Input on why Got Questions allows women to answer men’s questions January 25th, 2016 Shea Houdmann January 24, 2016 Here is an issue I’d like your input on. We allow women to answer questions submitted by men. Is this an issue for you, why or why not? See 1 Timothy 2:11-12. LikeComment Seen by 59 Ed Chait, Daniel Butt and Laurel J. Davis like this. Comments Hope McCullough Not an issue at all. Like · Reply · 20 hrs Shea Houdmann A little more information to throw into the conversation. We can’t always know if a questioner is male or female. Generally speaking, if a question identifies himself as male, we try to assign his question to a male, especially if it is a counseling related issue. Like · Reply · 5 · 20 hrs Hope McCullough It was my understanding through GQ’s own articles that they applied to pastoring/preaching. Like · Reply · 20 hrs Carol Coleman With the type of questions I answer,(psychology/relationship/Christian life) it is not an issue. If I felt that the question needed to be answered by a man, I would defer to the editor and mention that. Thinking about 1Timothy2: 11-12 I can undertand why some might be concerned. Thanks Like · Reply · 20 hrs Jonathan Morales This has always been a difficult passage for me cause Paul clearly says that he does not allow any woman to teach any man. The more I get to it, the more I realize this wasn’t just in the Ephesian Church, it was a reality in all churches Paul visited. Sometimes I’d like to think that he was just a man subjected to the culture of his days and that God works in the church through our evolving culture but that would have many catastrophic implications so i’d like to stick with what the Bible says. Like · Reply · 1 · 20 hrs Ed Romero These verses seem to be in the larger context of church gatherings. On the other hand, it seems like Prisca is said to have taught Apollos. Yes, she did it with Aquila, but that doesn’t mean she did not teach Apollos Like · Reply · 1 · 20 hrs Hope McCullough Shea, if a woman answers a males question, is that classified as preaching? Like · Reply · 20 hrs Shea Houdmann Hope, we allow women to answer questions submitted by men, so we definitely do not think it violates 1 Timothy 2:11-12. I am wanting your input in preparation for an official “policy” statement on the matter. Like · Reply · 20 hrs Larry Starkey A godly woman, Priscilla, instructed a man, Apollos, in private in Acts 18:24-28, and Timothy, a male, was taught at home by his mother and grandmother (2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15), so it seems okay to me for a godly woman of GotQ to instruct a man in private (via email). A woman assuming an authoritative office in a church (such as the office of senior pastor) is a different matter…and not the issue that Shea is raising. Like · Reply · 3 · 20 hrs Julie Kimani Not to be picky, but I can’t help but notice that Priscilla did this in partnership with her husband. And I would think that Timothy being taught by his mother and grandmother would fall more under a parent/child relationship. Not trying to argue, just trying to understand. Like · Reply · 18 hrs Write a reply… Hope McCullough I apologize, I seem to have jumped the gun a bit. I don’t think it violates it either. We (women) aren’t teaching publicly and we certainly don’t have spiritual authority over the male visitors. I wouldn’t say we preach either. It’s normally (from my experience) simply pointing to verses to answer questions. Like · Reply · 1 · 20 hrs Marilyn Mcclintock It isn’t an issue with me. Since we aren’t exercising authority over the man, but rather, giving a scriptural answer to their question, I don’t consider that 1 Timothy 2:11-12 applies. Like · Reply · 1 · 20 hrs Shea Houdmann Excellent thoughts all! Thank you! Keep ’em coming! Like · Reply · 20 hrs Mary Bennett Reetz The Holy Spirit guides me with both men and women. Like · Reply · 20 hrs TJ Conwell Long and the short of it: No, there is no issue. GQ is not a church which is what Paul was addressing. As we know, 1 and 2 Timothy were written by Paul, to Timothy, who was serving as a junior pastor and he had serious issues going on in the church — which Paul had to address and correct. Like · Reply · 2 · 20 hrs · Edited Wendyl Leslie Agreed. Like · Reply · 18 hrs Write a reply… Ed Chait The context of the text refers to public speaking and exercising authority over men, neither of which applies to this ministry. I don’t think the text is completely clear on the issue, however. Like · Reply · 5 · 20 hrs Wendyl Leslie Agreed. Like · Reply · 18 hrs Write a reply… Dawn James Not an issue for me and I have told questioners (male and female) to seek out advice from a pastor if that was necessary. Like · Reply · 1 · 20 hrs Lea Ann Davis McCombs