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Women in Leadership (not as pastor, but in leadership)

Discussion in 'Fundamental Baptist Forum' started by mercy4all, Nov 18, 2008.

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  1. mercy4all

    mercy4all New Member

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    I have seen much on the reasons that women should not be pastors/elders in a church, and I understand that ... but what about committee heads/chairs? Would you follow the same scriptures as those for pastors/elders, or do you believe that women have (or can have) a place as a committee chairperson.

    To be honest, I have been named as the chairperson of our Missions Committee. There are 3 men and 2 women (including myself) on the committee. A couple weeks after accepting the position, I am now not so sure. Since the Missions Committee can (and presumably will) have a voice in the directional leadership of the overall church vision and service ... I'm wondering if it is appropriate for me to serve as this committee leader.

    I have received thoughts from two very good friends who have provided guidance to me in the past, and each had a different view. I would be interested in hearing what some of you may think.

    Note - while I might not post a lot, I do read what is posted.

    Thanks.
     
    #1 mercy4all, Nov 18, 2008
  2. mercy4all

    mercy4all New Member

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    I should add that one friend found that women should not be in this type of leadership as described as "directional leadership" by me.

    However, the other friend suggested that the post was actually an administrative role, as the most I could do is go to the pastors/deacons/elders/church with recommendations of what the committee would like to do, and to oversee the budget for the committee.
     
    #2 mercy4all, Nov 18, 2008
  3. Don

    Don Well-Known Member
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    I think you're asking the wrong people. What does your pastor and deacons think?
     
    #3 Don, Nov 18, 2008
  4. tinytim

    tinytim <img src =/tim2.jpg>

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    No problem here with women in leadership...
    I even had one speak last Sunday night..
    She is the head of our denominations hispanic ministries...
     
    #4 tinytim, Nov 18, 2008
  5. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    I see no problem with women being in leadership outside of pastor / elder / deacon. Since God has ordained that I am the spiritual leader of my home, my wife cannot be the spiritual leader of my kids and myself in the church setting. Now, my wife is a leader in the children's ministry, and I am a worker. I have no problem being under her "authority" so to speak in cleaning up toys, wiping noses and scheduling.
    A woman can be a leader in the church, but not pertaining to spiritual matters over men, or my home.
     
    #5 webdog, Nov 18, 2008
  6. Pastor Larry

    Pastor Larry <b>Moderator</b>
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    Isn't the question whether or not you are in authority over men? That is what 1 Tim 2 proscribes: A woman is not to teach or exercise authority over men.

    So, it seems to me that if a woman is in a position of authority over men, it is something she should not do.
     
    #6 Pastor Larry, Nov 18, 2008
  7. Jerome

    Jerome Well-Known Member
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    Oops, keep reading in I Tim. 2:12:
    "...but to be in silence."

    So it seems that if a position requires talking to a man, it is something she should not do.
     
    #7 Jerome, Nov 18, 2008
  8. Jerome

    Jerome Well-Known Member
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    "While both men and women are gifted for service on a missions committee, the office of chairMAN is limited to men as qualified by Scripture."
     
    #8 Jerome, Nov 18, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 18, 2008
  9. rbell

    rbell Active Member

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    Context is your friend.

    Last I cheked, "chairman" isn't an office listed anywhere in Scripture. Moot point.
     
    #9 rbell, Nov 18, 2008
  10. Marcia

    Marcia Active Member

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    Is there a deacon, pastor, or elder over the Missions Committee who makes the final decisions? If your job is to mainly administer and makes recommendations, I think that's okay if you are bringing things before a pastor/deacon/elder who makes the final decisions, or is involved in the decison making process.

    I've known women in very conservative churches who do administration and logistics in the missions committee but the elders interview prospective missionaries and make final decisions re them and the situations of existing missionaries as well as the policies. So it depends on how it's set up in your church.
     
    #10 Marcia, Nov 18, 2008
  11. Beth

    Beth New Member

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    Agree with Marcia

    I agree with Marcia...there must be male oversight on all such committees, etc. God placed men in those positions of authority as a good thing, for protection.

    I've seen some women take this idea too far, though, when it comes to evangelism. I have two friends who will NOT witness to any man...not even to hand out tracts to him...because they don't think a woman can offer the gospel to a man! They say it isn't their place to do so!! :tonofbricks:
     
    #11 Beth, Nov 19, 2008
  12. Jim1999

    Jim1999 <img src =/Jim1999.jpg>

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    Women do a lot of teaching of scripture to men in here. When will the silence begin?

