ALEXIS SEBRING
Perspectives Assistant
Modern culture and society is constantly changing – in the modern secular world women have gone from housewives, nurses and teachers to taking on roles such as doctors, lawyers and CEOs, which have traditionally been reserved for men. However, this emphasis on women’s equality should not cause Christians to question God for forbidding women from taking specific roles in the church. God wants men, not women, to serve as leaders in worship services, whether in church, Bible studies or even school chapel.
“A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet,” Paul teaches in 1 Timothy 2:11-12.
Paul does not say this out of a hatred for women, but he thoroughly understands God’s will for men to lead the church. In the church, the male elders and deacons should stand as the leadership example.
“If any man aspires to the office of overseer it is a fine work he desires to do. An overseer, then, must be above reproach …” Paul said in 1 Timothy 3:1-2.
Women are able to teach young children’s bible studies, keep the building clean, organize events, teach women’s bible studies, send cards to the sick and many more things. The duties designed for only men include preaching, serving communion, reading announcements, song leading, or reading Scriptures in front of any baptized men.
North Hills Church of Christ evangelist Aaron Burleson has been preaching full time for 36 years, and said leadership roles in the church should be for men and supportive roles delegated to women.
“There is no scriptural authority for women elders, women preachers, or women serving in leadership roles in the presence of Christian men,” said Burleson. “The New Testament clearly shows that men are to lead the acts of worship in assemblies of mixed sexes (genders).”
Dana Wade, a member at North Hills Church of Christ, is a smart, successful, independent woman who works for NASA as a Spacecraft Design Engineer and has thoroughly researched the role of women in the Bible. She believes women and men have their own roles to fulfill, which is God’s plan for authority.
“I believe it can be difficult in our society, when so many of us women are in leading roles in the work force (and often out-performing the males), to accept a submissive role in the church, and in marriages,” Wade said. “Often though, we just need to understand the nature of biblical submission.”
Christ is the head of the Church and man is the head of women and it is essential for people to understand what is involved in that arrangement of authority. Similar to how Christ died for His church, a man must love the woman to the point of giving his life for her.
“Christ died for His bride, the church. He has purchased with His blood the indisputable right to organize and assign authority as He wishes,” said Wade.
Some people may claim this to be an unfair set-up, but God has a reason for His authoritative order and despite some worldly beliefs, people of the church have the obligation to follow them. God meant for men and women to have different roles in the church.
Women serve to support the men who lead. In a marriage, they are there to encourage their husband. Under God, a Christian couple should build each other up in Christ. While the man should take responsibility for protecting his wife and children, the wife stands just as strong, fulfilling her separate, but equally as important role in the church.
The very nature of man is to protect.
John and Stasi Eldredge, a married couple who co-wrote the bestselling book “Captivating: unveiling the mystery of a Woman’s Soul,” illustrate how a man and a woman come together to serve the Lord.
“A woman in the presence of a good man, a real man, loves being a woman. His strength allows her feminine heart to flourish. His pursuit draws out her beauty. And a man in the presence of a real woman, loves being a man. Her beauty arouses him to play the man, it draws out his strength.”
Any type of church or Christian assembly should revolve around obeying the Lord. The people of the church must strive to follow God’s truth instead of the ways of the world. The words of Paul and the examples in the Bible reveal the different ways both men and women contribute to the church.
When women use their strengths and abilities to quietly serve and support the church, it allows the men to stand up and use their strength to lead the church — the way God wanted it to be.
09-21-07
