WOMEN IN THE CHURCH
Announcement - November, 2019
Above all else, your Elders desire to lead South Baton Rouge Church of Christ in a way that seeks our Father's will. Though not easy, we must be a family that boldly addresses subjects that may make us uncomfortable and may challenge our past traditions in an effort to seek what God desires. Our church family at South was built on that belief. In looking at our larger Restoration Movement history, it is also what we have always done. It's important to note that where we are today is not the same place as we were 50, 100, 150 years ago. We have moved as God and His Spirit have moved.
Our study regarding Women in the Church is one such difficult conversation that we felt was necessary. It is not trivial. It is important and vital to the direction of the church family as we look to our 2030 Vision. How we read, and interpret Scripture in these matters, dictates how we as a body of Christ reach a world that needs Him - in each generation. Though we may not fully agree on each aspect of this study, we believe that we can be united and not be divisive on this subject.
Over the past several weeks we have considered together:
1. Women in the Old Testament
2. Jesus and Women
3. Women in the early church (Acts and Romans)
4. I Timothy 2
5. I Corinthians 11 and 14
6. Genesis and the Creation account
7. And most recently Galatians 3:28
1. Women in the Old Testament
2. Jesus and Women
3. Women in the early church (Acts and Romans)
4. I Timothy 2
5. I Corinthians 11 and 14
6. Genesis and the Creation account
7. And most recently Galatians 3:28
Each of these classes have been recorded and are available on our church website.
As a conclusion to the study we want you to know that we feel that our recent hesitation to fully include women in some capacities has affected our ability to strengthen our church family and/or reach people for Christ. And so, after over a year of individual and group prayer, discussions and fasting, it seems good to us and the Holy Spirit that all men and women should use their gifts and talents to build up Christ’s church and serve God - in all aspects of church family life. The elders are unified and unanimous in this regard.
As a conclusion to the study we want you to know that we feel that our recent hesitation to fully include women in some capacities has affected our ability to strengthen our church family and/or reach people for Christ. And so, after over a year of individual and group prayer, discussions and fasting, it seems good to us and the Holy Spirit that all men and women should use their gifts and talents to build up Christ’s church and serve God - in all aspects of church family life. The elders are unified and unanimous in this regard.
At this time, for the sake of unity within the church family, it is our judgment that only the service of elder and full-time pulpit minister is to be reserved for men. Though the elders are not unanimous on this point, it should be noted that for the sake of unity within the church family, we all make compromises.
What’s next? More discussions and the development of an implementation plan.
We anticipate that these changes will be implemented gradually. We also anticipate that these changes will occur at a different pace in our First Service than in our Second Service. But we are not being specific about the changes nor their timeline, because that has not been developed yet. The Worship Committee of each service will certainly have a major role in helping us with these upcoming changes.
What’s next? More discussions and the development of an implementation plan.
We anticipate that these changes will be implemented gradually. We also anticipate that these changes will occur at a different pace in our First Service than in our Second Service. But we are not being specific about the changes nor their timeline, because that has not been developed yet. The Worship Committee of each service will certainly have a major role in helping us with these upcoming changes.
