To Be or Not to Be?: Women in Ministry & Leadership

By Curtis Schulze

Now when it comes to women in the kingdom and their new standing in Christ Jesus. What was once true under the curse is now no longer true in Christ. A change has been made when we move from under the Law to now being under Grace. The curse is lifted! The status of women under the Law has changed. In Christ, believing women have moved out from under the Law into the kingdom. Paul states in Col.1:12-14 that a translation has occurred. The word translation suggests a change in position, status, and location. The New Covenant reveals that under grace the status or standing (position or rank) of believing women has now changed. Now, no longer under the curse of sin: and now finding a new status and a new identity in Christ Jesus! The old has given way to the new! The new has given new meaning to the old! Being translated out from under the curse into a new positon held in Christ Jesus. What God did only for a few, in times past, he will now do for all in the present time. What God did only for the Jews, under the Old Covenant, he will now do as well for the Gentiles in the New Covenant. What was once enjoyed only by the free, under the dispensation of the giving of the Law, is now enjoyed by all (slave and free) in the dispensation of Grace. What was once held only by men in the past (under the curse) is now held by all (both men and women) in the present and in the church through the power and ministry of the Holy Spirit.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 16, 2021
• ISBN: 9781098058838

Book preview

cover.jpg

To Be or Not to Be?

Women in Ministry & Leadership

Curtis Schulze

Copyright © 2020 by Curtis Schulze

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Reconciling the Scriptures

Letter or the Spirit

The Early Years

Obedience before Scriptural Evidence

The Early Church

Bishop of our Souls

Early Pauline Influences

Witness of the Old Covenant

The Pauline Revelation

Three Problem Areas

Dedication

Iwould like to dedicate this book to my loving wife, a true servant of the Lord and called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ. Over the many years that I’ve worked alongside her in the ministry, I’ve seen firsthand many of those things I’ve written in this book. She’s walked and lived them out in our own personal ministry experiences together. She is a true leader and servant! I’ve never met a person, male or female, that operates with such balance in the ministry. She is every bit a woman of God who walks in her God given authority, and yet at the same time, operates with such balance between the life we live in this world and the life we have and hold in Christ. She walks in the spirit every moment of the day, while keeping her feet firmly planted on the ground. Her motto for the ministry is Always Be Led (by the Spirit) and her motto for life is Love. From firsthand experience, I have seen that she’s walked and lived out these two mottos (now going on twenty years and between the two of us we have up to seventy years of ministry experience). The truths that are contained in this book have served us well in the ministry for these many years. Our hope and prayer is that they will also help and be as useful to you as they are to us.

I would also like to acknowledge my wonderful daughter Brittney Phillips for her hard work in helping to edit this material. She is responsible for making this material as readable as possible for every level of learning. She has done a great job with following the train of thought in this material to make it easier for the reader to follow. Thank you daughter, Dad.

I would also like to recognize my daughter Jahnae Brice, a true prophet of the Lord, my son Christen (who has set his face toward the Lord), his wife Anna, my baby girl Hopey and Jerry Phillips and Robert Brice my sons, good men who are called of God. I want to also acknowledge my daughter Jesse Erin Moore and her husband Curtis. No daughter has ever honored her father more.

Lastly, but certainly not least, I want to recognize the entire For Christ Ministries Church family: all the pastors, ministers, and members. Thank you for all your sacrifice, support, and commitment to the vision given For Christ Ministries. It has been a pleasure! I also want to dedicate this book to Pastors everywhere, both men and women alike, who are committed to this new move of God to restore back to the church what was lost. My hope is this material will serve you well.

Preface

I’m writing this preface from the benefit of hindsight. Looking back over the many weeks and chapters it took to put this work together, I did this because I wanted to give the reader an honest assessment of the work from my point of view.

The task of writing this book and pulling together the necessary material to present this revelation to the public was no easy task. This subject by necessity is and will be very controversial. Many may even vehemently oppose the revelation contained in this writing. From the onset, this was always in the back of my mind when writing this.

