Is it okay to go to a church with a female pastor?

[Evan Wright]

Is it okay to go to a church with a female pastor?

A while back I left my old church where I grew up because I didn't feel my relationship with God was growing. I would often show up every Sunday because I was being forced to my family and it made me hate church and God at the time. Also, I felt like I was riding on my parents faith rather than actually believing the bible and reading and studying it on my own. So I decided to take a break from church for a little and go somewhere else. The church in previous attended was a church of Christ that was very traditional. This new church I've been going to seems a little more modern. They use instruments which I don't really see an issue with even though my family does, but they also have a female pastor. She's not a lead pastor but she comes up occasionally and preaches but the lead pastor is a male. And this is where the issue comes in. Ive been doing my my own research and I often find that in books like 2 Timothy it forbids it, but I really enjoy coming here. I've felt my relationship with God growing, I've been praying more, and I have a desire to come to church now. But this has been tugging at me for the last few weeks. Please help.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

I've felt my relationship with God growing,

This is all that matters. Blessings.

 

[Merrill]

I would do a deep-dive and figure out what the doctrinal position of the church is --are they adhering to the tenants of the faith, or do they have some strange ideas or positions? If they are too modern, progressive, etc., and are introducing "innovations", it could be an issue.

I am not particularly dogmatic in regards to female pastors, but I certainly prefer men, for a variety of reasons

 

[th1bill]

According to scripture, the Senior Pastor must be a man and the only exception is if there is not a man in the assembly. Is there an Adult Male there?

 

[DragonFox91]

My family church has a female pastor. I wouldn't approve it, but the Senior Pastor (& another associate pastor) are men so I tolerate it that way & think it's reasonable b/c men are still the head. I find the teaching generally solid in the church, tho sometimes theological liberalism creeps in, so I'm unwilling to become a member.

 

[sandman]

Is it okay to go to a church with a female pastor?

A while back I left my old church where I grew up because I didn't feel my relationship with God was growing. I would often show up every Sunday because I was being forced to my family and it made me hate church and God at the time. Also, I felt like I was riding on my parents faith rather than actually believing the bible and reading and studying it on my own. So I decided to take a break from church for a little and go somewhere else. The church in previous attended was a church of Christ that was very traditional. This new church I've been going to seems a little more modern. They use instruments which I don't really see an issue with even though my family does, but they also have a female pastor. She's not a lead pastor but she comes up occasionally and preaches but the lead pastor is a male. And this is where the issue comes in. Ive been doing my my own research and I often find that in books like 2 Timothy it forbids it, but I really enjoy coming here. I've felt my relationship with God growing, I've been praying more, and I have a desire to come to church now. But this has been tugging at me for the last few weeks. Please help.

We used to live in the Catalina mts in AZ … it was a distance away from Tucson proper where our midwife lived. When the water broke it was about a half hour on the first child and more like 15 minutes on the second…. the midwife was an hour away.

It didn’t matter if I was not a doctor or a midwife when the babies were delivered…as long as I knew what I was doing (which I did)

It’s the Word of God we show our respect to…. not the credentials or sex of the person delivering it…. If she knows her material and you are blessed …Praise God!!

With that said …..the scripture in in 1 Tim 2 and 1 Corinthians 14 are not discussing all women. There were cultural differences that came into play in both those accounts…..although the message is still the same.

The women spoken of in both of those areas were wives of the men of God ….. men of God who were responsible for teaching the Word. There is much more to the cultural thing ….but the Bible is in essence saying …..Wives do not debate you Husband in the meetings ask them at home.

Those scripture do not apply to all women …but they do apply to the circumstances dictated in the scripture with wives.

 

[Evan Wright]

According to scripture, the Senior Pastor must be a man and the only exception is if there is not a man in the assembly. Is there an Adult Male there?

The lead pastor is a male yes.

 

[returnn23]

Catholic teaching states that women cannot be ordained since the Church was not given the authority to do so.

 

[Paidiske]

Books like 2 Timothy need to be read in light of the whole New Testament, and in particularly, the whole body of Paul's writings. In which it's worth noting that he commended women who led and taught churches, including a woman apostle, woman deacon, women who presided over house churches, and so on. Whatever passages seem to forbid women's ministry, they're clearly not absolute.

