Roles of Men and Women in Church Then and Now

Ever heard of a church that has done away with calling anybody an elder? I just heard of one that has done that. The church does have a pastor who is a man who does the preaching on most Sundays. That church also has a woman referred to as a minister who does a variety of things, including preach to the congregation on a Sunday about once every six weeks. This church used to have a board of deacons made up of men and women that functioned exactly like what other churches call their board of elders. (A very long time ago thier board of deacons consisted only of men.)  But now they no longer use the terms elder or deacon but instead has a group of men and women who help lead the church.

Convenient. If those in that group of church leaders helping to serve the church along with the pastor and minister aren't called elders then surely they can't be doing anything contrary to the Bible, can they? When Paul wrote those pastoral letters to Timothy and Titus it's quite clear that godly upright men were to be appointed as elders, but he didn't say anything about a group of church leaders that weren't called either elders or deacons, so such a group could be without any gender limitations, and that would be fine with God, wouldn't it?

After all, other churches actually include women not only as elders but also as pastors. Things change. This is a new time and culture, and women are so much more educated now so the church has to change, too, right?

Sometimes change is indeed not only appropriate but also necessary. After the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross for our sins there was no longer any need for the sacrifice of animals which only demonstrated the seriousness of sinning against God but could never atone for anyone's sins.

But do new times and different cultures dictate ignoring what is written about the roles men and women are to have in the Church?

In addition to the passages describing the kind of men who could become elders (1 Tim 3:1-11, Titus 1:5-9), Paul also wrote the following.

(1 Tim 2:11-14) Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. ESV

The first reason Paul gives for women not teaching or exercising authority over men was that Adam was formed first, then Eve. Did God have to do it that way? Was He unable to to have formed Eve first and then Adam? No, of course not. But it was God who chose to make man and then woman and to do so in that order. We need to acknowledge that God is God and has the right and authority to do whatever He does and to command us to do whatever He wants us to do.

The death of Jesus on the Cross pays the penalty for our sins, but it does not negate the relationship of God to us as our Lord Whom we are to obey.

The second point that Paul made in this passage was that Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Does this mean that men can't be deceived? Certainly not. Eve listened to, believed, and did what the deceiver convinced her to do. Adam then went along with it and joined her in what she was doing even though he knew it was against what God had told him. Today when women refrain from teaching or having authority over men hopefully both will be reminded of both how God made man and women and how they lost the relationship they had with God, one another, and the creation.

OK, but what about the wording in this passage where Paul writes "I do not permit a woman to..."  Could that mean that this was simply Paul's rule, not God's? Maybe he had a low regard for women. Or because of the times and cultures back then that it was right for then but not for now?

Well, let's take a look at another passage:

(1Co 14:33-38)  For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,  the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached?  If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. ESV

Look at that again. Paul states that the things he is writing are a command of the Lord. Did you get that? A command of the Lord.

As the Creator of everything including us, and as our one and only Savior who suffered and died that our sins could righteously be forgiven, our Lord can not only teach us what He wants us to know but also command us to do obey what He tells us to do or not do.

Scripture does address the issue of the roles of men and women in marriage and in the church. Do you think you know better than God?  Want to that explain that to Him?