These kind of discussions always seem to be circular. One person quotes a verse and uses original languages to say it's Ok for women to hold a position of leadership...and then someone counters with something else. It makes my head spin.
A discussion involves sharing your beliefs. People share scripture that they believe supports women being pastors. Then you and others post scripture that they believe support that not being allowed. I very much believe that God calls women to be pastors. This thread has been discouraging.
My huge fear is how liberal Christianity has become. I am a woman...granted still wet be hind the ears as my grandpa always tells me, but I definitely do not this as being restrictive. God calls pastors to lead and be overseers. It is not an easy road. It is a honour but it's stressful and gut wrenching. Frankly, I can see why God would not call a women to be the Lead pastor or elder in a church...it simply is a draining, emotional and sometimes viotile calling.
God has called many women to be pastors. My own sister feels that call. In the Church of Sweden the highest position in the church is held by a woman who has dedicated her life to serving God and His people. Women are just as capable of handling stressful, gut-wrenching, draining and emotional situations as men. There are women in very high political and military leadership positions making crucial decisions for the world.
My father is often out until the wee hours of the morning. He handles some very messy situations that most women would not be able to handle.
I highly doubt that he handles things women in his position could not. Maybe the women you personally know couldn't handle it, but many others could. I feel pretty confident the stress my mother handles in her job is equal or heavier than what your father handles as a pastor. Many women who are pastors deal with similar stresses to his.
From my point of view, it is a gift from God than men and women have been given special roles. Women are natural nurturers and we excel at children and woman's ministries.
Your view is missing a lot of the big picture then. Many women are not natural nurturers at all, while many men are. Some women excel at children's and women's ministries, but many would not. You're talking more about socially engineered roles. Do you live in a rural area or the city? You already shocked me, so much by your thread about your father the Baptist pastor hitting you. Where I live, that would never be tolerated. I'm just thinking that maybe more of this has to do with cultural differences that shape how we see and understand scripture and gender roles than the Bible itself.
God created us so he knows how we can best utilize our spiritual gifts.
I don't feel like I'm being held back because I will never be a pastor. On the contrary, I feel quite secure in the knowledge that God has this world in His hands.
Yes, exactly. God created us to utilize our spiritual gifts. Many women around the world are doing just that by being pastors.
It is only when we as humans try to push our agendas that things go wrong. Just because God says women cannot be in leadership does not mean our leadership skills cannot and will not be used. There are so many others things we can do. I think women should stop concentrating on what they arent equipped and created to do and start obeying and seeking to do what God has called them to do. We are much more peaceful in our spirits and happier. In fact everyone is much happier when they do what God calls them to do.
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This is so patronizing. My sister would not be peaceful and happy in her spirits if she was told she couldn't go into ministry as she dreams, because of how someone else interpreted the Bible. Having the same gender parts as you doesn't mean that everyone else thinks like you.
(P.s. If you feel like God is calling you into leadership, then by all means be a leader...just don't disobey scripture. I believe God will speak clearly to your heart if you seek His Will.)
If she is in a lead pastor or elder position then yes, she is not obeying scripture.
Correction. It's not obeying the scripture as
you interpret it.