There's no issue with a female pastor. If you're growing and being given opportunities to contribute to the life of the church, that sounds like a pretty good place for you, for now.

 

[Benjamin Müller]

[Galatians 3:18] The Holy Spirit doesn't discriminate against women.

We see the hierarchy of siblings in the old testament as Moses, Aaron and Miriam. Miriam did her own ministering, but she was on the bottom rung of the ladder. Her ministry was likely focused towards the women and the children. I think of Joyce Meyer who preached to predominately females; she handles emotional aspects and is acting as a Christian counselor to many women. And she has a gift and has helped many women. So a woman pastor directing her preaching towards women or children seems perfectly acceptable, or a woman preaching under the supervision of a man would be perfectly acceptable.

I believe part of the issue which Paul was seeing which led to his remarks in 1 Tim 2:12 and 1 Cor 14:34 is that he was dealing with gentile women. Women in the pagan religions were often temple prostitutes; they taught various forms of ungodliness, a lot based in fertility practices as well as that women were mediators of salvation.

These Christian women, though they had come out of that, were still influenced by their culture. We see 'Great is Diana of the Ephesians' Acts 19:27-35 Paul was dealing with feministic cults and the best way to control the women and break them from this pagan culture would be to keep them silent. If a woman who had previous knowledge and experience with pagan religion were to gain control, they could very well pervert the law of God, elevating women above the man, introduce pagan practices regarding fertility rites or that women were in a special mediator-type place between God and men.

In short, I believe this was a cultural problem in the gentile countries where Paul went.

 

[Strong in Him]

Is it okay to go to a church with a female pastor?

Yes.

This new church I've been going to seems a little more modern. They use instruments which I don't really see an issue with even though my family does, but they also have a female pastor. She's not a lead pastor but she comes up occasionally and preaches but the lead pastor is a male. And this is where the issue comes in. Ive been doing my my own research and I often find that in books like 2 Timothy it forbids it,

No, it doesn't forbid it.
Though some believe that it does, and are not happy with going to a church where women have some kind of leadership role. It's one of those issues where you do what your conscience, and understanding of Scripture, tells you.
But God does call some women to be pastors.

but I really enjoy coming here. I've felt my relationship with God growing, I've been praying more, and I have a desire to come to church now.

This is a good indication that you're in the right place. God wants you to grow in faith and in knowledge of him, and you desire to go to church and learn now.

 

[kdm1984]

I'm a woman in WELS (the most theologically conservative confessional Lutheran denomination), and I wouldn't attend any churches with female pastors. 1 Timothy 2 indicates that women aren't to teach or exercise authority over men within the specific church setting. It wasn't just a cultural issue either as Paul cites the order of creation as the basis, and the order of creation isn't something that changes with time.

What's interesting is oftentimes I see men who are fed up with churches having gender disparities, or having too much emotional worship, or not enough theological discussion, or fretting over feminism in society today. Most times these men are attending non-denominational churches. Churches that are more historical, like WELS, tend not to have these kinds of gender disparities. Yet our women aren't usually the fluffy emotional relationship sorts; we're systematic with our doctrine, yet we realize the Bible in 1 Timothy 2 commands men to lead in the church sphere due to the order of creation.

 

[Strong in Him]

According to scripture, the Senior Pastor must be a man and the only exception is if there is not a man in the assembly. Is there an Adult Male there?

Where does Scripture say that the senior pastor must be a man, unless there is no man in the assembly?
Where does it even mention senior pastors?

 

[Strong in Him]

1 Timothy 2 indicates that women aren't to teach or exercise authority over men within the specific church setting.

He doesn't actually say that. He said that he did not permit A woman to teach or to usurp authority.
Paul knew that Priscilla taught Apollos, and he said that the Spirit gave gifts of teaching to some - he did not say "this excludes women". There were female prophets in both the Old and New Testaments. And what does "usurp authority over a man" mean anyway?

It wasn't just a cultural issue either as Paul cites the order of creation as the basis,

Sure he says that men were created before women - but dogs were created before men. So?

