But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. 1 Peter 3:4 ESV

This has been the most difficult series I have ever written, but I have done my best because, this is an issue we are facing in our churches today. My earnest hope is that in some small way, these simple studies may stimulate you to think through how to respond and consider carefully what the Bible has to say. So, here on day three, let’s forge ahead into the topic of women holding church office and in what way God would have them serve. Yes, that may be thin ice, but it is ice that we are being forced out onto, so let’s test its thickness!

First, let’s begin with today’s verse. God loves women! God cares about your hearts, your families, and your callings! You are precious to Him and uniquely crafted to fulfill His plan, but in a way that is wonderfully different from men. A small but important part of the battle we have is about the titles we are using. Maybe it is because today, virtually any place people serve in the church (men or women) they end up being called pastors. I’m not saying these folks are not validly serving a need, but consider the fact that we now have worship pastors, children’s pastors, youth pastors, and even executive pastors, just to name a few! I challenge anyone to find any of these kinds of “pastors’ in the New Testament church. Our modern church administrative structure is vastly more complicated than even a generation ago, not to mention two thousand years back. Everyone may be serving a genuine need, but maybe there are different titles that come closer to the Bible’s view of what they should be called.

Secondly, I wholeheartedly agree that there are special occasions and unique experiences from which women can and should have the opportunity to teach. Now I know some of you whom I respect may hold a different opinion, but I believe that biblically speaking, the senior pastor position is to be held by msn. Are we guys weak, fallible, and sometimes thoughtless leaders? Yes, but please pray for us! That having been said, on the other hand, I am against some who are proposing to completely keep women out of any role in leadership. For example, who questions the ministry of Fanny Crosby? Born in 1820 (certainly a day with few women leaders in the church). In spite of her blindness, her gift for song writing brought Fanny to national prominence through hymns like Blessed Assurance and Pass Me Not O Gentle Savior. Sometimes she spoke to large crowds of eager listeners, and not only did she have the opportunity to teach publicly, but the words to her songs still instruct both men and women in sound biblical doctrine as we sing them today. It would have been far easier for Fanny Crosby to simply stay home, especially considering that she never was paid more than ten dollars per hymn! But by God’s grace she found her voice and every woman’s voice, even the gentle and quiet ones, should have a part for it in God’s chorus. If women are to be completely silent, who will sing the harmonies? What of Mother Teresa, Joni Eareckson Tada, Priscilla Shirer or Kristyn Getty? What of the women in the Bible like Queen Esther, Ruth, Martha or Deborah. These have all, in their own way, written, spoken or simply bravely lived out the gospel message in a way that their faith is still an example for us all today. So, I end with a sincere hope that these ramblings of an old man, may have stirred up some thoughts in you. Some of you may agree, and some respectfully disagree, (maybe a few less respectfully!) But whatever your position, I urge you to know why you believe it, keep open to God’s voice and trust His Word. The power of the next generation’s ever changing socially acceptable ideas, cannot change God’s eternal plan. As Jesus taught us, His words are truth, they are our daily bread, and they are our life. Let’s not hide from the cultural war that is raging all around but courageously trust God’s promise, that Jesus will never leave or forsake us no matter what lies ahead!