The point of this post is to argue that the issue of women in ministry roles cannot be reasonably argued nor understood without understanding the connection between responsibility and authority. I apologize for the provocative title, but that is what gets attention in our modern setting.

I sent a text to the lead pastor in our church, supporting his decision about letting women teach from the pulpit. I think it is easier to post that text than try to write something different today:

“When I talk about men-women roles, I have found it helpful to tie authority to responsibility. Responsibility is first, then there is the authority necessary to fulfill the responsibility. What we are not overextending to women is responsibility and the weight of responsibility.

“The head of woman is man because he is to ensure that everyone in the family is fed, clothed, and in good health. Yes, the woman may do most of the work that ensures those needs are fulfilled, but if they are not, it is his responsibility to solve the problem.

“In the church, God has assigned the men, and especially the elders, to insure the church is fed, healthy, and defended. If a woman helps feed the flock, the pastor has done his job by ensuring the flock is fed and making sure the pulpit is not occupied by a wolf or heretic. None of our women should have the responsibility of choosing who is teaching because God will be angry with you (Pastor Matt), the elders, and all the men for dumping such a responsibility on them when, in fact, God has assigned that task to men and the elders, especially you. An elder guides the flock as one who gives account to God. You did not dump that responsibility on [the woman who taught the church yesterday]. You noticed her gift and wisely benefitted the people of God by allowing a gift, given by the Holy Spirit, to function in a way that, as best you could and with counsel, you determined would benefit the flock assigned to  you.”

On Facebook this morning, I added:

“Authority is only given to humans because God has given them a responsibility, and they need the authority to fulfill the responsibility. When a man, but much preferably men, take over responsibility for a work, it is to take weight off womens’ shoulders. God’s order, men being the head of women, is so that men get slashed and gutted with swords, while the women are safe until the last man has fallen.

“We need to apply that spiritually as well. Men carry the weight so that women can thrive in what they do. We are not in the first century. Our women and educated in both the Scriptures and in earthly education. That does not mean I am going to dump the weight and responsibility of the church on them. According to Scripture, in my opinion, men are the ones called to bleed in battle. I think the truth about responsibility, authority, and women in the church has little to do with teaching. A woman, an experienced missionary, taught in our church this last Sunday, and the pastor is doing his job, carrying the responsibility and dealing with the arrows being shot at him over it, shielding her from having to face the flak. This allows her to operate in the gifts God has given her while under the supervision of the elders, for her own safety.”

Practical Comments (Stories)

I read last week that some group did a study on business leaders over 2 or 3 decades. The article did not address the whole study, but it did say that the one most effective thing that a leader can do for his company is put his people in the right positions.

Our elders have not turned over leadership of the church to women. I am not talking about lesser positions of authority. I hope we, as the men in the church, never do that. I would not consider that to be freeing or enabling women, but dumping responsibility on them that they are not called to bear, but …

In my 20s I was part of a small home church (regular attendance: 8 adults). One of our members, though, was friends with a woman in the Dominican Republic who had started 7 churches. Her name was Mercedes, and she was married to a German man. Our house church was in Germany. All four men were in the military and assigned there. On a trip home to see the husband’s family, Mercedes was asked to come teach our home church.

I was blessed by the teaching, which was mostly inspired by Watchman Nee (I think), but afterward I just had to ask her about 1 Timothy 2:11-12. I asked privately and with respect, not combatively. She said, and I quote, “Paul was saying,” then she paused for a few seconds. Then, emphatically, “I don’t know what Paul was saying; I wish he had never said that!!”

It was the most delightful answer to a question I have heard in my Christian life. That was just about 40 years ago, and I can feel the joy to this day.

I’m not sure why I was so delighted, but I think it was both her honesty … and God’s delight.

In conversation over the 2 or 3 days she was there, she told me about the problems of establishing a church. She told me that the most important thing to know was that God would send people that I would not like. They would be gifted, obviously Christian, but socially intolerable, exceptionally annoying. Planting a church is pretty much the messiest, most patience-trying thing I would ever do as a Christian.

Now, I have never planted a church. I have learned over 40 years that this is OBVIOUSLY not my calling. I did, however, help someone else start a church, and he completely freaked out because he had not been prepared by Mercedes. He bailed out on what we were trying to do and chose instead to contact an institutional church to ordain him so he could have authority over the problem people.

He also had to run me off because I would not do it with him. His last explanation was telling: “I know you could build a church with me in the pews, but I can’t build one with you in the pew because, even silent, you would influence everyone.”

Wow!

Thank you, Mercedes!