Browsed by
Author: Cheryl Schatz

Godly women need to repent?

Godly women need to repent?

Comments 2 comments

My heart goes out to Pastors who are so engrained in tradition that they can easily justify sending godly women to hell. This past weekend I spoke with a Pastor from a denomination that does not believe that women are allowed to teach the bible to men. I asked him several questions regarding his view and his answers were very eye-opening to me.

1. I asked him if there was a law that forbid godly women from teaching correct biblical doctrine to men and he said yes. (Yet every law of God comes from God alone and is never put into the words of a man saying “I do not allow”. God’s laws are clear, understandable, enforceable and they always have a second or third witness because God’s law are always repeated in scripture.)
2. I asked him if disobeying that “law” is sinning against God and he answered yes.

3. I asked him if I teach the bible to men and then do not repent of this sin before I die will I go to hell. He said yes.

Think about this – I will go to hell for teaching correct biblical doctrine! This has nothing to do immorality or a hatred of God. This has everything to do with operating in my God-given gifts. Yet this tradition says that I will go to hell for refusing to kick men out of my bible studies. Otherwise I must act in a prejudicial way towards my dear brothers in Christ so that God doesn’t send me to hell. How Satan must laugh at the church when our traditions have become a cause of separating brothers and sisters in Christ. Women have so much to give to the body of Christ and it is our desire to be allowed to share this knowledge with our brothers.

Audio talk now available online

Audio talk now available online

Comments 5 comments

On October 20, 2006 I gave a talk on the women’s issue at a convention of ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses. The talk was roughly based on questions that I had received from a Pastor who had watched my DVD “Women in Ministry Silenced or Set Free?” He had asked me some questions that were not covered by the hard passages on women from WIM. In my talk I answer the challenges against women teaching the bible to men that the Watchtower makes as well as the challenges from some Christian pastors. You can download the audio file at Jehovah’s Women on Trial mp3 file or play a streaming version at Jehovah’s Women on Trial mp3 streaming version.

Can complementarians agree to disagree?

Can complementarians agree to disagree?

Comments 20 comments

I sent a copy of our DVD “Women in Ministry Silenced or Set Free?” to the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood in February of 2006 and this summer I finally received a response. They have chosen at this point not to try to refute the video and have said that they will just agree to disagree. I think it is wonderful when Christians can have differing viewpoints and after working through their issues, at least agree to disagree. However in this case I am questioning whether that is really possible. I certainly can agree to disagree with them and still call them my brothers in Christ. However their position is that women who teach the bible to men are in sin. Can they agree to disagree when my brothers in Christ see me as living in unrepentant sin? I don’t think they have that option.

When you see your brother in sin, scripture tells us what to do if we see our brother or sister in sin:

Galatians 6:1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.

So if one sees a Christian brother or sister in sin, they should try to restore that one to fellowship, right? Does this seem consistent with “let’s just agree to disagree?” What verse would one point to that agrees that sin is merely a matter of agreeing to disagree?

What about this one – scripture says that the one who is born of God will not continue living a lifestyle of sin.

1 John 3:4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
1 John 3:6 No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.

So if a Christian brother accuses a sister in Christ of sinning against God by teaching the Bible to men, how is it consistent with scripture to “agree to disagree” and see the “sinning” sister as part of the fellowship of the body of Christ? How can the one practicing sin as a lifestyle be held in fellowship?

I certainly want to be gracious about this and to respect CBMW’s position, but it seems inconceivable to me that an organization of Christian men dedicated to spreading the complementarian position and who sincerely believe that women are in sin for teaching the bible to men can ignore my request for dialogue. I have asked them for their comments on my exegesis and if they believe I am wrong then to show me where I am wrong. It’s a no go. They aren’t interested. They just want to “agree to disagree”. Hmm……. Is that scriptural?

