It seems clear that the gifts of women in mercy ministry are valuable and that they were used in the NT. The issue is simply a question of ordination. And the struggle seems to be that when men are ordained and women are not and leadership within a Diaconate is reserved for men then women feel slighted and complain. In other words they angle for egalitarianism which is problematic within our churches. And, it seems, that many pastors and elders do not have the strength to stand up and hold fast to scripture but instead they cave and finagle with things like not ordaining any deacon. Why is it so hard to believe we can value women and their gifts highly but we simply must follow scripture and not ordain them?
You write, "The presence of female deacons in a few NAPARC denominations doesn't help but has not yet led to formal female elders." FTR, the RPCNA is one of those denominations that has women deacons, and we've had them for a hundred years. Female deacons aren't necessarily a feminist waystation, but can simply be a belief that the Bible allows for female deacons. (The RP isn't exactly known for being hasty to jump onto liberal bandwagons.)
May God be merciful and give wisdom and courage to stand on the WORD!
It seems clear that the gifts of women in mercy ministry are valuable and that they were used in the NT. The issue is simply a question of ordination. And the struggle seems to be that when men are ordained and women are not and leadership within a Diaconate is reserved for men then women feel slighted and complain. In other words they angle for egalitarianism which is problematic within our churches. And, it seems, that many pastors and elders do not have the strength to stand up and hold fast to scripture but instead they cave and finagle with things like not ordaining any deacon. Why is it so hard to believe we can value women and their gifts highly but we simply must follow scripture and not ordain them?
You write, "The presence of female deacons in a few NAPARC denominations doesn't help but has not yet led to formal female elders." FTR, the RPCNA is one of those denominations that has women deacons, and we've had them for a hundred years. Female deacons aren't necessarily a feminist waystation, but can simply be a belief that the Bible allows for female deacons. (The RP isn't exactly known for being hasty to jump onto liberal bandwagons.)