Paul in a letter to Timothy says, “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent (1 Timothy 2).” This passage is used to support the 2000 addition of “the office of pastor is limited to men” to the Baptist Faith and Message Statement. Paul supports this statement because Eve was the one deceived in the Garden of Eden and therefore is solely responsible for the “original sin.” (May I just say that the man, being the husband/leader/protector, should never have let that serpent near Eve to begin with!)
Paul continues in his letter to Timothy about many specific things that a woman can and cannot do such as; praying only with a veiled head, forbidding women from wearing jewelry or expensive clothes. It seems that Paul is addressing specific concerns in a letter to a specific audience. I feel that it is unlikely that Paul was trying to establish universal religious practices.
Paul’s statements to Timothy seem to differ from some of his very own statements seen elsewhere. To the Romans, Paul publicly commends his sister in Christ, Phoebe, who was also a deacon at the church of Cenchrea (Roman 16:1). In the same letter he mentioned several other women for their hard work and dedication to Jesus. Furthermore, in a public letter to the Galatians, Paul says, “But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith... There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).”
So as Christians what must we do when we can find passages from the Bible to justify both sides of this discussion? I feel that it is our duty as believers in Jesus to examine scripture from his teachings. The Baptist Faith and Message of 1963 states, “the criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ.” By the way, this statement is no longer in The Baptist Faith and Message of 2000.
http://www.baptiststart.com/2000_1963_1925.htm
During Jesus’ time on earth, there was a prevailing prohibition against interacting with women in public. Contrary to this, Jesus did not hesitate from talking with a Samaritan woman at a public well, Jacob’s well. After speaking with Jesus this woman accepted him as Christ, and by no accident became the first evangelical witness sharing her testimony with the town of Sychar (John 4). While the disciples where hiding in a secret place, it was Mary Magdalene that visited the empty tomb and then was instructed by Jesus to go and tell the disciples to meet him in Galilee (Matthew 28:10).
Examining Jesus’ ministry, I don’t see any reason why women should be deprived of the right to serve Christ in positions of leadership. We see in Jesus’ ministry that the first witness for the Lord was a woman. The risen Lord first visited Mary Magdalene. Likewise, we see in the early church that Paul was grateful to many women including Phoebe, a deacon, for their hard work and dedication.
In our modern heritage one of the most celebrated missionaries is Lottie Moon, a brave and faithful woman that served until her last breath. Men and women are equally responsible to share the good news that effects eternity. As a result it is my opinion that an individual’s gender should never be used as a bridle to hinder being a servant for God.
Taken from SBC.Net-Women in Ministry
"Women participate equally with men in the priesthood of all believers. Their role is crucial, their wisdom, grace and commitment exemplary. Women are an integral part of our Southern Baptist boards, faculties, mission teams, writer pools, and professional staffs. We affirm and celebrate their Great Commission impact.
While Scripture teaches that a woman's role is not identical to that of men in every respect, and that pastoral leadership is assigned to men, it also teaches that women are equal in value to men."
*****(The following is an article I found that was of interest to me. It is directly quoted, and I do not take any credit for any part of the writing that follows:
"What Would Lottie Say?
By Allen Thomason, Coordinator for the North Central Region of The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
You can count on one hand the Missionaries that have had as great an impact on the missionary movement as did Lottie Moon. Outside from the Apostle Paul, William Carey, the Judsons, and Luther Rice, it is hard to find anyone else that has a legacy that has lasted and made the crater-type of impact as has the legacy of Charlotte Diggs Moon. The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering is the single largest annual offering gathered by any group of Christians in the world, and it was her idea. She is an acknowledged saint to a faith tradition that is suspicious of saints. She has become a cultural heroine to a degree unapproached by any missionary - or for that matter, any American - that ever went to China. In spite of all that, one can only wonder what role Lottie Moon would be allowed to play if she were just starting out in ministry today. Would Lottie Moon gain an appointment by the current international Mission Board (IMB)? It is possible. It depends on how well they got to know Lottie.
To their credit, the IMB has no shortage of single women serving as missionaries. No single demographic group of people has done as much for the cause of missions as single women. But if the new SBC leadership has done one thing well, it is to make their position clear on the role of women in ministry: "you can't be pastors, obey your husbands, you can't be deacons, you can't teach men, and do as the men tell you." Would Lottie Moon meet this type of criteria? Would she play ball and be submissive to her male missions directors? Clearly, her acceptance as a missionary candidate would depend on her willingness to abide by SBC and IMB policy. How would she fit in today?