Another complementarian Pastor responds

Another complementarian Pastor responds

Comments 3 comments

I am preparing a talk on women in ministry partly based on questions and challenges presented to me by a complementarian Pastor from a large denomination which restricts women from teaching the bible to men. Here are excerpts that he gave regarding our DVD teaching series on Women in Ministry:

I want to say from the start that I was very impressed with the quality of your production and the depth of reasoning present in Women in Ministry Silenced or Set Free? This is a well thought out treatment of this controversial issue of women in ministry… It would have been easy for you to fall into a derogatory and disrespectful and even an antagonistic tone in this production, but you did not stoop to this level and for that you are to be commended. The tone throughout was one of respectful disagreement and honorable treatment of those who differed from you in your position. That’s grace.,,, I learned some interesting things from your teaching [for example](your handling of 1 Corinthians 14) – This was well done and your reference to Jewish tradition was powerful in making your points. Could Paul’s reference to “the law” in verses 34-35 be referring to a quotation from Jewish tradition? You make a pretty persuasive case that it is… Again I want to commend you on your work. It is well done, rational and reasonable, temperate, well organized, and of high technical quality… I want to say in closing, Cheryl, you and all those who worked on this project have done a magnificent job in presenting your case. I thank you for allowing me to review your work. It stretched me and forced me to dig deep and seriously consider what I believed about this issue.

I appreciate this Pastor’s willingness to be open to have his position on the women’s issue biblically challenged. This Pastor also gave me a list of questions and challenges that he believed needed to be answered regarding issues outside the hard passages of scripture and thus not included in the material in the DVD itself. I have answered his questions point by point and right now we are still dialoguing.

Pastor has his eyes opened regarding faulty traditions

Pastor has his eyes opened regarding faulty traditions

Comments 3 comments

I recently received this email from a Southern Baptist Pastor who watched the DVD “Women in Ministry Silenced or Set Free?” this summer:

Yes I did watch the video and thought it was very interesting. You made
some very valid observations…Your DVD was excellent…I must admit that my eyes were opened away from some faulty traditions from viewing your DVD objectively and un biased.

The question is how do we contend without being contentious? Many people, even women are steeped in tradition rather than educated in Scripture. Lord help us all!!!

It is a great question that he asked. …

Read More Read More

Isn’t the Priesthood in the OT proof that God uses only men?

Isn’t the Priesthood in the OT proof that God uses only men?

Comments 12 comments

Q: Isn’t the fact that God only chose men for the Priesthood in the Old Testament proof that God only uses men in leadership? After all the Priesthood is equivalent to the Pastorhood in the church.

A: Although God originally started with only one tribe in Israel for the Priesthood and only the men from that one tribe were eligible, his intention was not for the Priesthood to stay with only one tribe and only the men. In Exodus 19:5-8, God makes a covenant with the nation of Israel. …

Read More Read More

Is there a law that forbids women from teaching men?

Is there a law that forbids women from teaching men?

Comments 12 comments

Q: Isn’t there a law in 1 Timothy 2:11-15 that forbids women from teaching the Bible to men? Why are you disregarding this law?

A: There are many who take 1 Timothy 2:11-15 as a law that forbids women from teaching the bible to men and therefore forbids them from ministering in the church using their God-given gifts. However we need to test this “prohibition” to see if it is a situation in the Ephesian church (a local situation) that Paul is stopping or if it is a law that Paul is establishing for the body of Christ. Up until 1 Timothy 2 was written, there was not even one scripture that says that women are not allowed to teach the Bible to men. Is Paul constructing a new law for the church? Well, let’s test that. …

Read More Read More

Wasn’t Adam the only one given God’s prohibition in the garden?

Wasn’t Adam the only one given God’s prohibition in the garden?

Comments 15 comments

Q: Does the fact that Adam was the only one given God’s prohibition in the garden prove that he was given a role of authority that the women was not given?

A: This is a common question and comes from a common misconception about the text in Genesis 2. However scripture does not say that Adam alone was given God’s prohibition in the garden and that he had authority over Eve. Let’s have a look at scripture to see what it actually says. In Genesis chapter two, God gives the prohibition to Adam saying “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely, but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” …

Read More Read More

Doesn’t 1 Timothy 1:3 list only males as false teachers?

Doesn’t 1 Timothy 1:3 list only males as false teachers?

Comments 3 comments

Q: In WIM you say that 1 Timothy 1:3 “charge some that they teach no other doctrine” means people male or female. However isn’t the technical grammar of “some” as singular masculine?

A: This is an excellent question and I am glad that you asked this. Although 1 Timothy 1:3 has a generic meaning of male or female, the fine points of the grammar show that the Greek is singular masculine. However this grammar does not exclude females. …

Read More Read More

Isn’t it a sin for a woman to teach men?

