Lauren

Hey,

I attend a Baptist Church in Aust, and it’s a great community. But ever since I was a little girl I have wondered why girls couldn’t do the offering or be pastors or lead hyms. I was especially offended one day when I was about 14 yrs old, when a boy (who was a close friend of mine, who had only attended the church for a year or two.. (compared to me who has been there all my life) and wasn’t really a great Christian example…) was chosen over myself and other girls who were desperate to serve others in a ‘greater way’. I was left with the role of filling up cold glasses of water each sunday morning for the preacher, whilst my friend ‘stood into his responsible role’ and was serving the congragation. I asked about this and I was shocked to be told that woman can not have any authority over men, and that woman must be silent in church (they can sing, but they cant preach/teach etc) Since then, I have continued doing what i ‘can’ but I would love to do more. Since that day many years ago, I have read bible after bible, translations etc… and have looked into the Greek and Hebrew texts… and I continue to become more and more confused; some nights I think I found the truth, the next discovery tears it all down…

I have read all the comments above, and have spent many hours analysing it with NET.bible, books, bibles and with my mum by my side.

My main questions are with:

1 Tim 2:11-14 (specifically what does it mean as it says : For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.) I have been told that the reasons why Paul said woman can’t teach or have authority over men, is that the woman was created after the man, and that she was deceived when acting independently of his leadership.

1 Tim 3 (this is often quoted to prove that biblically, women are excluded from particular church service roles, as it talks about ‘HE’ and having one ‘WIFE’ therefore, this role is not for woman.)

1 Cor 14:34

Also, some quote a verse about men lifting their hands worshipping, and woman as quiet and modest.. or something like that! Can’t find the verse…

I truely hope you guys with all your knowledge and understanding can help clarify these issues for me? as I have said, I have spent a long time looking for answers, writing down my findings, but there has just been too much bias to sort through for my liking.

I know I may not be able to ‘prove’ whatever the truth may be to my community, but I know there is some emptiness in my church of recent, and maybe this is one of the issues that need to be discussed.

But whatever God’s will is, I will accept.

Here are some interesting pages, however, I am not in agreement with everything they state, due to lack of supporting evidence, but there are some good articles and ‘word discussions’.

http://www.ccel.us/place.ch5.html
http://www.churchofgoddfw.com/women/index.shtml#head

Some other questions I have (which may be off topic for this discussion, but I thought I should mention) in regards to dancing and speaking in tongues (which my church does not encourage).

I am rather excited to have finally found an open discussion on this topic! 🙂
Thank you!