Other Books at Freedom's Ring

Chapter 2

Self-Examination

The following questions should be answered prayerfully, thoughtfully, and carefully. The answers to these and other questions will be addressed in further text of this book.

1. A woman may preach in a public assembly in the church. Yes ( ) No ( )

2. A woman may lead singing in the public assembly of the church. Yes ( ) No ( )

3. A woman may read aloud the scriptures in the assembly. Yes ( ) No ( )

   *Can she, if it is in unison with men? Yes ( ) No ( )

4. A woman may pass the communion in the assembly. Yes ( ) No ( )

5. A woman may officiate at the Lord's table on the Lord's day. Yes ( ) No ( )

6. A woman may make announcements in the public assembly. Yes ( ) No ( )

7. A woman may lead prayer in the public assembly. Yes ( ) No ( )

8. A woman may lead prayer in a mixed adult Bible class. Yes ( ) No ( )

   * May a woman pray aloud in a unison prayer with men?

   Yes ( ) No ( )

   * A woman may be allowed to pray in unison with a man only if it is in music form.

   Yes ( ) No ( )

   * Which scripture makes the difference clear?

9. A woman may teach a mixed adult Bible class. Yes ( ) No ( )

10. A woman may teach a mixed adult class of unbelievers. Yes ( ) No ( )

    * If you answered No, would God be happier to see such a class remain untaught and unbelievers lost than to have a woman teach them about Christ?

    Yes ( ) No ( )

11. A woman may read the scripture aloud in a mixed adult Bible class. Yes ( ) No ( )

    * A woman may comment on scripture in a mixed adult Bible class.

    Yes ( ) No ( )

12. A woman may teach a class of 12-year-old boys and girls. Yes ( ) No ( )

13. A woman may teach a mixed class of 12-year-olds if two of the boys are baptized believers.
    Yes ( ) No ( )

    * Where does the Bible teach that something changes at baptism regarding male-female roles?

14. A woman may argue for a point of view in a mixed adult class of baptized believers. Yes ( ) No ( )

15. A woman may lead prayer in a family devotional. Yes ( ) No ( )

    * If yes, where does the Bible give her that authority?

    * If no, where does the Bible say she may not?

16. A woman may lead a prayer at a Bible study of unbelievers conducted inside the walls of a male prison. Yes ( ) No ( )

    * If one is baptized, she must stop teaching.

    Yes ( ) No ( )

17. A woman may prophesy. Yes ( ) No ( )

    * What did women do in I Corinthians 11:5?

    * What is the difference in prophesying and preaching?

18. A woman may serve as an evangelist. Yes ( ) No ( )

    * Do you believe Christ was displeased because the woman at the well went into Sychar evangelizing and making disciples for Him? John 4:28,39.

    Yes ( ) No ( )

19. A woman may serve as a deaconess. Yes ( ) No ( )

20. A woman may serve as an elder. Yes ( ) No ( )

21. A woman may teach men by letter but teaching them in a class is unscriptural. Yes ( ) No ( )

    * What scripture says there is a difference?

22. A woman may sing a solo in:
    1. The public assembly. Yes ( ) No ( )
    2. A public Bible class. Yes ( ) No ( )
    3. A chapel program at a Christian college. Yes ( ) No ( )
    4. A worship service at summer camp. Yes ( ) No ( )
    5. A gathering of Christian women. Yes ( ) No ( )
       
    * If you answered "yes" on c, d, or e, and "no" on a and b, what scripture makes a differentiation?
    
23. Women may sing the lyrics of a song alone in a public assembly if joined in the chorus by male voices. Yes ( ) No ( )

24. Women may sing an entire song alone without male participation in a public assembly. Yes ( ) No ( )

    * Where does the Bible teach women may sing the lyrics alone?