Questions are questions. Most are gender neutral. As a biblical counselor, I counsel both men and women under the authority of my church, pastor and elder board. Answering questions and giving biblical counsel are in no way classified as usurping spiritual authority over the rightly appointed leaders, nor is it assuming spiritual authority over a man. Both men need women are free to take the answer or disregard it, as they can with any other source of information. Like · Reply · 2 · 20 hrs Corpuz Valdemor Avellaneda Ramil I think it depends on the question. If the question is about issues on sex, the question should be directed to the answerer of same sex, that is if the questioner indicated his/her gender. Like · Reply · 1 · 20 hrs Corpuz Valdemor Avellaneda Ramil BTW there’s no issue for me about women answering the questions of men. Answering questions/counselling/teaching/giving advice should not be equated with leading men or church leadership which is essentially the context of 1 and 2 Timothy. Like · Reply · 2 · 20 hrs Joseph Ford Shea, I think the best answer above all others is that none of us exercise spiritual authority over any questioner. We simply help them understand God’s word. Not a violation of 1 Timothy. Like · Reply · 2 · 19 hrs Tim White Women were strictly forbidden to teach men, or exercise authority over, men. However, there are many instances where women issued godly counsel to men. As pointed out above, women have served under the authority of a man to teach in personal situations, such as with Priscilla. All of the writers (male and female) serve under the authority of GotQuestions’ administrators. Like · Reply · 4 · 19 hrs Julie Kimani I like that you point out that we work under the authority of the admins. That makes sense to me! Like · Reply · 1 · 18 hrs Write a reply… Cliff Teeyoon Lim Q & A situation, nothing to do with headship and/or spiritual authority so 1 Timothy is not applicable here. Like · Reply · 1 · 19 hrs Elizabeth DeVore I said the best way to make sure is to have Shea, Jeff, and Kevin approve all 75+ questions a day. He didn’t go for that… smile emoticon Like · Reply · 5 · 19 hrs Shea Houdmann Why doesn’t Facebook have a dislike option?!? Like · Reply · 19 hrs Tim White Colon and left parenthesis = smile emoticon Like · Reply · 19 hrs Tim White Oops, frown emoticon Like · Reply · 19 hrs Tim White unsanctified fingers!!!! Like · Reply · 2 · 19 hrs Write a reply… Jessica Goforth We’re basically just pointing people to what the Bible says, so I don’t see an issue. Like · Reply · 1 · 19 hrs Steve Ray Webb I don’t see a problem at all with this. Like · Reply · 1 · 19 hrs Wendyl Leslie As with everyone else, I don’t see it as being an issue. However, as Corpuz has pointed out, discretion may be appropriate in assigning questions of a sensitive matter. Like · Reply · 1 · 18 hrs Ed Chait On a private and personal level, I have received solid Biblical counsel from women on uncountable occasions. I also agree that good judgment should be used when assigning sensitive questions. Like · Reply · 4 · 18 hrs Pstr Richard J Rizzi Are they moderated by men? Maybe a good idea. Like · Reply · 18 hrs Timothy Craig Munger I take the women teaching men in a local church context. This is not an issue of authority, but a service a ministry of exhortation. Like · Reply · 2 · 18 hrs Julie Kimani I do struggle with this myself. But I like Tim‘s point that, as writers, we work under the authority of the admins at GQ. When Priscilla corrected Apollos, she did so in partnership and under the authority of her husband. As long as I’m working under the authority of GQ, I’m comfortable that I’m not acting outside the guidelines set. Tim mentioned that there were other instances of women issuing Godly counsel to men. Tim, would you mind naming a few for me? I’d love to take a look at those. Like · Reply · 1 · 18 hrs Tim White Deborah, Judges 4. Not the Church. But interestingly under the same God who never changes. Esther, Abigail gave David wonderful advice. Just to mane a few. Like · Reply · 1 · 16 hrs Write a reply… Deb Whittier Newman I have been placed with men to councel under the authority of a pastor many times; it wasn’t the preferred way, but it was usually when there were no men to fill the void. Throughout history, women have been placed in the position of talking/counseling men. If someone asks a question, I don’t look at it as “teaching.” I’m not a teacher and it’s definitely not one of my spiritual gifts. I just answer the question and pass on information. I would never be comfortable teaching a man how to be a good father or lover to his wife; but I have no problem if he asks me if sleeping with a girlfriend is a sin. I’m happy to pass on that information. If I