Response:

Thanks for writing,

I would agree that your pastor is sending mixed messages at this point. I am assuming from your letter that your pastor acknowledges these women as being evangelists and ministers, and allows them to speak, but not from the pulpit. It seems to me that, if these women truly are evangelists and ministers, that they should be treated like other evangelists and ministers, and allowed to preach from the pulpit. The place where people stand is not the issue. The real issue is the question: are women called to preach?

The Scriptural answer here is an emphatic "No". I Timothy 3 gives us the qualifications of a Bishop (pastor). In verse 1 he states, " If a man (not "man " in terms of "human", but "man" in terms of "male") desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work". In verse 2 the pastor is to be a husband, not simply a spouse. Verse 5 again calls him a man. It is clear that the pastoral office is to be occupied by a male. In the same chapter, the deacons are said to be husbands (verse 12). In Acts 6, when the church first chose deacons, they were to choose seven men (Verse 3). Since Pastors and Deacons are the only New Testament offices that the Bible establishes, it would seem pretty clear that the leadership within the church is to be held by males.

In I Tim. 2:12, Paul establishes that a woman is not "to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence". Women were not called to teach men. I believe it is fine for a woman to teach other women, or to teach children. But I Tim. 2 shows that she is not to be in a position of authority over men, and not to be in a teaching (preaching) position over men, either. In I Corinthians 14:34, concerning speaking in tongues, Paul states, "Let your women keep silence in the churches, for it is not permitted unto them to speak" (the Greek word translated "speak" means: "carry on a length speech to a multitude"). Again, it seems clear that the Lord did not want women in teaching, preaching, or leadership positions over men in the church.

Therefore, I do not believe God has called women to preach, whether we call them pastors, ministers, or evangelists. Women certainly can have a ministry in the church. But preaching and leadership over men isn't it. I believe your pastor is correct in not allowing them to preach from your pulpit. But I believe he is incorrect if he is acknowledging them to be called of God to be preachers, and if he allows them in any way to teach men.

By Dr Mark Montgomery Ambassador Baptist Church 1926 Babcock Blvd Pittsburgh, PA 15209 (412)477-3210