Pastoral Committee & Women

DrHuk&Duck

DrHuk&Duck

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From a biblical perspective, are women allowed to serve on a pastoral search committee? To be clear, I’m not asking if women have the right to be pastors, nor am I asking if women can participate in leadership positions in church, but I’m only asking if it’s biblical for women to be a part of a committee that determines which man will become the next pastor of a church. Obviously there are people who interpret 1 Timothy 2:11-14 differently.
 
But carrying your question to the next logical point, can women VOTE for the pastor? As to what I think, no, they cannot serve on a search committee nor vote for a pastor. They should spend their time making sandwiches for the men who do serve on the committee and vote.
 
IFB X-Files said:
But carrying your question to the next logical point, can women VOTE for the pastor? As to what I think, no, they cannot serve on a search committee nor vote for a pastor. They should spend their time making sandwiches for the men who do serve on the committee and vote.
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Thank you. Is your proof from IFB X 3:16?
 
Ransom said:
About as scriptural as handing the office down to your sex-predator son-in-law, I guess.
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Or handing it down to your son. It’s funny, through the years it seems that pastors almost always have at least one son who has the gift of pastoring and God almost always calls him to pastor the church his dad pastored.
 
DrHuk&Duck said:
From a biblical perspective, are women allowed to serve on a pastoral search committee? To be clear, I’m not asking if women have the right to be pastors, nor am I asking if women can participate in leadership positions in church, but I’m only asking if it’s biblical for women to be a part of a committee that determines which man will become the next pastor of a church. Obviously there are people who interpret 1 Timothy 2:11-14 differently.
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IF a search committee is the way a church uses then women can/should be included.
 
Interesting. I am aware of two churches in the area that are in transition of pastors. One has set the date when the outgoing pastor will hand the reins over to the associate pastor. Mrs. Abcaines and I know the associate pastor quite well and we are excited and burdened for him. The mentorship of the older pastor is very evident on this young pastor. I've seen him develop over the past few years and I have a lot of respect for him. He definitely won't be a hireling. In fact, Mrs. Abcaines and I prayed with him about a week and a half ago.

The other church is currently in the process of beginning a search for an associate pastor, ostensibly for the purpose of equipping him to take over some day. I don't know if there is anyone in mind... I've heard that there's been someone in that congregation who has been able to fill in when their pastor has been out.

Both pastors are aged and family health issues are a factor.
 
I’m guessing this “pastoral search committee” is an IFB thing. With denominations (let’s say the SBC or Methodist or whatever), are the pastors selected by the leadership of the denominations or how does this work?
 
DrHuk&Duck said:
I’m guessing this “pastoral search committee” is an IFB thing. With denominations (let’s say the SBC or Methodist or whatever), are the pastors selected by the leadership of the denominations or how does this work?
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United Methodist Denomination assigns pastors. SBC churches are autonomous and the congregation selects their Pastors.
 
Baptist congregations tend to be autonomous; even if they are part of a convention, they have the option of conducting their own searches and selecting their own leadership according to their bylaws.

Nazarene churches are more controlled by the denomination when it comes to leadership selection.

CCs are more like the Baptists; autonomous... CCs are more of an association than they are a denomination. The CC that is beginning the screening process for a new associate pastor was holding a board meeting today. Our pastor and members of our worship team are part of that board. I overheard one of them talking about bylaws before I left today.
 
Over the past 2 years I have served as interim pastor for 2 churches. One was an SBC church and the other was an Independent Christian Church. I helped them as they sought their next Pastor. Both used search committees and both committees had female members.
 
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Tarheel Baptist said:
Over the past 2 years I have served as interim pastor for 2 churches. One was an SBC church and the other was an Independent Christian Church. I helped them as they sought their next Pastor. Both used search committees and both communities had female members.
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Only compromising pink tea sipping lily livered spineless Southern Baptists use women on their pulpit committees.












😁
 
Okay, now for a serious answer.

I have presided as the pulpit committee chairman for two pulpit committees which resulted in calling a pastor. The most recent one was just a little over a year ago. In the process of forming the committee I solicited input from the ladies of our congregation and made it clear that if they would like to participate formally on the committee that they had every right to express that desire. None did in our case. Of course, prudence and wisdom would dictate that the process of selecting those who participate on the committee should not be a novice. That has nothing to do with gender though.
 
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