Our brother Bruce at Reasoned Cases for Christ talked recently about ruffling feathers, and though I am not so accustomed to do, I felt it necessary to enter the fray concerning the role of women in the church. It has been widely reported this week about Saddleback Church being disfellowshipped from the Southern Baptist Convention. To read more click here for the story. Though we are not Southern Baptist, our denomination holds a similar view on women in the pulpit. But I have often felt that lost in the ruckus over credentialling women, is the bigger question of just how far we are to push the concept of women remaining silent in church.  (see 1 Corinthians 14:34) Just what exactly Paul meant, and how God wants us to apply his teaching today are two very valid questions. First let’s begin with some biblical examples, beginning with two of the most famous women in the New Testament: Mary and Martha.

But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:39-42 NKJV

Interestingly, Luke does not tell us of anything that Peter, James or John had to say, only this brief conversation Jesus has with Martha. Notice that our Lord does not dismiss her by saying, “Be quiet and sit down woman.” Instead, Jesus treats her question seriously and addresses her with love and respect, even as he is correcting her attitude. If we follow on with the story of the lives of these women, we discover later that it is Martha who comes and addresses the Lord on the outskirts of Bethany after the death of her brother. There again, Jesus does not either command or expect her silence in His presence and his reply to her words, “I am the resurrection and the life” are ones that still comfort God’s people after two thousand years. In fact, even Paul, who is often cited in the defense of keeping women from speaking at all in the assembly appears to have sometimes relied on women in spreading the gospel.

And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow labourers, whose names are in the book of life. 
Philippians 4:3 KJV

I am not saying that there is no difference between men or women serving in the senior pastoral role. What I am suggesting is that even the most conservative of positions cannot really mean that women should never speak in church. Should Amy Carmichael have remained in Ireland rather than serving Christ on the mission field of India for 55 years and rescuing thousands of girls from temple prostitution? Are we to believe that Corey Ten Boom should have not traveled around the world speaking about the lessons she learned of forgiveness and grace in the German concentration camp? Does God mean that books by Elizabeth Elliott or Joni Eareckson Tada are meant to be read only by women? If we are honest, these kinds of questions ruffle our feathers, but ruffling can be good, if it opens our hearts to consider what God has for us today. Stay tuned for part two tomorrow as we take a deeper dive into the Bible and a few ideas on how that might be applied today!