Women "Filling In" in our Churches

Wasn't Phoebe a "deaconess"?

 

No doubt the most active and godly church my wife and me were members of was a church that had men and women discipling others. The men led the men and the congregation and the women led the women.

When I started looking for a church toward the end of seminary I could not believe the laziness in churches. One pastor search committee characterized well what I found a lot of. One evening a lady from a pastor search committee called me and asked if I was interested. The church was not far from where I grew up. As we talked she asked if I visited people. I said that I did and also knocked on doors. She reponded by telling me that was good because the men in the church were so busy they didn't have time to visit people. I told her I had been in business for my self as a general contractor and had employees and found time to witness and visit people. She didn't like that very well. At the end of the conversation she asked me if I was still interested. I told her to call me back when the men were willing to start visiting because I will expect them to go with me to do ministry.

 

So were the "servants" who bore the water-turned-to-wine in John 2; so was Peter's wife's mother when she was healed and "served" them; so is the officer who writes you a traffic ticket (Rom. 13). If we assume every NT use of either the verb or noun from which we transliterate "deacon" (usually translated "servant") is a person serving in some NT church office, we get pretty general in a hurry.

Of course women have "gifts of helps." Nothing is more obvious in daily church life. The word is more a verb than a noun, more service than office. Maybe our real discussion ought to be on the question "Is there any such thing as a scripturally-based 'board of deacons'?"

Happy 2005! - Charles - Ro. 8:28

 

Have to reply to this. My church does not have female deacons (plenty of men available for that office, thankfully).

We have a man teaching our mixed-gender adult class.

Female choir director.

And plenty of women discipling, guiding and directing each other and our children.

We, as women, have such a vital and valuable ministry to offer. I am blessed to be called to do so in my church!

 

JohnV,
You brought something to my mind,thanks. I think I'll ask the question in a new thread. Oh, just so you know the Qeustion will be along this line,"Do you think Greek should be taught in Christian schools?"

 

There have been many women champions of the faith throughout history and no one can deny their individual contributions to the cause of Christ. However, that does not license women to assume authoritative positions within the structure of the church, even when there is an absence of men to fill the positions. Men are to fill the offices of bishop (pastors) and deacons exclusively and I believe that this pattern of male leadership should extend to the other offices that have been added in today's church structure.