Nobody wants to be misunderstood. However, the subject of this writing and the revelation presented in this book will, by nature of the controversy of this subject, draw great attack and criticism. Well I’m ready for this! My hope and prayer is that you will give this material a chance to speak and that you will hold back any judgment on it until you have given it a chance to reveal its message in its entirety.

A word on entirety: Entirety means the sum total or the whole of the matter. It is an absolute impossibility to give this subject the time and space it needs to do it justice. It would take volumes to cover this material in any real significant way. This short book must be looked upon as a simple introduction on the matter.

The revelation contained here is very one-dimensional. To take out the time and space needed to give this revelation the depth and balance it deserves, is regrettably beyond this volume. Looking back over the material and the time it took to piece it together, I’m somewhat placid or sedated in my feelings on the finishing of this first volume. I say first volume, in case there is a second volume or even a third and so on. I am very pleased (ecstatic really) with its humble beginnings! However, at the same time, so much that needs to be said or explained further concerning this revelation is left out of this book. This book may end up creating more questions than it answers. Therefore, it is with this in mind, that I invite the reader to plumb the depths of this Pauline Revelation.

Introduction

This writing was a long time coming. For more than twenty-five years, the Lord has been working on my heart concerning this particular subject. Women in ministry, and, in particular women in leadership is a hotly debated topic. Some approach this subject taking a middle road, endeavoring to avoid extremes. Others find themselves on either side of allowing total equality with men without any distinction, or outright rejection of including women in any capacity in the ministry, especially leadership.

Each local church should come to some conviction on this matter based on the word of God and act accordingly. We must also make sure that in doing so we take the total biblical Revelation on the subject and not base our conclusions on one or two verses of scripture. These verses, which often having been misunderstood have also been misinterpreted (taken out of context). This is widespread throughout all of Christendom. (See "The Church in the New Testament by Kevin J. Connor 1989, chapter 28 The Women of Ministry").

In writing this book, it is my desire to bring to light a better understanding of the scriptures, in the hope that it will work toward reconciling these differences that so divide the church. Even in the scriptures, we find a great divide in the early church, between believing Jews and born-again Gentiles, which Paul worked so hard with every atom of his being to resolve. So it’s no wonder today we find an equally difficult task in bringing the church together in the unity of the faith, having the same spiritual knowledge of Jesus Christ (Eph. 4:11-16, 1 Cor. 1:9-10). The unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God? God help us all!

It is understandable the different positions taken by some in the church today, because of the sign of the times. The days in which we live are fluctuating or vacillating between extremes, not only in the culture and society, but also in the Church! We are definitely living within the closing moments of the Last Days. Second Thessalonians 2:1-17 clearly reveals by the Spirit of God, that a great falling away will occur before the return of Jesus Christ to the earth for His Church. In the Greek the phrase, "falling away," means apostasy or defection from the truth. Therefore, the days we’re living in need close and careful scrutiny as the world shifts toward a one world global exchange of ideas and values.

Because of the times we’re living in, it’s not unusual to find people taking such an extreme position in reaction to what is happening in the Church. Some in the church are compromising with the world attempting to win favor or to gain acceptance, while others hold a more traditional stance in response to the changes taking place. There is no doubt that balance is truly the order of the day! To take a traditional stance for the sake of tradition seems to be the common attitude of most. We seem to err on one side or the other in this matter of women in ministry and leadership in the church.

Today, the two extremes of contemporary and traditional have become the two extremes of lawlessness and legalism. Some changing everything, while others refusing to change anything. The issues of our time and the distinctive labels being used to define our times have caused the church to react in one of two ways. Either we shrink back and go into hiding, compromising with these prevailing trends shaping our world today, or we react in an ultra-conservative manner rejecting all forms of change. Both ways (the contemporary and the traditional) fail to produce the desired spiritual results for the church. By just trying to get along and not make waves, we end up opening the door to various forms of corruption, both in the pews as well in the pulpit. At the same time, its extreme opposite reaction just works to choke the life out of the church and any real move of God.

