Southern Baptists and Women Pastors

Intro: Controversy Over Women PastorsThe Southern Baptist Convention has voted to expel churches with women pastors. This includes the famous Saddleback Church of Rick Warren (Purpose Driven Life). At the same time, another denomination, the Christian and Missionary Alliance, has changed their policy to allow women to be pastors.Churches that allow women as pastors are called “egalitarian,” based on the idea of equal opportunities for both genders. Those that restrict the pastoral role of men are called “complementarian,” based on the idea of men and women holding different roles that complement (or provide something essential or lacking to) each other. See: http://www.baptist2baptist.net/printfriendly.asp?ID=58 “We don't know how to say this more strongly: women and men are of equal value! However, because Scripture speaks specifically to the role of pastor, churches are under a moral imperative to be guided by that teaching, rather than the shifting opinions of human cultures.”<br/>Pastors = EldersThe Bible teaches that the offices of pastor and elder are equivalent.Acts 20:28 (addressed “to the elders of the church at Ephesus (17)) So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock - his church, purchased with his own blood - over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders.Elders are called to “feed and shepherd God’s flock”. The title “pastor” is literally “shepherd.” They are appointed as “leaders”. The word translated “leader” is the same word translated as “overseer” in other passages.1 Peter 5:1-2 And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you.Elders are assigned to “care for the flock” - IOW to act as shepherds, that is, pastorsIn our culture, not all elders are “vocational” (or paid) pastors paid as pastors. But vocational pastors are clearly a subset of a church’s elders. This is important as a precursor to the next point, which is at the heart of the controversy.Only Men Can Be EldersIn the Bible, the eldership role is limited to men.1 Timothy 3:1-2 This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be an overseer, he desires an honorable position. So an overseer must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife…”(literally in Greek: “a one-woman man”)Titus 1:6 An elder must live a blameless life. He must be faithful to his wife,...(again, in Greek: “a one-woman man”)There are a lot of other qualifications. This isn’t just about gender.1 Tim: a life above reproach; Exercise self-control; Able to teach; Gentle, not quarrelsome; Manage his family well; Not love moneyTitus: Live wisely; Be just; Live a devout disciplined life; Enjoy having guests.This list should remind complementarian churches to take other qualities seriously besides gender. 1 Tim referred to overseers; Titus to elders. There is clearly an equivalence. We’ve already seen that these words also include the people who are pastors / shepherds in the church. Putting two and two together, pastors must be male.Teaching and AuthorityAt the heart of the debate is the interpretation of I Timothy 2.1 Tim 2 (NLT) 11 Women should learn quietly and submissively. 12 I do not let women teach men or have authority over them. Let them listen quietly. 13 For God made Adam first, and afterward he made Eve.(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Complementarians have been accused of vesting too much importan