SYNOPSIS OF HEADSHIP IN THE PULPIT


MALE HEADSHIP IN THE PULPIT


I am expressing my concern about the diminishing display of male headship of the church in Western Culture.

 

During the recent Marriage Seminar at FBC (hosts from Family Life Today, Bill and Ann Hendricks), Ann mentioned that marriage came before the church. I know what she meant, but I’m not sure she recognized the depth of her statement. She was probably just trying to emphasize the significance of marriage. Yes, marriage did come before the church, but why? I offer that it was a “place setting” for the gospel yet to come. Marriage could also be referred to as a “Redemptive Analogy”. 

 

“Redemptive Analogy” is an idea to which I was first introduced in the late 70’s by an author and missionary, Don Richardson. 

 

Richardson is the author of at least three books that I have read, Lords of the EarthPeace Child, and Eternity in Their Hearts. A simple google search will convey a definition of Don Richardson’s definition of “Redemptive Analogy”:

 

He argued in his writings that, hidden among tribal cultures, there are usually some practices or understandings, which he calls "redemptive analogies", which can be used to illustrate the meaning of the Christian Gospel, contextualizing the biblical representation 

of the incarnation of Jesus.

 

Though the word “analogy” launches the imagery of how marriage relates to the gospel, I will use the word “analogy” and the word “imagery” interchangeably. We live in a world of imagery and analogies. God used both in the Bible. Illustrations were also numerous. God knows how vital imagery is in communicating, He created communication. He owns it. Satan also knows how to use imagery. He is the god of this world and is a master controller of the Imagery predominate in western culture today. The world’s system is at the impulse of Satan.

 

Yet, back to “analogy”, redemptive analogy goes much further and deeper than tribal cultures, marriage is the “Redemptive Analogy” for the gospel, and how we relate to the Headship of Christ in the body of Christ. The analogy of a relationship between husband-and-wife images the relationship of the redeemed and their Redeemer. This is most readily seen in 2 Cor 11.2; Ephesians 5.22ff and in Colossians 3.18; 1 Pet 3.1-6; and Titus 2.5.

 

Male headship in the “pulpit” is the biblical ideal and is paramount to perpetuate the furtherance of the gospel. The furtherance of the gospel begins in the married family unit and is illustrated by the headship in the pulpit.

 

1. Actively, I believe male headship in the church is the most biblically sound way to display the redemptive analogy of the headship of Christ. If God thought it relevant to portray the profound mystery of submission of the church to Christ by providing the imagery of marriage in Eph 5, the husband as the head of the wife, then the pulpit ministry should portray that same imagery of church body life to that of the family model, particularly during the worship service. 

 

2. Passively, seeing men lead in congregational gatherings and giving them ample opportunity to display their marriage headship, inspires and compels men to step up to their God-given roles in their homes as the head of their families. 


When the young single men, fathers and husbands see godly men lead worship in the congregational gathering, it inspires and compels them to lead at home. Additionally, the wife and young daughters experience headship body life that translates to their family relationships. In all, when families experience the marriage relationship demonstrated in the pulpit it is more likely to be realized in their homes and the roots of the gospel grow in depth and breadth. This is normal. It may not be recognized, but it is absorbed and fleshed out in the homes.

 

I would like to apply this headship imagery to men. In the context of the assembly of believers during an organized worship service, men should be out front leading: 

 

1. Opening and closing the service, to include the leading of worship in hymns and songs,


2. The public reading of Scripture

(In high order, the public Reading of Scripture in congregational worship is the act of teaching and exercising authority – it is not less than the exposition of it)


3. Teaching and preaching

(Most explicitly, and of highest order, it is my understanding that Paul does not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet for the reason of creation order and who was first deceived; and, by the command of God (1 Tim 2.12-14; 1 Cor 14.34)


4. Conducting the entirety of the communion ordinance, and 


5. Baptizing new believers.

To keep this positional paper as a short synopsis, I will just state without justification: The above restrictions do not include testimonies, singing solos, drama, etc. outside the above category-type functions. We are the Body of Christ, and all are included.

 

Elders and eligible men must be leaders in the imagery and protocols and procedures in the public gathering of congregational worship; we do not want families to atrophy, nor want myopic ministry that fails tomorrow’s generation. We want over-the-horizon missions to touch the regions beyond. We want to prevent worldly theories and imageries from distorting God’s perfectly designed analogies and pictures of spiritual mysteries to which we belong.

 

Since the actual definition of a “pulpit” is not in the Bible, I will define what I consider to be a “pulpit”; especially since the nuclear family is under such great attack from a hostile culture. This definition both protects the imagery of Christ as the Head of His church and the father who is the head of his family.

 

A “pulpit” is not as simple as a “podium”, stage, lectern, or a structure. 

I consider a “pulpit” as a period of Time and of a Place when, and from where elder authority is exercised.


a.  “A Time”  

The pulpit is “A Time”, whereas the circumferential influence and authority of the congregational leadership, an elder or his qualified designee who is greeting or giving salutation the congregation at the opening/closing of the service, reading Scripture, leading the congregation in hymns, executing the ordinances of communion and baptism, or expositing the Word of God whether remotely broadcast or physically presenting on station exists. 

This Time begins in session when the attention of the congregation is expected. This Time ends when the congregation is dismissed. From the start to the finish, this is the duty of the elder.


b. “A Place”  

The pulpit is A Place that is in view or regard of the congregation for a period of time when the congregational worship is in session or eldership is exercised.

 

Borrowing and building upon a concept from Carl Truman’s book, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, Social Theory and Social Imagery is very much at play in the pulpit. 

 

I liken social theory to a tide that is coming in. I liken social imagery as the waves produced by the tide. Social theory is the world system driven by deliberate and calculative agendas of a few; the king of which is Satan himself (1 Cor 4.4; Eph 2.1-2). Social imagery is the serendipitous acquiescence of many to the theorists. The many see, feel, and respond to the waves but they neither recognize the source nor the agenda.  

 

So, when it comes to Social Imagery in the pulpit, Elder’s and Staff may think they have the weight of technicalities and particulars to let women open and close or lead aspects of the worship service. They may allow women and young girls to read the Scripture text during the Service, serve communion and baptize new believers, but they are losing the Social Imagery war. They are casting away the imagery of what strengthens marriages. They are casting away the imagery that God gave us to understand Christ and the Church via male headship in marriage. The technical “fences” they build during the service to protect the 1 Tim 2.12-14 mandates are transparent to the congregation. The actual imagery is that women are equal and qualified to lead men and exercise authority during worship. The imagery is strong, and the fences are invisible. Additionally, there is more than one wave in the social imagery concept. With the imagery of women leading during the worship service, there are also many other waves that are washing ashore that are hostile to worship, sanctity, and sound doctrine. The source of many of these waves is Feminism. Feminism has found a home in the Church.

 

God gave us the analogy of a bride and groom, husband headship and a wife’s submission to her husband to better understand body life in Christ. When congregational worship is in session and the pulpit is on full display, why would we not present the very imagery that God gave us to understand the profound mystery of our relationship with Christ and the strengthening of our marriages to that end? It is past time to reposition those technical fences further from the shore so that the waves will not conceal biblical mandates, analogies, and imageries that God has given to His redeemed to understand our relationship with Christ and strengthen the nuclear family…a man leading, a woman following, and children thriving under the headship of the husband and father.






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