In the spring of 2007, I preached through a series on what the Bible has to say about gender and gender roles, especially on whether or not God intends for women to be pastors or elders in the church.  To read through a summary of my conclusions, Click here for the PDF.

Last week I dared to disagree with 99% of the church leaders and theologians of the past 2000 years by declaring that the Bible does not teach that women are inferior to men.  For most of its history, the church went along with the prevailing attitude of the surrounding culture, convinced by reason, by nature, and by Scripture that women were created to be man’s subordinates.  I quoted such church leaders as Augustine, Ambrose, Aquinas, Tertullian, and Martin Luther to support my point; since then, I’ve found similar teachings from other church leaders and theologians, including Irenaeus, John Chrysostom, John Calvin, John Knox, and Charles Hodge.  For this reason, I believe that it is dangerous to appeal to church tradition, “the way it’s always been,” as a reason for restricting women from positions in church leadership.  If the Bible teaches such restrictions, then so be it, but the testimony of men who saw women as inferior by nature should not be treated as canon.

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It’s not often that I disagree with 99% of the church leaders and theologians of the past 2000 years.  And it is certainly a rare occurrence that I listen to the teachings of such heavyweights as Augustine, Aquinas, Tertullian, Ambrose, and Martin Luther and say without blinking, “I think you’re wrong.”  Certainly it should give anyone pause to dismiss the teachings of the pillars of the church as “misguided and unbiblical.”  But you know what?  I’m not worried.

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If men and women are truly equal in the sight of God, why are so many churches dominated by male leadership?  Is this what God intended for His church?  Or are churches with only men in leadership misreading the Bible in how they have given out leadership and teaching roles?

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Last year, when our church was appointing elders, the question was raised whether or not women could be elders at NewLife.  Historically, our church has only allowed men to be considered for the role of pastor or elder.  In this decision, we have stood with many other evangelical churches in how we have interpreted the Biblical texts about church leadership.  Last year, however, the elders wisely decided that this interpretation was worth a closer look, and as a result I will be preaching through a series on what the Bible really says about men and women beginning the week after Easter.  My hope is to deal with not only gender roles in church, but the role of a husband and wife in marriage, as well as anything else the Bible has to say about gender roles. 

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