Tim
Puritan Board Graduate
There is at least one illiterate man in the church in Cape Town that I attend. Recently, our Bible study group dialogued with a female missionary who proposed her training and materials as a way to equip some in the congregation to teach English as a second language. The language-learning material includes some Gospel truths such as Bible verses and the 'Roman Road' is presented on in the inside back cover.
I can see four possible problems with women being teachers of English in the context of the church. Are any of these valid?
1. A woman would be teaching a man as part of a recognized ministry of the church.
2. A woman would be teaching a man spiritual matters because they are included in the course material.
3. A woman could be spending one-on-one time with a man.
4. This is Africa. Would an African man accept the teaching of a woman? (TimV chime in here!)
By the way, I wholeheartedly support the notion of teaching people to read, so they can feed upon God's Word. I just think that if there are scriptural guidelines for such a ministry, we need to follow these too. At the very least, I think this should be conducted under diaconal oversight.
Thoughts?
I can see four possible problems with women being teachers of English in the context of the church. Are any of these valid?
1. A woman would be teaching a man as part of a recognized ministry of the church.
2. A woman would be teaching a man spiritual matters because they are included in the course material.
3. A woman could be spending one-on-one time with a man.
4. This is Africa. Would an African man accept the teaching of a woman? (TimV chime in here!)
By the way, I wholeheartedly support the notion of teaching people to read, so they can feed upon God's Word. I just think that if there are scriptural guidelines for such a ministry, we need to follow these too. At the very least, I think this should be conducted under diaconal oversight.
Thoughts?