by Sandy » Thu May 03, 2012 12:47 pm
Well, personal experience certainly figures into perspective on this matter. I've never been part of a church where women were forbidden to read the scripture, or couldn't stand behind a pulpit, or didn't get asked to pass the offering plate, or teach a class. My mom served as a church hostess for thirty years. In addition to being responsible for literally hundreds of dinners, pot lucks and fellowships over that stretch of time, she was also the face of the congregation to people who came to inquire about using the building for weddings, and also served as the funeral coordinator. She was fulfilling a calling, though some people would say that's not important work. It was certainly not something a man could do with the woman's touch that my mom brought to it. She'd never have considered teaching a class, much less being in the pulpit, or even singing in the choir.
I've known dozens of women who served alongside their husbands, and under his authority, who were fulfilled and happy in their calling. Most of them had no ambition to take their husband's place, or be his "equal" in another ministry position. They were women who knew the scripture, accepted what it said about their role in the church, and set out with firm determination to fulfill it.
Perhaps, because of geography, I've never actually lived in a place where the Southern Baptist churches interpreted I Corinthians 14:34-35 to mean that women can't do anything. The context of the passage has to do with church authority, not ministry. I can't think of an SBC church to which I've belonged in my lifetime in which the women were not respectful of the authority of those called to leadership. I also can't think of one in which women were not doing a significant portion of the ministry, all in a way that honors the scripture's order of authority in the church, with men serving in the leadership role of Pastor/Bishop/Overseer. Even at that, I acknowledge that Baptist churches are independent and autonomous, and if a church determines that women shouldn't read scripture, speak in public or show any sign of leadership, they can do so if they choose. People are free to be part of whatever body of Christ they want to join.