were to be really uncomfortable, I would just “pass it on.” Like · Reply · 1 · 18 hrs Patrick Thompson I am apart of a denomination that does recoginze women pastors and I have made my biblically based opinions known. However, one of the key rules of biblical interpretation is that the scripture is always the king! It is indeed an unpopular notion that the husband is the head of the wife and authority in the Church rests in the male and that women are to learn in godly submission. But this does not mean that the Christian church should listen to the wisdom of the world, for it is not wisdom at all. Like it or not, the Scriptures teach that eldership and pastorship is to be held by males. This is not to say that women aren’t talented or even able to do their jobs in the church better than some men, but practicality does not trump doctrinal truth. We need to be faithful to God’s Word. Women are, unfortunately, underappreciated, underused, and undervalued in the church. They contribute so very much to the smooth running and well-being of the sacred community. Nevertheless, whether men like it or not, they are the ones responsible in the church to teach sound doctrine, to refute error, and to lead in a godly manner. But, when they don’t, then women pastors and elders are evidence of their failure. Like · Reply · 2 · 18 hrs Pstr Richard J Rizzi I have thought and teach along the same lines. Like · Reply · 17 hrs Write a reply… Christopher Dupre GotQuestions isn’t a church. Questioners aren’t under the authority of our writers. That’s how I see it, anyhoo. Have you received feedback by website visitors or questioners about this subject? If not, maybe let it alone. Are you thinking about giving questioners an option to have male or female answers, Shea Houdmann? Like · Reply · 17 hrs Steve Ray Webb I don’t see a reason to object to such a process, but since the questioner and answerer do not have the opportunity to interact with each other on an intimate basis, I don’t see a big need for it. But I will say that I have received questions from males that I can see females being uncomfortable in answering. I think a lot of it goes back to using wisdom in the question assignment. Like · Reply · 1 · 17 hrs Write a reply… William Brenner Agree that this should not be a problem. Not the same rules as a church. Like · Reply · 17 hrs Shea Houdmann There have been a few times in our history that a man has complained that a woman answered his question. But, that is less than a handful of complaints in nearly 13 years and over 450,000 questions. Like · Reply · 2 · 16 hrs Shea Houdmann Christopher, we could give that as an option, but I am not sure it is necessary. Like · Reply · 1 · 16 hrs Christopher Dupre I don’t think it’s necessary. I do see the wisdom in explaining gq position on the subject, though. Like · Reply · 16 hrs Write a reply… Shea Houdmann I am basically just gathering input so I can give a good explanation of why we think it is biblically allowable for women to answer questions asked by men. Like · Reply · 16 hrs Tim White Praying that God will give you peace as you seek an answer from counsel and prayer. Like · Reply · 16 hrs Write a reply… Tim White Perhaps transgenders only can answer transgender. Oh, that is another topic. Sorry. Like · Reply · 16 hrs Michael Karpf Paul’s restriction in 1 Timothy 2 is in the context of the local church. I believe it is timeless and a woman cannot teach or exercise authority in the church. However GQ is not a church so I see no problem with this in the same way I see no problem with women serving in ministries other than preaching or serving as senior pastor or elder Like · Reply · 1 · 16 hrs Vera Rudolph I Cor 12:14 says the body is made up of many parts, so I see the women answering questions as a part of the whole. An analogy might be a newspaper: Shea is Publisher, the staff is Editor, we writers are the reporters doing the research and investigating, and bringing our report back to the Man in charge. Like · Reply · 6 hrs Tim White Question: Do men discount this testimony because it is done by a woman? Is she teaching men? Do we discount the testimony of all women because we might learn something from it, or be encouraged? Is this any different from what our faithful women do ever week? Have we nothing to learn from them because they are female? Is that what God really had in mind?https://www.facebook.com/kristina.glackin/videos/10153147366432271/?pnref=story Are Christians just brainwashed? 02:39 17,097 Views Kristina Glackin 23 hrs · When people say that born-again Christians are just brainwashed…. What you need to KNOW and NEVER forget!! God bless you my brothers and sisters, stay the course! The warfare is real. Like · Reply · Remove Preview · 5 hrs
