Saturday
Jul192003
Concerned about the wrong things
Saturday, July 19, 2003 at 1:51PM
My denomination has been wrestling with the gender and leadership issue for a couple of years. I'll spare you all of the details, but I received an e-mail outlining the position that we'll be voting on this November:
"In the New Testament, the office of pastor/elder/overseer is gender specific. Therefore, in Fellowship Baptist churches, this office is for qualified men recognized by the local church for oversight of the doctrine and practice of the church."I'll be voting no for a number of reasons. Theologically, I have no problem with those who believe such a position, although I'm not sure it's what I believe. I could debate both sides of this issue, and in fact I'm writing a paper right now on its complexities. Indeed, volumes have been written. My real concern goes deeper. It's about where we choose to put our energies. It's about our willingness to split over battles that lost their status as defining issues a long time ago (notice how even the language is so wrong: battles). If we really understood the Kingdom and this world, is this the issue we'd choose to spend our time on right now? My tradition is concerned about being right. It's becoming more and more obvious to me that we can be right on all sorts of issues and still be so very wrong. I really wonder if God is as concerned about what we believe as what we value. Not that beliefs are unimportant, but I know it's so very easy to believe all the right things and completely miss the point. The Pharisees come to mind. So does 1 Corinthians 13 ("If I can fathom all mysteries and knowledge, but have not love, I am nothing"). I need to be concerned about right theology, but I also need to be concerned about other, even more important issues: keeping issues in perspective, not majoring in minors, developing a heart for the poor, dying to self and living for Christ. For me, right now, that means I'm more concerned with our general failure to be salt and light in Canadian society and the fact that we're not known as Christ's followers by our love than if some churches put women in leadership positions I'm not comfortable with. After we've dealt with these, then let's talk about splitting over a secondary theological issue.
Reader Comments (11)
Darryl, I think your bias shows. I give the leadership credit for dealing with issues as they come up (even the hard ones). This is a huge issue and needs to be settled one way or the other. It's not just about a woman teaching from the pulpit - this goes right down to the very basics of how a Christian family is run. If people like Paige Patterson and Paul Pressler took your approach the SBC would have been competely taken over by the moderates/liberals. Praise God for the Conservative resurgence in the SBC and let's pray God uses the leadership of the FEBC to keep this denomination on the straight and narrow.
Gosh, I hope my bias shows. Nobody's ever explained to me satisfactorily why this is an issue worth splitting over. Say this is as important an issue as you think. How are we further ahead when we split over it? How is the Kingdom advanced? What's the next issue we split over? If this is such an important issue, why hasn't persuasion or at least discussion taken place?
Darryl, You are spot on! This is NOT a critical/core issue. There is plenty of room for disagreement on it. I consider myself a theological conservative. I had the pleasure of hosting Paige Patterson for several days when we lived in Indonesia. I believe in much that was fought for in my denominations battles, but hate that it was a fight and how both sides conducted themselves. Read my post for my personal story. I think you can guess from this comment and my post who I worked for. http://www.joefriend.com/blog/archives/2003/07/19/when_to_take_a_stand.php#000538" rel="nofollow">http://www.joefriend.com/blog/archives/2003/07/19/when_to_take_a_stand.php#000538
Darryl, there should be discussion - lots of it. I know the Fellowship leadership spent tons of time discussing the issue with our church - we really appreciated that. As the issue has come up, it has to be dealt with. There is a risk of a split if nothing more is done or if this proposal is accepted. It goes both ways. A split doesn't have to happen, let's hope the egalitarians can be humble and non reactive enough to stay and abide by the bylaw (if in fact it is accepted). Also, let's hope moderates (like you?) cast honest, humble votes, not votes to spite others or create a fight.
Some good thoughts Darryl, I come from a tradition that has had some of the same struggles - in fact sometimes we don't what to do if there are no issues to "figure out" - so we search and create some more or if we are really stuck we re-hash and refine old ones! "I really wonder if God is as concerned about what we believe as what we value." I do too.
Its disturbing to see the things that divide us - isn't it! To those who are concerned they are worth fighting for - to the rest of us they only show the rest of the world our idiocy at times. I agree the debate needs to be had - but to split over it - I think the world would (rightly)say 'grow up'...
I more with you than against you on this one, Darryl. Takes me back to the "good" old days when churches split over what translation of the Bible to use or how long the pastor's hair could be. I'm not comfortable with the Fellowship meddling with the "A" in baptist - autonomy. Next thing you know they'll be prohibiting me from using a Vineyard song because they're, well, you know... If a church opts to hire a woman to lead their church, then that is their choice. Who am I to tell them not to? There are folks at my church who will be all over this one. Unfortunately, it will give the "fighting fundies" something to come out from under their rock over. Brian
You strike a good balance, Brian. It's good to have opinions - even strong ones - on issues like this, while still allowing others the freedom to make up their own minds. Sometimes, the freedom to be wrong. :) There are some issues that are do-or-die, but not every issue.
Darryl & Brian, are you guys Egalitarians? I wonder what percentage of Pastors in the Fellowship are...
I'll let you know in about a week - I'm studying the issue right now. But most of the pastors in the Fellowship aren't. The ones I talk to aren't egalitarian but have no interest in splitting over this issue.
As a member of a FEBC congregation, (with a spouse who isn't), this and other rigidity shown in other non-essential issues drive me crazy. I love your comment "I really wonder if God is as concerned about what we believe as what we value." and plan to use it, as is or paraphrased. btw, I'm reading your sermon series #50 at the moment and am picking up things in John that I hadn't fully seen or thought through before. Thanks much :)