25. A woman may read the entire 23rd Psalm in a mixed adult Bible class. Yes ( ) No ( )

26. A woman may sing the 23rd Psalm in a mixed adult Bible class. Yes ( ) No ( )

27. If no qualified man is present in a mixed adult Bible class, a qualified woman may teach it. Yes ( ) No ( )

28. If you answered "yes" on question 24, what scriptures would you use to justify the practice?

29. If you answered "no", what scriptures would you use?

30. At which gathering of Christians were men instructed to remove their head covering to give honor to their head, Christ, in I Corinthians 11:1-16?
    1. All Lord's Day assemblies. Yes ( ) No ( )
    2. All Bible classes. Yes ( ) No ( )
    3. All family or private devotionals. Yes ( ) No ( )
    4. All religious services. Yes ( ) No ( )

31. At which gathering of Christians did Paul instruct women to wear coverings to show honor to their heads, their husbands, in I Corinthians 11:1-16?
    1. All Lord's Day assemblies. Yes ( ) No ( )
    2. All Bible classes. Yes ( ) No ( )
    3. All family or private devotionals. Yes ( ) No ( )
    4. All religious services. Yes ( ) No ( )

32. Since Paul continued Chapter 11 with instructions about how to observe the Lord's Supper, the instruction in verses 1-16 applies to the Lord's Day service. Yes ( ) No ( )

33. The wearing of coverings or the removal of coverings did not apply to other events or activities such as work, play, travel, reading, writing, etc. Yes ( ) No ( )

34. At which services were these uncovered men praying and prophesying in I Corinthians 11:1-16?
    1. Lord's Day services. Yes ( ) No ( )
    2. Prayer meetings. Yes ( ) No ( )
    3. Bible classes. Yes ( ) No ( )
    4. Home devotionals. Yes ( ) No ( )
    5. Only at services attended by women, unbelieving and unbaptized children. Yes ( ) No ( )

35. If you circled only "e" on the last question, give scriptural references which makes your answer absolutely clear.

36. If you answered "yes" on all questions in 31, were not men and women both praying and prophesying in the same services? Yes ( ) No ( )

37. If your answers were "no" on question 31, which verse in the entire chapter would suggest that women were praying or prophesying in a different assembly than men?

38. A woman may express her faith in Jesus Christ as Lord from the pulpit on the Lord's Day.
    Yes ( ) No ( )

    * Only once and just before baptism. Yes ( ) No ( )

    * Any time that it will bless hearers. Yes ( ) No ( )

39. A woman may express her faith in God's providence from the pulpit on the Lord's Day.
    Yes ( ) No ( )

40. Men and women usually confess their faith before Baptism.

    * Do you think God set the limit of one time only for women or men to confess their faith publicly?

    * Where does the Bible make an exception to the silence rule in the assembly to enable a woman to make her confession there?

41. A woman may confess her faults audibly from the pulpit area in the Lord's Day assembly.
    Yes ( ) No ( )

42. A woman may only whisper or write her faults for the preacher on the Lord's Day and he may then repeat her confession to the entire church.
    Yes ( ) No ( )

    * Scripture: ________________________________

43. Where does the Bible make a distinction between whispering or writing a confession of fault, and confessing it in a way that the whole assembly can hear?

44. A woman may baptize anyone in a public assembly.
    Yes ( ) No ( )

45. A woman may baptize only women and children at the Lord's Day service.
    Yes ( ) No ( )

46. Where does the Bible instruct either sex to do the baptizing? 

47. If a mother chooses to take her child's confession and administer baptism to her daughter in a public assembly, is it scriptural?
    Yes ( ) No ( )

48. If you answered "yes" to the above question, what scripture would allow her in doing so to make an exception to the "Silence Rule" of I Cor. 14:34?

49. Have women, where you attend church, ever made announcements from their pew when the male announcer asked, "Are there any other announcements?"
    Yes ( ) No ( )

50. Does the scripture make it clear that a woman may make announcements from her pew while in a seated position, but that she would sin if she made the same announcement from the pulpit?
    Yes ( ) No ( )

    * Where does the New Testament mention a pulpit area?

    * Where does the Bible allow this exception to the silent rule?

