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First, I appreciate this forum as being a place that I can express my thoughts and discuss with fellow believers.Secondly, I have learned from the discussions here, that I might have overestimated the likelihood of people changing their minds regardless of how carefully one lays out the scripture. (It is what it is.)I grew up attending both a Baptist church where the women had their own Sunday School class which was taught by a woman. Of course couples could also attend a mixed class which was taught by a man. (I never realized this was because of a restriction on women teaching men; I guess I just thought the teachers were selected for other qualifications besides gender.) I also attended a Pentecostal Holiness Church in which women were allowed to preach, testify, shout, say Amen, or whatever they felt led to do. Female evangelists came and held revivals. I had no idea that some people were placing restrictions on women.Fast forward a few years to when I was married and attending another Pentecostal Holiness Church. One day my husband and I had given a ride to a guy who lived in a trailer park. We had a female evangelist at the church that morning, and I couldn't believe my ears when this guy was saying he didn't believe in women preachers. That was the beginning of the end of my blissful ignorance about the wide range of beliefs regarding the place of women.For whatever reason, it seems the controversy is no longer an unspoken one. And I keep feeling like the issue is being hammered on in my current church. I would sometimes like to speak to the issues (and have on some occasions), but I find an unholy blend of ignorance, defensiveness, and stubbornness in many situations that makes me feel the wiser course is sometimes to keep silent in the church.Sometimes, I wonder to myself, where on earth is this teaching coming from? I can only guess that some popular radio and TV preachers are espousing it and our pastor did mention that men's conferences teach that a man is the priest of the home.I had confronted our pastor about this teaching. I became frustrated because I felt he was not listening, and my frustration was very much expressed. Since then, we had a man who was an elder (who has since left our church) carry the pastor's water on the issue. He continually mentioned that the 'man is the priest of the home.' One Sunday when he filled in for the pastor, he carried on and on about the man being the 'priesthood of the home.' My son sardonically noted, 'Not only is the man the priest of the home, he's the priesthood of the home.'Our pastor is putting a strong emphasis on men, and we have a newly appointed leader for the men's fellowship. A few weeks ago, this newly appointed leader (who is a nice guy) was in our Sunday School class commenting that women in the workforce in WWII was the cause of a crisis of identity for men returning from war because men need to be the financial provider. (Never mind that when the men came back from war, many women actually left the paid workforce.) I was just sitting there thinking that his statement was wrong on so many levels but knowing there was no way I could address it without his being defensive and really no way to even plant a seed in the short amount of time we had in class. I hear over and over about the man being the head, which in the context it is said, I think they are saying the husband must be the spiritual leader of a married couple or family.We have a fairly newly appointed Sunday School teacher who said in front of the whole church, 'When you see me, you see [my husband]. That might sound old-fashioned but it's the Bible.'I was just shaking my head, thinking that, no, when I see you, I see you.Last week another Sunday School teacher twice mentioned that the man was the priest of his home. The context was Aaron falling down on the job when he fashioned the golden calf rather than keeping the people on the right track. The teacher added, 'That's not to take away from the women.' That statement amused me because when I tried to pin down the pastor on what he meant by 'priest of the home,' he could only describe it as a man was supposed to intercede for his family and pray for his family. I asked how that was any different than what a wife was supposed to do for her husband and family. In retrospect, I realized that his squishy definition of priest makes the dialogue almost impossible.

Thanks Bonnie.The priest in my grandparents home was my Grandmother. My grandfather, who later became a COG minister was prayed for - and the family held together due to my grandmother - until he saw the light in his thirties.My mother was the priest of our home. While my Dad worked long hours - my mother made sure we were always in church - and ran the home.My Dad would say - if not for her - no telling how any of us kids would have turned out - because he neglected leading his family at home and leading them to church. He was busy meeting our financial needs.This priest of the home business - perhaps it was originally meant for the man - but God gives that job to whomever steps up and takes it imho. And I feel he did that in the early Pentecostal movement - and would still do it today. If a woman(or man) steps up and leads - the Holy Spirit seems to have always honored it with the appropriate giftings - MALE or FEMALE. God used a donkey to speak for him and says even the rocks will step up to praise him if no one else will.Surely a woman could be used, as well.I wish the COG could get back to that

Sounds like some of your places of worship have folks with a touch of muslim traditions... Next thing they will have you walk 10feet behind them. I would bet that if you were looking for a place to pay tithes on a large lottery winning you would be instantly promoted to the same level of those Barrel House Kings with feet unstable.I agree with this 100%

I hope you meant this in jest:

Yeah, but then they'd wanna chair on the General Council floor an a ceegar to smoke while they was a votin.

I guess the point escaped you. It was in response to an earlier post...about God only wanting men to lead. When in fact he uses anyone...or anything.He is not a respecter of persons. He does not see male or female.I guess you skipped over the part where my grandmother and mother led our family...not the men. Did it appear I called them a donkey? Not hardly.Women are equal with men in God's eyes.God uses anyone willing to be used in any capacity. Not sure why that would be offensive. Perhaps you are overly sensitive or something

So, you wrote it in jest. Well, that clarifies everything. No, not overly sensitive, I just don't read all the posts, some I just scan. So, I read the post you referenced but didn't put both thoughts together... (I was cooking red beans and rice, turnip greens, and cornbread and in a hurry).I apologize for the error. My mother-in-law and I would joke with one another and the same sentiments we made in jest. She was not overly sensitive when she knew the source and intent God-HonoringChrist-CenteredBible-BasedSpirit-Led

Yeah, but then they'd wanna chair on the General Council floor an a ceegar to smoke while they was a votin.So spoke the wizard in his mountain home. (This line from the lyrics of Uriah Heep's song, The Wizard.) Shhhhh , I think shes been there ...

I must say I like Bonnie's post, and agree some folk do not really want to discuss the elephant in the room.Now to NBF, I had a wonderful dad, pastor and man of God. But his SHEEP was important and he knew mama was there for his kids. Mama was our priest, no doubt.Good post by Bonnie and good comment by NBF! Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/

So, you wrote it in jest. Well, that clarifies everything. No, not overly sensitive, I just don't read all the posts, some I just scan. So, I read the post you referenced but didn't put both thoughts together... (I was cooking red beans and rice, turnip greens, and cornbread and in a hurry).I apologize for the error. My mother-in-law and I would joke with one another and the same sentiments we made in jest. She was not overly sensitive when she knew the source and intent. No problem. I was attempting to point out the absurd extreme to prove the point that women are full fledged ministers with all the giftings of men imho. It always sounds like genius in my mind - but doesn't always translate onto the keyboard