Women teaching men?

[Bob M]

(04-24-2012 02:39 PM)redhot Wrote:  I know the Bible says for women to keep silent, but I think that might have been a cultural thing. Even in the most strict churches, they don't enforce absolute silence. I think most allow women to sing. If we truly will say that a woman should never discuss spiritual things with a male, then we should never witness to one either.
The Fundy U where I went had several guys who would not be on a bus route with a woman bus captain, because she was "in charge" and would make a schedule which he had to follow. Some of them also tried to get out of English or any other class with a woman teacher for the same reason.
Slightly off topic, but I was talking to a lady about head covering, and she said that she believes any time a woman discusses the Bible with a male, she should cover her head, so she wears a head covering to bed in case her son wakes up and has a bad dream and wants to pray. I really don't know to what Paul was referring, but this seems a bit extreme for me. I'm pretty sure that Timothy was taught by his mother and grandmother. Maybe not in church, but it doesn't say they stopped talking about their faith when he turned 18 (or whatever age he became a man)
Our church won't let women teach Sunday School to boys over 5, but in the Christian school, all the elementary teachers are female and they teach Bible every day. And the kindergarten teacher does chapel for the whole elementary, but she wouldn't be able to teach those same boys on Sunday
As for women teaching in a mixed class in church, I personally don't have a problem with it, but that's probably because I'm rebellious and a "foolish woman"

Ding, Ding, Ding, we have a winner!!!!!!!

Almost every Fundy school or church has women singing. And many of them have scripture songs. And we all know that music is a great vehicle for learning.
So, A. singing is a form of teaching. and
B. Women keep silent is not absolute, as follows:

The Bible does say women keep silent in the churches (1 Cor 14). But 2 things.
1. the context is judging prophecies.
2. the same book, 1 Cor says that
But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved. And this is in the ch. 11 context of worship services in the church.

So, Paul is saying that it is accepted that women WILL PRAY AND PROPHESY. They just will not judge those prophecies (which is the closer context of 14:29-39 which is prophesy and judging those prophesies.)

[tena]

I grew up in a church where woman were not to teach anyone except children. It always bothered me, but I was a woman so of course I had no voice. When I left the ifb church that I grew up in we went to a sbc church. After being in the church for awhile, I took over a children's church class. (I love teaching children) One day my Pastor asked me to stop by his office and chat and he asked if I would consider teaching a class on the Old Testament history. It would be a class for adults lasting for a couple of months. I said I couldn't because I was a woman and their would be men in the class, after he stopped laughing, he asked me where I came up with that -- I told him that was what I was taught by all my Pastors before him, and even though I didn't believe that women had no voice, it was hard to actually stand up and teach when you had been told it was wicked your whole life. He wisely said that the more spiritual and more knowledgeable should be the teachers in the church and that he hadn't met anyone in the church who knew more about OT history and I was a gifted teacher so why wouldn't God want me to use the talent and ability that He had given me in the church. That was almost 20 years ago. I taught that class of adults (men and women) and many others since then.

I now teach HS Sunday School in my present church and the ratio is about ten to one guys to girls, and often lead Bible studies with men and women in them. Teaching is my profession and an area God has gifted me so I will continue to use it as He gives me opportunity.

I think we need to look at the culture of the time and realize that it was only natural that there were more men leaders than women. There are many examples in the Bible (both OT and NT) of strong women leaders. We see women in both spiritual and secular roles of leadership.

[pastor's wife]

I met a girl at BJU who said that her church wouldn't allow women to sing solos; they were allowed to sing in duets or choirs only as long as they sang WITH a man, apparently then under his authority. Blech.

[notdrinkingthekoolaid]

I should have added before...

The church we are part of now has a woman in the Children's Pastor role. She is in charge of programming for infants through 5th grade. (Middle school starts in 6th grade here.) Both men and women teach in each class from infants up. This is the first church we've been in where men work in the nursery.

[Xuebi]

(04-23-2012 04:20 PM)laurat99 Wrote:  My question is, if you are a man, have you ever been in a church sanctioned class with a woman teaching? Did you have a problem with a woman teaching, or was it no big deal?

I've been to a Eucharist service with a female priest presisding, which was perfectly ok for me. Though unlike some Anglicans on both sides of the Traditional-Evangelical divide, I don't have a problem with women priests if they are qualified and have felt the call to serve, then they should be able.

However, at the church I sometimes attend while away from home (a conservative, evangelical Anglican church), women are not allowed to preach. They do however lead small-group bible study but when asked on this, they readily admit that they actually serve under the leadership of group's male leader.

[TimLA]

 
 
 
I will be the first to admit that I would be uncomfortable with a woman serving as a pastor or even an elder. I really see no issue with a deacon because as I understand it, a deacon serves the body, they do not make decisions about the direction of the church. I also have no issue with women teachers. I personally do not see how that is being the head of a man. Maybe it is my view on Bible study but I see it more as a discussion. The teacher chooses the topic and keeps people on track but everyone should provide input. In my Church there are several ladies who are probably better read then a lot of men. My son was in classes taught by some of them when he was younger and I was greatful that he was being taught by a loving Christian who was able to present the Gospel every week (not that he wasn’t getting it at home). I teach the youth so he is in my class now, I pray that I am doing as good of a job as some of those ladies have done.  

[bean]

I think the whole "women must be silent in churches" is really culturally driven and this belief is just pick and choose Bible. Sorry.
Some of the best connection I have felt to God has been through a female voice in the pulpit.

[bean]

Also, we pick and choose even in the NT! Cover your head while praying, woman! But no, we don't follow that part. That don't apply. It's just the part where men have to give up their power....

wait, this is an old thread! I guess I already said what I said above.
I must still mean it lol

[Naomi]

(01-28-2013 10:08 PM)bean Wrote:  I think the whole "women must be silent in churches" is really culturally driven and this belief is just pick and choose Bible. Sorry.
Some of the best connection I have felt to God has been through a female voice in the pulpit.

So much this. As a woman, some of the only connection I have felt to Christianity after leaving the fundy world is when a woman was fully accepted, represented, and respected in the pulpit. Like there might be a religious community that would actually include me as a full person.