Cheryl Schatz

Mark,
You said:

I disagree in the fact that i believe a pastor is a teacher aswell. The very gift of a pastor necessitates an ability to teach.

Which verse says that a pastor (not an elder since we are talking about gifts here not work that can be applied for) must be a teacher?

The catch phrase “they are a good pastor but a bad teacher” i disagree with. Someone who shephards the flock but doesn’t teach is an elder.

The Bible says that an elder is to be “able to teach”. The Greek term for “able to teach” is one word and it is didaktikon. It literally means “skillful in teaching”. That is gifted. An elder must be gifted in teaching. There is no such thing as an elder that is not gifted in teaching.

Someone who shephards the flock and teaches is a pastor in my opinion.

I would rather have the Biblical interpretation than your own opinion without citing Scripture. And the Bible never says that God will only gift men with some gifts. The very fact that there are women who have the gift of “teacher” and there are also many gifted as “pastors” (and many complementarians will readily admit that women are gifted with this gift) puts the onus on those who want to reject God’s gifts.

Now about a prophet teaching i cant say because i have never seen this gift before, but i have no doubt it did have elements of ‘teaching’ in it as it was inspired by the spirit for the early church. Have you ever seen a prophet?

I have heard sermons by people which were obvious that they were gifted prophets. One of my favorite comp teachers gave a message that even those who deny that this gift operates today, show these gifts operating in themselves even if they deny it. The pastor that I often listen to showed how John MacArthur was operating in the gift of prophet as they went through the Scriptures, yet MacArthur himself denies that this gift exists today. The denial of the gifts doesn’t stop them from operating in us. God’s gifts are without repentance and even if we don’t understand how we are operating in these gifts, they can still flow through us.

The question, though, is not about “teaching” but about being a gifted teacher. Women are gifted teachers. What do you do about that?