Columnist Examines Life of a Female Presbyterian Pastor in Tennessee

Ask Rev. Fran Vickers, pastor of Poplar Grove Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Halls, Tenn.

When she got to town, she went to register to vote. The clerk asked her a few questions. Then she asked for her occupation.

"Is your husband coming in later or do you want to carry this to him to sign?" the clerk asked Vickers.

One time, Vickers went to the local senior center to lead a devotional. A woman who worked there greeted her.

Another time, a florist brought flowers by Vickers's house. Later, a church member called the florist to make sure the delivery had been made.

This pastor has a house of her own, a master's degree from Memphis Theological Seminary, three children and six grandchildren, but no wife.

Vickers, 63, was ordained five years ago by the Memphis-based Cumberland Presbyterian Church. In 1889, it became the first Presbyterian denomination to ordain women.

Last month, Vickers became the first woman to preach the main service at the denomination's annual General Assembly. She talked about her humbling experiences as a pastor in rural West Tennessee.

"There are some very fine people there and the church people at Poplar Grove where I pastor are the best. They accept me as their pastor," Vickers told the General Assembly in Knoxville.

"But the culture and the town are steeped in a theology that says not only it is wrong for women to preach, but some feel it is even evil."

"I had to remind myself every morning when I got up and started my day who I was in Christ and that I had been called by God, in Christ Jesus, through the Holy Spirit to be here and to be involved in ministry," Vickers told the assembly.

A few years ago, Vickers began a Bible study for 40 or so members of the congregation. They met two nights a month for prayer, study and conversation.

Instead, they talked about how God was working in their lives and in their church.

"We no longer talked about 'if only we had more people.' Instead, we were talking about what was possible for us in ministry with what we had," Vickers said.

"No longer was it about us and what we needed to make it better for us, but it was about making life better for someone who was in need.

"We let go of believing we have all the answers and that we are right about what we believe, and we listen for what God is speaking to the community."

Should Women Be Pastors and Elders?

In a social climate of complete equality in all things, the biblical teaching of only allowing men to be
pastors and elders is not popular. Many feminist organizations denounce this position as antiquated and
chauvinistic. In addition, many Christian churches have adopted the social standard and allowed women
pastors and elders in the church. But the question remains, is this biblical?
My answer to this question is, "No, women are not to be pastors and elders." Many may not like that
answer, but it is, I believe, an accurate representation of the biblical standard. You make the decision after
reading this paper.

First of all, I believe that women are, for the most part, under-appreciated and under-utilized in the
church. I also believe that there are many gifted women who might very well do a better job at preaching
and teaching than many men. However, it isn't gifting that is the issue, but God's order and calling. What
does the Bible say? We cannot come to God's word with a social agenda and make it fit our wants. Rather,
we must change and adapt to what it says.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, the garden of Eden, and Adam and Eve. He
put Adam in the garden and gave him the authority to name all the animals. Afterwards, God made Eve as
a helper to Adam.(1) This is an important concept because Paul refers to the order of creation in his epistle
to Timothy when he discusses the relationship between men and women in the church. Let's take a look.
"But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but remain quiet. For it was
Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being
quite deceived, fell into transgression" (1 Tim. 2:12-14 -- all quotes from the Bible are from the NASB).
This passage has several interesting areas of discussion, but for our purpose we will focus on authority. At
the very least, there is an authority structure set up by God. The woman is not to have authority over the
man in the church context. But this does not extend to the political/economic world. In the Old Testament
Deborah was a judge in Israel over men. Also, in the New Testament, Phoebe played an important role in
the church at Cenchrea (Romans 16). There is no doubt that women supported Paul in many areas and
were great helpers in the church (Act 2:17; 18:24; 21:8). But what Paul is speaking of in 1 Tim. 2 is the
relationship between men and women in the church, not in a social or political context.
When we look further at Paul's teachings we see that the bishop/overseer is to be the husband of one
wife (1 Tim. 3:2) who manages his household well and has a good reputation (1 Tim. 3:4-5, 7). Deacons
must be "men of dignity"(1 Tim. 3:8). Paul then speaks of women in verse 11 and their obligation to
receive instruction. Then in verse 12, Paul says "Let deacons be husbands of one wife..." Again, in Titus
1:5-7, Paul says, "For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might set in order what remains, and
appoint elders in every city as I directed you, namely, if any man be above reproach, the husband of one
wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. For the overseer must be above
reproach as God's steward..." Notice that Paul interchanges the word 'elder' and 'overseer'.
In each case, the one who is an elder, deacon, bishop, or overseer is instructed to be male. He is the
husband of one wife, responsible, able to "exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict"
(Titus 1:9). We see no command for the overseers to be women. On the contrary, women are told to be
"dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things" (1 Tim. 3:11). Why is it that it is the
men who are singled out as the overseers? It is because of the created order of God (Gen. 1-2; 1 Tim.
2:12-14). This is not merely a social custom that fell away with ancient Israel.
Additionally, in the Old Testament in over 700 mentions of priests, every single one was a male. There
is not one instance of a female priest. This is significant because priests were ordained by God to hold a
very important office of ministering the sacrifices. This was not the job of women.
Therefore, from what I see in Genesis 1-2, 1 Timothy 2, and Titus 1, the normal and proper person to
hold the office of elder/pastor is to be a man.

