What could I expect from a Methodist church service? (beliefs, scripture, Jesus)

[Bideshi]

Originally Posted by DewDropInn

Edit to add the post about women and gay pastors is an illustration of my point. Apparently it's all right to pass out donuts with a woman pastor. But the moment she steps into the pulpit there are those who VERY quick to proclaim that the church with the woman pastor is in error and they don't like it! Heaven forbid should the woman pastor be gay and married.

I obviously posted in the wrong thread. I thought this was a discussion of Christian Churches. Any denomination that regards homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle is clearly not Christian.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by Bideshi

Regretably, you may find a woman pastor in a Methodist Church these days. Gay pastors won't be far behind. When you begin compromising with the world, the slide is quick.

There is nothing "regrettable" about a female minister

Some of you are like the Pharisee's, so bound up in the law that you are blind to the spirit of it.

[Bideshi]

Originally Posted by lovesMountains

There is nothing "regrettable" about a female minister

Some of you are like the Pharisee's, so bound up in the law that you are blind to the spirit of it.

The Bible clearly states the requirements for a Bishop or Deacon as "A man of one wife." That eliminates a woman as a pastor. That pharisee was Paul.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by Bideshi

The Bible clearly states the requirements for a Bishop or Deacon as "A man of one wife." That eliminates a woman as a pastor. That pharisee was Paul.

Paul is often misunderstood and taken out of context.

Your belief that women cannot be ministers is further proof of that.

[Bideshi]

Originally Posted by lovesMountains

Paul is often misunderstood and taken out of context.

Your belief that women cannot be ministers is further proof of that.

You are the one that is mistaken. Only pagan religions have priestesses. I challenge you to point out one instance of a female pastor, priest or rabbi in the Bible.

[Bideshi]

We are all appointed a place in creation. Because of pride Satan and his angels were not satisfied with their place although it was very high and honored. Their fall was utter. It is for men to be pastors, not women. Thus saith the Lord in His Holy Word.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by Bideshi

You are the one that is mistaken. Only pagan religions have priestesses. I challenge you to point out one instance of a female pastor, priest or rabbi in the Bible.

I sincerely pity folks like you

[Bideshi]

Originally Posted by lovesMountains

I sincerely pity folks like you

I will pray for you Brother. Or is it Sister?

[Julian658]

Originally Posted by Bideshi

You are the one that is mistaken. Only pagan religions have priestesses. I challenge you to point out one instance of a female pastor, priest or rabbi in the Bible.

That is because women were not given any importance in biblical times. That was a cultural issue and has no relationship to God at all.

And Paul was single and he often preached celibacy.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by Bideshi

You are the one that is mistaken. Only pagan religions have priestesses. I challenge you to point out one instance of a female pastor, priest or rabbi in the Bible.

In fact, Paul frequently mentioned women who held positions of responsibility in the church.

Phoebe (Romans 16:1)
Euodia and Syntyche ( Philippians 4:2)
Mary, Tryphea, Tryphosa and Persis (Romans 16:6,12)

When you insist that Paul declared women cannot be ministers you are taking his words completely out of context.

A wise person looks at the bigger picture and seeks to understand Biblical teachings in the context in which they were given.

Paul's word to Timothy were regarding the particular situation going on in the Ephesian church at the time.

The Ephesian temple had been built in honor of the pagan goddess Artemis, who was considered one of the seven wonders of the world.

Many women were involved in the worship ceremonies that surrounded this goddess and the cult was associated with all sorts of sensuality and bizarre teaching, such as fertility worship.

A person in Ephesus would probably associate a female leader with that kind of pagan worship.

So at it's beginning, the Ephesian church was faced with lots of challenges - including persecution and false teaching. Especially because not yet educated/uneducated female converts were bringing all sorts of pagan ideas in from their culture when they came to the church.

Paul wanted to put a halt to the false teachings and confusion until followers were better able to discern the truth of God. He was instructing Timothy to not put anyone in a position of authority who was not yet mature in their faith.

He did not and was not saying that women could never be "ministers" of the faith or church, only that they could not be so in Ephesus at that time.