Women and Ministry

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I am a Christian Pastor and I am a woman, on a regular basis I am told that because the bible says, about women in the bible teaching me and being silent. However men take this completely out of context of why it was said. First of all God did not say that women could not teach nor did he say that women had to be quiet. Paul did. Nor did Paul say that it was a rule given by God, he said: (Paul) Women should learn quietly and submissively. I do not let women teach men or have authority over them. Let the listen quietly. 1 Timothy 2: 11-12 Which simply means that Paul was giving his opinion of what he thinks women should do. Another thing is this was a cultural thing during his time. In those days when listening in Church the service was conducted in large theaters. The men sat on the floor level of that theater and the women were way up at the top. If the women did not understand something they would then yell down to their husbands for correction. This caused commotion in the Church during services which was bothersome to the men who were learning from the preacher. So Paul tell the men to tell the women to be quiet and listen, then when they get home they should then ask their husbands, not that they should not be ministers. The bible itself gives a ton of instances where women were called upon to teach or preach the word of God. Here is several. Men believe that a womans role as helper means that she is to be less than that of a man (some Church leaders) However the actual term of helper is someone who provides the help you need when you lack the ability to do it yourself. In the bible men took on the role of helper as well including Jesus who was a helper in that he would help man find his salvation and thus earn his place in Heaven. Many women in the bible were called upon as teachers, prophetesses and even judges. 1. Mary the Mother of Mark led the services for prayer in her home see Acts 12:12 2. Lydia of Thyatira who again was a merchant and a worshipper of God, who welcomed the men of God to come to her household and be her guests, she was also the teacher of her household (men included)see Acts 16:14-15 3. Priscilla who with her husband opened her home for church meatings Romans 16: 19 in addition they instructed Apollos about individual ministry in Acts 18:26. Not just the husband but the wife offered this instruction. 4. In John 12:1-11 the women were said to have used better judgement than the men in using the perfume on Jesus feet. 5. Miriam led the women and she was a prophetess who preached the word Exodus 15:20 6. Huldah gave her one prophesy but she taught it to a man 2 Kings 22:14-20 7. Anna preached in the temple Luke 2:36-40 8. The daughters of Phillip the Evangelist had 4 daughters who prophesied and preached Acts 21:9 9. Deborah was not just a preacher she was a judge Judges 4-5 10. In titus 2 older and more wise women are to teach younger women, and others how to live a right life with God. 11. The bible tells all men and women to share the Gospel in 1 Peter 3:15 12. Women are told to pray and prophesize however she must cover her head when doing so in 1 Cor 11 There for I think men should know the culture of the time and read the chapter again in 1 Timothy where Paul is simply giving his opinion, as it says he does not allow these things when he said the word "I" check it out. What is your opinion of Women in the Ministry.