What should be done with this pastor?

[ZiSunka]

Say you went to a church with a dynamic pastor who did a great job preaching and mentoring the men in the congregation, but he clearly disdains women. He preaches about how Eve is the cause of all the grief in the world, preaches that women are not a spiritually intelligent as men, speaks out against women having any role in the church except to vacuum the floors and keep the rooms tidy, he refuses to have anything to do with women's ministies and won't even support missions teams that are lead by women. Many of the men in the congregation and on the board of elders go to this man and show him in the word of God why he is wrong but he won't budge.

What should be done with this pastor?

 

[Unnamed Servant]

Well if he actually said that stuff, he is clearly acting unbiblically on that issue. I'm very thankful for my past and the stance he takes on this. I think he did a great job of biblically addressing this issue here.

But as for the pastor, if what you say is truly what he believes, I would have a group pray for him, approach him again with the elders and the word of God, and then if he still goes against the bible, tell him that he cannot be there anymore.

I don't know of a more biblical way of doing it.

Love-In-Christ,

Unnamed Servant

 

[Steve_SandbachBaptist_UK]

Yes, I'd agree with the above (Unnamed servant). I wouldn't want a pastor like that in my church. On the other hand it would be worthwhile talking to him at least and trying to explain why he was wrong. Steve

 

[NicodemusPrime]

But as for the pastor, if what you say is truly what he believes, I would have a group pray for him, approach him again with the elders and the word of God, and then if he still goes against the bible, tell him that he cannot be there anymore.

I don't know of a more biblical way of doing it.

Love-In-Christ,

Unnamed Servant

Ditto. Have the congregation pray about it for few weeks, see how God directs you, and approach him again. If conditions do not improve and the situation allows, ask him to step down as pastor. Chances are if he is not biblically rooted on the issue of men and women's role in the church then he may have flawed theology on many other issues. It would do your church more harm to continue to be lead in the wrong direction than to go pastorless for a while.

 

[aReformedPatriot]

Very Interesting. I don't know if I'd fire him. Paul does stick it to you women in 1 Timothy While I'm somewhat/mostly kidding I think he should be shown the stuff that says women can teach other women.

 

[hat lady]

I agree with the rest of you. This minister needs to be approached and he either needs to change his mind or you will have to find a new minister who believes what the Bible says.

 

[daveleau]

I agree with the rest of you. This minister needs to be approached and he either needs to change his mind or you will have to find a new minister who believes what the Bible says.

 

[Matthan]

Absolutely!! This pastor forgets that, as Christians, there is no difference between male and female. While women may not be permitted to hold certain and very specific offices in the congregation, they are not "lesser Christians" because of that fact. They are our sisters in Christ, and should be treated as such by every other Christian.

Matthan

 

[Crazy Liz]

I agree. And don't wait too long to do it, either. If you wait too long, families will start leaving the church. Then, if the pastor can find any, he will begin to attract into the church other people who agree with him. When he has consolidated enough power by alienating people and families one by one, and if he succeeds in thwarting any group confrontation, he will eventually steal the building from the congregation, and have his own church.

This is a sad result of Baptist polity (each congregation independent, no denomination or larger group to intervene) that I have seen happen. No, it doesn't always happen, but it can.

If he will not accept correction by the elders, he should be confronted directly by the congregation as a group, and the congregation should insist on this before large numbers leave the church.

Edit: I just realized the OP was by LL, so this may be happening in a Mennonite church, not a Baptist church. :o If so, I would contact the denomination. In the Mennonite Brethren churches, this would be the Board of Reference and Counsel. I don't know if all Mennonite denominations use the same form of organization or names for denominational boards, but you should have something similar.

 

[Glorianna]

Start by praying and then do what Unnamed Servant said. ("...I would have a group pray for him, approach him again with the elders and the word of God, and then if he still goes against the bible, tell him that he cannot be there anymore.")