All to often people assume that the man who is called to ministry is the bearer of the calling and his wife is called in accordance to his calling to be his wife and minister at his side, etc. I have in the last been challenged multiple times with multiple pieces of supporting scripture in this individual's argument that women are not to be in the position of "senior pastor", which would put her as head of the ministries in that church and thus head of the men. This initially appears to be contradictory to scripture and has caused enough ruffles in feathers to actually create animosity between God's people. This is an internal conflict which are the most dangerous to the cause of the church in general.
I was so bothered by this "cornering" as it were, that I began to pray about the subject with no certainty that the answer would come quickly. There was an unrest in my spirit about he whole matter. I thought to myself,"God has not separated us in eyes as children, so why am I supposed to separate us in ministry?". Keep in mind that this was a friendly debate strung out over the summer months with one gentleman in our breakfast church conversation time, but he's not the only one who holds the same opinion about the matter that attends our church.
The conclusion of the matter as it stood in our time of debate was that the scriptures clearly state that Christ is the head of man, man is the head of his house thus over woman, and that this was the order that God had intended since the Garden of Eden events.
I was then faced with the question, "What if God called my wife somewhere and not me?" Is this a matter of her misunderstanding her place? Am I at fault for not listening better to God? Neither of these questions is going to generate a "fair" answer that will not fall in favor of both sides without one or the other submitting. Does God really intend to generate favor unequally in our marriage? Is he trying to teach one of us a lesson of humility? This is all possible, but let me share what I feel consistent prayer over a long period of time (at least long for me) has produced.
We were driving through White Cloud, MI during fall of last year. The debate had recently rared its ugly head once again the Sunday prior to this trip, and once again my spirit was so uneasy about the conclusion drawn from the very scripture I read that I was beginning to question whether or not I was being influenced for evil rather than good. Up until this point I had been acknowledging the uneasiness but not acting upon it, just in case it was not from God.
During this first half of the trip the conversation with my wife occurred and we had began to analyze everything we could consider from the scriptures and also from our personal experience with our callings and how God has always given us identical or cohesive callings. I was at my whits end, and ready to conclude that we needed to adhere to this teaching. My heart was so uneasy about that decision. I had no peace, literally.
Suddenly it came to me like a warming adrenaline rush moving faster than my brain had time to process. It occurred to me that we both work for the same God. We both answer to him on equal levels. We both are held to the same standards and requirements. So our only real difference is gender. Therefore we are the same creation answering to the same Creator, the same master. If he should call one, what position in the order of creation do any of us hold to question the will of the Creator? So is God contradicting himself by calling women into leadership and senior pastoral ministry? Do women have it all wrong, and can they be held responsible for this misunderstanding?
"One of you will say to me: 'Then why does God still blame us? For who can resist his will?' But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? 'Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, "Why did you make me like this?" Does no the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?'"
I am no one to question the call of God on someone's life. If it is a man or woman. I cannot question my Creator, it is contrary to scripture.
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