I know that this is common and even encouraged in the charismatic movement... but I am having difficulty being a word man and justifying this doctrine...?
Just for the record I here is how i understand the word when it comes to women in ministry...
I believe that women can minister and operate in all of the temporary gifts, and that they can speak and preach and work every aspect of the ministry.
However... I believe that the word of God is very clear when it comes to church government... that women are not to be in authority over men. I know this is definately not popular and I will probably be hated on but that is ok.. I luv you anyway
So basicly I believe from what I understand the word teaches... That church Government and church Ministry are two totally different things... I believe women can be called into church ministry.. but not church government.
I have never heard this taught anywhere... so if you have scripture... not conjecture or "experiance" to show me the error of my ways.. I would gladly change my heart on this...it would save me alot of grief in my church right now.
I have not voiced this understanding anywhere else before.
Luv ya more
Rick
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From my experience, the husband-wife co-pastor thing has been the source of a lot of conflict in churches I have knowledge of. Some people just will not accept the idea and when a pastor’s wife assumes authority no one has given her, it can create problems and misunderstanding. My wife (yep, a pastor’s wife) is content to be the pastor’s wife … period!! She does not view her position as an entitlement nor the term “Pastor’s Wife” as an office. I am glad because, again from experience, it keeps feathers from being ruffled and she is happier, not having the responsibilities that come along with entitlements.
The non-denomination I am part of won't ordain the husband and not the wife. The two are equil and they work together. She is in no way an authority over him but works equily beside him.
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I am not totaly sure how I feel about this, but I do think the Bible is clear on women governing the church. This goes right back to Gensis. Though my Father who has a Masters in Christian education (8 years of nothing but studying), and spent 25 years in the ministry would disagree with me and says that God used many women for His work in the Bible, and that we need to take the Bible as a whole, not just a few versus.
Like I said, not totally sure where I stand on this.
The non-denomination I am part of won't ordain the husband and not the wife. The two are equil and they work together. She is in no way an authority over him but works equily beside him.
Personally, Q., I think this is very unfair to the woman who does not feel the same calling as her husband. I know dozens of pastors' wives who forced their husband out of ministry because of the unnecessary pressures and demands put on her by insensitive people seeing her as a co-pastor rather than merely the wife of the man who pastors the church. Not only do I view the practice you mention as unbiblical but also potentially harmful to the wives of ministers.
Personally, Q., I think this is very unfair to the woman who does not feel the same calling as her husband. I know dozens of pastors' wives who forced their husband out of ministry because of the unnecessary pressures and demands put on her by insensitive people seeing her as a co-pastor rather than merely the wife of the man who pastors the church. Not only do I view the practice you mention as unbiblical but also potentially harmful to the wives of ministers.
\o/
Well, you can view it as you wish I guess, but I've seen no problem yet with it. If the wife is not willing then the man is not made Pastor. Simple.
We also, though, do not allow insensitive people to rule the church and put unnecessary pressures and demands on any of the Pastors. We have several set's of Pastor's and while there have been people try to pressure and demand they simply were not allowed to manipulate and sway the Pastors from doing what they know God has said. People who try and manipulate the authority in the church need to learn that what they are trying to do is sin. However, most Pastors are too afraid of hurting those egos and let them run all over them instead. Not good. No one can mature spiritually in that situation.
I've not seen the marriages of any of our Pastor's suffering yet. In all my years being in a church I've seen more marriages suffer because the man is gone all the time ministering to everyone else and his wife is left alone dealing with the kids, who by the way are rebellious. That is a poor example of marriage.
I've seen many a husband/wife work together in the prayer line and in counseling. They love each other and treat each other with respect and are great examples of God in a marriage. Of course He is the Head, but she is in no way a footstool.
I have no understanding where the modern day church got the idea that the man is called but the woman is not. Sad. . .really sad.
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I have no understanding where the modern day church got the idea that the man is called but the woman is not. Sad. . .really sad.
I got the idea from the Bible, Q.
Imagine that!
What if I said, I have no understanding where the modern day church got the idea that a woman has to have the same calling as her husband. Sad, really sad.
That would be kind of insulting, wouldn't it?
As much as I agree with you on most things, Q., we could not be farther apart on this one.
I can say confidently that there is no scripture – none, zero, zip, zilch,nada - to support your position. And furthermore, there is no NT precedent in the ministries and marriages of anyone in the NT. Peter had a wife, who often traveled with him but there is no hint that she in any way participated in his calling. She simple was his wife. The same is true of James and the other apostles (1 Cor. 9.5). The only exception to this would be Priscilla and Aquilla, but in this case it appears, especially since her name always precedes his, that the calling was hers as much than his, if not more so. Apparently Peter’s (and the other apostle’s for that matter) wife did not share his calling and did not participate in the ministry to which he alone was called (Matt.4.18-20).
My home church ordained me. In doing so, my wife stood with me at the ceremony, but she does not feel “ordained” and continues her occupation as a cad technician. I do not feel obligated to share in her vocation any more than she feels obligated to share mine. She is a member of the church like anyone else and serves only where her gifts make room for her. I am not called to be a cad draftsman and she is not called to be a pastor. I would consider it grossly unfair of my church to expect her to leave her calling (1 Cor. 7.20) to support mine as for her company to expect me leave mine to support hers.
You can take the “one flesh” application too far. For example, I’ll bet your wife doesn’t go to work with you (or visa versa) nor does your employer require that she work alongside you on your job. Why only require it of ministers if church members are exempt?
I have a degree in history and have Church History on a university level and, to my knowledge, no other generation in the history of the church has required this of the wives of pastors and no segment of the church requires it to this day, to my knowledge, except Pentecostal/Charismatic churches. It is relatively recent phenomenon without biblical basis or support.
Your church can do anything it pleases, of course, and I respect your autonomy whether I agree with you or not. What you do is absolutely none of my business, but the OP asked my opinion on “Husband-Wife Co-Pastors?” and I offered it.
\o/
Last edited by Jim B; 12th February 2004 at 10:48 PM.
The denomination I was saved in was known for women preachers, even one local church with a woman pastor. However, I have difficulty with sitting under a woman pastor personally. I know the charismatic movement has done a lot of what is called co-pastoring. Not all are called. Sorry to say between us christians alone, is the case of some who have had scandal in their ministry.
As I moved into more of the AG and word of faith movement I have seen this more than I ever did in the CoG. I personally have a lot of problems with this...as I said not all are called. I think that it started more as a monetary tax thing than an actual calling from God.
There are some great women teachers that I feel are called, Gloria Copeland, Joyce Meyers etc. However the little shy pastors wife who may be great in organizing and working within the church with a calling for a deaconess, to put her as co-pastor where she is to share verbally is not only unfair to her, but also to the church. It is moving her out of her natural calling and gifts and putting a strain on her emotionally and physically. I become uncomfortable listening to our pastors wife because she is uncomfortable in the role. Yet other ladies in the church who are called to teach..that is another matter I can listen to them all day.
As to governance. This is the way we did it in the CoG the women could vote on decisions such as pastor, building, etc. However, the men were the ones who discussed the practical things, pastor wages, cost of building, etc. It seemed to work very good for us.
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Husband and Wife "Co-Pastors"..? 
but that is ok.. I luv you anyway 
Gotta go. (Hope that's kosher, Charlesinflorida.) 
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