51. Have you heard women make announcements from their pew and is it scriptural?
    Yes ( ) No ( )

    * If yes, where does God approve of a woman making announcements only while sitting down and yet approves a man to do so standing up or sitting down?

52. Do you think God is concerned about whether a woman is sitting and facing the pulpit when making her announcement, or standing in front of the congregation making it?
    Yes ( ) No ( )

    * If "yes", what scripture directs it?

53. If you said "no" on question #4, where in the Bible does God give women the right to pass the communion left to right, but prohibit them from passing it from front to back?

54. If a woman can come to the front to confess her faith, what scripture would prohibit her from coming to the front to pass communion?

55. In I Tim. 2:12, Paul says, "But I permit not a woman to teach nor to have dominion over man, but to be in quietness." Circle the following ways in which she violates this command, "not to teach."
    1. Teach from the pulpit in a public assembly.
    2. Read a scripture in a public assembly.
    3. Read aloud in a mixed adult Bible class.
    4. Lead prayer at prayer meeting.
    5. Teach mixed classes at a college lectureship.
    6. Teach mixed classes in a college classroom.
    7. Teach home Bible studies.
    8. Teach through books.
    9. Teach through articles.
    10. Teach through poems.
    11. Teach through songs.
    12. Teach through Godly living.

    * Where does God set out the distinctions among these types of teaching? If women can't teach men, why do we send women to mission fields, or allow them to write books and articles which men read?

56. If you did not circle all of the above, which Bible passage makes a clear distinction among them?

57. Is a letter a form of teaching? Yes ( ) No ( )

    * May a believing woman teach a believing man by letter?

58. Paul's teachings by letter had less authority than his teaching in sermons. Yes ( ) No ( )

59. Would God allow a woman to teach a believing man by letter (in violation of I Tim. 2:12) but not allow her to teach him in a private Bible class? Yes ( ) No ( )

60. Where does the Bible make a distinction between teaching by voice and by letter?

61. Have you ever sat in a Bible class where women read verses of scripture and then taught both men and women what it meant? Yes ( ) No ( )

    * Did they violate I Corinthians 14:34? Yes ( ) No ( )

    * Did these women violate I Tim. 2:12? Yes ( ) No ( )

    * If a woman makes an informed statement in Bible class which instructs men, is she violating I Tim. 2:12? I Corinthians 14:34?

    Yes ( ) No ( )

62. May a woman ask the song leader to repeat the number selected?
    Yes ( ) No ( )

63. May she ask a male reader to repeat the location of the scripture he is reading from?
    Yes ( ) No ( )

64. May she ask him to repeat an announcement?
    Yes ( ) No ( )

65. Do such questions violate Paul's instruction in I Cor. 14:34-35, "Let women keep silence in the churches; for it is not permitted for them to speak... If they would learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home."?
    Yes ( ) No ( )

    * If no, who did God give the authority to make these exceptions?

66. What scripture differentiates between the kinds of questions women are permitted to ask and not ask?

67. May a grandmother teach her 12-year-old baptized grandson?
    Yes ( ) No ( )

68. Could she if he were 30 years old?
    Yes ( ) No ( )

69. What scripture differentiate between a private class at home, where a grandmother is permitted to teach one or a dozen grandsons, and teaching a private class at church?

70. If a Christian woman is not to teach a man, then God made an exception to the rule when he allowed Priscilla to teach Apollos, in Acts 18:26.

    Yes ( ) No ( )

71. The Bible makes it clear that a woman may break the "silence rule" when she reads responsively in unison with the men in public worship.

    Yes ( ) No ( )

72. If a man is asked to make the announcements, does that give him dominion over the elders in so doing?
    Yes ( ) No ( )

    * Scripture: _______________________

73. If a woman is asked to make the announcements, does that give her dominion over the elders in so doing?
    Yes ( ) No ( )

    * If a 12-year-old boy makes the announcements, does that give him dominion over men and women?

    Yes ( ) No ( )

    * Does a woman have dominion over the men of the church if she makes an announcement from her pew?

