Church Council
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Liberty University *
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Jun 21, 2024
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The Debate on Women in Church Leadership
Shawn Morris
Liberty University
Bibl 363 (Acts)
Ramon Moran
June 17, 2024
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The Debate on Women in Church Leadership
OVERVIEW
Our church, which goes by the name Grace Community Church, is a charismatic evangelical church, and it is now experiencing a major controversy concerning the allowance of women in leadership roles. In the recent past, there were dreams of women feeling strong, leading them to become pastors or elders. Yet, most of the conventional interjections on these roles limit them to males only, which has brought conflict to the church. Fundamentalists are very much in support of such a rule, believing that the scriptures clearly state which positions women should and should not occupy as per the societal order established by God. This has led the church council to
assemble and find a solution to this issue and, simultaneously, reconcile the scripture's adherence
to the authority and acknowledgement of women’s talents and their callings to church leadership.
One argument was made about women in church leadership
.
1.
Equality in Christ: One Body, One Spirit
a)
Galatians 3:28: ‘For in the Messiah Jesus, neither the Jew nor the non-Jew has any advantage, nor the free person any advantage over the slave, nor the man over the woman.”
b)
Romans 12:5: Inasmuch as the body is one and has many members, and not all the members are the same, both those that have and those that have not, so also are you many
but one body in Christ and individually members of one another. “
c)
Colossians 3:11: For he himself is our peace, making both Jews and Gentiles one, nullifying the law with its commandments, abolishing the divisions of wall and enclosure,
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destroying the enmity between them, and creating out of both groups a new creation in himself, reconciling both of them to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it.”
One argument was made against women in church leadership
.
1.
Maintaining Tradition: Many churches have a long-standing tradition of male leadership.
a)
1 Timothy 2:12 (NASB): “As for the woman, let her not teach nor be lord over her husband, but let her be silent.”
b)
1 Corinthians 11:3 (NIV): “Now I would like to emphasize that it is Christ who is the head of every man, is the head of the woman, and God is the head of Christ.”
c)
Ephesians 5:22–24 (NIV) “Wives, submit to your husbands as unto the Lord.” This verse is used to teach polygamy over the headship of men in the church organization, although it only speaks of marriage.
RENDERING The question concerning women in church leadership is a contentious one that is in between the biblical call for the equality of women in Christ and the practice of male hegemony in the church. In their argument, the advocates of female leadership refer to the cohesive theme of the gospel, which makes it clear that each believer is cherished and endowed with gifts. In Scriptures
like Galatians 3:28, this unity is also vividly portrayed in Ephesians 2:11–28, as people are united in Christ, abolishing divisions on earth. Opponents of change, however, cite verses like (1 Timothy 2:12), which they think is a limitation to women's leadership. They respect the current structures and power relations and fear change, as it may cause societal disorder. There is no way
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to determine what the future holds and what actions to take without considering both approaches.
In this way, churches will have the best practices guiding them from the Holy Spirit and the message of unity in Christ so that every member can contribute to their best and be faithful to their calling.