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Monday, June 28, 2010

Doug Batchelor Preaches Against Women Pastors




Posted March 19th, 2010 by News Staff

On February 6, Doug Batchelor, senior pastor of the Sacramento Central Seventh-day Adventist Church in California and president of the international media ministry Amazing Facts preached a sermon entitled "Women Pastors: A Biblical Perspective." Batchelor's main point is to assert that women should not be pastors (or elders), as God designed women to be subservient to men, according to Batchelor. He states, "Sin came into our world as a result of man neglecting and women disregarding the husband’s leadership role." He presents his point of view as Biblical and therefore irrefutable by saying, "God's word is God's word."

Reactions have been pouring in to Adventist Today, as many feel Batchelor's conservative Biblical interpretations are being taken out of its historical and cultural context and his unrestrained remarks are offensive toward women.

Batchelor goes further, stressing the biological differences between the sexes. He states that "[M]en have more neurons in their brain, and some of that is because we have more mass and that may mean more nerve endings. But you should also know…and I know this isn’t gonna get me reelected. According to the British Journal of Psychology, [men] on an average score five points higher on an IQ test." He continues, "[I]t’s important to recognize that as we approach this subject that those who are clamoring and campaigning to say that there shouldn’t be any difference in the roles of men and women in the church - we are different. We are gifted differently and God has said there should be a different [sic]."

Batchelor's take on the "ordination versus commissioned" debate, he feels, is really just a play on words, as both male and female pastors are granted the same rights to perform their duties. Batchelor is not shy about his strong opposition of such rights for women pastors:

"I believe that we have been badgered and intimidated so that we are not really going by what does the Bible say. Matter of fact in the Seventh-day Adventist Church if you trace the history a little bit, I am sorry to say a lot of those changes and of course in North America, not so much in other parts of the world now, women are being ordained. They call it commissioned but it’s really the same thing as being ordained as pastors. And it’s… you know you can call it commissioned but in every other way it’s the same as ordination with all the rights, privileges. It’s like Abraham Lincoln used to say, ‘you can call a dog’s tail a leg, but it’s still a tail.’ And so just changing the label of something doesn’t change the definition of it. And what they have done is they have tried to pacify people who read the Bible and say only men should be ordained as pastors and say well we’re not ordaining women pastors - were commissioning them as pastors. That’s the same thing. And in every other way—the authority, they’re baptizing, they’re leading out in communion services, they’re fulfilling all the sacred offices that God originally said should be reserved for the man. And this is a dangerous subject for me to share. But you know I just figure someone's gotta say something and if I perish, I perish. I’ve been here a long time anyway. And I know it’s not very popular in our culture to say these things. Kind of like wearing a mink coat to a PETA convention. But someone needs to say it. Both male and female pastors."

The concern for many stems from the fact that thousands of Adventists, and even non-Adventists, look to Batchelor as a voice of Biblical authority and interpretation of scripture. Some are calling for responsible hermeneutics, and that other interpretations of Scripture be presented from the pulpits across North America to people of good faith.

Batchelor's church in Sacramento, CA, falls in the territory of the Northern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Adventist Today reached the president of that conference—Jim Pedersen, for a response and received this official statement by e-mail:

"When I’m asked to respond to a sermon’s topic, I always want to preface my comments by stating I honor the right of pastors to speak from their biblical study in the context of the Seventh-day Adventist message. Pastor Doug Batchelor, in his sermon titled “Women Pastors: A Biblical Perspective,” articulated his viewpoint on this subject as part of the ongoing discussion worldwide about the role of women in pastoral ministry in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. However, I also deeply respect the positions voted by the world church and the Northern California Conference. The NCC has a history of supporting women in pastoral ministry. The members in Northern California went on record at the 2002 Constituency Session in support of this issue by recommending women’s ordination to the General Conference. While I wish views on this topic were always completely compatible, I remain confident that the Lord will eventually lead us all to the unity that Christ desires for His people."

Adventist Today is also waiting for a statement from Ricardo Graham, president of the Pacific Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The Union's Executive Committee met last week, and, according to a close source at that meeting, Batchelor's sermon was brought up for discussion. Adventist Today will bring alerts to its readers of any subsequent action against Batchelor resulting from the Union meeting.

Adventist Today has also recently received the manuscript of the sermon. You can now download the entire 24-page sermon by clicking here. NOTE: The sermon was transcribed verbatim. The editing staff has streamlined the copy by eliminating only wordy redundancy and some "rambling" from the original sermon.

Finally, Adventist Today will be posting articles by thinking pastors, theologians and the laity in next few days. They will respond and challenge the Batchelor sermon in good taste and offer their own perspective of what the Word of God states on women and the church.

David Newman, senior pastor of New Hope Seventh-day Adventist Church in Fulton, MD, and editor of Adventist Today begins the series by providing the first response to Batchelor. Click here to read it now.

Below is the video of the Batchelor sermon which is available on the Amazing Facts website.


