Role of Women in the Church, Discussion Plan

Introduction
The Elder Board of FBC will begin our discussions in October and November concerning the Role of Women in the Church as applied to Fellowship Bible Church. At present, we have scheduled our first two meetings as follows.
        Oct 22, 2024
        Nov 19, 2024

Depending on how the discussion proceeds, we should have the freedom to alter this schedule. For example, we may extend the number of meetings into December or the New Year.

As urged by the Board, we will only include current elders in our initial discussion. Thereafter, we will consider the appropriateness of including the voices of women and others in our later discussions.

Prepare the first two discussions with the following structure in mind.

Meeting #1 (currently scheduled for Oct 22)

• The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the interpretations of the various biblical texts related to the role of women for the church universal. 
• Each elder is to prepare a 5 minute presentation in writing outlining his basic position, using FBC, Role of Women, Discuss Form 2024.docx.  

 Reminder: Linked documents are stored in a Dropbox account. A Dropbox account is not required to read or download any file; simply close out any popup windows that request a login. Look carefully for an X to close the window; read carefully any dialog box for "cancel," "close," "no thanks," "skip," etc. If you want to print a document stored in Dropbox, download it first and print it from your local device.

• Prepare to distribute your answers on paper to the other Board members.
• After each elder presents his current position, other elders will have an opportunity to ask for clarifications of the points made. 
• This will not be the time to discuss whether the points are valid, correct, or determinative. 
• A discussion on the interpretation of the texts will occur after all the elders in attendance have presented their basic position.
• This discussion shall be conducted with posture of curiosity; a posture of defensiveness or attack will be discouraged.

Meeting #2 (currently scheduled for Nov 19)

• The purpose of this meeting is to discuss how our conclusions of our basic interpretation of the various biblical texts change or maintain our current description of the role of women at FBC.
• Our starting point will be our current policy as in FBC, Role of Women,June 1995
• We have based our practice on this document as seen in an elder discussion in 2013, FBC, role_of_women_discussion_rpjk
• Further details of the second discussion will be laid out after the first meeting(s) (with formats as necessary). 

Update: Oct 23 (based on interactions in the Oct 22nd meeting)

• The purpose of this meeting, after the Oct 22nd meeting, remains the same as previously proposed on Oct 1st -- given the current majority Board opinion (this excludes the two(ish?) outliers), what changes should FBC take re: the role of women in ministry.
  

• Review the following:
  
• Our starting point will be our current policy as in FBC, Role of Women,June 1995
• (Discussed on Oct 22nd was whether this is merely a ‘position paper’ or a ‘policy’; it is actually titled “Policies and Procedures.”)
• We have based our practice on this document as seen in an elder discussion in 2013, FBC, role_of_women_discussion_rpjk
  

• Please also (re)read the following:
• Kathy Keller, Jesus, Justice, and Gender Roles: A Case for Gender Roles in Ministry
• John Dickson, Hearing Her Voice, Revised Edition: A Case for Women Giving Sermons
  
•  (Not mentioned in Oct 22nd meeting, this booklet has a helpful discussion on the meaning of “prophecy,” “preaching,” and “teaching” in both the biblical and contemporary contexts.) 
• NOTE, if not already done, the two booklets above need to be ordered this week (Oct 20th) to allow for adequate time to read and digest the material.

• Consider the following questions:
• In what ways, if any, do we need to revise our FBC, Role of Women,June 1995 policy. (Discussed on Oct 22nd was whether this is merely a ‘position paper’ or a ‘policy’; it is actually titled “Policies and Procedures.”)
• How do we avoid the issues raised by Kevin in his position form about deconstruction and a ‘slippery slope’ related to same-sex attraction and behavior?
• How do we define the scope of activities of women ministry directors in a context of male-only teaching/(training?) and mixed-gender volunteers or participants?  
• This may include women leadership in various ministries, both inside and outside the church: children education/events, worship (prayer, Scripture-reading, call to worship, etc.), special events, food bank (or other work with the vulnerable), communion (in gathered worship and for 'shut-ins'), baptism, seminars, adult education, etc.
• Whether and, if so, how to acknowledge/institute an FBC the office of deaconess (see Does the Bible Support Female Deacons? Yes and Did the Apostles Establish the Office of Deaconess?).

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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