Last week I did a subject on developing women leaders. It was very interesting and opened my eyes on some facts that I didnt even know. The main one is that the fact that in Acts 18, the author places not once but twice Prisicilla's name first infront of her husand. The author also mentions that they both helped guided Apollos in his faith and that there was a church that met at their house. This really does put a new spin on things. In a era where men were the head of the households why would the author place Priscilla's name infront of her husband? Is the author trying to point out that Priscilla had the same if not more leadership concerning ministry than her husband or was it only by accident that the author did this? Also a few times throughout Acts, the author will mention a woman and will mention about being her house. If men were the head of the households why then is the author saying its the woman's house? Again one does have to wonder if this was just a mistake or if there is more to it.
Also when you read in the Old testament you see that Deborah was a woman leader. She was a judge which therefore means that at times she had the power to judge a male at any time and decide on the appropraite consquences for his actions. Also she instructed a male to head up an army.
Another interestng fact on this subject is Esther. What do people who are anti women in ministry do about her. Apparently when the cannon was being put together people didnt want the book of Esther in it. Yes she was a conversational woman but in many ways she did have power and influenced her husband greatly to the point where one of her hanman was killed and her people were saved.
It makes you wonder why this doesnt come into the picture when discussing about whether woman can be in all areas of ministry.
Have people also forgotten that Corinthians is a letter written in response to a 'missing' letter which therefore is adressng certain issues rasied by the church at the time. Knowing that this is a letter shouldnt that then change the way we read and interpert these passages?
According to J.Lee Grady in his book " 10 lies the church tell women" he mentions he points out verse 34 in 1 Corinthians 14. H mentions that it talks about how the Bible states that "women are not allow to speak just as the law says" When reading this verse I have wonder myself WHAT LAW? When discussing this passage, he states that there is 'no law in the Old testament saying that women cannot speak' which is so true when you read the Old testament. Grady feels that this passage is referring to a Jewish rabbinical tradition that the Corinthian church had adopted. Yet the funny thing is about that verse is that women are allowed to pray and to prophesy in the church. Isnt when a woman does that she is speaking in the church?
Also when in 1 tim it talks about women are not allowed to teach a man and is to remain silent in church, why is then a woman is allowed to teach children. Isnt that still teaching men to be?Isnt that still speaking?
Are people saying that great Christian women leaders like mother Therese and Catherine Booth were going against God's word? These women stood up and took the call of what God was calling them to do? Didnt these women at times instructed men and at times had to rebuke males? Are these people saying that they didnt make a difference in people's lives and didnt 'bring' Jesus to the people? These women made big differences to the lives that they touch. What would have happened if they didnt accept the calling that God had placed on their lives?
Also the fact remains that Jesus told and even instructed Mary Magdalene in Matt 28: 9-10 to tell people that he has risen. In fact this was the first public announcement of the resurrection, proclaimed to a women! (Roger J Green " Catherine Booth" pg 128)
Why isnt that all mentioned when this subject is brought up.
The more you read on this subject, the more you can see the arguements are stronger than for those who against women in ministry. By not looking throughout the Bible and putting things into the right context, arent we then sinning and doing the Bible injustice and more injustice to the people Jesus came to to save?
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