Should women be deacons?

Should women be deacons?

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It is not an exercise of authority to determine whether or not someone fits paramenters set down by others
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Huh? Isn't that exactly what a cop, a magistrate, or a judge does everyday? They determine whether people fit certain parameters set down by others, and act accordingly. Do you say they do not exercise authority in doing so?

I can't understand why a woman would want to hold an office for which there is very vague, if any at all, biblical support. And any Church Officer encouraging a woman to pursue such an office would be very suspect to me. I personally am not qualified to hold a Church Office as a divorced man, and it bothers me not a whit. My God has ordained it so, why would I argue with Him? Isn't He far wiser than I? And I've had Elders and even Pastors try to tell me that since my divorce was prior to some arbitrary date in my christian experience, that therefore I am not disqualified. But it did not happaen prior to God's ordaining of it, and I have always wondered at their cavalier attitude towards the Word in this. And I can attest that those who have done so turned out every time to be of questionable theological foundations as was evidenced in other areas. Run from these men.

If born a woman, why not rejoice in the offices that God has reserved for you, as sister, wife, and mother? Why covet the offices reserved for others?
 
That is a provision against polygamous marriage not people who have been married more than once, especially if one has repented of any sin stemming from a divorce.
 
Brad said:
Backwoods Presbyterian said:
That is a provision against polygamous marriage not people who have been married more than once, especially if one has repented of any sin stemming from a divorce.
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Please post your scriptural proof for this position.
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If Paul was meaning divorced men then there is a heckuva lot easier way to say it in Greek for one. Paul is clearly saying that the men cannot have more than one wife currently.
 
Brad said:
It is not an exercise of authority to determine whether or not someone fits paramenters set down by others
Click to expand...
Huh? Isn't that exactly what a cop, a magistrate, or a judge does everyday? They determine whether people fit certain parameters set down by others, and act accordingly. Do you say they do not exercise authority in doing so?

I can't understand why a woman would want to hold an office for which there is very vague, if any at all, biblical support. And any Church Officer encouraging a woman to pursue such an office would be very suspect to me. I personally am not qualified to hold a Church Office as a divorced man, and it bothers me not a whit. My God has ordained it so, why would I argue with Him? Isn't He far wiser than I? And I've had Elders and even Pastors try to tell me that since my divorce was prior to some arbitrary date in my christian experience, that therefore I am not disqualified. But it did not happaen prior to God's ordaining of it, and I have always wondered at their cavalier attitude towards the Word in this. And I can attest that those who have done so turned out every time to be of questionable theological foundations as was evidenced in other areas. Run from these men.

If born a woman, why not rejoice in the offices that God has reserved for you, as sister, wife, and mother? Why covet the offices reserved for others?
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I have been waiting for this last comment :lol: or "Here we go again." Forgive me if I am being too sarcastic, but as has been already pointed out (by me and others) there are women who are not wives and mothers and whom God has gifted to do work in the church. Most of these women are not interested in an "office" as much as they are interested in having their gifts recognized and used in the church. See post#24 here: http://www.puritanboard.com/f47/overture-36th-ga-pca-deaconesses-29434/ for a further explanation of my view on this.
 
"No, it is not scriptural."

Women may serve in the church; e.g. Phoebe, Dorcas. This is not an office in the ordained sense - no laying on of hands.
 
1Ti 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

Tit 1:6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.

1Ti 3:12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

One wife is one wife. This forbids anyone who has more than one wife, period, whether by divorce or polygamy or any other means, even being a widower. The flesh may cry foul and think it unfair, but who are we to reply against God? Are not all these things ordained by Him? Is He not wiser than we? To claim otherwise is eisegesis.
 
Infractions will be poured out if I am not heeded. Start another thread on Divorce and the Pulpit if you want. Quit hi-jacking the thread.
 
