Zwagmeister

Gidday Cheryl,

I have printed out this stuff for my hubby to read!
He is a loving husband from a strict reformed background… (although now we both go to a church where there are ‘junior’ female pastors). I come from more of a baptist/methodist tradition in which women were not ‘too’ limited in ministry (at least in the last 20-30 years!) I am studying at bible college and feel strongly that the Lord might well have given me a teaching gift and a call to leadership beyond that of ‘women and children'(not that they are in any way unimportant!)

We both love the Lord and are praying that he can lead us to unity on this difficult issue…

Hubby always comes back to 1 tim 3 to say that a woman cannot be ‘an elder’.
Secondly because Paul, under the inspiration of the Spirit, uses Gen 2-3 in 1 tim 2 and 1 Cor 11 to (according to hubby’s view)confirm a patriarchal view of men/women in ministry it must ‘therefore’ be a transcultural teaching. (Reformed folk are big into the whole ‘creation ordinance’ stuff!)

personally i feel that the argument made by patriarchalists that 1 tim 2 ‘confirms’ patriarchy in the Garden and then that in turn confirms Paul as prescribing patriarhy as somewhat of a circular arguement…

anyway, i’ll see how hubby goes with your well thought out response to elders ‘must’ be men!
thanks for your insights. i look forwards to more of your posts and comments.

growing in Him…

zwagmeister