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The role of women in the church

You may know or not know I was a pastor for 10 years. It was a job I loved. There were times people would challenge my authority to "preach". I had been given this authority by my denomination. I also felt like God had called me to do my job. I submitted myself to the correction of the leadership above me. I was in no way rebellious. I've gone to a church in Heidelberg for 10 years that basically does not allow women to preach. They have allowed me to teach at seminars, and give the "input" at the big worship services they have every 6 weeks. Why they have allowed this, I am not sure? Juergen has asked if He and I would be allowed to preach together at the Sunday night "next generation" service. Again the answer was yes. I've given this some thought, and it basically makes me feel angry. I'm allowed to preach with Juergen, but not alone. Other women are so far not even allowed to preach with their husbands. I had no peace. I can not do it. I won't do it. I don't want to be the one the church uses as some sort of test case. If Amy does it well, maybe we will let other women preach. They would never think of saying if Juergen does not do a good job, all men will be kept from preaching! No...I just can not do this. I feel like they must give this honor to women in general, or I am just going to stay home and take care of the kids!!!

Comments

arnonym said…
Yep, that is a much better decision (and text) then the one before (read it through my feed-reader...).

In our church there was a big discussion about that topic too. It isn't solved until now, because another part was that "newcomers" should get coaching and would not be allowed to preach without. Imagine the situation where my wife (who went to a bible-college for two years) would have to face the "women-preaching"-issue and be forced to get "coaching" by someone who never had any education in that field...

If they don't want women to preach, then they sure seem to have enough men available for preaching. If there are not enough men available they should either stop the service or allow women to preach the same as men.
3:43 PM
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