I have an email friend who has asked me how I handle the "sometimes teaching men" issue, since men read our teachings or listen to us either preach, teach, exhort, etc. It is a non-issue to me (Gal. 3:28 & Acts 2:18), but to many it causes great pain. I know you are busy right now, so no hurry, but if you sometime have a quick idea from the Lord as to what to tell her, let me know. I've given her many examples and verses, as well as arguments about culture, etc... and besides, she knows them too... but just doesn't have it cemented in her mind, and those swaying her to the belief of "women are to be silent" (1 Cor. 14:34,35 & 1 Tim. 2:11-15) is shutting her down.
My response:
Rachel, this is very easily answered by showing that Jesus first appeared to a WOMAN after the resurrection. If He only wanted men to tell others about Him, He would have never appeared first to women in a misogynistic culture. Furthermore, how about the example of Deborah? To say that women can never teach men is not only sexist but ludicrous. It goes against God's love for women and insults the intelligence God gave women. The only thing we can't do according to the Bible is pastor a church. Who would want to do that anyway? :-) Tell the people who are telling you that women cannot ever teach a man anything to move to the Middle East, because they would probably be more comfortable in an Islamic culture where the women are not allowed to speak or even show their faces. If a woman is "allowed" to write a book and have that book sold in a church bookstore, she is "teaching" men if they read her book. If a church allows a woman to sing a solo about Jesus, she is "teaching" men as God is at work to remind them of His love. People in certain denominations want to define what it means to "teach." The truth is we are all commanded to "do the work of an evangelist," and, you are right, Galatians 3:28 explains that we are equal in God's site. In a marriage, there is a structure for the home, like Jesus and His "bride", the church; but any loving man would know that he is in no way superior to the woman. If anything, he should put her up on a pedestal as being superior to him, as he cherishes his wife. Watch the movie, "The Blind Side." Now, that is my kind of marriage. :-) The point is, there is FREEDOM.
Rachel, this is very easily answered by showing that Jesus first appeared to a WOMAN after the resurrection. If He only wanted men to tell others about Him, He would have never appeared first to women in a misogynistic culture. Furthermore, how about the example of Deborah? To say that women can never teach men is not only sexist but ludicrous. It goes against God's love for women and insults the intelligence God gave women. The only thing we can't do according to the Bible is pastor a church. Who would want to do that anyway? :-) Tell the people who are telling you that women cannot ever teach a man anything to move to the Middle East, because they would probably be more comfortable in an Islamic culture where the women are not allowed to speak or even show their faces. If a woman is "allowed" to write a book and have that book sold in a church bookstore, she is "teaching" men if they read her book. If a church allows a woman to sing a solo about Jesus, she is "teaching" men as God is at work to remind them of His love. People in certain denominations want to define what it means to "teach." The truth is we are all commanded to "do the work of an evangelist," and, you are right, Galatians 3:28 explains that we are equal in God's site. In a marriage, there is a structure for the home, like Jesus and His "bride", the church; but any loving man would know that he is in no way superior to the woman. If anything, he should put her up on a pedestal as being superior to him, as he cherishes his wife. Watch the movie, "The Blind Side." Now, that is my kind of marriage. :-) The point is, there is FREEDOM.
