Not gonna lie. I'm honestly very confused right now. Don't misunderstand me. I understand, at least I THINK I do, what the scriptures say, but....... I would like to KNOW whether or not I FACTUALLY understand or not. Understand? eh Let me see if I can lay this one out.
Decades ago, when I was growing up in "church" {I would later learn it was a 501c3 "church" a.k.a. a government operation} I was taught quite clearly that women are NOT allowed to be in positions of leadership within the church. I DO remember that. Well, lately, this particuliar topic seems to keep popping up, & there appear to understandably be a lot of varying opinions on whether or not this is an accurate interpretation of scripture. Understand, I have NO interest in "opinions" - only FACT. As in, what God factually meant & intended.
I'm considering the strong possibility that, again because it was a 501c3 "church", that we were lied to about this as well. That the "church" intentionally brainwashed us to believe that God frowns on females striving for leadership roles within the church. Why would the "church" do that? Why does ANY 501c3 "church" tell ANY of the lies that they do? To lead souls AWAY from God. To pervert the scriptures, to distort the scriptures to the point that they are not remotely CLOSE to accurate. This in turn confuses souls, & misleads them. Right to satan for all eternity.........
We were taught quite clearly that females are mere "help mates" to males. That our role is strictly one of complimenting the man. We are NOT to challenge / question his position of leadership or authority, but rather to support him & encourage him. {Not gonna lie. I've always struggled with this particuliar teaching. It's just that I'm VERY strong willed, deeply opinionated, & just a pain in the ass overall. It is truly who I am to my core. That's the truth.} I wasn't exactly "okay" with this teaching, but..... I honored it. I still fight to honor it. After all, you do NOT tell God that He's wrong about something {He's NEVER wrong}, & you do NOT go against God's teachings or intentions for your life without consequences. BAD consequences.
So here it is, decades later, & for some reason this is really starting to eat at me. I mean.... I'm by no means an authority figure, or a leader in ANY church, but..... Accuracy is a HUGE thing with me, & now, all these years later, I NEED to know what's right on this. What's accurate on this..... Is God against women being authority figures / leaders in churches or NOT????
I did some searching here on the 'net to see what I could find in specific scriptures on this, & it's been a real "pain", but..... Let me just put the ones that I found. Have a look. Ask / Let The Holy Spirit speak to you. Maybe YOU will get an accurate interpretation because I'm getting NOTHING on my end right now.....
Note: These are all New Testament scriptures.
"And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly." ---Acts 18:26
"I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is Cenchrea:" ---Romans 16:1
"That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also." ---Romans 16:2
***Succourer: An aid. / Of assistance. {I think. My dictionary doesn't have this word. The closest it comes to the word I'm looking for is "succor". I honestly would have thought that it meant "student", but I guess not.}
"Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law." ---1 Corinthians 14:34
"And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church." ---1 Corinthians 14:35
"Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection." ---1 Timothy 2:11
"But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence." ---1 Timothy 2:12
***Subjection: Submissiveness. {I think. My dictionary doesn't have this word either. :-( }
And then we have these other New Testament scriptures, but.... They only added to my confusion, & they are as follows:
Acts 18:2 & 18
Romans 16:3
1 Corinthians 16:19
Philippians 4:2 - 3
Okay........ So obviously I need some input here with this. Anybody out there think they can help a sister out on this one?