Paul was a Jew - he was well aware that God had called Deborah to be judge over the whole nation and, through her, delivered Israel from their enemies. If women not being in leadership was connected with the order of creation, why did God appoint Deborah to do this and "be in authority" over men?

we're systematic with our doctrine, yet we realize the Bible in 1 Timothy 2 commands men to lead in the church sphere due to the order of creation.

But it doesn't - and there are plenty of male clergy and theologians who would agree.
In fact, they do agree, and they train women who are called by God to be Ministers.

 

[returnn23]

Books like 2 Timothy need to be read in light of the whole New Testament, and in particularly, the whole body of Paul's writings. In which it's worth noting that he commended women who led and taught churches, including a woman apostle, woman deacon, women who presided over house churches, and so on. Whatever passages seem to forbid women's ministry, they're clearly not absolute.

There's no issue with a female pastor. If you're growing and being given opportunities to contribute to the life of the church, that sounds like a pretty good place for you, for now.

I strongly disagree. In the Catholic Church, women are barred from Holy Orders, and Deacon. This non-debate has been going on for years. Women who are ordained violate this prohibition and are excommunicated.

 

[returnn23]

[Galatians 3:18] The Holy Spirit doesn't discriminate against women.

We see the hierarchy of siblings in the old testament as Moses, Aaron and Miriam. Miriam did her own ministering, but she was on the bottom rung of the ladder. Her ministry was likely focused towards the women and the children. I think of Joyce Meyer who preached to predominately females; she handles emotional aspects and is acting as a Christian counselor to many women. And she has a gift and has helped many women. So a woman pastor directing her preaching towards women or children seems perfectly acceptable, or a woman preaching under the supervision of a man would be perfectly acceptable.

I believe part of the issue which Paul was seeing which led to his remarks in 1 Tim 2:12 and 1 Cor 14:34 is that he was dealing with gentile women. Women in the pagan religions were often temple prostitutes; they taught various forms of ungodliness, a lot based in fertility practices as well as that women were mediators of salvation.

These Christian women, though they had come out of that, were still influenced by their culture. We see 'Great is Diana of the Ephesians' Acts 19:27-35 Paul was dealing with feministic cults and the best way to control the women and break them from this pagan culture would be to keep them silent. If a woman who had previous knowledge and experience with pagan religion were to gain control, they could very well pervert the law of God, elevating women above the man, introduce pagan practices regarding fertility rites or that women were in a special mediator-type place between God and men.

In short, I believe this was a cultural problem in the gentile countries where Paul went.

Jesus did not follow any cultural customs in this regard. He chose only men.

 

[Strong in Him]

I strongly disagree. In the Catholic Church, women are barred from Holy Orders, and Deacon. This non-debate has been going on for years. Women who are ordained violate this prohibition and are excommunicated.

In the Catholic church, maybe - but not in all denominations.
In the NT, Phoebe was a deacon.

 

[.Mikha'el.]

Define "okay". What exactly are you asking?

 

[Strong in Him]

Jesus did not follow any cultural customs in this regard. He chose only men.

He also chose only Jews.
So?

 

[returnn23]

In the Catholic church, maybe - but not in all denominations.
In the NT, Phoebe was a deacon.

Please read the following:

“In the apostolic era different forms of diaconal assistance offered to the Apostles and communities by women seem to have been institutional. Thus Paul recommends to the community at Rome ‘our sister Phoebe, servant [he diakonos] of the Church at Cenchreae’ (cf. Romans 16:1-4). Although the masculine form of diakonos is used here, it cannot therefore be concluded that the word is being used to designate the specific function of a ‘deacon’; firstly because in this context diakonos still signifies servant in a very general sense, and secondly because the word ‘servant’ is not given a feminine suffix but preceded by a feminine article. What seems clear is that Phoebe exercised a recognized service in the community of Cenchreae, subordinate to the ministry of the Apostle. Elsewhere in Paul’s writings the authorities of the world are themselves called diakonos (Romans 13:4), and in Second Corinthians 11:14-15 he refers to diakonoi of the devil."

Source: History of Deaconesses | EWTN