The LORD has blessed Pastor Doug with an educated & balanced understanding of scripture and culture in this study. He has made a difficult and controversial topic much easier to sort out and finally comprehend in a clear manner. Many of my SDA peers have always argued against women pastors and their ordination because of the Genesis verses given after sin whereby women are then “subject to men”, and later in the New Testament they are again to be child bearers and homemakers, not church leaders, and to keep silence in church.
Yet, God chose a humble, “uneducated” young woman to be the bearer of the end times message whereby she preached, wrote & published, and counseled to and for the remnant church.
Ordination, it is pointed out, was not a scriptural concept as we know it today. As far as I can tell, the O.T. ordination process for kings was anointing with oil by a prophet, being called by a prophet to fill his position, or being born a Levite. In the N.T. it was being a faithful apostle being sent out by Jesus Himself. They achieved their M.Div. by comparing scripture, living with, observing, listening to, watching, & suffering with the Savior.
Skillfully, Pastor Doug lays out the reasoning that God’s original intent was for both men and women to be equals in all aspects of life, and that the gospel is a plan to bring all of us back to that original relationship idea in homes, church and communities. Well done.
I agree with this educated and balanced approach, and especially appreciate the call to humility and tolerance, as well as treating others on the each side of the conversational aisle with respect and kindness.
In so many aspects of our lives, especially since Jesus won the victory over shame and death on the cross, we strive to conform to His victory in restoring God’s original intent to humanity. This is the work of sanctification – God is restoring His image in His people. I believe there can be a progressive sanctification of His church towards His original intent. I would go so far to say that believing we are “stuck” in a curse (Gen 3) that Christ died to redeem is denying the victory over the curse that has been won with Christ’s blood.
Paul’s concept of a “new humanity” is one that recognizes that we are redeemed from the curse of sin, and are being transformed into his image. This idea of being transformed connotes a process – and processes take time. I like how Pastor Doug teases out how that process is being worked out on this issue, with understanding and cultural sensitivity.
Comments(2)
Mark Roalson says:
October 14, 2023 at 1:11 pmThe LORD has blessed Pastor Doug with an educated & balanced understanding of scripture and culture in this study. He has made a difficult and controversial topic much easier to sort out and finally comprehend in a clear manner. Many of my SDA peers have always argued against women pastors and their ordination because of the Genesis verses given after sin whereby women are then “subject to men”, and later in the New Testament they are again to be child bearers and homemakers, not church leaders, and to keep silence in church.
Yet, God chose a humble, “uneducated” young woman to be the bearer of the end times message whereby she preached, wrote & published, and counseled to and for the remnant church.
Ordination, it is pointed out, was not a scriptural concept as we know it today. As far as I can tell, the O.T. ordination process for kings was anointing with oil by a prophet, being called by a prophet to fill his position, or being born a Levite. In the N.T. it was being a faithful apostle being sent out by Jesus Himself. They achieved their M.Div. by comparing scripture, living with, observing, listening to, watching, & suffering with the Savior.
Skillfully, Pastor Doug lays out the reasoning that God’s original intent was for both men and women to be equals in all aspects of life, and that the gospel is a plan to bring all of us back to that original relationship idea in homes, church and communities. Well done.
Stephanie Nainani says:
October 3, 2025 at 1:41 pmI agree with this educated and balanced approach, and especially appreciate the call to humility and tolerance, as well as treating others on the each side of the conversational aisle with respect and kindness.
In so many aspects of our lives, especially since Jesus won the victory over shame and death on the cross, we strive to conform to His victory in restoring God’s original intent to humanity. This is the work of sanctification – God is restoring His image in His people. I believe there can be a progressive sanctification of His church towards His original intent. I would go so far to say that believing we are “stuck” in a curse (Gen 3) that Christ died to redeem is denying the victory over the curse that has been won with Christ’s blood.
Paul’s concept of a “new humanity” is one that recognizes that we are redeemed from the curse of sin, and are being transformed into his image. This idea of being transformed connotes a process – and processes take time. I like how Pastor Doug teases out how that process is being worked out on this issue, with understanding and cultural sensitivity.