wow... I can see what I said has really upset you, and I'm sorry. I am realizing my opinions don't match those of many people on this site. I do apologize, and offer the below explanation:
I personally have no desire to preach in a church. But I have seen some rather nasty things happen when men who are not gifted as leaders are made leaders/teachers/preachers within a church, simply because they were the only men who attended that church. At that time I truly did agree with you - but having witnessed the ensuing disaster, I guess I have had to reassess my beliefs to make them contiguous with... well, the way things worked out.
Not all men are gifted to be leaders, or teachers, or preachers. And I'm not sure it's fair to try to turn a person or persons into someone they are not. God makes all people according to His own design, and He didn't make us all to be heads or hands. But, by the same token, some women HAVE been gifted in this area (again, NOT myself). If a woman has these talents in a church where none of the men do, and we insist upon making the men lead... well, I guess I believe it's similar to (eg) me insisting God miraculously heal me from pneumonia, when He has kindly provided me with hospitals and doctors and the cash to pay for antibiotics.
I guess I just honestly believe that the parable about the talents applies to both sexes: if you do not use the talents you have been given, you will be accountable before God for it. And what excuse does someone (male or female) have, if they do not use the gifts of preaching or leadership they have been given?
How do women with leadership and ministry skills use their talents then?
Unfortunately, (in my experience) when women preach to women in churches where women are not supposed to preach to men, we get stuck with the occasional Chocolate Night full of touchy-feely guff and never cover anything that requires chewing. (This might just be my experience!). But I have heard some wonderful, biblical, practical pulpit preached sermons by women pastors elsewhere.
Perhaps our interpretation of Timothy 2 can be a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy? If someone (male or female) is never allowed to develop their talents, they will usually be substandard to those with the opportunity to practice every week.
My understanding was that this was the problem in Paul�s time, ie: women had no access to education and were disrupting the service asking countless questions� Paul�s instructions were in fact a liberation, in that he requests the husbands to explain what they have heard to their wives, rather than presuming they were not capable of understanding at all.
Yes, Eve was deceived by the serpent. But Adam heard what the serpent said to Eve, did not correct her, and ate the fruit anyway� When Genesis 3 is used to say that women are more easily deceived, you need to remember that it also says that men can decide on their own right to completely ignore God�s instructions if it suits them.
This is not to paint either gender as the more guilty, only to remind people that we are all capable of all things given the right circumstances. So, if you are convinced that women should not preach, then you need to be mindful that they still need women leaders to teach and preach to them � and REGULARLY provide opportunities for this to happen. If (like myself) you believe God has gifted men and women equally, you need to use the talents you have been given to that effect.
After all, this isn't a central issue! The gospel is about being saved by grace, not the women's lib movement!
To be honest, I don�t think it really matters what day of the week we choose to worship God. What matters is meeting with other Christians and having communion with them. I am about the last person to be able to get on a high horse about this because I don�t do either very frequently� and it is really important to meet up with other Christians to read the Bible and pray because if you don�t you backslide majorly (believe me).
But I don�t think God really cares about arbitrary days of the week. The fact that you are concerned about it is wonderful because you obviously care deeply about living by His statutes and pleasing Him - and that is seriously amazing. We aren't bound by the law anymore but by grace, so what matters is the condition of our hearts before Him, rather than what day we choose to go to church. And it sounds like your heart - and your friend's - are in the right place.
How do you deal with movies that infringe CHristian moral standards?
Posted : 28 Nov, 2008 09:32 PM
It's an interesting question - I guess I believe we have a responsibility to understand the world as it is today, and face the moral issues that are raised rather than avoiding them. After all, our God and the faith He has given us is a lot more powerful than anything this world can throw at it. Obviously if a person is going to be tempted by a film then yes, they shouldn't see it. And if it would lead someone else to be tempted, again, it's a no go. But otherwise... I think it's important to let yourself be challenged by other viewpoints, and learn more about our awesome God through it.
