Mothers and Grandmothers Who Make a Difference

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The Role of Women in The Church
Gal 326-28 Acts 936 1 Tim. 212
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• Jeremiah 1023 - The way of man is not in
  himself It is not in man who walks to direct his
  own steps.
• Psalms 119105 - Your word is a lamp to my feet
  And a light to my path.
• John 1717 - Your word is truth.
• 2 Timothy 316-17 - All Scripture is given by
  inspiration of God, and is profitable for
  instruction in righteousness, that the man of God
  may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every
  good work

Introduction
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1998 Southern Baptists passed new rules
ordaining 2700 female ministers and 100 leading
churches
1880 Anna Howard Shaw was the first woman
ordained in the Methodist Protestant Church,
which later merged with other denominations to
form the United Methodist Church. 12
1949 Catholic Church (in the U.S.)
1909 The Church of God (Cleveland TN) began
ordaining women in 1909.
1865 Salvation Army is founded and has always
ordained both men and women. However, there were
initially rules that prohibited a woman from
marrying a man who had a lower rank.
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1. Jesus and Women
We know that none of the apostles were women
(Matt. 102-4).
However, some of Jesus' closest disciples were
women. Luke 82-3, Matt 2755-56
Jesus in no way dealt with women as being
inferior to men as far as being his disciples was
concerned. He assigned them different roles
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2. The Role of Women in the Church
Both men and Women Entered the Church Acts 514-
Day of Pentecost Acts 616
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2. The Role of Women in the Church
The Good Works of Women in the Church
Dorcas (Acts 936-39). Lydia (Acts 161-15).
Phoebe (Romans 1610). 1 Timothy 59-10 1)
bringing up children, (2) showing hospitality to
strangers, (3) washing the saints' feet, (4)
relieving the afflicted, and (5) diligently
following every good work.
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2. The Role of Women in the Church
Woman's role in the private teaching of God's
Word is also referenced in Scripture. Acts 1826
Titus 24
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2. The Role of Women in the Church- Wives

• In 1 Peter 31-6, Peter referenced an example for
  women to follow in Sarah, who among others
  described as "holy women who trusted in God"
  submitted "...to their own husbands, as Sarah
  obeyed Abraham, calling him lord

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2. The Role of Women in the Church- Mothers

• Deuteronomy 66-7
• Ephesians 64
• Psalm 785-6 1273
• Prov. 3128

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All are one in Christ

• Galatians 328, "There can be neither Jew nor
  Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there
  can be no male and female, for ye all are one man
  in Christ Jesus."

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While There Are No Distinctions as to Worth,
There Are Different Roles

• Men and women fill different roles
• Men
• Elders (1 Timothy 31-7 Titus 15-9)
• Deacons (1 Timothy 312)

Being the "husband of one wife" is mentioned.
This obviously excludes women from these roles
only men are to be elders and deacons.
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Restrictions of Women

• 1 Timothy 211-15
• This passage not only prohibits women from
  "teaching" or "having authority over a man," but
  it also gives us the reason "For Adam was formed
  first, then Eve."

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Saved in Childbearing??

• Paul is saying that women are to find their
  salvation by fulfilling the role God gave them,
  i.e., bearing children and guiding the home.
• There is no greater work that women could do than
  to bear children and instruct them in the
  knowledge of God.

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Restrictions of Women

• 1 Corinthians 1434-35,37

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What About Women Speaking In A Bible Class?

• The "silence" order of 1 Corinthians 1434 is
  clearly applied to the worship assembly.
• Paul describes activities that are carried out
  when the church has "come together into one
  place" (vs. 23, 26).
• This does not describe a Bible class situation.
  Furthermore, as demonstrated above, women do
  speak, even in a worship assembly, when they
  participate in singing.
• In the same way that the "silence" prohibition
  does not apply to the act of singing, neither
  does it apply in a Bible class situation.
• It is the "quietness" rule of 1 Timothy 212
  that applies in these situations. The woman is
  not to teach or exercise authority over the man.
  This means

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• That a woman is permitted to answer a Bible
  question that is asked by a male teacher, for the
  teacher has oversight of the class.
• That a woman is permitted to speak in a Bible
  class provided that her attitude is one of
  "quietness" (meekness and gentleness).
• That a woman may not attempt to "take over" or
  direct a class

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Objections

• What About women who held positions of
  leadership in the Bible, specifically Miriam,
  Deborah, and Huldah in the Old Testament???
• First, Deborah was the only female judge among 13
  male judges.
• Huldah was the only female prophet among dozens
  of male prophets mentioned in the Bible.
• Miriam's only connection to leadership was being
  the sister of Moses and Aaron. The two most
  prominent women in the times of the Kings were
  Athaliah and Jezebelhardly examples of godly
  female leadership. Most significantly, though,
  the authority of women in the Old Testament is
  not relevant to the issue.
• The New Testament presents a new organization
  for the churchthe body of Christand that
  involves the authority structure for the church,
  not for the nation of Israel

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Conclusion