    Yes ( ) No ( )

    * What scriptures say so? ____________________

74. Which of the following are grounds for disciplining or eventually disfellowshiping brethren who practice or allow women to participate in religious activities? Please check all that apply.

    ___ Reading in a Bible class.
    ___ Reading in an assembly.
    ___ Leading a song in an assembly.
    ___ Leading a prayer in an assembly.
    ___ Reading in unison in an assembly.
    ___ Praying in unison in an assembly.
    ___ Leading prayer in a mixed Bible class.
    ___ Reading aloud in a mixed Bible class.
    ___ Making instructive comments to men in a mixed Bible class.
    ___ Arguing for a point of view in a mixed Bible class.
    ___ Appointing deaconesses in the church.
    ___ Sending single women out as missionaries.
    ___ Co-teaching with her husband in a mixed adult Bible class.
    ___ Teaching young men Christian principles in a college classroom in every discipline.
    ___ Teaching New Testament Greek in a Christian school.
    ___ Teaching New Testament Greek in a mixed class at church.
    ___ Co-teaching a class on Christian counseling with a man at a Christian college lectureship.
    ___ Co-teaching a mixed class on Christian counseling at a Christian college.
    ___ Teaching a mixed class on Christian counseling at a local church.
    ___ Speaking in chapel at a Christian college and mentioning her faith and other religious convictions.
    ___ Preaching in a mixed assembly at church.
    ___ Being appointed to the eldership.
    ___ Becoming an evangelist.
    ___ Passing communion right to left and left to right.
    ___ Passing communion from front to back.
    ___ Picking up attendance cards.
    ___ Passing out song books and Bibles.
    ___ Officiating at communion.
    ___ Testifying how she came to Christ.
    ___ Testifying to the congregation how she brought a neighbor to Christ.
    ___ Singing a solo in a public worship.

75. Where does God make a distinction between a woman making comments in a Bible class and commentary at any other assembly?

76. Where does God call one assembly a worship service and another one where songs are sung, prayers offered, and the Bible studied a "Bible class?"

    * Can "worship service" be found in the New Testament?

77. Do men or God set the rules and make the distinctions among the various ways women may participate in the life of the church? Does the Bible say anything about these distinctions?
    Yes ( ) No ( )

78. If you disagreed with the church leadership on some of the distinctions made for the church, how would you decide what was right and biblical?

    ___ Ask an elder?
    ___ Ask a preacher?
    ___ Study it thoroughly and reach your own conclusion?

79. Are the dominating personalities in positions of power and influence always right?
    Yes ( ) No ( )

80. If a woman felt those in authority were wrong, could she teach them what was right?
    Yes ( ) No ( )

81. Do you believe it would be better for an articulate, informed Christian woman to be a teacher and preacher of God's word, or for an uninformed, stammering Christian man to do so?

    ___ Which would reach more lost souls?

82. Do you believe you need to rethink your reasons for believing what you do on this subject?
    Yes ( ) No ( )

83. Are you willing to change your views in the face of compelling arguments?
    Yes ( ) No ( )

84. If souls were at stake based upon what you know and understand on this subject, would you give them assurance that what you now believe and practice is God's final and absolute will on the subject?
    Yes ( ) No ( )

85. Can you find the word worship, Bible class, or devotional, in the entire context of I Timothy 2?
    Yes ( ) No ( )

86. I Corinthians 11:3 says, "But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of woman is man; and the head of Christ is God."
    1. Is a man the head of:
       ___ All women?
       ___ Each woman?
       ___ Just Christian women?
       
    2. Are all men heads of:
       ___ All Women?
       ___ Each Woman?
       ___ Just Christian Women?
       
    3. Are only Christian men the heads of:
       ___ All Women?
       ___ Each Woman?
       ___ Just Christian Women?
       
    4. Must all women submit to:
       ___ All men?
       ___ Each man?
       ___ Just Christian men?
       
    5. Is a 12-year-old baptized boy a man and the head of:
       ___ All Women?
       ___ Each Woman?
       ___ Just Christian Women?
       ___ His sisters?
       ___ His mother?