"Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man,
but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
And Adam was not deceived,
but the woman being deceived was in the transgression."
(1 Timothy 2:11-14)
PREAMBLE
OK. I'm going to be ruffling more than a few feathers here, but hey, what's new about that?! There are things that really need to be said and said clearly, though few in the Body it seems are prepared to muster the Biblical integrity to give voice to them; so please or offend I will say them myself here, as I am of the Spirit heavily burdened and emboldened to.
Here goes then...
CONCERNING WOMEN IN POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY OVER MEN
Female leadership in Christian assemblies: is it right, or is it wrong? Answer: it is utterly wrong! Period. Anyone claiming to be a Bible-believing true follower of The Way should know this full well, but it would appear that either not too many do in fact know this or, if they do, choose to revolt against God's declared proper order of things in the governance of the ekklesia. Our ladies are to support, but they are not to lead. This is nothing whatsoever to do with misogyny; it is everything to do with the decree of God as revealed in His Word. Usurp, as used by the apostle Paul in the above Scripture, is a weighty word indeed, meaning to take another's rightful position and designated authority illegally. Mark well then, that this is no secondary but very much a primary matter, which should be of grave concern to us all in our accountability before God! And men who allow this to happen have to all intents and purposes spiritually emasculated themselves, and should hang their heads in shame for so doing!
When what has been ordained by God is brazenly overturned, there is then a very real problem in any assembly that does so, for how can He possibly truly bless and prosper what stands in resolute opposition to the leadership ordinance that He has laid down in His Word? In such circumstances, any perceived "increase" can thus be attributable only to the heavy dilution of Biblical truth, an insipidness which caters only too well to those with fleshly, itchy ears to be tickled. Such "growth" is not healthy, but tumorous! There is a very definite order of things in relational matters; the following key Scripture concerning this quite unambiguously states:
"For the husband is the head of the wife,
even as Christ is the head of the church:
and he is the saviour of the body."
(Ephesians 5:23)
A most critical point is being made here. Christ is the head of His Bride, as modelled by a husband being the head of his wife. As all Christian fellowships are to be a faithful reflection of this Godly order of things, clearly the "helpmeet" is not to assume the position of the groom: an earthly shepherd, as representative of the heavenly Good Shepherd, can only be a man. Male/female role reversal in such headship is not just a cavalier rejection of, but actually a wilful and sinful rebellion against Divine mandate.
A veritable multitude of assemblies, both denominational and independent in nature, now have a lady fronting the operation with the congregants happily sitting under such a travesty and calling her 'Pastor!' (Actually, the use of 'Pastor' as a title of office - just like the blasphemous use of 'Reverend' - is something of the flesh, not of the Spirit, as pastoring is a functional gifting and not a titular elevation of an individual above everyone else within any given ekklesia; all are of equal status in Christ, being the many diverse but co-dependent parts of one Body).
CONCERNING WOMEN IN POSITIONS OF ASSEMBLY OVERSEEING
With female shepherding of a flock being ruled out Scripturally, what perhaps of overseeing the affairs of a fellowship, i.e. being an elder/bishop/deacon? Well, in a nutshell, the same ruling applies, with women being similarly excluded from such a position, as 1 Timothy 3 makes so obvious. When the criteria for such stewardship is outlined here, all references for candidacy are given exclusively in masculine terms: man/husband/he/his... Could the instruction be any clearer? We actually find the same male-only edict for ordaining elders in Titus 1:5-9; my friends, please check out these important references for yourselves.
THE RISE AND RISE OF HUSBAND-AND-WIFE CO-PASTORSHIP
The issue of women in positions of ecclesiastical leadership is one of long-standing, of course, becoming pretty much a don't-even-go-there, "elephant in the room" situation. It's all part and parcel of the great Falling Away in these, the Last Days, when anything goes and it is the one who dares to question unbiblical doctrine and practice who is deemed to be the trouble-maker for raining on their apostate parade. But surely I cannot be alone in my concern in noting a now highly fashionable leadership trend, being the appointment of husband-and-wife co-pastorship of assemblies?
