My Answer: What's the big deal about women in ministry?

Opening paragraph is at the beginning of every "My Answer" blog:

Growing up as the son of a preacher, I was never further than a question to my parents, as well as a variety of other Godly influences, from what I thought I was supposed to believe about any spiritual matter. But as time passed, I studied God's word for myself and was challenged by all of them to do so. On some questions, my personal study only reinforced what I'd heard as a child. On others, I found that I differed somewhat from what I'd been taught along the way and that my understanding of scripture lead me to a few different places. (I'm not going to tell you whether my parents and I disagree on any of these questions. If you want to know that, you've TOTALLY missed the reason for the blog series or the challenge to you behind it!) I read 1 Peter 3:15, which says, "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..." I felt that this directive was calling me farther past just my hope of salvation, but about anything for which I felt a conviction within my faith. So I posted a series of questions on Facebook recently, challenging Christians to not debate issues, but to search for the WHY behind their convictions to these answers. I purposefully never posted my answers till now. This blog is not THE answer. It is MY answer according to my personal Bible study. I challenge you to find yours.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I was raised in a very conservative Southern Baptist background. Most of my 24 years as a worship leader on staff at local churches were while serving in very conservative Southern Baptist congregations. One of the basic theological beliefs that is held within that arena is that women should not have a pastoral position of any kind. It is extremely rare that you will ever see a woman with the title of "Pastor" in a Southern Baptist church. And if there is one, that church is normally labeled as being "liberal and may not even believe in the virgin birth either." They (we - when I was an active part of the denomination) believe that scripture teaches this about women and is clear cut in doing so.

This interpretation of scripture has also carried over to women serving as deacons (or deaconess) within the church. Both for staff and deacons, the common reference is to 1 Timothy 3, where scripture says that one of the qualifications of an elder is that they be "the husband of one wife." So the question is raised, how can a woman be a husband? So that means that a woman cannot be a deacon since scripture says that a deacon is a "husband" and only a man can be a "husband."

HOWEVER, there is one major flaw in this view of theology that has changed my viewpoint on this issue. Enter Phoebe. Depending on the translation you choose, Romans 16:1 describes Phoebe as either "servant" or "deacon." Going back to the original Greek, the Greek word used here is not diakonos, the Greek word used for "deacon" later in scripture. However the office of deacon had not yet been created in the church when Phoebe was mentioned. Yet her responsibilities appear to be the same as that filled by deacons later. Plus the word used here is not gender specific (even used to describe Christ at one point). So when combining the whole counsel of God's word, I can't land on the point that a woman cannot be a deacon. Since the exact same scripture is used to argue that a woman cannot be a pastor, if it isn't going to hold water with me for deacon, then it cannot hold water for me in the role of pastor either.

Add to that the changes in lives that have come from Pastors like Joyce Meyer, Bianca Stingl (from the Church at Chapel Hill in Douglasville, GA, where I attended for almost a year), and I just can't say that their callings aren't genuine or scriptural. When we as Christians start throwing our weight around and say that a person's ministry isn't valid because of an interpretation of scripture (nothing really in clear cut black and white), especially when they are doing more for the Kingdom of God than we are, then we are getting ourselves in deep weeds with our Heavenly Father!

Then I've heard those who have said, "Yeah, but scripture says 'husband' and that means that Phoebe had to be something else." Really? These same people that I have heard make such claims will be on people like white on rice if scripture is taken out of context. We need to leave scripture in context as a whole, not think that it contradicts itself, right? That's what I believe. If it doesn't contradict, then this is the only conclusion I can reach and still sleep at night.

There is one more point that needs to be made here. The same churches that say that women can't be elders, deacons, or pastors, are also very quick to put women over children or youth (students) in what any other church would call a "Children's Pastor" or "Student Pastor." The only difference is that the church won't put the word "pastor" in the title. They will call them Children's or Student "Directors." Like changing the word in the title makes them completely compliant with what they say they believe about scripture! I don't think it does! But this question of compliance is never discussed. It's like gluttony. Church people are so quick to point out the sin du jour, but let it be something like gluttony, when the majority of the church is obese, and things like that are never discussed even though "self control" is one of the fruit of the Spirit. Yeah. I've got a problem with all of that.

I'm not saying that at some point somebody may come along and prove me wrong. If they do, I'll change. Until then, this is my conviction based on my understanding and interpretation of scripture.