Baptist Megachurch Prepares for Female Senior Pastor

The Christian Post ^ | May. 30 2007 | Audrey Barrick

[irishtenor]

***”Our committee and the deacon council really felt the leadership of the Holy Spirit as we navigated this decision-making process. ***

How can they make that claim when it is contrary to scripture?

[jkl1122]

***”Our committee and the deacon council really felt the leadership of the Holy Spirit as we navigated this decision-making process. *** How can they make that claim when it is contrary to scripture?

The same way that many groups claim the guidance of the Holy Spirit when they are heading down a path away from Scripture.

[mngran]

“As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.” — I Corinthians 14:32-35

Aren’t Baptists supposed to believe the Bible is the inerrant word of God? Yet another congregation bowing to the ways of the world.

[shekkian]

What’s with the two last names? Kinda makes me think Rodham Clinton.

[T.Smith]

Two thousand seven hundred congregants is a mega-church? I didn’t know that.

[VOA]

A Baptist megachurch in Decatur, Ga., is preparing to take the
rare step of calling a female pastor to lead its congregation.

Say goodbye to the commitment (and membership) of straight males
to that church!

But I'm sure the metrosexual and gay males will take up the slack
(/s).

[VOA]

What’s with the two last names? Kinda makes me think Rodham Clinton.

That's to confuse the audience. This way they've "made a statement" thus
giving feminist radicals the self-righteous-feeling that they've
not really followed the "patriarichal" method of taking their husband's name.

Even if they've not "gone all the way" of their feminist fellow-travelers.
They are jealous of their sisters that go all the way and keep
their maiden names after marriage (like the ones I know in academia).

[Between the Lines]

What’s with the two last names?

At first I thought it was a feminist thing, but she dropped her maiden name to take on her husband's hyphenated name.

[bremenboy]

Our committee and the deacon council really felt the leadership of the Holy Spirit

Translation

Our committee and the deacon council really felt she would bring in more money.

if the Holy Spirit was leading them then no women preachers. for being lead by the Spirit is to follow the Scriptures

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

[Larry Lucido]

2,696 members

That's a megachurch? So I guess now everybody is a "megachurch."

[mongrel]

Most definitions of megachurch include churches with more than 2,000 attending. It sounds like it qualifies.

BTW, I believe in the inerrancy of scripture and because of that I am supportive of women who have been called into the pastorate. Flame away.

[Between the Lines]

How can they make that claim when it is contrary to scripture?

Here is what the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship say on the subject

The New Testament gives two signals about the role of women. A literal interpretation of Paul can build a case for making women submissive to men in the Church. But another body of scripture points toward another place for women. In Gal. 3:27-28 Paul wrote, “As many of you as are baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus (NSRV).”

We take Galatians as a clue to the way the Church should be ordered. We interpret the reference to women the same way we interpret the reference to slaves. If we have submissive roles for women, we must also have a place for the slaves in the Church.

In Galatians Paul follows the spirit of Jesus who courageously challenged the conventional wisdom of his day. It was a wisdom with rigid boundaries between men and women in religion and in public life. Jesus deliberately broke those barriers. He called women to follow him; he treated women as equally capable of dealing with sacred issues. Our model for the role of women in matters of faith is the Lord Jesus.

[Talking_Mouse]

Say goodbye to the commitment (and membership) of straight males to that church!

One of the true mega-churches (19,000) Jericho, City of Praise in Washington has a female senior pastor, Betty Peebles. While I disagree with that church on several doctrinal issues, their consistent preaching on homosexuality is biblical.

[Between the Lines]

Usually a mega-church is defined as having more than 2,000 worshipers for a typical weekly service. While this church has 2,696 members, I would have to wonder how many attend services weekly.

[jkl1122]

IMHO, this is twisting the meaning of Scripture to match a pre-existing belief about how things should be.

[Between the Lines]

IMHO, this is twisting the meaning of Scripture to match a pre-existing belief about how things should be.

Twisted or guided by the Spirit? It is a hard call. So much easier to just do what the Bible says. : )

[jkl1122]

So much easier to just do what the Bible says.

I totally agree. And this applies to all aspects of the Christian life, from obeying the Gospel to living a faithful life.

[Tax-chick]

Two thousand seven hundred congregants is a mega-church?

My Catholic parish has 1,200 households on the rolls, and we're considered "smallish" for the metropolitan area. The "mega-church" has 7,200 households.

Regarding this church's having a lady pastor, well, I have to admit the hyphenated name seems kind of not-Southern-Baptist. On the other hand, my mother's Presbyterian church has a lady as assistant pastor, and Mom thinks she does a good job.

[Hegewisch Dupa]