We greased the wheels the last two nights working our way to some measure of a finale.  Now it's time to put some of the last two posts in perspective.  Too long have we allowed biblical scholarship to be the domain of either the liberal or the fundamentalist.  One wants to display their intelligence through their efforts to poke holes in scripture.  The other just tosses their brain out in search of the simple or dogmatic statement of faith.  One is like the far too fancy meal that leaves you hungry when you are done.  The other is like junk food that gives you a momentary satisfaction but does nothing to make you healthy.  Being a follower of Jesus was never meant to be easy or neat.  A closer look at the gospels will tell you not everyone will pay the price for real maturity.  It is one reason the church tends to remain in its anemic state.

We will never ever reach a consensus on women in ministry.  My denomination is one that constantly fractures over this issue.  Is there really a biblical balance to this?  Be reminded that what follows is my view on the matter.  My aim is to be short and to the point.  You may question my conclusions but do not do the same to my approach to the Bible.  It is true, eternal and not always as clear as we might like.  I do believe that scripture resists the notion of a woman as senior pastor.  This does not mean other churches are evil or doing the devil's work if they so choose.  If another church employs or calls a woman then my aim to be show Christian cooperation with her and the congregation.  If every church is truly autonomous then it lies in their decision as to who they call to be the leader.  Arrogance is still unacceptable even when we disagree with the direction another person or church takes.

What about other areas of ministry?  Can a woman serve in assistant roles such as music, students and the like?  My answer again comes down to the nature of a particular local church.  There is nothing sacred or holy in a church building.  People who believe in the reality of the believer being the presence of God can still drift into wrong ideas.  We will declare that the church is not really the building yet end up with a view of the platform as something sacred.  Do we fail to miss the poor logic of such thinking?  All of this is said with the idea that women can surely perform ministry that expands past the kitchen.  We would be in dire straits if every woman suddenly stopped teaching our children or other significant ministry.  One church may not be of a mindset that allows a female to serve in various paid ministries.  Many solid or bible believing congregations do have ministry staff that is female.  Their theology is as conservative as there is yet they go in different paths when it comes to this.

Tomorrow we will pick up with how we deal with the biblical text as it relates to this.  Let me go ahead and say that proof texting is a dangerous way to answer these questions.  You may quote a verse that appears to forbid this but there are also texts that can support it.  Be very careful of anyone who just throws a single bible verse to answer a serious conundrum.  That dog won't hunt as we say in my part of Texas.  Serious people who believe scripture to be eternally true differ in their conclusions.  We better get some humility before deciding that ours is the only approach worth taking. 

Bro. Trey