The key lies in looking at how Lottie conformed to the standards of her day in 1873, when she sailed for China, and the 40 plus years she spent there. Lottie had been a teacher, and continued as one when she began her work in China. She quickly mastered the language and was adamant about adhering to Chinese culture when it did not directly conflict with her faith. She was a pioneer in contextualization, becoming the first missionary in China to adopt wearing Chinese clothing and using Chinese customs primarily in order to gain trust among the Chinese. In these things and others, Lottie was a pioneer, although her immediate supervisors considered her more of a loose cannon than a visionary.
Very soon, Lottie became frustrated. She became convinced that her talent was being wasted and could be better put to use in evangelism and church planting. She had come to China to "go out among the millions" as an evangelist, only to find herself relegated to teaching a school of forty "unstudious" children. Lottie felt that she was chained down, unable to be used as God had called her. She viewed herself as an oppressed class - single women missionaries - and her writings were an appeal on behalf of all those who were facing similar situations in their ministries. In the article The Woman's Question Again, published in 1883, Lottie wrote: "Can we wonder at the mortal weariness and disgust, the sense of wasted powers and the conviction that her life is a failure, that comes over a woman when, instead of the ever broadening activities that she had planned, she finds herself tied down to the petty work of teaching a few girls?"
One might wonder if there are any current single female missionaries that feel the same way, or perhaps any single females that would like to be missionaries, but aren't allowed to be, that feel the same way.
Most people get the feeling that the current SBC leadership doesn't like women that "rock the boat". If that is true, then they definitely would not like Lottie today. Lottie was accused of "lawless prancing all over the mission lot," because of her ideas and her strength of spirit. She came under fire for writing things like: ".what women want who come out to China is free opportunity to do the largest possible work. What women have a right to demand is perfect equality." Lottie was not pleading for women's rights as much as she was pleading for the right to use her God given talents the way that God was leading her. Lottie's boat was not headed the direction she thought God had called her to go, so she started rocking it to get it to go in the right direction.
Lottie insisted that God was calling her to do evangelism and church planting. Her field director did not see it the same way. She was needed to teach and to do "women's work." That was her specific assignment from the Foreign Mission Board, and was administered by her field director, T.P Crawford (a man that had trouble dealing with both Lottie Moon and Annie Armstrong). Fearing that the few rights that women in the missions field had might be revoked, Lottie continued her writing. "Simple justice demands that women should have equal rights with men in mission meetings and in the conduct of their work." Lottie left no room for doubt on her position. In regard to her field director's attempts to pigeon hole her and limit her effectiveness as a minister, she wrote, "[His plans] would make him, through the Board, dictator not only for life but after he had passed from earthly existence. If that be freedom, give me slavery."
Lottie's effectiveness as a missionary and her lasting testimony is tied directly to her strength as an individual and her belief in her call. Had she done as she was told, Baptist life may have never known her name, other than one of the names on the list of all those that have given their lives in the service of the gospel. That list is special, indeed, but we all know Lottie's name, and it's because she valued her call from God more than any of the directives she received from the SBC pipeline.
Forbidden by the SBC to teach men, or to plant churches, or to evangelize, Lottie did all three. She plunged into the local life of her village like no other missionary before. She eventually gained the trust of her village, and soon she was the driving force behind what became the largest evangelical movement in China up until that time. She continued her life's work until 1912, when she went to be with her God that she loved so much. She died partly because she was so malnourished. She had literally given all her food away to the hungry villagers she shared her life with.
Her story is so much more than a legend to us. It has inspired generations of us. It has shaped the modern missions movement. She was a century ahead of her time in adapting to the ways of the people among whom she lived in order to bring the gospel to the lost. She had no time for people who would stand in the way of what God had called her to do. She broke the rules that she found to be unjust. She called for radical policy changes. She demanded that women be treated equally as men in regard to ministry. She angered many of her "superiors" and was constantly being chastised for her methods. She rocked the boat, and she paved the way. She set a sterling example for missions and ministers that her denomination is ignoring.
Would Lottie Moon be appointed today?)"*****
I believe in my heart of hearts, that The Lord has purposed me for greater things! I can relate to Lottie. It seems as if I'm constantly rocking the boat at times... after reading the story above, I am encouraged that God still calling me forward, and still wants to use me to further His kingdom. A man I respect greatly recently said, "I may not have the ability, but God wants to use my availability."
I AM COMPLETELY AVAILABLE LORD, I am willing and I am striving to be obedient to you, to trust you! No matter how many boats get rocked in the process! I have faith that you will guide and provide! I thank you Lord, for being so readily available when I seek you! Thank you for limitless resources that help me to understand the TRUTH of your words! I ask that you continue to give me wisdom and discernment concerning all spiritual matters! Thank you for those who have more knowledge about things than I who are willing to come beside me to teach me and correct when correction is warranted!
Thanks Pastor ED!!! For loving kindness, and for your obedience to our Saviour!
