by Kyle Ellison<\/p>\n
Fox News reported this week that women are now the largest demographic that is abandoning the church in The United States. Honestly, when it vaguely asked me to guess who was leaving at the highest rates, this wasn’t the answer that came to my mind, but then I began to question why this might be.<\/p>\n
One woman was interviewed and said the following as to why this trend has emerged…<\/p>\n
“Women are less inclined to be involved with churches that don’t want us speaking up, that don’t want us to be smart,” Mojica Rodr\u00edguez, the daughter of a pastor who was raised attending church frequently, said, according to AOL.com.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Let me just say that this made me sad. It makes me sad that this woman felt this way, but it also makes me sad that someone made her feel this way.<\/p>\n
Let’s state two important truths upfront:<\/p>\n
\n
- God has different roles for the sexes.<\/li>\n
- There are things women do that men may not and things men do that women may not.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
I reject the idea that God or the apostles were sexist, male-dominant, or against women. Still, I believe we have failed in some ways in helping women see their intricate value before God and their absolute necessity to the well far for God’s church. If you are a woman who is a Christian, let me say that you are to be valued, you are to be used in Christ’s body as a fellow servant and laborer, you are not second class, and I do want you to be very <\/b>smart in so many ways.<\/p>\n
\n
- Paul praised women and their contributions to his ministry (Romans 16).<\/li>\n
- Paul praised Timothy’s mother and grandmother, who instilled faith in him.<\/li>\n
- God used women extensively, such as Rahab, Pharoah’s daughter who raised Moses, Ruth and Naomi, Phoebe, and others.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Nevertheless, I do worry that there are some things that we cannot compromise on when it comes to the sexes: Women may not serve as pastors or bishops in a New Testament church, and women may not usurp authority through preaching and teaching in the assembly. Though I do not have the space and time to unpack this, let me say that Satan has deceived people into thinking that the same role equals the same value, and that <\/b>is the lie.<\/p>\n
I am not a pastor or elder. Why? According to God’s Word, I am unable to at this time. Does this make me less valuable? There are wonderful works women do that I cannot.<\/p>\n
Hear me well! The same roles are not equivalent to the same value.<\/p>\n
God loves, uses, lifts up, and thinks highly of women. May we always be sure to do the same in the church of the Living God.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Kyle Ellison Fox News reported this week that women are now the largest demographic that is abandoning the church in The United States. Honestly, when it vaguely asked me to guess who was leaving at the highest rates, this wasn’t the answer that came to my mind, but then I began to question why…<\/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":[27],"tags":[82],"class_list":["post-69403","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-womens-roles"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":32140,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-you-help-me-respond-to-some-questions-on-womens-roles\/","url_meta":{"origin":69403,"position":0},"title":"Can you help me respond to some questions on women’s roles?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 12, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I know you have no shortage of busy-ness, but here I come with another question for you. I had a discussion via instant messaging with a friend, and I'd greatly appreciate your wisdom in trying to decide how to respond. Here are my friend's comments: I Corinthians 11 talks\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":34019,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/our-roles-are-not-shameful\/","url_meta":{"origin":69403,"position":1},"title":"Our Roles Are Not Shameful","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 11, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jarrod M. Jacobs God created man and woman (Genesis 2:7, 18-25; Matthew 19:4). He also made them to fulfill specific roles on this earth. In Genesis 2:18-25, God states that man and woman have certain roles and responsibilities. These roles have transcended the years and the confines of countries\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":26934,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-women-submit-to-female-leaders-in-the-church\/","url_meta":{"origin":69403,"position":2},"title":"Should women submit to female leaders in the church?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 28, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I am a young woman. I was wondering, what do you think about women having to submit to female leadership or authority within the church? I feel at times that this is not something that is strictly required or expressed in words, but this is something that on more\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":68117,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-women-not-leaders-in-the-church-because-they-are-weaker\/","url_meta":{"origin":69403,"position":3},"title":"Are women not leaders in the church because they are weaker?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 17, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello, brother in Christ! I am currently stuck with understanding the application of I Peter 3:7. When we were having a Bible Study on the roles of women in the church, some cited I Peter 3:7, specifically highlighting the part that says \"women are weaker vessels\" as one of\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":7892,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-role-of-women\/","url_meta":{"origin":69403,"position":4},"title":"The Role of Women","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 20, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Some people like change. It doesn\u2019t matter if something is broken or not. They have in mind how they would like the world to work, so they proceed to change it. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0One of the largest changes in the last 50 years or so has been in our view in the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":24756,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-women-less-than-men\/","url_meta":{"origin":69403,"position":5},"title":"Are women less than men?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 17, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Are women less than men? Because the Bible says it's disgraceful for a woman to talk in the church. Seems like she's something dirty. 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