Over in the States, such an arrangement was long in place at Bethel, Redding, with Bill Johnson and his recently deceased wife Beni heading up the show. (I use that word advisedly). Joel and Victoria Osteen's co-pastorship of Lakewood, Houston is another prime Stateside example. I mention these well-known theatres of falsehood to give a little taste of how deep and dire deceptions, like NAR Dominionism (Bethel) and the "prosperity gospel" (Lakewood) can go so neatly hand-in-hand with a married couple being in joint control. Corruption of spiritual truth in one way will inevitably breed corruption of spiritual truth in other ways also.
I publish below a list of such co-pastored establishments here in little ol' Wales, which is unlikely to be exhaustive, but will I think serve to show how widespread this problem really is:
Abergavenny. Gateway Church (AOG) - Chris and Lyra Vaz (Community Pastor)
Abertillery. Elevate Church (Elim) - Pete and Adele (Surname not supplied)
Bedwas. Hope Church (AOG) - Bryan and Misty Elliott
Bridgend. Compassion Church (Elim) - Lem and Tobey Turner
Bridgend. Vine Christian Centre - Alex and Jane Ashton
Cardiff. Audacious Church (AOG) - Jonny and Miriam Cummings
Cardiff. City Church (Elim) - Dominic and Catherine De Souza
Cardiff. Vineyard Church - James and Jen Rankine
Cardigan. New Life Church - Doug and Janice Bell
Cwmbran. Victory Church (Elim) - Clyde and Bekah Thomas
Kenfig Hill. Bethel Community Church (AOG) - Des and Jackie Duffy
Llandrindod Wells. Festival Church (AOG) - Erold and Klara Ferreira
Llanelli. Myrtle House Church (Elim) - Bill and Ellen Chapman
Maesteg. Bethel Community Church (AOG) - Des and Jackie Duffy
Merthyr Tydfil. New Beginnings Church - Les and Carol Bevan
Newport. King's Church - Dave and Faye Edwards
Newport. The Warehouse Church - Robbie and Donna Howells
Newtown. Hope Church (AOG) - Simon and Denise Curgenven
Old Colwyn. Sure Hope/Festival Church (AOG) - Jay and Chloe Lusted
Pontllanfraith. River Church Wales (AOG) - Dave and Ruth Thomas
Swansea. Cornerstone Church - Julian and Sarah Richards
Swansea. Liberty Church - Mark and Mary Ritchie
Wrexham. The Community Church - Nick and Sue Pengelly
These are set-ups where the married hierarchy are each shamefully known as pastors; there are other places where they are described as the leaders, e.g. Hope (Pontypridd). We might also note well concerning the many-membered New Wine Cymru signs-and-wonders-chasing umbrella organisation, that it has been hugely influential in this whole area of promoting unscriptural female leadership. It holds annual 'Women Who Lead' conferences, unsurprisingly presided over by Sarah Richards of Cornerstone, Swansea as listed above. Husband Julian just happens to be NWC's National Leader, while not only Sarah's but the names of others appearing on this list are on the NWC National Leadership Team. Yes, birds of a feather and all that! (See: https://newwinecymru.co.uk/about/whos-who).
Before concluding, we might perhaps touch upon a potential personal benefit arising from a wife being appointed to pastorhood alongside her husband, i.e. getting on the "church payroll" and so increasing/doubling the household income! Such a happy (?) state of affairs definitely applies in the case of The Warehouse Church in Newport, where the Howells take home a combined annual income of £59,000. Not too bad a little earner, huh? But then, The Warehouse is a "prosperity gospel" operation, with Robbie being such a fan of Kenneth Copeland that he sits on the board of the UK branch of his "ministry." (See: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/4008839/financial-history; also: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/326392/trustees)
CONCLUSION
However much the principle of "equal opportunities" might apply in the world at large, it has absolutely no bearing on that which, though it is IN the world, is not OF the world. God in His wisdom and purposes has assigned men and women different roles, complimentary but distinctive. And public teaching and preaching is to be at all times undertaken by an Adam and not by an Eve, in obedience to the Creator's sovereign intent. My friends, let us absolutely honour and cherish our ladies, our most precious sisters in the Lord, for all their wonderful giftings, abilities and contributions. But let the practice of our Faith in leadership matters be never other than an uncompromising upholding of God's instructions to us, of how we are to present ourselves as a Body in proper, acceptable witness to the Word written and the Word made flesh - all glory to the Name which is above all others!
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Further recommended reading:
https://www.gotquestions.org/women-pastors.html
https://www.gotquestions.org/women-elders.html
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