Transcript Women in Business Meetings

Women In
Business
Meetings?
June 23, 2010 Truth Magazine
Lectures
Is affecting God’s people:
• Morality
• Drugs, Alcohol, Substance Abuse
• Teens
• Easy Divorce
• The role of women in
Unwittingly,
home, society, work place,
perhaps, but
church
Church Tends to Reflect
Society
true
nevertheless
It Is Difficult for Some Women…
• To occupy the role of CEO of a
major corporation, or manager of
a department or head of a
government office during the day
and submit to the role of the
“weaker vessel” (1 Pet. 3:7) at
home and in the congregation.
•
To sit quietly when men display an
inability to make sound decisions and
ignore wishes of half the congregation.
The Changing Role of Women in America
• Began in WW II with the need for women in
assembly plants and they became accustomed to
a paycheck and work outside the home.
• Inequities between men and women became
apparent and spawned Women’s Lib with farreaching effects that endure today.
• Insisting on equality at every level, some have
demanded “civil rights” which extend to
religious duties (priests, ecclesiastical orders, etc)
as well as “rights” to abortion, homosexuality…
Extremists Found Among Catholics and
Protestants
• Radical feminism is found in nearly every
denomination today.
• Demonstrations and court challenges are
forcing the elevation of women to positions of
authority.
• The effect of this modern movement is more
subtle among churches of Christ, but it does exist
and should be noted: prayer teams, women song
leaders, public leadership of women, & women
serving at the Lord’s table are signs of change.
The 1990 Freed-Hardeman Preacher's
Forum: Women's Role in the Church
• Bob Randolph (Brookline, Mass) affirmed that
only “cultural” limitations hindered women
from being preachers, elders or even apostles.
• Bering Drive church in Houston advertised:
("Wanted: Youth Minister. May be male, female
or couple. Please send your resume to
chairperson, Mrs. ______." (Both quotes: Wayne Goforth, Guardian
of Truth XXXV: 1, pp. 10-11, January 3, 1991
• Institutional churches of Christ have mainly
accepted a modernized role for women in the
church.
Some Closer Brethren
Have Embraced Change
• Vance E. Trefethen in “Confusion or Consensus” had
the concept of women in the business meetings of the
church (New Horizon Books, 1993).
• This booklet envisioned “an increased role for women
in the decision-making processes of local churches” and
• asserted that private decision-making by elders was
“without authority,” thus, sinful.
• Brother Bobby Holmes reviewed the booklet in the
Gospel Guardian that year.
(truthmagazine.com/archives/volume37/GOT037374.html)
• A written debate was held between Trefethen and
myself during August-November, 1994.
Affirmative Proposition by Trefethen
• “Resolved:
The scriptures teach that the
pattern of decision-making in matters of
congregational judgment must always
include the whole church (including
women) under male leadership in all local
churches (both with and without elders).”
• For the full written debate, see Truth
Magazine.com/archives/XXXVIII: 16, p. 14-15
August 18, 1994, and succeeding issues)
Affirmative Proposition by Roberts
• “Resolved:
The scriptures teach that the
elders of a local church are authorized to
assemble privately to make decisions in
matters of judgment for the local church
without calling together the whole
congregation.”
Is There A Pattern?
• Trefethen asserted that Acts 15 contains the pattern
that includes women in business meetings. If one
difference exists, no pattern.
• Uniqueness of Acts 15 limits it to NT times
– Apostles, prophets and Holy Spirit present to develop
scripture for all churches; not possible in business meetings
today (or elderships).
– women were present, but not in leadership; how are
women leaders while in subjection?
– members from Antioch in attendance at meeting; can
non-local members act in local decisions today?
• Acts 15 is not a sole pattern for actions of churches
today.
The Pattern Principle Is True
• If all the passages on the subject are accepted
• 2 Tim 1:13; 1 Cor. 4:16
• There is a pattern for making decisions in local
churches.
