There are lots of topics that occur within the church that no one really speaks of outside the church. One of these topics that is currently taking place within the church and is making some Christian leaders disagree with one another is biblical gender roles.
I first started to realize this about two years after I graduated. I heard a lot of difference in how gender roles were being taught. The two main groups in this debate are those in the reformed corner (Baptist, Acts 29 Network, T4G) of things which are primarily complementarian and those within, for lack of a better word, mainline Protestant corner (Methodist, Wesleyan and other holiness denominations) which are egalitarian. What really made me understand that this debate was enevitable was a video I saw with Darrin Patrick
Now for some of you this won’t seem like an important issue. You will decide to leave this blog and come back when I write about things like Joe Simpson being gay. However I assure you that its something that will effect you as you choose a church.
How does it effect you? Through sermons and the policies that are setup within the church. Where the pastor and the leadership of the church stand on the subject will determine who is in leadership positions, what type of leadership positions men and women can have and most importantly how specific biblical text are interpreted.
I don’t have time to explain all the views but here are the three major views of gender roles within the church (each term links to the Wikiapedia definition):
You may be able to identify which you are just by looking at the definitions. Some of you reading this still might not care. However you must understand you are already living under one of these types of lifestyle. The first question is, “Is the gender roles I believe to be true line up with Scripture?” and secondly, “Does the church I attend or am looking to attend understand and hold fast to Biblical gender roles?”
Just something to think about..
Pastor Mike Moore 