Psalm 116: 1-2, 12-19; Matthew 9: 35-10:14
There are some Sundays that I just really like to step in it and see how much trouble I can get into. So, let’s go full force today. This week, the Southern Baptist Convention held their annual conference. One of the most prominent and important topics was making sure there was a sufficient ban on female preachers. It is already in their doctrine and policy that this is excluded, and they in fact remove churches that place women in roles of pastoral authority. However, this new prohibition would go in their constitution. It also goes a step further in banning women from both the office and functions of pastoral roles.
The implications are that women will likely be banned from holding any positions of power, authority, or decision-making capacity, nor will they be able to speak to assemblies outside of children. The quiet effect is that people like Beth Moore and Joyce Meyer can no longer speak in Southern Baptist congregations, except in limited circumstances. Now juxtapose that with the words of their newly elected president, who said he is glad they are moving away from these social justice experiments gone wrong. The social justice experiment referenced had nothing to do with women. It was three years ago when they discovered rampant child sexual abuse in churches, and the leadership made much more stringent rules punishing clergy and laity for this misconduct. Perhaps the new president was still unhappy over the fact that he was not elected in 2023 because one of his own deacons was accused of child abuse.
The problem with this theology about women is that it does not advance the Gospel message, nor is it’s not exactly Biblical. Numerically the SBC is suffering. In the last 5-10 years, they have lost over 4 million members. Jesus says in our Gospel lesson, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few.” Constricting who is authorized to preach and teach the good news shortens the reach in who hears that good news. In an era where only 30% of Americans attend church regularly, one would think it is imperative to have as many people preaching the good news as possible.
Jesus also called and sent the disciples with a purpose. We hear of the call Jesus gave to the original twelve disciples: announce and preach the Kingdom of Heaven, heal those in need, cast out evil, and offer generosity. That, in a nutshell, is what Jesus did in his ministry. He told the good news of redeeming love. He healed the sick and afflicted, raise the dead, cast out evil, and was generous to all who came to him. His love and generosity led him to a cross, and in turn, the disciples were led out into the world to do these same things.
So, does the Bible support that only men can do this? Not exactly. Of course, this work is more male heavy in Jesus and Paul’s day. It was a patriarchal society, and men were more expected to do the harsh travels and present in the Temple. There were extra safety risks to women. But it is also true that the church relied heavily on women, especially Paul, contrary to popular belief.
Here are a few examples. Lois and Eunice raised Timothy and taught him in the faith. Priscilla and Aquilla are mentioned in Acts as leaders and missionaries closely working with Paul. Priscilla is a woman, and in almost every instance her name comes first in the lead position. In Romans, Paul references Phoebe as a deacon and leader of the church in Cenchrea. Paul also references Junia as the leader of the home church in Rome. Euodia and Syntyche, both women, were church leaders referenced in Philippians. Nympha was a woman who helped lead the church in Colossae. Chloe led a branch of the church in Corinth in her home. Apphia is referenced as a church leader in Philemon.
While I’m at it, it was the women, after Jesus’s death and burial, who came to the tomb to take care of the body. The men were cowering in the upstairs apartment with the doors and windows shut. They didn’t even accompany the women to the tomb to make sure they were safe. It was Mary who first saw the risen Jesus and went back to tell others. The early church heavily relied on women to organize and keep the churches going. And just as each of those women were called by God to serve, and called apostles and deacons by Paul, so today is the Gospel not a message for one race, one ethnicity, one gender, or one specific sect of people. God is not willing that any should perish, and to accomplish that, God wants everyone to share the good news of grace and love with everyone.
Teaching and sharing the Gospel is imperative in our society. As our faith, our churches, and our understanding of our faith is declining, we need everyone who feels called and led by God to go out and share the good news. Sharing the Gospel vitally important. Who preaches it is not, so long as they speak truth. Imagine in our church if we said Pam, Doris, Christie, and our other incredible teachers could no longer teach. Imagine if Laura, Joy, and Doris were told they could no longer be elders. Imagine if Carla, Barbara, Angela, and Amanda could no longer be deacons. Imagine if the women here could not share the good news of what God has done in their lives or speak from the pulpit about Disciples Women. If not for women, I don’t think any church would have survived. From the first century, it was their homes, their influence, their skills that nurtured and grew the church.
I have been particularly blessed by the women ministers in my life. Beginning with Wendy Miles, to Denise Bell, Joan Bell-Haynes, my friend Katie Griffis, whose sermon podcast I listen to on my way down here every Sunday morning. That’s just a sampling of the many women of faith who profoundly encourage my faith, and our faith. I have heard God speak to me in each one of them. We are all still sent by Jesus to preach the good news, and to teach the world how to have a good relationship with God and one another.
We must keep our minds and spirits focused on the main thing, Jesus, and the message of life-saving grace for the world. Churches need good governance—committees, officers, a bit of decorum and order are all necessary for such an institution to function. We cannot, however, as people of the living God and followers of the risen Savior, let ourselves become obsessed with religious rules. I saw a joke the other day that a bar opened next door to a church. Every week, the church prayed against the bar’s business. One day lighting hit and burned the bar down, and the owner sued the church saying the prayers caused it. The church denied any and all role or liability. The perplexed judge said, “This is a tough case because I have a bar owner who believes in the power of prayer and an entire church that denies it.”
When we got caught up in rules, particulars, do’s and do not’s, the legalism of faith, we forget the heart of what we believe: that we are called to teach and preach a right relationship with the God who created and loves all of humanity. We are called to go and make disciples in the faith, and to live as Jesus in this world—with love, welcome, and helping in whatever ways we can to ease the suffering in this world.
I cannot presume to know who God calls to be a pastor or why. If I were to be honest with you, if I were in charge, I would have never called myself. It was the last thing I ever expected in life. I’d planned to be a fancy and rich lawyer. But this September will be 15 years serving this church, and in retrospect, God was far, far wiser than I ever could have been. I am honored every day to serve in this role.
For many who are pastors, the men and the women, the words of the Psalm resonate like a prayer of hope. “I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because [God] bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!” And most importantly, “I will fulfil my vows to the Lord, in the presence of all [God’s] people—in the house of the Lord.” May this be a prayer and a promise from every pastor called to share a faith which has both saved us and inspired us.
Worship Service Video https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/1595377548817639/