    Lord help me,

    Jim
     
    #12 Jim1999, Nov 19, 2008
  13. tinytim

    tinytim <img src =/tim2.jpg>

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    ONLY GOD CAN HELP YOU NOW!!! :laugh:

    Sorry... but I have seen the wrath of rolling pin carrying women folk here on BB...

    I just hope they don't teach you a lesson the way they taught me...

    MY HEAD STILL HURTS!!!


    So if I don't see you on this side of glory... I'll see you in Heaven :wavey:
     
    #13 tinytim, Nov 19, 2008
  14. Jim1999

    Jim1999 <img src =/Jim1999.jpg>

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    My tongue doth hurt muchly being stuck firmly in cheek.............wife made me say it.

    Cheers,

    Jim
     
    #14 Jim1999, Nov 19, 2008
  15. mercy4all

    mercy4all New Member

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    Thank you all for your responses. While I post little on these boards, I do read what is here and I have come to so appreciate this board.

    After having posted on this board, a friend suggested (and provided an email address) to R. C. Sproul's ministry. The email was just for the purpose of commenting or asking questions. I actually sent the exact same message as I originally posted here. Shock of all shocks, R. C. Sproul himself responded within hours. The first response was a canned answer which read:

    "An upcoming Kingdom note deals with this issue in a roundabout way. The short answeris that there is nothing wrong with woman serving on or heading committees, as long as those committees have no governing authority. The Scriptures forbid women to rule over men in the church. If we established a committee to bring a recommendation to the session as to where we should hold our church picnics, that would involve no rule. If, however, we established a worship committee, and they determined that we would henceforth sing only Psalms, and had the authority to do so, that would be a problem indeed. Hope that helps."

    I know it was "canned" because I later got the exact same response from a man named Eric Owens.

    But then I sent a reply to Mr. Sproul that read:

    "Thank you for responding so quickly. I beat myself up over stuff like this! My heart is with missions and I do have a "skill" in organization, but I just wasn't sure. To be clear, may I give you a "for instance" that you could help me work through? The Missions Committee at our church decided we would like to focus on a specific ministry or two over the next fiscal year. On our part, the "decision" was that we agreed to propose the idea to our Pastor. Even more detailed, I made the suggestion to the committee and we voted (unanomously) to propose it to the Pastor. I then had a meeting with our Pastor and went through the notes of the Missions Committee meeting, including that proposal. He agreed with the idea. At the next business meeting, I would then report this to the members along with other notes from the Missions Committee. Am I understanding you correctly to say ... I just want to be clear ... that because I have no "governing" authority (which is why I took the proposal to the Pastor) that as a woman this would be okay?"

    To which he responded:

    "Yup, that's right. I assume, of course, that your pastor wouldn't look at his role here as mere rubber stamping, as that might get a touch more complicated. But as you described it, you are making a suggestion to the one that has the authority to decide. Today I dispatched my eldest daughter to bring me some info on MP3 players. I'll decide what to do with the information, so no, she is not running me. Happy to be of help to you. RCJR"

    I thought I would pass this information on to you. Most of you said the exact same thing as he did. Thank you all.
     
    #15 mercy4all, Nov 19, 2008
  16. tinytim

    tinytim <img src =/tim2.jpg>

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    NOW you really have done it!! Blaming it on your wife!

    Watch out... INCOMING!!!

    [​IMG]
     
    #16 tinytim, Nov 19, 2008
  17. Jim1999

    Jim1999 <img src =/Jim1999.jpg>

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    I tried saying a firm "silence", but she knows signing!

    Cheers,

    Jim
     
    #17 Jim1999, Nov 19, 2008
  18. Jim1999

    Jim1999 <img src =/Jim1999.jpg>

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    Here is a modern sample of male dominence:

    In London, England there is a law still on the books that "a man shall not beat his wife after 9:pM....."

    It is actually a noise violation, but that is how it is worded.

    Cheers,

    Jim
     
    #18 Jim1999, Nov 19, 2008
  19. Jerome

    Jerome Well-Known Member
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    That's Sproul Jr. that wrote you back, right?

    But who is it that decides in your church?
    In Sproul's church, the "session" (a few men) rule, as he mentioned.
    In some Baptist churches, the pastor rules alone.
    But Baptists typically reject the monarchical and oligarchical rule created by the episcopal and presbyterian systems in favor of biblical congregationalism.
     
    #19 Jerome, Nov 19, 2008
  20. Jim1999

    Jim1999 <img src =/Jim1999.jpg>

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    The lines drawn in many baptist circles are not straight lines,,,,well, they are straight, but they use elastic bands, they bend according to the man's desire or woman's demands.

    Cheers,

    Jim
     
    #20 Jim1999, Nov 19, 2008
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