Today’s cry for social justice and push toward gender equality includes the entire range of different social and sexual changes made in how we define normal and acceptable behavior. This has put major pressure on the church to comply and line itself up with these changing trends. We find the church wavering under its pressure to conform. As a result, the church has never been more divided. My desire in writing this book is not to add to this great divide, but rather my hope is to help bridge the gap between the two sides in this deep chasm (the traditional and the contemporary).

There is no doubt the church has altogether become more secular and materialistic. Because of this, it is drifting away from the truth and now compromising with these new social, political, and religious trends. Our place and purpose in this world, is as a kingdom people. Unfortunately, due to the lack of true biblical literacy where it concerns us as a new creation, the church finds itself lost and confused in this world of rapid-fire changes. Today, many in the church lack the spiritual equipment necessary to survive these changes overwhelming the hearts and minds of people in these last days.

There is no doubt that the abuse and misuse of power and authority in both the world and the church, has led to counter moves by those that are oppressed in response to that abuse. Today, and in antiquity, women have experienced a double whammy! The attacks on them, coming from the powers of darkness and unjust social, political, and religious systems, make them possibly the most oppressed and abused people group in world history. Considering there is currently a higher percentage of women to men in the church (and throughout two thousand years of its history), imagine what the landscape of the church could have been like today. If women were fully free in Christ to fulfill their spiritual destinies in both the church and the world, the world today would be a very different place! This is most unfortunate. God help us!

With this in mind, we must be very careful to not allow the various humanistic philosophies, accepted and practiced by the world, to come into the church. Paul reminded the Church at Colossae to beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions (beliefs and practices) of men, and not after Christ. The Bible calls these things the commandments or doctrines (teachings) of men (Col. 2:8, Tit. 1:14). This is also what Jesus called the leaven or doctrine of Herod in Mark 8:15. It’s the attempt to solve social ills through social and political means by rejecting the power of the gospel. It is the attempt to accomplish in the arm of the flesh, what God has already provided for in Christ Jesus. The gospel is and always will be Gods only (true) response to a world in need! This is why Paul said, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Into One New Man

Because this book will focus on women in ministry, we will work very hard not to give the impression, or even make room for the acceptance of any form of Women’s Liberation or Feminist Movements. Most of these things, if not all, are based upon the principles of this fallen world. We will not allow any form of rebellion or hatred for male leadership, even as we seek to bring correction and balance to these areas. God, in Christ, through the power of the gospel, has brought these who are now called the church (Jew and Greek, bond and free, male and female) into one new man. He destroyed, through the power of the cross, that great wall of conflicting ideas, beliefs, values, and practices that are based on human bias and prejudice (the fallen human condition called sin). Unfortunately, these things have worked for so long to hold us all captive. God help us all!

In Christ, neither male nor female avails anything: but a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 2:7-8, 3:26-28, 6:15). God is not for the man and against the woman; neither is he for the woman at the expense of the man. The word avail means to exercise force. What once exercised force over the other, or the thing that was once in power (fallen man), is now in Christ, and there is no longer any difference or division between them. Gone is the emphasis placed on their differences. What Christ has accomplished in them concerning the new creation, has now been brought forth. The curse that was once in power is now canceled …and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee (Gen. 3:16). This is the true spiritual reality of the new creation man (person) who is in Christ Jesus. We will deal with many such things, and other considerations.

In Christ, the evil power (demonic forces) is broken. Demonic forces work through the curse of sin. The thing that exercised power over all of humanity is the curse. It gets its power from sin and the fallen human condition. These things are broken and dissolved by the power of the cross! God, in Christ, has set men free from the power of sin and death. That which still holds men captive are the vain imaginations that exalt themselves against the knowledge of the truth. The vain imaginations and knowledge that resist the truth are the human bias and prejudice that influence men. Today, the battleground of the spirit takes place in the hearts and minds of men in how they think feel desire and imagine!

