The Extra Cost of a female in Church leadership

[Stan]

AN Example.. a Female Treasurer in a Conference..

All too often a President and a Treasurer spend hours behind closed doors, as well as traveling to deal with certain situations that arrive..

This means, that they need to have another person come with them, and be with them behind closed doors.

I support females in leadership, as Jesus did. When this is view as a cost of having a Pastor in the 'field' some saints get hostile..

Thoughts?

[darlene]

I am not in administration but am in leadership. I do know that if I need to travel I make sure there is another female or male along. I've also noticed that I tend to be 'left out' at times because of my gender. By being 'left out' I mean that they will not take me with them unless there is another male or female with us.

So, yes, I guess things do cost more to have one female in leadership with men. Now if there was more than one female then it is not as great a problem.

[olger]

Unless there are extra foundation layers on the New Jerusalem, I think Christ only chose 12 disciples...

As to the question, yes it adds more dimensions to life - can complicate things. Anthropologists for instance claim that men & women working together after WW II led to an exponential rise in adultery. There are other components of family breakdown, but this was (and is) a sizeable contributor.

[Bravus]

Quote:

All too often a President and a Treasurer spend hours behind closed doors, as well as traveling to deal with certain situations that arrive..

This means, that they need to have another person come with them, and be with them behind closed doors.

Very easily solved: have a female president too!

[Dr. Shane]

Quote:

Very easily solved: have a female president too!

Great minds think alike. That was my first thought as I read Stan's post too.

[Dr. Shane]

Quote:

men & women working together after WW II led to an exponential rise in adultery.

I have little doubt this is true but that is not to say that just because one thing is bad (adultery) the other is too (women working). Women do add something to the work place that men do not. I do think that society needs to allow more professional positions for women to work part-time. I think a woman should only work full-time if it is a financial necessity for her to do so. Women that don't have to work can be so much more involved with their children, grandchildren, community and church that it is a shame any have to work full-time. That said, I would hate to see no women in the work place.

[Amelia]

One thing that came along with women in the workplace was the dress code.

As to men working with women? In my workplace the president always has his door open when conversing with any gender. When it is a disiplinary matter there is always a third person. Not only so that a single female isnt alone with a male and vis versa but also so that later the person can't say something was done when it wasn't.

[Brutha Bouregard]

AN Example.. a Female Treasurer in a Conference..

All too often a President and a Treasurer spend hours behind closed doors, as well as traveling to deal with certain situations that arrive..

This means, that they need to have another person come with them, and be with them behind closed doors.

I support females in leadership, as Jesus did. When this is view as a cost of having a Pastor in the 'field' some saints get hostile..

Thoughts?

OOoooh, how can the Lord lead when we have females in leadership roles....Instead, we have to have extra people, a third person, a chaperone to keep the two genders from doing improper things...Oh, we need the Lord to work here.....

That's Brother Bouregards thoughts....

[Bravus]

Quote:

OOoooh, how can the Lord lead when we have females in leadership roles...

Perhaps this is the root of many (all?) of our difficulties - underestimating the Lord's ability to lead.

[Kevin H]

Jesus had 12 fulltime disciples to travel with him and have 24 hour access to him, but then he had 70 other disciples who did not have the 24 hour access. One reference I have handy, but we are aware that among the 70 there were at least 2 women (probably more) There is a study (and I don't remember the details to explain it here) but one of the women that ministered to Jesus at the cross was Mrs. Celopas, and she was most likely the second disciple on the road to Emmaus. Romans 16: 7 has Junia, who in our wester Bibles is since the 13th century written either masculin (the first sex chance operation) or translates as famous or well known among the apostles, while the Greek actually says "The greatest among the apostels" So she was among the 70 and was the greatest of the apostels.

The Greek word translated "Minister" or "Elder" is the word "Deconos" or New Testament translators are aware of this but know that their Bibles would not sell and would be condemmed if they were to translate it equally across the board. So if that word is by a male name we read the titles "Minister" or "Elder" and the idea that he is the ordained minister of that group. However, when the exact same word, not one letter spelled differently, is by a female name, it is not translated as "Minister" or "Elder" but as "Deconess" or "Servant." I'm sorry but no matter how you want to tap dance around it Romans 16:1 reads "I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is the elder [or minister, or pastor] of the church which is at Cenchrea." Or at least no reason except for tradition and our prejudice not to translate the text this way. Every time we see the same words by a male name it is translated this way.

We find similar translations with the phrase "Apostle." Except for Junia, when the title "apostle" is placed by a male name they are called an apostle. However when the same TITLE is placed by a female name, it is translated "go" as in John 20:17 "Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet asended to my father: but [Apostle] to my brethren and say unto them. I asend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God and your God.

Of course with this specific thread, it helps if the Sr. pastor is married to her Assistant pastor. There is a couple who when they are referred to as a married couple are referred to as "Aquila and Priscilla. However when they are discribed as a ministeral team it is "Priscilla and Aquila" And Apolos submitted to their authority and Priscilla was one of his teachers.

[Brutha Bouregard]

Quote:

OOoooh, how can the Lord lead when we have females in leadership roles...

Perhaps this is the root of many (all?) of our difficulties - underestimating the Lord's ability to lead.

Why, Brutha Bravus, surely ya'll don't think that placing a female in a lead role is according to tha Lord's plan, do ya? Why the fairer sex is around to increase the male sensibiilities, and to raise him to a higher level of nurture...But to teach the male, why that just ain't biblical!

[olger]

By gumption yer right.

[darlene]

No, I don't think that is correct. Jesus gave all of us gifts that are needed in His work at different times. Perhaps He has given some females, gifts that are similar to men's gifts. Should we not develop those gifts?

[Bravus]

I was just gonna say to olger that when you start agreeing in ringing terms with (what I take to be) a satirical character...

[Beryl]

"Why the fairer sex is around to increase the male sensibiilities, and to raise him to a higher level of nurture..."

Yep!! and some men certainly need that!

And thank you, Kevin H, for a very good post.

Beryl

[Stan]

One thing that came along with women in the workplace was the dress code.

As to men working with women? In my workplace the president always has his door open when conversing with any gender. When it is a disciplinary matter there is always a third person. Not only so that a single female isnt alone with a male and vis versa but also so that later the person can't say something was done when it wasn't.

We have 160+ employees, close to a 11,000,000 budget, 10,000+ members, there are a number of strategy sessions, I think very little time is spent on discipline. A strategy session, or traveling to Church together to deal with issues, would mean that one additional person would have to be there.

That issue, means one less Pastor in the field, or something similar. At the present time, I think the only position that has to be male is a Conference/Union/Division president. The Church at large voted it down to have a Female President, much to the opposition of key GC people.