What About Galatians 3:28?

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female;
for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:28).
This verse is often used to support the idea that women can hold the offices of elder and pastor
because there is neither male nor female in Christ. The argument states that if we are all equal, then
women can be pastors.
Unfortunately, those who use this verse this way have failed to read the context. Verse 23 talks about
being under the Law "before faith came" and how we are brought closer to Jesus and have become sons
of God by faith. We are no longer under law, but grace and we are "Abraham's offspring, heirs according
to the promise" (v. 29).(2) The point of this passage is that we are all saved by God's grace according to
the promise of God and that it doesn't matter who you are, Jew, Greek, slave, free, male, or female. All
are saved the same way, by grace. In that, there is neither male nor female.
This verse is not talking about church structure. It is talking about salvation "in Christ." It cannot be
used to support women as pastors because that isn't what it is talking about. Instead, to find out about
church structure and leadership, you need to go to those passages that talk about it: 1 Timothy 2 and Titus
1.

Being a Pastor or Elder is to be in Authority

God is a God of order and balance. He has established order within the family (Gen. 3:16; 1 Cor. 11:3;
Eph. 5:22-33; Col. 3:18-21 ) and the church (1 Tim. 2:11-14; 1 Cor. 11:8-9). Even within the Trinity there
is an order, a hierarchy. The Father sent the Son (John 6:38) and both the Father and the Son sent the
Holy Spirit (John 14:26; 15:26). Jesus said, "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will,
but the will of Him who sent Me" (John 6:38). It is clear that God is a God of order and structure.
In creation, God made Adam first and then Eve to be his helper. This is the order of creation. It is this
order that Paul mentions in 1 Tim. 2:11-14 when speaking of authority. Being a pastor or an elder is to be
in the place of authority. Therefore, within the church, for a woman to be a pastor or elder, she would be in
authority of men in the church which contradicts what Paul says in 1 Tim. 2:11-14.

But Doesn't This Teaching Belittle Women?

No, male leadership does not belittle women. Jesus was given his authority by God the Father (Matt.
28:18). He was sent by God (John 6:38). He said the Father was greater than He (John 14:28). Did this
belittle Jesus? Of course not. Women are of great value in the church and need to be used more and more
according to the gifts given them.
Does the wife's submission to the husband mean that she is less than the husband, less important, or
belittled? Again, not at all. Not having a place of leadership in the church does not mean a woman is less of
a person, less important to God, or inferior. All are equal before God whether it be Jew, Gentile, free,
slave, male, or female. But in the church, God has set up an order the same way he set one up in the
family. The chain of command is Jesus, the man, the wife, and the children.

What About Women Who Say They are Called By God to Be Pastors?

There are women pastors in the world who love their congregations and have stated that they are
called by God to be pastors. Of course, I cannot agree with this considering the previous analysis of the
biblical position. Instead, I believe they have usurped the position of men and gone against the norm of
scriptural revelation. Additionally, those who state that they are called by God because of the great job
they are doing and the gifting they have received are basing their theology upon experience and not
scripture.
The issue is simple: are they submitting to the word of God or are they making the word of God submit
to their desires?

What About a Missionary Woman Who Establishes a Church?

Scripture establishes the norm. As Christians we apply what we learn from the word, to the situations
at hand. So, what about the situation where a woman missionary has converted a group of people, say in
the jungle somewhere, and she has established a church? In that church, she is then functioning as a
pastor and teacher having authority over men in the church. Should she not do this?
First of all, she should not be out there alone. She should be with her husband or, at the very least,
under the oversight of a church body in the presence of other women and men. Missionary work is not a
lone endeavor to be handled by single women.
Second, if in some highly unusual set of circumstances there is a woman in a lone situation, it is far
more important that the word of God be preached and the gospel of salvation go forth to the lost than not.
Whether it be male or female, let the gospel be spoken. However, I would say that as soon as there is/are
males mature enough to handle eldership, that she should then establish the proper order of the church as
revealed in scripture and thereby, show her submission to it.

_______________________

1. An important note here is that the Holy Spirit is also called the Helper and is no less God than Jesus and
the Father.

2. The Promise is God's promise to Abraham to bless all the nations in Him (Gen. 12:3; Gal. 3:8).

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