Do women sing in your worship service?

[Jonathan95]

According to what I'm seeing in the Bible, it seems like man/men should lead worship while the rest of the congregation's men sing along and the women remain silent? My own church deviates from this in having a woman lead worship while everyone sings. My pastors even let a woman preach recently which caused a good deal of controversy. Well, about as much controversy around the subject as can be had in Cambridge Mass.

 

[KMK]

There are varying degrees of interpretation of 1 Cor 14:34, but I have never heard of women being denied the grace of singing in the congregation. There are many specific commands for all to sing in the congregation.

However, Baptist churches which subscribe to the Reformed confessions are pretty monolithic in their stance against women practicing in any kind of official function in the congregation.

It could be that your church is not as Reformed as you think it is. "Not that there's anything wrong with that..."

 

[Jonathan95]

There are varying degrees of interpretation of 1 Cor 14:34, but I have never heard of women being denied the grace of singing in the congregation. There are many specific commands for all to sing in the congregation.

I've been looking at a ton of different perspectives on this. The most literal interpretation is absolute silence. Although, when we take the rest of the Scripture into consideration, you're definitely right. I don't know why I didn't consider those passages. Thanks.

 

[JimmyH]

Both men and women sing in our congregation but under no circumstances could a women ever teach or preach, or lead the worship for that matter.

 

[Edward]

There are many specific commands for all to sing in the congregation.

I asked on another thread, and didn't get a straight answer. Could you share some of them with me so I'll know if the question comes up again?

 

[Jeri Tanner]

I would say that since there is no command re: singing that singles out either men or women, but there being a general command to sing, we may know that women are to sing. Same reasoning regarding taking the Lord's supper, I think.

 

[Edward]

I would say that since there is no command re: singing that singles out either men or women, but there being a general command to sing, we may know that women are to sing. Same reasoning regarding taking the Lord's supper, I think.

Thanks. I appreciate your comment, and think you are on the right track, but I wouldn't consider that a 'specific command for all to sing'.

 

[Jake]

You brought up three separate things:
1) Women singing as part of the congregation
2) Women leading in singing
3) Women preaching

I've never heard of a church having an issue with #1.

#2 varies. Even many very Reformed churches are fine with having a woman start the singing of Psalms, though some will ask the woman not to stand in front of the congregation so as not to be confused with a position of leadership. I find this uncontroversial either way, as long as all they're doing is singing the same words as everyone else, even if they help set the key or keep the singing going. The ARP congregation I attend now often has a woman in this role, but the songs are all introduced by the male leader of worship (generally the pastor or another elder).

I think everyone here would agree #3 is a problem and that preaching is limited to men, but that's not the subject of the post.

 

[Jeri Tanner]

Thanks. I appreciate your comment, and think you are on the right track, but I wouldn't consider that a 'specific command for all to sing'.

Edward, I'm not clear on your meaning- what is the "that" in your last sentence?

 

[Edward]

Edward, I'm not clear on your meaning- what is the "that" in your last sentence?

That = A general command to sing. It is a specific command as to the 'what' but not the 'who'. Since we've been told that there is a specific command as to 'all', I'm looking for those specific commands in scripture.

I think it likely that a logical trail can be created to reach the conclusion, but all I've gotten thus far (except from you) are conclusionary comments for which no one has provided support.

We all (or almost all) accept women singing in church, but I expect for most of us that is because it is a tradition of the church.

 

[Jeri Tanner]

That = A general command to sing. It is a specific command as to the 'what' but not the 'who'. Since we've been told that there is a specific command as to 'all', I'm looking for those specific commands in scripture.

I think it likely that a logical trail can be created to reach the conclusion, but all I've gotten thus far (except from you) are conclusionary comments for which no one has provided support.

We all (or almost all) accept women singing in church, but I expect for most of us that is because it is a tradition of the church.

Ok, gotcha- there are of course many commands to the church to sing in the Psalms (9:11, 30:4, 33:2, 47:7, and many more). Isaiah 12:5 and 42:10. Jeremiah 31 is interesting- not a command exactly but a prophecy where the remnant of Israel are gathered and brought forth; among them, in verse 8, "the woman with child;" and all of them in verse 12 "shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord..."

You're of course familiar, too, with the commands to sing in Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3.

Adding this: you may be simply criticizing word choice, since there is no command that says, "and I mean all!" But commands can come by way of good and necessary consequence.

 

[Parakaleo]

Women are to sing in public worship, but only if their heads are covered. It is my belief that the formula "pray and prophesy" in 1 Corinthians 11 is a reference to the church-member's participation in worship. They actively join their hearts with the minister who prays aloud, and they audibly prophesy by singing the Psalms.

 

[NaphtaliPress]

Closed.