospel, and the preaching is the word of Christ. 

The preacher’s goal is to communicate the objective and authoritative revelation given to us by God, that is the Scriptures. Preaching’s effect is the edification of the people of God by the power of the Holy Spirit through such means as teaching through argument, explanation, motive, exhortation, and persuasion. The tool of the preacher in the act of preaching is the Word of God which has all authority, because Christ has all authority. And I believe it is because of the authority given to the preacher and exercised in the act or preaching, that God has chosen to give this role to men. 

What do we say about the authority of God’s word when we set aside the extreme importance and necessity of preaching in the church? Preaching is seen today to be a motivational speech, as people collect for themselves teachers that tickle their ears and boost their egos.

It is because of    our sinful desire to hear only what we want to hear that Paul urges Timothy to  preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; ^kreprove, rebuke, and ^lexhort, with complete patience and teaching.( 2 Tim.4:2-3). Yet, perhaps it is because most evangelical churches do not actually preach the word that women giving motivational speeches sprinkled with Scriptural references is tolerated. If we not only held up God’s word as authoritative and sufficient, but that it should be preached in our gatherings, we would not give up the pulpit to watered down messages given by women.

HOly Spirit is quite clear in what He has given us in Scripture. Women are not to teach or hold authority over men within the gathering of God’s people. 

Can God contradict Himself?

 Would this same Holy Spirit who inspired Paul to write that women are not to teach or hold authority over men in the church gathering, actually inspire or call women to go against this directive? To be a woman and make the claim that preaching to men is a calling given to them by God is to contradict His written word. Any woman who claims this should give us pause to consider and judge whether she is willing to submit to God’s word. If she refuses, then we have no need to put ourselves under her teaching. 

Application

What does this mean for us, ladies?

1. It means that we guard who we listen to when it comes to teaching God’s word. 
2. It means that we can identify the willingness of a female teacher to submit to God’s word by looking at whether she rejects the clear instruction given to women in their roles in the church gatherings.
3. It means we take serious the word of God in our spiritual act of worship in placing ourselves under men who PREACH God’s word and place ourselves under women who honor the God given roles, and teach women to obey these instructions as well as all the other good doctrines and teachings found in Scripture that will encourage you to love husbands and children, be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind and submissive to husbands so that the word of God will not be reviled (Titus 2;3-5).
4. If you were like me, who at one time was in ignorance of this, nor spent much time thinking about it, or maybe you are one who saw no problem with female pastors, or you even are attending a church that has a female pastor; perhaps God has brought you to this episode to cause you to dive into His word. Because that is what I pray you do. Go to God’s word and see if I handled the passages correctly and in context. Wrestle with it yourselves, with a willing heart to be corrected should you be unsubmissive to it in any way. For God is a good God who will grant wisdom. For If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (Jam. 1:5)

Conclusion

 Scripture is clear on who is to be preaching and and exercising the authoritative role of teaching the word of God to the church congregation at a Sunday service. It is very clear that that role is to be performed by a man. And that if any of these female speakers reject this instruction they are not willingly putting themselves under Christ’s authority and therefore are not qualified to teach women. 

So ladies as we move forward in critiquing the IF:Gathering Speakers in the next episode, I will be giving you a litmus test in determining whether these women were called by God to teach and train His women. It was necessary to tackle this issue before we look at the speakers so you can see what type of teachers Jennie invites to speak at the conference. 

But until next time, I pray that this episode has helped you trust in the Scripture more, as we have looked at it’s authority, it sufficiency, Paul’s calling to Apostleship, the Holy Spirit’s guiding of Paul into instruction to all the churches, and God’s calling of faithful men to be given authority by our Good Shepherd to guide the flock into all knowledge and understanding; building up and edify His people, though the simplicity of preaching. 

I pray you are in His word.

MelbaToast