• Goal: look at all the passages
• Find out what the pattern is
• Compare what we do to be sure we are
following the New Testament pattern
Effect of This New Approach
• Other
preachers have taken up the cause.
• Militant sister in Virginia church who left
the congregation when denied the right to
attend business meetings (prior to 1994)
• Unrest in congregation in Texas due to
insistent brother advocating new position.
• Should not underestimate the unsettling
effect of this doctrine on congregations.
Some Disclaimers Are Necessary
• When
a position is defended, some false
assumptions are often assigned to speaker
• It might be assumed that one holds to
female inferiority.
• It might be assumed that personal
experience has clouded a personal view
• Rather, a view that is Biblically based is
carefully considered and defended.
Disclaimer: Role of Women
• Women are equal to men in quality and value!
Let none teach otherwise.
• Issue relates to a place of service, not value: use
of talents peculiar to women.
• Paul recognized this principle: 2 Cor. 10:12-18
• Bible recognizes “headship” 1 Cor. 11:3
• Place of service does not violate headship:
– Angels are above men – we should not be bitter
– Men are above women – they should not be bitter
Heb. 2:7; 1 Tim 2:11-15; 1 Pet 3:1-6; Jude 6
Disclaimer: Submission
• In modern world, women rebel against
“submission” as degrading
• In Biblical terms, submission is a spiritual
quality that is to be desired (by men and women)
– Who is greatest in kingdom? Mk. 9:33-35; Sits in
chief seats? Lk. 14:7-11; Washes feet? Jn. 13:3-5
– Mind of Christ Phil 2:5-8
• Did Jesus “lose value” when he submitted?
• Do women “lose value” when submissive to
God’s place of service?
Disclaimer: Business Meetings and
Matters of Judgment
• Business meetings (or elders) do not change
matters of “faith” Jude 3
• Our discussion centers on decisions about
matters of judgment, opinions or liberties.
• Question: May a business meeting or eldership
make a decision on matters of judgment without
including the women?
• Every collectivity must have a method of
making decisions. God appointed men, not
women, to work in this area of service Acts 6:3
Final Disclaimer: Decision Making
Process and Making Decisions
• There is a difference.
• Example: in the home
– Many important matters need to be decided
– Free ranging discussion between husband and wife
(decision-making process)
– Husband will not “lord it over wife” but ask for
advice
– After all discussion, one must make decision, and
that is the husband’s responsibility Eph 5:22-24;
1 Cor 11:3 He must not abdicate this responsibility.
• This is God’s arrangement; abuses do not change
the principle.
Final Disclaimer: Decision Making Process and
Making Decisions
• Same principle applies in the church
• Many ways for elders (or men) to receive input
from members of local congregation
• Local members (men and women) should not be
ignored in considering important judgments.
• The decision-making process includes this input
• Then elders (or men in business meeting) make
the final decision, considering all aspects.
• Trefethen (and others) ignore this distinction and
bind women in making the decision itself!
Biblical Elders or “Consensus”?
• Non-Biblical word introduced: “consensus”
• Meaning – “general agreement”
• But this begs the question of “how” agreements
are reached: democratic or Biblical?
• Trefethen’s answer: give every member a vote!
• This is raw majority rule: one person, one vote
• Twelve year old girl’s vote, same weight as elder
• If a majority of women in the church, women
have the majority vote over the men – even if there
are elders and not a business meeting!
Are You Ready For The Application?
• A congregational meeting must be called every
time a matter of judgment is before the church.
• Elders can never make a decision in such matters
without the whole church being present.
• If no elders, same procedure must follow.
• A vote must be taken: one person, one vote.
• Submission does not exist in the ballot box: there
can be no humility, headship or place of service.
• Majority rule replaces eldership/business
meetings.
Two Types of Proof To Be Considered
Bible
Passages
That
Apply
Word
Definitions
That
Apply
Acts 15 Does Not Authorize The
Contention
• Remember: “It is unscriptural for elders to
have a private meeting without the whole
church, including the women.”
