Is it okay for women to preach but not pastor?

Women are forbidden from teaching or exercising authority over men. Personally, I wouldn't even read a book on theology or biblical doctrine written by a woman for purposes of instruction.

That includes Riplinger for our KJVO types...

 

Just out of curiosity-----

What if the "male" has only been a Christian for .. say.. 2 days.. and the female has been a Christian for ... 35 years?

 

Good point Sky.

What if a woman were stranded on an island with a bunch of heathen sailors. If she wins them all for Christ who is the leader of their community?

At least temporarily the woman would be the spiritual leader.

 

Apollos was ministered to and probably taught privately by a woman and her husband before going into his public ministry. They took him aside privately and taught him the complete gospel. Even at this, she was an aid to her husband and did not teach a man alone.

That seems to be the only exception I know of to the principle.

It is quite clear scripturally that women are not to hold positions of authority over men within the church or Christian home. It is also clear that women are not to teach men publicly.

 

Nope. There is a difference between leadership and knowledge. It is not necessary for the leader to be the most knowledgeable.

Pragmatism never trumps scripture.

 

We've discussed this before and I seem to remember it was reported that she spoke but was not the preacher of the sermon.

I would not sit in a class with men present where a woman taught.

 

Women preach sermons in my church often. They are commonly called "testimonies."

 

Nope. There is a difference between leadership and knowledge. It is not necessary for the leader to be the most knowledgeable.

Pragmatism never trumps scripture.

Once again we disagree. Insistence on literal interpretation should never trump the sense of scripture. Paul clearly used women - and they weren't just table servants either! Pastorship (by implication) is a male job - but that doesn't make it sinful for a woman to instruct men who are spiritually less mature.

 

Just give you a verse..According to this..

1 Timothy 2:12 KJV
"But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence."

suffer=allow

 

The "sense" isn't different from the literal interpretation in this point. There is nothing in the context of 1 Timothy 2:12 that indicates that he was speaking situationally or parenthetically.

Cite your scripture and demonstrate concretely how it contradicts the primary point that women are not to teach nor exercise authority over men.

Cite your scripture. The only case where this might be true is in individual discipleship... and even with that the scriptural example has the wife working with her husband.

You can't use a claim of "sense of scripture" to make up your own scripture. You are going to have to do much better than stating your opinion then claiming that it is the "sense of scripture" though it contradicts the text of scripture.

 

Double post.

 

some concepts:

1. only men should be pastors.

2. Paul taught that women should not preach in the church. but in this thought Paul refers to the already organized church, with trained, taught and trusted individuals (or men).

3. if a ministry is just starting, it is men that should be brought to start and lead the ministry, though women can be of support.

4. if there should be an instance where a group was suddenly formed and only a woman is a christian or that she is the only one with sound doctrine to give, then she should declare her knowledge until there is a capable replacement either from outside or a trained one within. it's a lot better than nobody to go at the front or to suspend the opportunity just to have a man in front.

 

That is pragmatism Aki, not scripture. Perhaps in such a situation the woman should share her knowledge privately with a sound, leading, elder man in the church?

There are solutions but one of them is not to have a woman stand in an assembly before a group of men and teach them. This act is clearly forbidden.

 

Anyone that gives a "lottie moon" or "Annie Armstrong" offering believes in women preachers.

 

I don't and am not SBC.

I also don't know their stories. Were they "preachers" in the sense that they shared the gospel or were they teachers in the sense that they taught adult male believers?

 

It may be pragmatism but that is the way God has done it for hundreds of years among many people groups. There are areas that had a man enetered he would have left without a head but not a woman. She would be welcomed. Sometime read And The Word Came With Power by Joanne Shetler and Patricia Purvis.

What constitutes a church? Two or three?

Mt. 18:20, "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst."