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A thread about why I'm neither complementarian nor egalitarian. 
Background: I was raised in the Pentecostal/Charismatic church. Female pastors were not uncommon at all for me, growing up. My mother, in fact, "pastored" for a time. (I'll come back to why that's in quotes so don't get your knickers twisted.)
The idea of a strong, matriarchal leader over a church didn't bother me then. I spent years developing a very broken theology around it.
I had to take 1 Tim, Romans, Titus, etc. and try to figure out why what I practiced was biblical.
So I appealed to Julia. I minimized Paul.
I had to take 1 Tim, Romans, Titus, etc. and try to figure out why what I practiced was biblical.
So I appealed to Julia. I minimized Paul.
Some of y'all are getting feisty already and I am here to say, "STOP IT." This is my thread and I will talk about what I want on my thread.
I am telling you, I wanted something to be true, so I went about the work of making it true for myself.
I am telling you, I wanted something to be true, so I went about the work of making it true for myself.
During this period, I was part of a "church" that was an absolute train wreck of heresy, narcissism, abuse, manipulation, and just hell.
The pastor was a woman who... I can't fully describe her other than she might as well have been that pastor @northworstsem always posts.
The pastor was a woman who... I can't fully describe her other than she might as well have been that pastor @northworstsem always posts.
This church had a nearly full-blown Preterist eschatology which was wildly overemphasized: "...well, those people who believe Jesus is coming back just don't realize we have the KINGDOM NOW."
This gem of crazy: "I have no emotions because Jesus died for them."
This gem of crazy: "I have no emotions because Jesus died for them."
There was, as you may have guessed, so much control and manipulation. I was told, in no uncertain terms, to stay in this church, in this city, and to do things and not do things, constantly.
Things like questioning interpretation. Asking why we did X. Yes, it was a cult.
Things like questioning interpretation. Asking why we did X. Yes, it was a cult.
When God set me free from it, I was 23 years old.
I left and never went back. And that was to God's glory.
At 29, God saved me. Like for real for real, this time.
I left and never went back. And that was to God's glory.
At 29, God saved me. Like for real for real, this time.
I got saved in 2009 listening to Mark Driscoll. Following that, I went ahead and did my training under Wayne Grudem's SysTheo.
Yes, I know. Shush.
Anyway, I got very involved in and invested in, Acts 29 and that whole crew. Some of those people I still love dearly.
Yes, I know. Shush.
Anyway, I got very involved in and invested in, Acts 29 and that whole crew. Some of those people I still love dearly.
The assumption going into those churches was the same: we're complementarian, here's our view on women in leadership, thanks for coming.
And that was ok. Most of those guys were/are pretty normal. Most weren't abusive. Most weren't racist. Most weren't misogynistic.
And that was ok. Most of those guys were/are pretty normal. Most weren't abusive. Most weren't racist. Most weren't misogynistic.
But since leaving the last one I left, largely due to rampant narcissism and control issues, I found myself questioning so much. So much theology, so much tradition.
And after stumbling into #WCT, I found that there are some INCREDIBLY sharp knives in this drawer.
And after stumbling into #WCT, I found that there are some INCREDIBLY sharp knives in this drawer.
I could try to keep my hold onto full-blown complementarianism, but I have to contend with people who I see tackling the issue with grace and tenacity and a desire to glorify God:
@AmyEBurdett1 @Emmi_shane @emilynclark @GingerSnapKid @ErinMHarding
They challenge me, y'all.
@AmyEBurdett1 @Emmi_shane @emilynclark @GingerSnapKid @ErinMHarding
They challenge me, y'all.
And so as I have been working through the text, I have found a wonderful thing: more questions than solid answers.
When I read Titus and Paul uses a female version of elder... well...
When I consider that power systems have had more influence on translation than truth, well...
When I read Titus and Paul uses a female version of elder... well...
When I consider that power systems have had more influence on translation than truth, well...
So here's where I am at 8:50AM on December 30th, 2020:
I am not opposed to women pastors from a theoretical stance, but I am also unsure I have enough of a mandate to seek out submitting to a body with them.
It's basically a non-problem for me, at the moment.
I am not opposed to women pastors from a theoretical stance, but I am also unsure I have enough of a mandate to seek out submitting to a body with them.
It's basically a non-problem for me, at the moment.
Why? Because 99% of churches I would go to, as I would define a healthy church, aren't egalitarian.
Or aren't yet. And with covid happening? Church is this amorphous thing. I haven't been inside a church building since February of this year; women pastors aren't a big deal rn.
Or aren't yet. And with covid happening? Church is this amorphous thing. I haven't been inside a church building since February of this year; women pastors aren't a big deal rn.
I mentioned my mother, the one currently sick with covid, was a "pastor." And I used the air quotes because this was under the direction of that same manipulative narcissist woman I described above.
So what my mother did wasn't pastoring. At all. And I say that having been one.
So what my mother did wasn't pastoring. At all. And I say that having been one.
