Written by CBAmerica | 14 December 2009

CBAmerica Resolutions
WOMEN IN MINISTRY

MINISTRY OF CHRISTIAN WOMEN – 1975

WHEREAS, Galatians 3:28 teaches that all believers are equal in standing before God, whether male or female, and

WHEREAS, I Corinthians 12:11 indicates that all believers are given spiritual gifts by the Holy Spirit,

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that we affirm the Biblical conviction that women are gifted by the Holy Spirit for effective service in the body of Christ, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we wholeheartedly express our appreciation for the significant contribution that is continually being made by gifted Christian women to ministries for Jesus Christ in education, missions, local churches, and in the home, and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we encourage our Conservative Baptist agencies to involve women in positions on boards and committees in keeping with their spiritual gifts, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we affirm the Biblical principle and pattern of the Christian ministry as outlined in the Pauline epistles in that the office of pastor-teacher remain the God-given responsibility of men of God.

MINISTRY OF CHRISTIAN WOMEN – 1978

WHEREAS, Galatians 3:28 teaches that all believers are equal in standing before God, whether male or female, and

WHEREAS, the use of masculine nouns and pronouns such as man, men, he, him, his are often generic in nature and are intended to include both male and female as in John 5:24, I John 2:1, I Corinthians 12:3, 7, 11, et al., and

WHEREAS, I Corinthians 12:11 indicates that all believers are given spiritual gifts by the Holy Spirit, and

WHEREAS, in both the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament women held positions of leadership and were used by God in those leadership roles (witness, among others, Esther, Deborah, Jael, Abigail, Priscilla, Lydia, and Philip's daughters),

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that we reaffirm our Biblical conviction that women are gifted by the Holy Spirit for effective service in the body of Christ, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we wholeheartedly express our appreciation for the significant contribution that is continually being made by gifted Christian women to ministries for Jesus Christ in education, missions, local churches, and in the home, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we encourage our Conservative Baptist agencies and the churches to involve women in positions on boards, committees and staffs in keeping with their spiritual gifts and the Scriptures, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we reaffirm our support of the Biblical principle and pattern of the Christian ministry as outlined in the Pauline epistles in that the office of pastor (elder, bishop) and deacon remain the God-given responsibility of qualified males.

WOMEN IN MINISTRY – 1986

SINCE men and women are created differently by God and make unique contributions to family, church and society, and .

SINCE the Apostle Paul reminds the church that men and women enjoy a common standing before God, and

SINCE historical precedents for qualified men and women serving in positions of leadership and ministry are plentiful in both testaments of the Scriptures,

THEREFORE we affirm our Biblical conviction that women are enabled by the Holy Spirit to perform effective ministry in the body of Christ.

FURTHER we appreciate and applaud the significant contributions of ministering women in our local churches, mission societies, educational institutions, agencies and homes.

FURTHER we encourage our Conservative Baptist colleges and seminaries to promote the education of women for ministry and leadership.

FURTHER we encourage our Conservative Baptist agencies, mission societies and local churches to involve and/or employ women in positions of ministry and leadership commensurate with their skills, education, interests, spiritual development and Biblical
qualifications.

FURTHER we affirm our Biblical conviction that the position of pastor as an elder and shepherd of the local church is the God-ordained responsibility of qualified males only.