The Bible has clearly revealed that God, through the power of His Holy Spirit, has reconciled all things in/to himself, that in all things he alone and no one else might have the preeminence (Eph. 2:11-22; Col. 1:12-22; 2 Cor. 5:15-21). God has true and total authority! Not man, not the world, not a gender, not any ethnicity, nationality, or any human system, only Christ! The Bible is clear, in no uncertain terms, that Christ is made head over all things to the church: having all things put under his feet (Eph. 1:20-23). He is now waiting, seated in the place of ultimate authority and power, till every enemy in this world is made his footstool (Heb. 10:12-14). Even so, reign (rule) Lord Jesus!

In this book I will seek to bring the balance of power back in Christ’s favor, and show how in Christ, everything has now completely changed. Old things have truly passed away, and all things have truly become new! The reality of this new creation and new life we all have and hold in Christ Jesus is paramount to our full and complete spiritual understanding of these kingdom promises and the provisions God has made in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17; Jn. 10:10).

Regardless of our many differences, if we’re sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and open to the revelation of God’s word, we will find ourselves coming into the unity of the faith, having the same one mind of Christ. We will come to understand the liberty wherewith Christ has made us all free, and at the same time, not give that liberty a license to serve the arm of the flesh (not thinking and living according to the ways of this world). My prayer is that God, in Christ, by the power of His Holy Spirit, will truly give us spiritual ears and eyes to hear and see what God is truly saying and doing in his Church today. God give us a heart to believe, and a mind to understand. My prayer is also that we will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. These are the Pauline revelations!

Reconciling the Scriptures

Today in the world of biblical scholarship, a trend has developed over the last number of decades. It is the idea that the Bible contains many contradictions (errors). The word contradiction means something opposite or contrary to something else, incompatible or adversarial . This implies that the Bible contains inconsistencies or errors. To suggest that both the truth and a falsehood can be found co-existing within the scriptures is preposterous. Even the Bible itself tells us that God is not the author of confusion (1 Cor. 14:33). The word confusion in the Greek means instability and comes from another Greek word that means inconstant : likely to change frequently without any apparent or compelling reason . Some of the synonyms for this word inconstant are capricious; fickle; fluctuating; inconsistent; temperamental; uncertain; unpredictable; unsettled; unsteady, and variable . If there were contradictions contained in the Holy Writ, God would be unstable and double-minded. The scripture speaks of God as one With whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning (Jas. 1:17). With God, there are no inconsistencies. He says For I am the Lord, I change not (Mal. 3:6).

Even though the Bible does not contain any contradictions, it is quite paradoxical. A paradox is something that only appears or seems to be contrary to itself, but upon closer examination, actually expresses truth. In the Bible, there are many scriptures that are hard to understand. At times, there seem to be an apparent (obvious) contradiction; however, they are reconcilable (compatible) if just given the respect, time, and labor necessary to dig out their meaning.

Comparing spiritual things with spiritual (1 Cor. 2:13). The big mistake that many make when formulating doctrine, is leaving out those undesirable scriptures that are too difficult to explain. Many will ignore or discard altogether, scriptures they are not able to answer. Scriptures they may consider as useless or unwanted, as not fitting into the framework of their own doctrinal position (their own private interpretation). This is more widespread than one would think.

Many will take one or two scriptures and then form their doctrinal position. Then they will attempt to use the rest of the scriptures to support that position, however the only way to be sure of any doctrinal position is by taking the whole of scripture alone. Only scripture should interpret scripture and not be of any private interpretation (2 Pet. 1:20). One scripture must be allowed to support the rest of them, and the rest of them must support and interpret the one. All for one and one for all! If you give a scripture meaning that creates a contradiction in the word elsewhere, then this interpretation must be incorrect because the scriptures never contradict themselves. It is possible for us to come up with a meaning or interpretation of scripture that will immediately create confusion somewhere else, but many are satisfied (content) to co-exist with these obvious contradictions within their doctrinal position. This is not honest unless they just do not know any better. God help us!

