Women in the Church
One of the church’s many controversial topics. I read an article in Relevant Magazine the other day, written by a man, that shows this topic is still an issue. Strong opinions loom on each side, and then others sit confusedly in the middle.
My one true, personal confrontation with this happened several years ago. I was part of a growing, thriving Sunday School class taught by three women and two men, the official leader being one of the women. After a few years one of the men was asked to take the official leadership role. After accepting that role, he revealed to us that he didn’t believe women should teach men, so he “banned” us females from teaching the class any more. This was the same man who a year or so earlier had abdicated all the lessons on Revelation to two of us ladies because he didn’t want to tackle them.
We were shocked at his sudden stand and voiced our disagreement, but in the end we chose not to press the issue and kept it as quiet as possible. But still the class was never the same after that, and we found ourselves in that confused middle ground. We knew we had been effective teachers. Our pastor had never voiced such beliefs. But we also wanted to be obedient to what God’s word said. Maybe we were wrong, we thought. Maybe we need to step aside so the men will step up.
That’s a common thought, by the way, that rarely ever happens. In general, I don’t believe women take leadership roles in the church because the men won’t step up. We take those roles because God designed us to do that work. I can assure you God did not design me to teach the little children.
I’m still somewhat in the middle on this issue. I want to understand. I don’t want to be doing something in the church I’m not supposed to, but at the same time, I know what I was designed to do.
Here’s another article with some interesting thoughts on the topic. Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
from my notebook 