Cheryl Schatz

Ken,
Thanks for your comments and trying to correct me. I do not believe that the Scriptures say anything other than I am saying, but I always am open to correction should I be wrong. I differ with you about what the Scriptures say because it is a serious issue to state that someone is sin without a Biblical backing. I completely agree with you that homosexuality is sinful. The Bible is clear on that. But can we find in the Scripture that it is wrong for a woman to preach the truth of God’s word? No. Preaching is not listed as a sin.

I also wrote that a man has a weak conscience if he believes that it is sinful to listen to a woman preach. Not only is there no list of sin that would make preaching a sinful act for a woman, but there is nothing in the Scripture that would list a man listening to the truthful preaching of God’s word as a sin either. So if these men felt that listening to a woman preach was sinful they should have left because it is their weak conscience and not a Scriptural injunction. At least we both agree that what they did was rude and inappropriate. I am very glad for your agreement.

You also appear to agree with me that it is not sinful for a man to listen to a woman preach the truth of God’s word. You said that if you were there you would not have left depending on what she said. By your words it is apparent that you believe she was preaching the truth of God’s word and you would have left only if the words she was saying were in appropriate words of error. So it isn’t the fact that she is a woman preaching that is inappropriate, but only if she is teaching error. I can heartily agree with this.

Here is the issue that I have with the men who were at the service where Anne preached. Since preaching the truth of God’s word is never in any list of sin, then it must have been the audience that she was preaching to that caused them to react. Since she is allowed to preach, the men who constituted the illegal audience should have graciously removed themselves to allow her to continue her godly preaching. Those ones who would leave because of their conscience have a weak conscience since the Scripture does not list a man listening to a woman as being in sin. Does it make sense now why I said they had a weak conscience?

The issue then is if a woman is allowed to exercise her gift with the authority of the Giver of that gift?

1 Peter 4:10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
1 Peter 4:11 Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

I believe that the authority of the Giver of the gifts overrides the weak conscience of those who have not yet been enlightened to the work of the Holy Spirit through women. If I am wrong, then show me from the Scriptures where men are instructed to walk out of a Bible study where a woman is sharing her God-given gifts.

I do share Lin’s concern that the gifts of the Holy Spirit would be likened to the sinful act of homosexuality. This is something that is very common with complementarians but it is offensive to those of us who desire to serve God fully by the authority of 1 Peter 4:10, 11.

I hope that I have answered clearly and respectfully so that you understand my concerns.