It’s anchorMAN, not achorLADY!

The case of Sherri Klouda vs. SWBTS, Dr. Patterson et al is well known in the SBC. The issue of women in ministry is one that every church has to address at some time on some level.

I share with you a list I compiled, an exercise that I've done before on the topic.

101 practical scenarios regarding women in ministry.

Cogitate about the biblical principles that determine what a woman may or may not do within the body of Christ. Some passages to start with might include 1 Cor 11:2-16; 14:33-35; Eph 5:22-33; 1 Tim 2:12; 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 2:3-5; etc. (others?)

After you have drafted up some theoretical, biblical principles that should govern such activity, relate them to the following, asking yourself, "If it were up to me, would I be on board with a woman doing X?"

Be prepared not only to answer "yeah" or "nay" but to support your answer.

In addition, you may want to distinguish for yourself, and for us, those things which you think are (a) biblically prohibited and those things which you're just (b) "not comfortable with" or want to play it safe with, etc. One other suggestion: You may want to try to put these on some sort of continuum and decide where you "draw the line" so to speak.

It seems to me there's a tension. On the one hand, we don't want to violate biblical texts like those above, yet we also don't want to unnecessarily limit the usefulness of the gifted sisters God has graciously given to us.

(N.B. The term "mixed" refers to a group containing both men and women.)

Are you on board with a Christian woman …

1. Being the president of a denomination?
2. Being a member of the governing board of a denomination?
3. Teaching/preaching/speaking at a national denominational meeting?
4. Praying at a national denominational meeting?
5. Being the senior pastor in a church?
6. Presiding over the Lord's Supper?
7. Distributing the elements of the Lord's Supper?
8. Collecting the offering?
9. Administering baptism to a woman in the church service?
10. Administering baptism to a man in the church service?
11. Administering baptism to her daughter in the church service?
12. Administering baptism to her eight-year-old son in the church service?
13. Administering baptism to her seventeen-year-old son in the church service?
14. Being the permanently designated leader of a (mixed) home church or cell group whammy?
15. Teaching the lesson(s) for such a cell group/fellowship family, etc.?
16. Being the committee chair for a mixed church committee (e.g., finance, missions, etc.)?
17. Being the director of Christian Education/Sunday School overseeing mixed teachers?
18. Being a foreign missionary in charge the whole operation, including the teaching, etc.?
19. Leading a mixed short-term mission trip?
20. Being the mixed choir director?
21. Being on a mixed praise team that leads the congregation in worship?
22. Being the lead vocalist on said praise team?
23. Being the leader/organizer of said praise team?
24. Being the minister of music who chooses and leads the congregational singing?
25. Singing a solo during the worship service?
26. Singing a duet with her husband during the worship service?
27. Singing a duet with a man not her husband during the worship service?
28. Singing in the mixed choir?
29. Singing with the congregation during the worship service period?
30. Being an elder?
31. Being a deaconess (i.e., female deacon - assuming biblical understanding of deacons as servants and elders in place to govern)?
32. Being the church secretary?
33. Being the church treasurer?
34. Member of a governing board that operates as an elder board for a congregation?
35. Speaking/preaching/teaching during the "sermon time" on occasion under supervision of elders and senior pastor?
36. Performing a baby dedication during service (assuming on staff)?
37. Speaking in a mixed Sunday school class (i.e., as part of the discussion)?
38. Speaking in a mixed Bible study (i.e., as part of the discussion)?
39. Speaking in a congregational business meeting?
40. Moderating a congregational business meeting?
41. Voting in a congregational business meeting?
42. Being the president of a theological seminary or Bible college?
43. Being the department head over male professors at a seminary or Bible college?
44. Teaching Bible or theology in a theological seminary to a class of women?
45. Teaching Bible or theology in a theological seminary to a mixed class?
46. Teaching Greek or Hebrew in a theological seminary to a mixed class?
47. Teaching Greek or Hebrew in a Bible college?
48. Teaching counseling to a mixed group in a theological seminary?
49. Teaching English (or math, history, etc.) to a mixed group in a Bible college?
50. Teaching any subject at a secular university that would allow male enrollment?
51. Being the principal of a Christian school that has male teachers?
52. Being the teacher of a mixed class in a Christian high school teaching art?
53. Being the teacher of a mixed class in a Christian high school teaching Bible?
54. Being the leader of a mixed Christian high school camp?
55. Being a camp counselor in charge of a mixed (high school) group?
56. Being the supervisor over a Christian man in any secular work environment?
57. Being the teacher of a mixed adult Sunday school class?
58. Being the teacher of a mixed Senior High (ages 15-18ish) SS class?
59. Being the teacher of a mixed Junior High (ages 13-14ish) SS class?
60. Being the teacher of a mixed Elementary (ages 5-12) SS class?
61. Being the teacher of an adult female Bible study?
62. Being the leader of a kids program (e.g., AWANA) that has male leaders?
63. Organizing VBS (assuming mixed teachers)?
64. Teaching on occasion in a mixed adult SS class, under supervision of male teacher?
65. Giving her testimony in the congregational worship service?
66. Giving her testimony in the mixed adult Sunday school class?
67. Writing a book on theology (not specifically designated for women)?
68. Writing a commentary on a Bible book as part of a series with a male editor?
69. Writing or editing a study Bible?
70. Contributing notes for study Bible with a male general editor?
71. Leading a translation team for a Bible version?
72. Being a translator on a translation team for a Bible version?
73. Editing or writing a Bible or theological dictionary?
74. Editing a Christian magazine (e.g., Christianity Today)?
75. Editing the church newsletter or bulletin?
76. Contributing an article to a Bible or theological dictionary (under male editor)?
77. Speaking/preaching evangelistically to an intended mixed group of non-Christians?
78. Evangelizing a man in a random personal encounter encompassing the two of them?
79. Praying to open or close a Bible study or Sunday school class?
80. Praying (aloud, representing the congregation) during the worship service?
81. Reading Scripture aloud to the congregation on a Sunday morning?
82. Reading Scripture to the Sunday school class or Bible study (upon request of male teacher?
83. Praying among a mixed group of praying folk in a Sunday school class?
84. Praying among a mixed group at a congregational prayer meeting?
85. Reading Scripture among a mixed group at a congregational prayer meeting?
86. Participating in the congregational Scripture reading during the worship service?
87. Praying for the mixed group before they consume a meal at a restaurant together?
88. Praying for the congregation at the park before they consume a picnic meal together?
89. Being ordained and bearing the title "reverend"?
90. Having the title "pastor" (e.g., Children's Pastor, Women's pastor, etc.)?
91. Having the title "minister" (e.g., Children's Minister, Women's Minister, etc.)?
92. Being a paid member of the pastoral staff (e.g., overseeing children, women, etc.)?
93. Giving the announcements (regularly) to start the worship service?
94. Giving an announcement on occasion dealing with kids during the worship service?
95. Welcoming people at the door as a greeter before the worship service?
96. Driving the bus to pick up kids for Sunday school?
97. Driving the van of mixed adults going to a denominational convention?
98. Organizing the trip of mixed adults to go to a denominational convention?
99. Owning a Christian bookstore (while employing men)?
100. Managing a Christian bookstore (while supervising men)?
101. Being responsible for (and choosing) inventory in a Christian bookstore?