Now that we're understanding that PASTORING is a "GIFT", and not an OFFICE, now we can get to the Facts of the Matter.
Fact #1. Pastoring is a GIFT of the Holy Ghost. supportive scripture, OT, first. Joel 2:28 "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:"
Joel 2:29 "And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit."
A. Women can preach, "and your daughters shall prophesy" prophesying is not just foretelling a future event which "Prophet" do, but prophet also PREACH. was not Jonah a prophet? yes, so did Jonah preach? supportive scripture, Jonah 3:1 "And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying,"
Jonah 3:2 "Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee." the preaching was the foretelling of the city future, salvation, or destruction. well women, are prophets, and a prophet ... "PREACH", so women do preach.
but what about women in the work of Pastoring? answer, same scriptures, which was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, and the out pouring of the Spiritual Gifts. Acts 2:14 "But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:"
Acts 2:15 "For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day."
Acts 2:16 "But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;"
Acts 2:17 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:"
Acts 2:18 "And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:"
Now, how is this in response to women being "PASTORS?" here's why.... the Spiritual Gifts which was poured out on Pentecost are listed in 1 Corinthians 12:7 "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal."
1 Corinthians 12:8 "For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;"
1 Corinthians 12:9 "To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;"
1 Corinthians 12:10 "To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:"
1 Corinthians 12:11 "But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will."
FACT #2. note, in verse 10, Peter spoke in divers kinds of tongues on the day of pentecost, but here's the "REVELATION GIFT", of women Pastors. verse 8 "For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;"
lets break it down, a word of WISDOM is UNDERSTANDING, Proverbs 1:2 "To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;" so if I speak a WORD of WISDOM to you, you will get "UNDERSTANDING", now a Word of KNOWLEDGE, self explanatory, is KNOWLEDGE, so a WORD of Wisdom gives "KNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTANDING. Proverbs 2:6 "For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding." now what are pastors for? answer, Jeremiah 3:15 "And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding."
so Pastoring is a "GIFT" of the Holy Spirit, and remember in Joel 2:28 "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:"
all flesh is not JUST "MALE" flesh with the Gifts, for if God just give the male the Gift of Pastoring, then he's a respecter of Persons, (which he is NOT). for in his BODY, there is neither Male, nor female. scripture, Galatians 3:27 "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."
Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."
God do not discriminate. as sid before, for the sake of the discussion, a Holy Ghost filled "Female", is no less that a Holy Ghost filled "Male", for the Gift is nether the males, nor the Females, but of God.
so the TRUE FACTS is, Women can preach, teach, and PASTOR/BISHOP, just as men. it's God choice who he ordains in his Church, that he bought and paid for. not our choice.
PICJAG,
101G.
PS, a re-read of this post might be need for clarity, and for edification of the saints.