Our elders have decided to purchase a sound and projection system. My late husband was an elder and was against such (noting future problems). The problem that I feel so much concern about is that we don’t have enough men to work it, so they have agreed to allow one of our young ladies to do it. One deacon refuses to work it when she is there also. It takes two to run the equipment. I do not agree that a woman should be in that position. God gives us women many opportunities to serve.<\/p>\n
I voiced my concern to my elders, namely what it would do to this young woman, whetting her appetite to serve in other areas that only men are ordained to do. They saw it differently and allow her to do it. I want to be respectful of my elders and want to be submissive to their decisions, but this still bothers me to the point that the thought came to my mind to attend another local congregation on the days she is working.<\/p>\n
Too soon my fear came to pass. My own granddaughter saw her up there and asked her mom if she could do that one day. My daughter-in-law also went to the elders about it. One elder said, “this is not a democracy.” That hurt, for we are all members of the body.<\/p>\n
Now I am wondering. I teach ladies’ classes and have for many years. I have taught about women’s role in the church, submitting to the elders as part of the flock, etc. I do understand technology is in the present, but my husband’s fears are coming to fruition. I lost my husband, I have lost my spiritual leader and I feel I am losing my respect for my elders.<\/p>\n
Please, could you give me some words to help me? I am very active, I love my church family, and I want to continue to serve to please God. I know leaving is\u00a0not<\/em>\u00a0the answer.<\/p>\n Thank you so much.<\/p>\n\t The elder is correct that a church is not a democracy. It doesn’t take votes to decide what the majority wants. It is a theocracy, and its mission is to do the will of the Lord as best it can. If you wish to make a point, then you need book, chapter, and verse, used in the proper context, and applied with proper reasoning, to make your point.<\/p>\n The rules regarding women in the worship service are that they cannot speak or hold authority over a man (I Corinthians 14:34-35; I Timothy 2:11-12). Running a soundboard does not involve any speaking role and it does not place the person in a position of authority in regard to the teachings or positions of the church. It is purely a role of service, which women are allowed to do. “I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also<\/em>” (Romans 16:1-2).<\/p>\n It appears that people have lost sight of what the Scriptures actually say and are imposing more rules than God has given. Non-speaking and teaching in the worship have morphed into non-involvement.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Question: Our elders have decided to purchase a sound and projection system. My late husband was an elder and was against such (noting future problems). The problem that I feel so much concern about is that we don’t have enough men to work it, so they have agreed to allow one of our young ladies…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[82],"class_list":["post-53616","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-womens-roles"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":41540,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-was-asked-to-watch-a-woman-whom-the-elders-suspect-is-committing-fornication-should-i-spy-on-someone-because-the-elders-ask\/","url_meta":{"origin":53616,"position":0},"title":"I was asked to watch a woman whom the elders suspect is committing fornication. Should I spy on someone because the elders ask?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 14, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Good afternoon! I have been a member of the Lord's church for about three years, after being brought to the church by my college roommate. I have been a dedicated reader of your site since I discovered it and appreciate all of the information provided. I have not seen\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":47886,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-is-a-pastor\/","url_meta":{"origin":53616,"position":1},"title":"What Is a Pastor?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 18, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jefferson David Tant The term \"pastor\" is a familiar term to people in most denominations. It is usually applied to the men or women who stand before the congregation and deliver a message from the Word of God as the preacher. And in many situations, the pastor is the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":68637,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-an-elder-step-down-from-the-position\/","url_meta":{"origin":53616,"position":2},"title":"Can an elder step down from the position?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 2, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: A thing of concern is that elders are not allowed to step down from their positions. The only time an elder can step down is when his wife passes away. What if the elder and his family relocate to a different area or country, or when that elder goes\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":16170,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/may-a-church-without-elders-appoint-deacons\/","url_meta":{"origin":53616,"position":3},"title":"May a church without elders appoint deacons?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 26, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: May a church assign to a servant or servants (deacons) a specific task or tasks in which they will serve the congregation and for which they will be responsible and answerable to the congregation for performing if the church does not have elders. In other words, may they set\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":94578,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/where-are-the-elders\/","url_meta":{"origin":53616,"position":4},"title":"Where Are the Elders?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 15, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"by Brad Harrub, Ph.D. Walk into many congregations today and ask a simple question: \"Do you have elders?\" Far too often, the answer is the same: \"No\u2026not yet.\" Sometimes that answer has been given for 10 years\u202620 years\u2026even 40-50 years. But that should cause us to pause and ask a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/shepherd-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/shepherd-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/shepherd-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":89500,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/womans-work-in-the-church\/","url_meta":{"origin":53616,"position":5},"title":"Woman’s Work in the Church","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 17, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by James W. Boyd The belief and teaching that says men and women are to be equal in all matters is as foolish as contending that up is the same as down, and right is as proper as left. God describes their roles, not man. 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