Wow. Dare I ‘weigh in’ on this one? Just for the sake of one more perspective perhaps. For me this issue has been an ongoing journey. I agree with your Scriptural concerns wholeheartedly. As a Baby Boomer raised in a non-Christian environment and a more or less female dominated household, it was hard for me to accept some of the seemingly harsh passages in the Bible that seemed to exclude women from leadership roles in the Church.

That was when I was younger and less experienced in Church ministry and leadership roles myself. Through my involvement in Men’s ministry over the years as well as having been a deacon and (technically) filling an elder’s role as well in the past, I have come to see two things that move me to endorse Paul’s (and other) teaching on the matter. The first is when, during a church leadership crisis some years ago, the women in our own congregation were crying where are the men to lead us? The second is in reading several Christian authors noting the crisis of male abdication of responsibility both in the Church and the home in past 60 to 70 years especially.

Having said that, I do agree with Dave’s comments that there has often been an imbalance in the way women have been treated in both society and the Church throughout history. I think that what God has shown us in His Word is that indeed women were created both equal and yet to be in submission in a way quite similar to what we see within the Triinity itself. It’s clear (for those who believe in the Deity of Christ) that Jesus is co-equal with God the Father in essence, yet He Himself made it clear that He is still the Son and, as the Son, in subjection to the Father at all times.

So what does this mean for women in leadership? We are at a critical crossroads in this area (as with a number of others) where society is diverging more and more from the Biblical worldview. I believe the Word is clear that women may serve as deaconesses in the church but not as elders. Argue as we may against this that is scripturally quite clear in my mind. But that does not exclude them from many other areas of leadership. Obviously one is to learn from and to honor one’s mother as much as one’s father. Can she then be a teacher of children (who eventually grow to become adults)? Of course.

Women are also shown to have been judges (at least in Deborah’s case). Also prophetesses in both Testaments. We are never told that it was wrong for the Queen of Sheba to be a Queen. Indeed there are countless examples that can be found throughout Scripture of women’s godly influence and leadership. The key, I believe lies in looking carefully at each of these and noting that often (if not always) there is to be an element of submission / subjection to some form of male eldership or leadership. This seems to be especially true in the area of Spiritual leadership. Hence there was never a female Hight Priest (or even priestesses) yet women we are told did serve at the tabernacle at least and, apparently even as temple servants.

Nor are we given the example of female elder / shepherds (pastors) in the New Testament. If I understand correctly this matter in terms of Paul’s statement regarding not ‘suffer[ing] a woman to teach or usurp authority over a man’, I believe, again, it is simply a matter of subjection (in a positive sense; not subservience). That is, she is not to teach a man / men in a general sense but that does not mean she cannot teach at all or hold a leadership role (eg. deaconness for example) in the church. Working this out in terms of paid ministry, I tend to agree with those churches that have hired women to be on staff say in the role of an Christian Ed director or perhaps head of women’s or even family ministries. These I could see as working under what could be called a deasonness role.

Even as far as teaching goes, I think some women have shown themselves to be favored by God in this role so long as they were openly and clearly doing so under the auspices of male leadership. Two examples which come to mind are Anne Grahm Lotz and Joy Dawson (the latter was a long time teacher with YWAM in the 70’s & 80’s). Both, so far as I know held themselves to under the authority of male leaders even within their given ministries.

The only proviso I would make regarding leadership in the church is that I do not believe God gives us leave in His word to appoint women to be elders in the church and hence to hold such a position as say a pastor’s role or at least as the lead pastor. That, to my mind, would be putting her in authority both over her husband (assuming she’s married & he attends the same church) as well as the other elders and the deacons, etc. This, I think, is where God, for His own good reasons (which we may never fully understand this side of heaven) has drawn the line.

So, as far as the new female (or male for that matter) believer coming into the Church from our increasingly non-Christian culture goes. While I would never want to set up any unnecessary or arbitrary barrier to them feeling at home in the family of God, I believe this is one area in which we need to be very, very careful not to compromise the Word simply in order to make the Gospel / Church more amenable. Let’s face the fact that we can never make the Gospel 100% attractive to the World, otherwise it ceases to be the Gospel. Paul speaks of the offense of the Gospel for a specific reason. That offense includes our holding even to the culturally unacceptable (ie. different) aspects that arise when you adopt a lifestyle consistent with what Jesus taught. Whether you are talking about the role of women in society today or matters related to dress, sexual orientation, pornography or whatever; those who choose to follow Christ will always be called to be counter-cultural to a greater or lesser degree.

That is my take on this one, at least. Hopefully, if you’ve had the patience to read through it all, it’s turned out to be a little helpful at least.