An overture has been made to the 36th General Assembly of the PCA, but it still must go to the Bills and Overtures Committee (B&O). B&O can still vote against recommending it to the floor of GA, so until an action is made by the committee it is still speculation. I understand the concern of many on this issue, and I certainly have some reservations, but we have to wait for B&O to meet and make a recommendation.

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Stephen Welch
PCA Teaching Elder
Nova Scotia

I have never seen a clear definition as to what deacons do anyway and if their role was to free up the apostles from "waiting tables" or in other words do the day to day running of the church and care of the people why can't women do it? The people who mow grass, cook food, take care of the bulletins etc. technically are doing the jobs of a "deacon" but are not usually called deacons. The only problems I see with it is that deacons are ordained and women are not to be ordained but it looks like that is changing because most churches are lightening up on women in office.

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Erick Bohndorf PCA, KS
http://qayaqtraveler.blogspot.com/
Jeremiah 23:16,17, "Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. 17They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you."

And homosexuals in office, and evolutionists in office, and so forth. But those old dudes on the Standing Judiciary Committee don't give a fig for that, which is one of the things I like about the Denomination in general.

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Tim Vaughan, 48 years old, member PCA church but currently attending EV Free church. San Luis Obispo County, California.

Just another milestone along my beloved denom's slouching towards Gommorha. Why aren't the leaders of the PCA (and you know who you are) up in arms at this assault upon her peace and purity? Oh... that's right.... never forget the PCA TE & RE Motto: If it ain't in my Church or Presbytery, "what me worry?"

I will not be surprised that in 10 years we'll be debating the ordination of Jezebels as TE's or admission of sodomites to the Table. At what point in this decline will faithful men stand against the tide? After its too late? Great! Then those who oppose the compromise with Belial, yet who've sat idly by while it festered, can stomp off in a huff and add a new acronym to the alphabet soup that Reformed Presbyterianism has become in this country. But all the moral indignation they profess will not wash out the stain of their cowardice and lack of real love for Christ's bride (the kind that produces real action in the defense of her peace and purity). Their shame will be deserved, even if not acknowledged by them.

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Brad
PCA Member
Virginia

Hey Tim, This is off-topic, but should give you a laugh. Ever heard of Roandoak Christian Commune?

If you're going to an EV Free Church in Morro Bay, I may have visited there 30 years ago. We're the same age, may have crossed paths if you were in SLO back in the 70's or 80's.

I don't know how I feel about women deaconesses. I can see legitimate points both ways. But regardless, I think your reaction is a bit over the top. If they start electing women elders I would leave the church and likely the denomination - clearly, without question against Scripture. But the deaconess issue seems to be semantics as much as anything else, and at the very least a debatable issue. This is hardly a step towards Gomorrah...

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Mason
Member, Redeemer Presbyterian Church (PCA)
New York, NY

"Come now, and let us reason together," says the Lord, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool." - Isaiah 1:18

What's really just way cool about this is that obviously we are enjoying a period of new revelation! 2000 years of Church history has passed without the benefit of this new understanding that engenders (pun intended) the need for this discussion. Aren't we just so... so... blessedly progressive? No, its not a step towards Gomorrah, it must be a leap into the glorious light of human equality whose sun is the radiant glow of feminism!

Thanks for straightening me out, bro.

You speak the truth. Though we had to leave the PCA several years ago, I still pray for the denomination regularly. There are many good godly men who remain in the PCA and desire earnestly to keep them true to their calling before Christ.

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~James Helbert~, Wytheville, VA
Providence Reformed Presbyterian Church, RPCUS
TheBibleAlone.com / The Edinburgh Inn
"Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” - Zechariah 3:2

My friend, I think you really need to re-visit church history. There are multiple examples of female deacons in the early church, as found on tombstones and as noted by early church leaders and historians. Female deacons were considered essential in some Christian churches in Persia and Syria in order to physically interact with other women, to include baptism; it was considered taboo for a man to interact with women other than his wife in any context. There were numerous female deacons through the first 700 years or so of the church until the Roman Catholic Church made its major departures from Scriptural truth.

Actually, I don't think female deacons in early church history really contributes significantly to the debate one way or another. Just because the early church did something doesn't automatically make it right. But it would be best if you actually had a basis for your statements rather than simply making unfounded claims.

Again, I can understand both arguments, but am personally undecided. The key is to know exactly what the Bible says, and in that regard it seems there is room for discussion.

From a Catholic website, but still a good history of deaconesses, showing they were present in the early church. The discussion of female deacons is hardly a new one.

CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Deaconesses

Or you have what happened at my church last week; a woman deacon was a part of the laying on hands in the ordination and installation of a new RE. So much for woman deacons being acceptable because the office of deacon is not an office of authority.

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Scott Roper
Member, Redeemer Presbyterian Church (PCA): "A bunch of hippie Calvinists"
Winston-Salem, NC

I suppose it would be unlikely that there are any men in that Church who would stand against such blatant flouting of the Standards, the BCO, and of course, the Word of God. Sorrow mounts upon sorrow. Are there any here that are members of that Presbytery that have the courage to bring charges? Of any Presbytery?

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Josh Hicks, Chloë's Daddy
Member of TRBC. My Blog
The Puritan Pub (Team Blog)
Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

[glumly] This is depressing.

But all too common. Human spiritual fraility, combined with our innate arrogance, guarantees that give us an inch and we'll take a mile.

We're not especially deedy at respecting boundaries, always looking to see just how far we can go without going too far, and assuming that so long as divine fire isn't raining physically down upon us, we must be doing alright.

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Anne Ivy
Christ Chapel Bible Church
Fort Worth, Texas

Married to Don, mother of six, grandmother to an ever-increasing brood.

The Ivy Vine (my blog)

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Craig French
Married and father of a beautiful daughter.
Member of Christ The Word, PCA
Toledo, OH

MY BLOG

I have to agree. The question I will ask before making a decision is why is a female deacon a problem? i understand the issue for Baptists: they combine the office of Deacon and Elder. I can say that Female ELDERS are unbiblical and that should be prevented however.

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Which Baptists do this?

I was attending a certain large SBC out west and they had deacons and no elders: the deacons acted as elders would in reformed churches. Of course this was LaHaye's old church so..... In all seriousness, how do Baptists view the office of Elder? It seems to be either for the pastor only (from the outside).

So I suppose you meant Arminian Baptists, then? Reformed Baptists (and there may be exceptions) definitely view a difference between the offices of Deacon and Elder. Elders are those who meet the qualifications for overseers as outlined by Paul in Timothy and Titus. They are to be able to teach, etc. So they rule, teach, preach, counsel, etc. Deacons do not perform these functions (although they may teach a class, etc. if asked by the Elders). They generally overwatch the finances of the Church, the needs of the Church, serving, etc.

The vast majority of humans always follow the path of least resistance. I complained to our church about ordaining Baptists and Arminians and the two members of the Session had a hissy fit, and when I wouldn't back down things got ugly. About a third of the church supported me, but nobod