Isn’t it a sin for a woman to teach men?

Comments 0 Comment

Q: Doesn’t Paul’s command in 1 Timothy 2:12 for women not to teach men show that to disobey this command is a sin?

A: That’s a great question. In 1 Timothy 2:12 we need to determine what the command is and who the command is to. To determine these two things, we refer you back to the section on 1 Timothy 2:12 in the DVD “Women in Ministry Silenced or Set Free?” Now to the question about sin. If one interprets this passage as meaning that all women are not allowed to teach the bible to men, then one would have a very serious dilemma about the charge of sin in this passage. …

Read More Read More

Isn’t “a woman” from 1 Timothy 2 clear that she is “generic woman”?

Isn’t “a woman” from 1 Timothy 2 clear that she is “generic woman”?

Comments 0 Comment

Q: You say that “a woman” in 1 Timothy 2:11 & 12 is the same terminology as Paul calling “a man” living in sin in 1 Corinthians 5. Wouldn’t you have to admit that the normal grammatical reading in 1 Corinthians 5 which says that Paul is talking about a particular man, not “all men”, is clearer there than in the passage in 1 Timothy 2 talking about “a woman” not meaning “all women”?

A: Absolutely, yes, I agree. That is why the 1 Corinthian 5 passage is not considered a difficult passage. 1 Timothy 2 has many difficult elements and it has been considered a difficult passage throughout church history. …

Read More Read More

Why do you say that animals were created after Adam?

Why do you say that animals were created after Adam?

Comments 0 Comment

Q: In your section on 1 Timothy 2, you state that Adam saw some of the animals being created, perhaps the mates of the animals already created on day six. However, says that God had formed “all of the beasts” (NIV) or “every beast” (NASB). Wouldn’t you say that it’s a stretch to say that means “some” animals were formed when Genesis says that God formed every beast?

A: As we documented in WIM from Hebrew scholars, Genesis shows a second creation of the animals after Adam was created. …

Read More Read More

Would your arguments have strength without 1 Timothy 2:15?

Would your arguments have strength without 1 Timothy 2:15?

Comments 0 Comment

Q: It also seems that 1 Timothy 2:15 is crucial for your interpretation. The word ‘she’ is a definite point in your favor. However, without this verse (being that it’s very difficult historically) do you think you’d have the strength in your argument as you do now?

A: Yes, 1 Timothy 2:15 is a very strong point in our argument. It is very important because Paul draws all his conclusions that he has systematically defended in the previous verses, and ties them all together in this one verse. Many Pastors will be blunt and say that they have no idea why Paul put this verse in the passage. …

Read More Read More

Wasn’t the garden created before Adam was created?

Wasn’t the garden created before Adam was created?

Comments 0 Comment

Q: Doesn’t Genesis 2:8 simply say that God had already planted a garden and then put man into it after he was formed? Don’t the following verses then go on to describe what the garden was composed of, not a sequential account of the garden being formed after the man? If 2:8 says there was a garden that God put man in, but he hadn’t yet created the vegetation for it, how could it be called a garden? It’s not a garden until we see green stuff. But as a summary statement, it is simple to see that the vegetation and animals and garden were all in place, and then God put man in it. Adam didn’t witness it.

A: A garden is a garden not because of the green stuff that you see, but because of what has been planted. We can see that very clearly even today. I can go out into my back yard and prepare the soil and plant a garden. My neighbor won’t come by and tell me that I haven’t planted a garden just because he can’t see any green stuff. The fact that it is called a garden even before the green vegetation is seen.

Now regarding your statement that Genesis 2:8 is a summary statement of what has already happened, that is not possible in the Hebrew construction. …

Read More Read More

Is there no distinction between male and female?

Is there no distinction between male and female?

Comments 14 comments

Q: Some feminists say that there is no distinction to be made between male and female. Is this what you believe?

