Can Women Pastor ?

[wmcbrooks]

As I have said before, so say I again: The NT is foundational and typlogically established based from the OT. What is found in the NT is based upon the OT, and if no OT base is found, there is no foundation for belief. While so far as we directly know today by scholarship and up-to-the-minute research, we do not see women historically in the role of Pastor or any leadership role.

However, there are some Biblical considerations that must be studied.

God is sovereign and can do anything He chooses to do. The most prominent OT female leader was Miriam, sister of Moses and Aaron. Miriam was involved in a rebellion against Moses when he married an Ethiopian woman (Nu 12:1-2). Both she and Aaron claimed to be prophets, but God heard their claims against Moses and rebuked them. Because of her part in the rebellion against Moses' leadership, Miriam was stricken with leprosy. However, Moses interceded for her, and she was quickly healed (Nu 12). But note that Israel would not move the Camp without her complete restoration. But, after her restoration, she is not mentioned again in the Bible until her death and burial at Kadesh.

DEBORAH, the fifth judge of Israel, a prophetess and the only female judge of the 13 in the Book of Judges (see Jdg 4-5). The Bible tells us nothing about her family except that she was the wife of Lapidoth. Deborah's home was in the hill country of Ephraim between Bethel and Ramah. The palm tree under which she sat and judged Israel was a landmark; it became known as "the palm tree of Deborah" (Jdg 4:5).

Deborah summoned Barak (Jdg 4; 5:1; Heb 11:32) and told him it was God's will that he lead her forces against the mighty warrior, Sisera. Sisera was army commander of Jabin, king of Canaan, who terrorized Israel for 20 years. Barak accepted on one condition: Deborah must accompany him. Deborah and Barak's army consisted of only 10,000, while Sisera had more fighters and 900 chariots of iron.

God was on Israel's side. When the battle ended, not a single man of Sisera's army survived, except Sisera himself, who fled on foot. When Sisera took refuge in the tent of Heber the Kenite, Jael (the wife of Heber) drove a tent peg through his temple (Jdg 4:21), killing him. (A woman to execute judgment and another woman to kill the defeated king!)
(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

If there is any one thing the Bible clearly establishes, it is that the male dominates while the female subordinates, but the admonition is clear in the NT, that Jesus loved His bride and "GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HER," as any good husband would do. This concept is established from God.

Therefore, the final example of the role of females in the Kingdom of God is the Bride, the NT Church.
1. The Bride is made up of all believers, both male and female, but is under the leadership of the Bridgegroom, Jesus.
2. Under His headship, there is NEITHER MALE NOR FEMALE! And the male and female saints become one FEMALE, united to Him. Under that elevated role who can distinguish male and female? In heaven are there such determinations made? No!!!
3. In heaven there are no males nor females, again I say, to emphasize the point that since we are now already dwelling in our eternal life, and we sit together with Him in heavenly places, there are now no males nor females -- only believers, who comprise the CHURCH.
4. How can such a position be made? He is the HEAD OF ALL, and "ALL" refers to "everything" (no further determinations need be made).
5. Subjected to HIM, who is HEAD OF ALL THINGS, He issues His decrees to everything that belongs to Him, and no distinctions are needed, for ALL obey Him totally.

Therefore, should He decide to send one of His "female" children -- oops, there is the identification problem again, rather, should we say, one of His "eternal beings" to do anything, they will follow His orders totally, and no other considerations need be made, except that they remain UNDER His headship.

This problem is hindering the growth and development of the Church. We argue about needless things that have no bearing on the real heavenly condition because we do not consider things from Heavens' view -- we are too busy seeking appeasements of the flesh in this earthly realm. It is not who does anything in particular down here -- it is Christ in us working through us to accomplish His divine will and purpose in these last days. Get over it, get on with the mission -- our Lord is waiting.