Most of these women are not interested in an "office" as much as they are interested in having their gifts recognized and used in the church.
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Is that a commendable interest? They need glory or what? The scriptures lay out precisely how women ought to serve in the Church. Those who are not wives or mothers have plenty of other avenues to serve. Offices established by scripture are not done so for the recognition they convey upon the men occupying them, they are established for the orderly conduct of the Church.
 
BaptistInCrisis said:
Originally posted by Shackleton:

Is this the slippery road that leads to having women as pastors and elders? Someone told me yesterday that the PCA is heading down this path, that they are beginning to ordain women as deacons.
__________________
Erick Bohndorf
Newly Reformed
Member PCA Kansas
Qayaq Traveler
Simul iustus et Peccator Simultaneously righteous and sinner
Martin Luther
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No. It is not biblical. And we pray the PCA does not head down this road.

We have heard that there will be an overture this year at GA to "study the issue" but many in the PCA already see the matter as clear. The Offices of Deacon and Elder are restricted to men (1 Timothy 3).
 
Funny how so many reformed Christians sound so much like arminians. God doesn't owe us anything but hell. Anything other than that is all of grace. He doesn't owe us to be "fair" about how He fills the offices in His church, whether to women who feel deprived because they aren't allowed to have a title, or for those men who've had more than one wife. Why can't His people simply accept His will as wiser than our desires or concept of what is fair?

All of this is just attempts by those who want it otherwise trying to foist into scripture what it does not say. Quite unbecoming of Christians.
 
1Ti 3:12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

:scratch: I don't understand the confusion. Doesn't this verse disqualify a woman to the office of Deacon ?
 
Brad said:
Most of these women are not interested in an "office" as much as they are interested in having their gifts recognized and used in the church.
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Is that a commendable interest? They need glory or what? The scriptures lay out precisely how women ought to serve in the Church. Those who are not wives or mothers have plenty of other avenues to serve. Offices established by scripture are not done so for the recognition they convey upon the men occupying them, they are established for the orderly conduct of the Church.
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Obviously, you have not read my other comments. Please try to see where I am coming from. I am NOT in any way advocating that a woman hold an office in the church or that she have authority over a man or that she even be put up in front of people for recognition. When I use the word "recognition" I am using it in the sense that men notice that some women are gifted. In other words, they don't try to do all the work by themselves, but look for women in the church who have spiritual gifts and put them to work. Too often, gifted women are ignored or allocated to the nursery or to Women in the Church (in some churches those women do nothing but organize dinners), and women who are gifted to counsel, teach and minister in other ways are overlooked.

For years I have witnessed the frustration of gifted women in churches where leadership is desperate for help, but the men are so arrogant and afraid the women might try to usurp their authority, they are unwilling to even look in that direction. Meanwhile, the qualified women, totally frustrated start looking for other places to serve the Lord.

Understand this, I am not saying that we should pull women from their homes and their families. I am speaking strictly of women who are free and spiritually gifted to serve.

I look at Aquilla and Priscilla and I see a husband/wife teaching team. No where do I see Priscilla trying to usurp authority or look for recognition, but she is participating in the work of the ministry, as did Phoebe and others.
 
JBaldwin said:
I look at Aquilla and Priscilla and I see a husband/wife teaching team. No where do I see Priscilla trying to usurp authority or look for recognition, but she is participating in the work of the ministry, as did Phoebe and others.
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Where do you see them both teaching as a team?
 
Acts 18:24-28 24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, [3] he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus
 
JBaldwin said:
Acts 18:24-28 24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, [3] he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus
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Thank you.
 
After reading this thread my wishy-washy "no" is becoming more concrete. I think I will wait a few days and then repost a new poll and see if this discussion has changed minds. I thank Shackelton for the thread. It's a great discussion.
 
Bill,

Since Female Deacons = No, and I concur, What are your thoughts on Pastor Brian Schwertley's idea of "Order of Widows"?


BaptistInCrisis said:
After reading this thread my wishy-washy "no" is becoming more concrete. I think I will wait a few days and then repost a new poll and see if this discussion has changed minds. I thank Shackelton for the thread. It's a great discussion.
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