Women pastors and elders are now being ordained throughout most Christian denominations. However, some still maintain that men and women have been assigned different roles in the Church, with men being designated by God for leadership; although the majority insists that this "male leadership" exclusivity does not apply to the New Testament Church.

Numerous scriptural references have been presented to attempt to prove God's choice of men for leadership; simultaneously, arguments have been offered in an effort to rebut these scriptures. By and large, these arguments have been accepted and endorsed by the vast majority of the Church, thus resulting in the ordination of women in churches across America.

It is my assertion that we need to revisit this issue and reexamine the biblical evidence, because, as with so many other doctrines, the Church has adopted its official position on this issue based on weak biblical arguments and the opinions of men. In fact, the weight of biblical evidence strongly contradicts the Church's stance.

In 1st Timothy 2:11-15 and 1st Corinthians 14:34-38, the Bible states that women are not to teach or to have authority over men, that they are to be submissive, and that they are not to speak in church (That is, in a "teaching, instructive capacity", based upon the context of the verses that precede Paul's counsel in 1st Corinthians 14). And, in 1st Corinthians 14:37, Paul states that his instructions regarding women are the commandments of the Lord! Furthermore, Scripture declares that man is the head of woman even as Christ is the head of man; moreover, it states that wives are to submit and be subject to their husbands "in everything" as the Church is to Christ (1st Corinthians 11:3-10; Ephesians 5:22-24).

Many proponents of the ordination of women say that Paul's instructions regarding this subject were motivated by the customs of those times, rather than by biblical principles. This argument, however, blatantly contradicts the Bible. In Paul's letter to Timothy, he gave his own reasons why women were not to teach or have authority over men; it had nothing to do with the customs in that culture. Paul cited biblical reasons. He said that it was because Adam was created before Eve; moreover, that the woman was the one who was first deceived and fell into transgression (1st Timothy 2:11-15). These are clear biblical reasons, and not customs or cultural reasons!

There are others in the Church who argue that this is the twenty-first century and times have changed. However, we should not point to this day and age as a time of spiritual enlightenment and growth, but rather of spiritual and moral decline and decay! Our churches in America are spiritually dead and steeped in sin. They are ordaining "practicing homosexuals" and performing gay civil unions. Church surveys done by the "Barna Group" reveal that sinful behaviors in the American Church rival those among non-Christians. The Church divorce rate equals that in our secular society. Our nation has murdered more than forty-five million babies. These are not the days of progress, but of compromise and rebellion.

It would be appropriate for the Church to ask itself why this change, regarding the role of women in the church, did not occur until this time of general spiritual decline in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Why did it take place in the sinful Church of our day, and not in the anointed, first-century Church or the powerful, reformation Church?

If it was God's will for the New Testament Church to have leadership roles filled by both men and women, why did Jesus only choose men as His apostles? Why didn't the disciples even consider a woman when they chose a replacement for Judas in Acts, chapter one? Also, why was it only men who were ordained as "deacons" in the sixth chapter of Acts? And, why is there not one single reference to a woman apostle or elder in the entire New Testament? Moreover, when Paul listed the qualifications for being an elder, why did he just assume it would be a man, by saying he must be the "husband" of one wife? The answer is obvious. There is no biblical precedent or authorization for the ordination of women.

For a complete account of the arguments used to justify the ordination of women, and a detailed listing of the scriptures that refute these arguments, read "Women Pastors and Elders". And, also be sure to scan other interesting and provocative articles at http://www.godormen.com.