• Acts 15:6 “apostles and elders came together to
consider this matter…”
• But note Gal 2:1-2 which refers to same
meeting: “I went up by revelation…and
communicated to them, but privately to those
who were of reputation…” Verses 7-9 inform us
that it was James, Peter, John and Barnabas.
Other Passages: Acts 4:34-37
• Decisions, from the beginning, were made
privately (not secretly) as some imply.
• Apostolic decisions showed male leadership
making private decisions about:
– who were needy
– how much was given to each person
– how long the benevolence was given
– without congregational meetings
• “Consensus” says they sinned.
Acts 6:1-6
• Apostles privately decided to change previous
practices
• Privately decided not to wait on tables
• Privately decided to appoint 7 men (not
women) for this service.
• What they decided privately pleased the whole
multitude
• This is the tradition of apostles 2 Thes 2:15;
3:16 even though men were appointed to serve
the needs of women (widows)
Acts 9:26-28
• A private judgment on part of apostles in
Jerusalem concerning Paul’s membership.
• Whole church (including women) were not
present. No sin was involved.
• Can elders interview prospective members
today to determine faithfulness without sinning?
Acts 11:27-30
• Local elders acted on behalf of needy brethren
as they received funds from other churches
• Doing the work of a bishop: an overseer, a man
charged with the duty of seeing that things to be
done by others are done rightly (Thayer, 243).
• Elders act as agents for the church (as though
the whole church were present) in the
distribution of benevolence. Consensus denies
agency! The whole church must always act.
• But the whole church (including women) were
not present when the elders acted!
Acts 13:1-3
• Prophets and teachers were “in” the church but
were not the whole church. There were all males.
• They met privately, before and without calling
the entire church together (including women)
• These private functions as males under
oversight of God show that males may act on
behalf of a congregation without calling the
entire congregation together.
• Barnabas and Saul (no female evangelists)
began their evangelistic work.
Acts 15:1-31; Gal. 2:1-10
• Paul and other brethren met privately to make
decisions about Gentile converts and fellowship
• At times, the whole church was present and at
times, a limited number of men met together.
• It is poor exegesis that uses Acts 15 to deny
elders the right to meet privately to act on behalf
of the congregation.
• The “decrees” were determined by the apostles
and elders, not whole church (Acts 16:4).
• Whole church was pleased and was included in
the letter that was sent out (Acts 15:22-23).
Acts 20:17-36
• Contention: Acts 15 is the only pattern; it is a
sin for elders to meet privately and make a
decision without the women and whole church.
• Yet, Paul and elders from Ephesus met
privately at Miletus and received instructions
from Paul relating to their work as elders over
the church and on behalf of the church.
• The very things that are contended as wrong
are clearly seen in this passage – as part of the
“pattern” of NT teaching.
Acts 21:15-26
• Paul’s presence in Jerusalem disturbed the
“assembly” – the whole church.
• But Paul and the eldership met privately and
the elders acted on behalf of the church without
the church (including women) being present.
• They “took heed” and “watched” (Acts 20:28)
and the whole church benefited but not present.
• Some are trying to deny elders the very right
that God has obligated them to do.
• Remember Miriam (Num 12:1-8)!
Word Study
• Importance of such a study: 1 Cor. 2:13
• When one is a bishop and “exercises oversight”
he is and does expressly what the Holy Spirit
authorized.
• Divine concepts (“spiritual things”) are
expressed through divine precepts (“spiritual
words”) and are wisdom from God.
• Human concepts (congregational-decisionmaking) are expressed through human precepts
(“consensus,” “voting”)and are human wisdom.
Elder, Presbyter
• Gk: presbuteros. Acts 14:23;20:17; Phil. 1:1; 1
Tim. 5:17; Titus 1:5. “(3) in the Christian
churches, those who, being raised up and
qualified by the work of the Holy Spirit, were
appointed to have the spiritual care of, and to
exercise the oversight, over the churches” (Vine,
Vol. II, 21).
• We do not need to stretch the definition out of
shape to see the authority given to elders.
• Without authority, they are figure-heads.