A: One of the biggest deceptions that Satan has brought into the women’s issue is that equality = sameness. That is not what we believe or teach. You may have noticed in the last section of WIM that I say that equality does not mean unisex. Women are different than men and that is the way that God planned it. Woman was created to meet a man’s need. Men need women because women are different than men and were made to complement him and to complete him. A man and a woman together in marriage are a union of two equals but not a union of two of the exact same things. …

Read More Read More

Recommendations for WIM

Recommendations for WIM

Comments 0 Comment

Women in Ministry: Silenced or Set Free?” as a whole is a very well produced and presented multi-media teaching series on the legitimacy and freedom of women to be in any ministry that God should call them to. The instructor is knowledgeable, very presentable, and articulate. The series presents serious biblical exegesis and research on a number of texts that are often quoted as evidence that women’s roles and opportunities in ministry are limited. Taken all together I find this series to be very relevant and helpful and therefore cannot be passed off lightly….This series can go a long way to giving women the freedom to pursue ministry as God calls them and to answer the concern and questions of others.

I can recommend MM Outreach ministries and would be privileged to do so.

-Rev. Robert Guthrie, B.Th. M.A. Instructor in Biblical Studies and Church History Vanguard College, Edmonton, Alberta

In a world where many secular societies have seen the equality and value of women in leadership roles, too often religions have been slow to make the same transition. Biblically, Christ “tore down the middle wall of partition” that separated men and women, yet still, many Christian denominations and organizations maintain an error-filled perspective concerning women in ministry. As “Women in Ministry Silenced or Set Free?” clearly exposes the truth of God’s word, each individual who wants balanced instruction in this vital area of teaching will discover that God’s word is not vague nor is it indifferent about the role of women and their God-given ministries.

Those who have felt confused or restrained will find instead great freedom and a sound stance that upholds truth and extends endorsement for all women who choose to serve Christ in leadership and teaching roles.

…(the) series was well-prepared and with good documentation! Well done!

-Pastor Wayne McNeilly/Evangel Pentecostal Assembly, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

The story of creation tells us that both man and woman were made in the image of God. All people are given intrinsic value in the miraculous act of creation, and all people are loved passionately by God, regardless of gender, race, age, education, economics, etc. However, though men and women are equal in value and purpose in God’s eyes, there are passages in the Bible that raise the question of whether or not God limits the roles that are available to women in a local church family. Women in Ministry: Silenced or Set Free examines this question in a thoughtful and persuasive way. Through clear, concise teaching and multimedia, this series provides an excellent presentation of the arguments in favor of a woman’s freedom to serve in all roles of Christian leadership according to God’s leading. Though I disagree with the theological conclusions of this series at several points, I found the series very helpful in understanding the issues involved from a different perspective. Without a doubt, the presentation is offered with tremendous respect, integrity, and grace.

Dr. Scott Heine, Compass Church, Goodyear, Arizona

Women in Ministry is a well-researched, well-presented series on the role of women in the church today. Cheryl Schatz has done her homework in a very thorough and thought-provoking manner. She brings to our attention the pertinent scriptural teaching that helps us see the freedom women are given by the Lord for leadership in the church and the exercise of their God-given spiritual gifts.

The material is presented in an engaging format. From the very beginning the viewer is drawn in with excellent graphics and video clips. Cheryl is a gifted Bible teacher.

This series is a must-see for those who seriously want to know what the Bible teaches on the role of women in the church today.

Rev. Bob Carroll
Church Planting Pastor
The Link Christian Community
Edmonton, Alberta

Scriptures Showing Women in the Ministry are Missing

Scriptures Showing Women in the Ministry are Missing

Comments 1 comment

Q: Why did you not list in WIM all the scriptures that show women properly leading and serving God in both the New Testament and the Old Testament?

A: This DVD set is specifically about the hard passages of scripture that seem to restrict women from ministering to the entire body of Christ. Although listing all the scriptures that show women’s ability and calling to minister wherever God calls them is important, these scriptures alone do not adequately explain what appears to be a roadblock to women’s ministry – namely the hard passages of scripture. WIM deals with all the hard passages in a way that makes them understandable and allows the scriptures to be read without contradiction.

Introduction

Introduction

Comments 0 Comment

“Women in Ministry Silenced or Set Free?” (WIM) is a very visual way to learn to understand the hard passages of scripture concerning women in ministry. However I felt that it would also be helpful to have an interactive way to answer questions that have arisen from those who have viewed the DVD teaching series. This blog will give readers the ability to see what questions others have asked concerning WIM and the teaching on the hard passages of scripture.

If you have any comments or questions you may post them for others to see or for me to answer. I do expect that you will be courteous and dialogue in a respectful manner.

%d bloggers like this: