Church policies and practices must conform to the Holy Word of God, not that we conform to the world and convenience or make our human created laws be followed by the churches of Christ. Mark 7:7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Mat 7:21- 23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. We have no right to teach and preach what the Bible has a clear instruction against it. 2Ti 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. In this age where churches, Pastors, are compromising the truth, of ordaining, assigning, women to lead their churches let's study this old lesson again and learn to obey:
Why Do They
REJECT WOMEN PREACHERS?
Lesson Text: 1 Timothy 3:2-5.
Devotional Reading-Subject: A Helper for Man, Genesis 2:18-24.
AIM: To answer the question: “Why don’t Baptist ordain women preachers?”
HOME READING
Subject to Husband, 1 Peter 3:1-7.
Glory to Men, 1 Cor. 11:3-7.
Husband of One Wife, Titus 1:5-9.
Ask Husband, 1 Cor. 14:34, 35.
Not to Usurp Authority, 1 Tim. 2:9-14.
Keepers at Home, Titus 2:3-5.
1. Because a Woman Cannot Be the Husband of One Wife.
This lesson must not be taken to mean women cannot serve the Lord. Actually, in some instances, women have been more active than men in today’s churches. This lesson is not an anti-women indictment. At the time, every Missionary Baptist should realize there is no scriptural basis whatever for ordaining women to the ministry, or to the office of deacon for that matter.
The lesson text reflects some of the qualifications a minister must have. 1 Timothy 3:2 specifically states a preacher “must be … the husband of one wife.” Those who seek to justify women preachers add, “or the wife of one husband.” However, the qualifications set down by the Apostle Paul make no allowance for adding a statement to the Scriptures.
In the book of Titus the apostle set forth the same qualification. “If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly” (Titus 1:6). Again there is no allowance made for women in the ministry.
Any attempt to ordain a woman is a clear violation of Bible teaching. Those who would blatantly violate the Scriptures are usually not interested in truth, but emotion. Women preachers do not have the support of God’s Word; therefore Missionary Baptist are wise to reject them.
2. Because a Woman Cannot Take the Oversight of a Church.
If a woman tries o pastor a church, she sets herself against the role of God declare she should have. “… and they desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee” (Gen. 3:16). To pastor a church would place her in a position of overseeing her husband and other in the church. That disrupts God’s order of the husband’s position in overseeing his wife.
Paul presented a divine order in 1 Corinthians 11:3, “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.” To place a woman in the position as a pastor would make her a head over men, including her husband if he is a member.
Further, 1 Corinthians 11:7 states, “For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of the man.” What would having a woman pastor do that passage?
In 1 Corinthians 14 Paul treated the subject of tongues and prophesying. One of the restrictions he placed on them was forbidding women to do either. “Let your women keep silence in churches; for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thigh, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church” (1 Cor. 14:34, 35). With a woman preacher it is difficult for things to “be done decently and in order” (1 Cor. 14:40).
3 Because a Woman Should Not Usurp Authority Over Men.
The entire tone of 1 Timothy 2:9-14 teaches a woman should not take an aggressive place of authority over men. Verse 9 teaches a woman should be modest. Verse 11 teaches a woman should “learn in silence with all subjection.” Verse 12 clearly forbids a woman from usurping a man’s authority over the man, but to be in silence.” Some interpret the word “usurp” as taking by force; however it can mean simply taking possession of something without right. That is what a woman preacher does, because she has no right to be a preacher.
If a woman pastors her own husband, she requires him to submit to her, which overturns the clear teaching of Scripture. “Wives, submit yourself unto your own husbands. As unto the Lord” (Eph. 5:22). A woman preacher wrongfully changes her role toward her husband.
In type a woman preacher teaches Christ should be in subjection of His own church. “Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing” (Eph. 5:24. That is a usurpation of authority of the worst kind. A woman preacher clearly violates the command not “to usurp authority over the man.”
4. Because There Is No Example of a Woman Preacher In the Bible.
Some appeal to the case of Priscilla to prove a church may ordain women preacher (Acts 18:26). However, there is no indication whatever she was a preacher or ordained. She simply helped her husband to teach a misguided preacher by the name of Apollos.
Some use Phebe as an excuse to ordain women preachers (Rom. 16:1). They reason, “Phebe was an ordained deaconess, then a woman may be ordained as a preacher.” However, one has to stretch the Scriptures beyond the limit to prove Phebe was a deaconess or ordained. One could as easily prove Jesus Christ and Paul were ordained deacons.
Some say, “Well, I know of women preachers, whose ministries God has greatly blessed.” Such reasoning is farfetched. They reason success is the same as blessings, but success could be of the worldly kind without God’s blessings. Many ministries have appeared to have God’s blessing, but the success was actually a result of emotion, popularity, and the like.
In reality a woman preacher presents several problems. She has the difficulty winning her lost husband without being in subjection to him (1 Peter 3:1). As preachers, women have a problem with having “a meek and quite spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price” (1 Peter 3:4). They fail to follow the example of “the holy women” of days gone by (1 Peter 3:5). They have difficulty with their nature being “the weaker vessel” (1 Peter 3:7). Consequently, they could hinder their own prayers.
Why don’t Baptist ordain women preachers? They see the practice as a violation of the Scriptures.
