As one who has been on the Committee on Ministry numerous times, (the local version of “the people who ordain” for my denomination, the United Church of Christ), I want to step into the fray with the Southern Baptist Church and its understanding of women preachers. You in the SBC can, I suppose, not allow women to be preachers. You can rely on tradition, and patriarchy, (those often being the same thing) if you want. I just think you’re “cutting off your nose to spite you face”, as my mother used to say. Remember that thing about every time you point a finger at someone else, you point four back at yourself? It’s not that bad, but making one decision means that you don’t make another. Choosing to exclude any part of the church from participating is just plain self-defeating. Excluding half of the population seems to make a bad decision much, much worse. That’s just statistically speaking.
Then there’s the whole Biblical argument. When Paul says, “Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house”, doesn’t that suggest leaders, more than house owners? Also, when Mary Magdalene ran from the tomb, wasn’t that preaching? And what did Jesus’ mother do with the rest of her life? Did she talk about her boy after her death? Wouldn’t that be preaching?
Finally, since I started by talking about the Committee on Ministry, let me tell you how I go about sizing up a possible ministry candidate. First, I remember who I am, and who I work for. God is God and I… am not. God does the calling. I just check the credentials. When people ask me,
“Can women preach?”, my response is, “I don’t know. Put them in the pulpit and let’s find out”. Can gays preach? Same response. Can any group preach? Same response. It is my job not to limit God’s will. It’s to see if it’s there.
I encourage you to do the same. I have been happy with my results. I think you will, too. More than that, I think God will, too.
Resisting With Peace,
John
Because It Matters 