If we find two scriptures that seem to disagree, we know that even if we cannot prove it immediately, God is not the author of confusion nor is he double-minded, they agree! Over time, and with much patience and hard work, the mystery contained within this paradox will unfold and reveal itself. I am so amazed at how so many will hold a doctrinal position based on their interpretation of a few scriptures, and yet when confronted with the vast wealth of scriptures that can help bring greater clarity and balance to our understanding, it is so easily rejected. What is more important, being right or the truth? God help us!

Perverting the Scriptures

Peter when referring to Paul, said, In all his epistles …in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable pervert, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction (2 Pet. 3:16). No doubt, here, the unlearned and unstable is referring to the Gnostics. The word Gnostic means having knowledge esp. esoteric or secret/mystical knowledge. The Gnostics were various cults of the late pre-Christian and early Christian centuries that perverted the scriptures. These cults perverted the gospel message and the way of salvation. They believed what saved a man was not what God had done for him through Jesus Christ, but through the individual’s personal (pursuit) experience with enlightenment (spiritual illumination). Enlightenment of what? They separated the teachings of the scriptures from the person of the scriptures! The word Gnosis is a Greek word, which means knowledge. They turned salvation into the apprehension of some secret knowledge (wisdom) or some secret practice or initiation. Many still do this today! Just as it was in the days of Peter and Paul, so it is today with men who pervert or corrupt the true meaning of the scriptures by not rightly dividing the word of truth. Some do this by accident, others on purpose. The word pervert means to contort. To contort the scriptures means to twist them out of shape in order to reshape or to bend into a new shape. To interpret a scripture in such a way that creates problems within it is intellectually dishonest. Men are content to maintain a doctrinal position despite all the evidence to the contrary, in order to protect their religious systems, traditions, and hierarchy, or to give license to sin.

The Unlearned (The Legalist)

"Having begun in the Spirit, are you now made perfect by the flesh?" (Gal. 3:3).

To pervert something is to turn it away from its true meaning: to corrupt, or subvert the text from its proper context and purpose. This works to undermine the integrity of the message. When the writer speaks of the unlearned, he refers to those who are ignorant of the true character of Christ’s righteousness. A righteousness found safely secured within the treasure in the earthen vessel of all true believers who are now in Christ Jesus. These are untaught and void of the true meaning of the spiritual life. They are wavering between two different places, always trying to stay one-step ahead of the flesh (through legalism or asceticism: severity; strictness; self-discipline and abstinence). This is what the apostle Paul called will-worship. "Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility…and not holding the head from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered…why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, touch not; taste not; handle not; which all are to perish with the using; after the commandment and doctrines of men. Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh" (Col. 2:18-23).

These are always trying to stay one-step ahead of the flesh, and at the same time, never able to obtain the promise of the Spirit (liberty found in the new life lived by the Spirit of Christ). They’re no longer in Egypt but at the same time never able to reach Canaan (the Promised Land). They’re stuck! Caught between what they used to be (unsaved and in the world) and the promise of what could have been (the full provision of the new creation: which Paul calls the perfect man: the measure of the fullness of his stature). This is exactly what Paul meant by the letter that kills! The revelation of Jesus Christ will pull all things together into a consistent and concise whole, while the letter alone will fragment, divide and breed strife. The letter is only a shadow of those promised things, not the actual things themselves. Christ is the fulfillment of the letter, and revelation knowledge is the way and means by which the church will access those promised things (Col. 2:17; Eph. 4:13-15). "…For flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven…and upon this rock (revelation) I will build my church…" (Matt. 16:17-18). The letter kills, but the Spirit (revelation) brings life. We take this risk when we hold to our traditions! We run the risk of placing our confidence in something other than the provision God has made for us in Christ Jesus. When we look to the letter and not to Christ, this diverts our attention away from the true provision made for those promised things. These are unlearned (ignorant) to the true character of his righteousness, untaught, and void of the true meaning of the spiritual life. God help us all!

The Unstable (The Lawless)

Ungodly men, turning the grace of God into lasciviousness (Jud. 3-4; Gal. 1:6).

