Yes, I believe women should be ordained as pastors. Here's why

 

When the Southern Baptists debated the ordination of women last week, I thought it would be a no-brainer. I figured that for sure these brothers in sisters in Christ would vote to for their ordination. I guess I’m naïve. Last week the Southern Baptist Convention voted by a nine to one margin to expel Saddleback church and Fern Creek Baptist church from their fellowship for ordaining women to be pastors. 

The PC(USA), the denomination where I am ordained, first ordained a woman to be a pastor in 1956. Margaret Towner was her name and her picture is at the top of this blog. We first ordained women to serve on the Session in the 1930’s. My sister serves as a pastor, and I have many female friends who serve as pastors. 

I have to admit that it’s hard for me to wrap my head around the reality that ordaining women to be a pastor is still an issue. 

The Southern Baptists are not the only denomination who have made this move. My Catholic friends do not ordain women to be priests; and neither do my friends who serve as Missouri Synod Lutherans, Latter Day Saints, Orthodox Jews, and Muslims. Many non-denominational churches don’t allow women to preach. 

To me ordaining women is important for these reasons. 

First—I see congregations as representing Jesus to the world. When we discriminate based on gender, we are misrepresenting Jesus. Jesus didn’t treat people differently based on their gender. And sure I can practically read some minds when people push back by saying that Jesus called men to be his disciples. But Jesus didn’t call men to be his disciples to illustrate that only men can be ordained. It’s important to note that ordination was not even a concept when Jesus was alive. People didn’t have a “Rev” in front of their names when Jesus was alive. 

What we do know about Jesus is he went out of his way to honor women. Remember the story of the woman at the well in John 4. Jesus was willing to talk to a Samaritan woman. The disciples were shocked that Jesus did this. After leaving Jesus she went to her own village and testified what Jesus had done for her. Many in her village believed in Jesus because of her testimony. It sure sounds like she was a woman preacher. 

I believe that if Jesus was alive today he would lay hands on a woman as she was ordained to be a pastor. 

Second—the way we interpret the Bible is very important. I’ve read the Scriptures that people against women’s ordination have shared. It’s hard for me to believe that these Scriptures were meant to be universal statements that would be authoritative two thousand years later on the issue of the ordination of women. They were statements that Paul made in a particular time and place. To pull these out as the teaching of God seems overly forced. 

Third—I also read where Paul believed that people should use their gifts—look at 1 Corinthians 12. Paul acknowledged that there are a variety of gifts that have been distributed to people. People are called to use these gifts in service. 

Fourth—the first preacher of the resurrection was a woman. When Mary Magdalene went to the tomb two days after Jesus was murdered, she encountered an angel. The angel told her to go and tell the male disciples that Jesus was raised from the dead. Mary Magdalene followed the instruction of the angel. She shared with the male disciples that Jesus was raised from the dead. What would have happened if Mary Magdalene had followed Paul’s teaching that women are to be silent? It’s possible that no one would know that Jesus was raised. 

Five—I have great sorrow for women in the Southern Baptist convention who have gave their lives to ministry and now have been told that they cannot serve. It’s hard for me to imagine a governing body denying someone the opportunity to use their gifts because of gender.

 Six—at Chain of Lakes Church we are not a subscriptionist place—this means that you certainly can be against the ordination of women and participate in our congregation. You don’t have to subscribe to our belief that women can be ordained to be a participant in our congregation.  However we frequently have women preach from the pulpit. In fact we’ll have a women preach from our pulpit on July 2. 

Seven—I would encourage all congregations to be upfront about their willingness to ordain women. Don’t make it hard for people to learn a viewpoint of a congregation. Even if you don’t believe in the ordination of women, don’t make a person work hard to discover your views. I would like every church in the north Metro to put on their web site a statement about whether a women can be ordained in their congregation. 

As I reflect more on these decisions I vary in my own emotions from scorn to sadness to anger to bewilderment. It’s still hard for me to believe that a denomination is talking about this in 2023. 

I dream of the day when the Southern Baptists will joyfully celebrate women as preachers. I do believe that this will happen. I continue to pray that the Spirit will break down the walls that allow this discrimination to happen.