Bishop, Overseer
• Gk: episkopos. 1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:7. “An
overseer, a man charged with the duty of seeing
that things to be done by others are done rightly,
any curator, guardian or superintendent…spec.
the superintendent, head or overseer of any
Christian church” (Thayer 243).
• Verb form, 1 Pet 5:1-2, “tend the flock,
exercising the oversight…” (Vine 167).
• Again, no need to stretch meaning to get the
substance of Spirit’s message.
Pastors, Shepherds
• Gk: poimenas. “a shepherd, one who tends
herds or flocks (not merely one who feeds them),
is used metaphorically of Christian ‘pastors,’
Eph. 4:11. Pastors guide as well as feed the flock;
cp. Acts 20:28, which, with v. 17, indicates that
this was the service committed to elders
(overseers, bishops); so in 1 Pet. 5:1-2, ‘tend the
flock, exercising the oversight;’ this involves
tender care and vigilant superintendence” (Vine
167).
Feed
• Gk: poimaino. Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:2. “To act as
a shepherd,” (quoting Trench). “The tending
(which includes this) consists of other acts, of
discipline, authority, restoration, material
assistance of individuals, but they are incidental
in comparison with the feeding” (Vine 87, 88).
• To deny elders the right of exercising their
authority unless women (or other men) are equal
make a travesty of definitions.
• The majority right of voting denies the Word.
Appoint
• Gk: kathistami. “prop. To set down, put
down…(a) to seat one over a thing (the charge of
it), Acts 6:3…(b) to appoint one to administer an
office, Tit. 1:5” (Thayer 314).
• To say that one is appointed (as an elder) to be
“over a charge” or to “administer an office” and
then deny one the right to exercise that office is a
denial of definitions.
• Elders are appointed to function…or they are
not. Which is it?
Rule
• Gk: proistemi. 1 Thes. 5:12; 1 Tim. 3:4; 5:17.
“To set or place before; to set over. A. To be
over, to superintend, preside over, rule” (Thayer
539). Also hegeomai. Heb. 13:7, 17. “To lead, is
translated to rule” (Vine 307).
• Please note the lack of restrictions on these
definitions. It is not stated that they may “rule”
only if the whole church (including the women)
are present and that each member has an equal
rule as the elder.
Let Elders Do Their Work
• There is no ambiguity to the scriptures or to the
definitions.
• Much harm is done to the peace and calm of
congregations when artificial and unauthorized
restrictions are placed upon elderships.
• The Holy Spirit “makes” elders by the
qualifications of 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.
• It is ludicrous to use the terminology of
scripture without applying the definitions.
• This is what elders are and what they do.
Congregation’s Role Toward Elders
• Submit (Gk. hupeiko) “To resist no longer, to
give way, yield. Metaph. To yield to authority
and admonition, to submit, Heb. 13:17” (Thayer
638).
• Obey (Gk peitho). “1. To persuade, i.e., to
induce one by words to believe…2. a. to be
persuaded, to suffer one’s self to be persuaded…
b. to listen to, obey, yield to, comply with, Acts
5:36-39; Acts 23:21; 27:11; Rom. 2:8; Gal. 3:1;
Heb. 13:17; Jas. 3:3” (Thayer 497).
Women’s Subjection
• Submit (Gk. hupotage), 1 Tim. 2:11. “1. The act
of subjecting, 2. obedience, subjection, to arrange
under, to subordinate, to subject, put in
subjection” (Thayer 645).
• Brethren must decide whether women are going
to follow or lead; to be equal in decision-making
or not.
• In congregations with a majority of women,
even if elders are present, the vote denies the
authority of elders. If not, why not?
Conclusion
• Changes to the Bible pattern have always led
away from faithfulness and into apostasy.
• We cannot follow the ways of the world and
allow the role of Godly women to change with
modern free thought.
• The church is not a democracy and “civil
liberty” of women is not scriptural.
• With heaven in mind, let us all be in subjection
to God and to one another and serve God in the
manner in which we are called.