While most Gnostics were Ascetics, many others were Libertines. Here Paul speaks of those who are scripturally unstable and lacking moral steadiness. These are they who are morally fickle, capricious, fluctuating, inconsistent, and unsettled. A Libertine is one devoid of most moral principles, and/or sexual restraints. These restraints to the Libertines are seen as unnecessary and undesirable. Today, there are so many that have changed the grace of God into a license for vice. They twist the scriptures and dilute the grace. Many fail to realize, that, in Christ you have become a new creature. The old, sinful ways have passed away! Now, all things in your life take on a new spiritual and moral character. Sin no longer has power to rule over you because the Christian is now under grace. Grace is a power, a supernatural force capable of producing what it promises. Sadly, many have redefined grace to mean exemption. To exempt means to grant immunity: to free from obligation, duty, or liability to which others were subject, namely those under the Law. Many see grace as a covering (or excuse) for a sinful lifestyle, but grace is a spiritual empowerment that brings change. What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid (Rom. 6:14-15). Grace is not a cover for sin but the empowerment of a new life!

Paul said, I am not ashamed of the gospel (grace) of Christ: for it is the power of God unto Salvation to all who believe. Paul called the gospel or grace of Christ a power (Rom. 1:16). The Greek word here is dunamis, which means force, strength, and ability. In Acts 1:8, this word dunamis is connected to the receiving of the Holy Spirit. There is no doubt that the grace of God is tied to the spiritual life. It is not a covering for the old sinful life but an empowerment for the new one! The word Salvation comes from three Greek words soteria, soter, and sozo, which mean: deliverance, healing, and wholeness. The power of God, working through the grace of Christ, has delivered us from the power of sin, healed us from its side effects, and brought us into a new position of wholeness and stability. This is the Pauline (revelation) gospel!

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins (Eph. 1:7). The word forgiveness in the Greek means pardon and deliverance. He offered not just a pardon, but deliverance as well. Many think that New Testament forgiveness is a pardon for sin without any need for real repentance. And that repentance and remission (forgiveness) of sins should be preached in his name among all nations (Lk. 24:47). Notice, forgiveness must be preached with repentance. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sin (Acts 26:18). A turning away from darkness and sin is necessary before one receives forgiveness. The gospel therefore, is a call to repentance for the forgiveness of sins. What is the gospel? The grace of Christ! Proverbs tells us that, if we confess and forsake our sins we shall receive his mercy (Pro. 28:13). Many today, preach a gospel of forgiveness, but require no repentance for sin nor change of lifestyle. The word Repentance means to think differently and to reverse one’s decision. Repentance must come first or there is no forgiveness for sins. First John 1:8-10 tells us If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. In other words, if we say something is ok, when the Bible says it is not, we lie and we have given ourselves over to a lie, and the truth is not in us.

Paul warned of those who preach a different gospel. These would remove themselves from the true grace of God to a spiritual counterfeit. Notice how Paul used grace and the gospel interchangeably in Galatians 1:6-9. Paul taught they would corrupt the gospel or grace of Christ by changing both its meaning and purpose. Jude said, Turning or changing the grace of God into something which allows for the practice of vice (Jude 1:4). The key Greek word meaning for turning means to exchange. The moment we alter or change any part of the gospel of his grace, we have exchanged it for another. In the Old Testament, atonement means to cover. In the New Testament, remission (remittance) means to remove or take away sins. The New Covenant Blood of Christ breaks the power of sin and takes away its right to rule! The gospel is the power of Christ that delivers and brings freedom from sin. The redemptive works of Christ both take away sins and impute righteousness (2 Cor. 5:19; Rom. 4:3; Jas. 2:23). Our sins are imputed to Christ, his righteousness is imputed to us (yet he retains his own righteousness). This way Christ remains both the Just and the Justifying of all who believe on him (Rom.3:20-26). Grace is a ruler not a slave. It governs over the new life in Christ; it does not follow behind the sinner in order to sweep his/her sins under the rug. Even so might grace reign (rule) through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. 5:21). Grace is a RULER and a SOVEREIGN, not a slave subject to the whims of the sinner!

Antinomianism comes from a Greek word that means against law. Martin Luther first used this term in the time of the Protestant