Source: http://www.atoday.com/content/doug-batchelor-preaches-against-women-pastors

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9 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:01 PM

    As a professional woman and business owner, I am deeply offended by the comments of Doug Bachelor. I think that this is what happens when any person gets so egocentric that they believe that their personal views represent the will of God.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, but, have you seen anywhere in the Bible where women were to be ordanined?

    That is the issue at hand. Not that you are a actualized female.

    Are we now attempting to change long held traditions because it's fashionable? Or, because all the other 'ecumenical' churches are doing it? Are we to succumb to 'peer pressure'; Or, keep up with the joneses (churches). I'm so sorry for the johnny or jane come-latelies to the movement -- that have found that the structure founded by those faithful pioneers has now 'got' to be dismantled one pillar after another. If this 'trend' continues will it still be the same religion? Ask yourself, did you join the Methodist Church, or what? Ellen G. White left that organization quite a long time ago. So, are you looking to emulate those 'fallen daughters of Mystery Babylon'? What they do, we should do also? Why not join one of those alphabet soup, once called Protestant churches, now-called 'evan-jelly-cals? They shape shift with the passing of time...

    What's next trangender pastors for the SDA's, too?

    So we can be cool like the rest of the apostate sunday worshipers?


    Arsenio,

    Maranatha.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I agree with him. Our place is to be the mother to our children. There is no biblical examples of a woman pastor. It is nice to see a pastor preaching clearly what the Bible teaches whether or not the world likes what it says. I have found that submitting to my husband prevents a lot of arguments and has been a blessing to our marriage.Titus 2: 3The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

    4That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

    5To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
    1 Corinthians 14:33-35

    King James Version (KJV)

    33For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

    34Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law.

    35And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
    Ephesians 5:22
    Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
    Colossians 3:18
    Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I agree 100 percent with Pastor D Batchelor his interpretation on the bible is spot on , not biased and have a spiritual approach . these are the kind of man we need in these end times because the bible tells us that we shall know the truth and the truth shall set us free , we don't need popular gospel anymore but the real truth whether its going to hate the feminist or gender equality pressure groups or gays , transgender individual preach on for God is not a respector of man . God bless you Pastor

    ReplyDelete
  5. The sad truth is that many of the Conservative Preachers in the SDA Church are just teaching what Bill Gothard, the Calvinist taught in his 'Headship' Theology.

    Please read online a book by Gerry Chudleigh called

    "A Short History of the Headship Doctrine In the Seventh-day Adventist Church"

    When I read through that book, I realized the Conservative Preachers are just parroting what Bill Gothard taught. And that is no correct basis for Seventh Day Adventist Theology.

    ReplyDelete
  6. If one reads and studies the writings of Ellen White, they should be able to see that 'intelligence' is not what qualifies Women to be Leaders in the Church... and so, what Doug Batchelor says in regards to Wioomen's supposed 'lack of neurons' is irrelevant....

    Taken from:

    http://www.sdanet.org/atissue/books/wim/wim10moon.htm

    "A Power That Exceeds That of Men": Ellen G. White on Women in Ministry"
    by Jerry Moon

    "Adapted to the Successful Management of a Church"

    That Ellen White saw both women and men as potentially qualified for church leadership is shown by her statement that "it is not always men who are best adapted to the successful management of a church." The context is a scathing rebuke to a Brother Johnson who had "a disposition to dictate and control matters" in a certain local church, and who had only "sneers" for the work of women in the same church. "Jesus is ashamed of you," she wrote, and on the next page continued,

    You are not in sympathy with the great Head of the church. . . . This contemptible picking, faultfinding, seeking spot and stain, ridiculing, gainsaying, that you with some others have indulged in, has grieved the Spirit of God and separated you from God.
    It is not always men who are best adapted to the successful management of a church. If faithful women have more deep piety and true devotion than men, they could indeed by their prayers and their labors do more than men who are unconsecrated in heart and life [emphasis added].

    The words "It is not always men" point to the addressees' assumption that in any situation, the best leader for a church would always be a man. Ellen White asserts that there are times when the person best qualified to lead a church is a woman.

    The words "best adapted" point to personal talents and spiritual gifts, which, along with "deep piety and true devotion," constitute the qualifications for spiritual leadership. The primary determinant of fitness for church leadership is not gender, but character.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Claudia Thompson,
    This will be a brief rejection of women's ordination...
    I am not going to convince you about this subject, since you have your mind made up. Let me just mention a few quotes:

    A. 1 Timothy 3:11-15

    B. 1 Timothy 3:1-12 (Bishops and Deacons)

    C. The High Priests and the Levites who administered the Sanctuary in the Old Testament were men.

    D.Lastly, here's an article about a Jesuit's deathbed wish-
    http://ncronline.org/news/people/jesuit-made-deathbed-call-womens-ordination

    Maranatha.

    What will happen when the GCSdA decides to ordain women later this year (2015).... Eventually, the next issue to be wrongfully adopted will be same sex marriages..

    ReplyDelete
  8. I believe we are concerning ourselves with the wrong subjects. One this awful to put Pastor D Batchelor down in anyway. This man is doing a mighty work for our Lord all over the country and state to state. He would never say anything against one of the servants of the Lord. Second: this is exactly what Satan wants from us. Concentrating on things that do not matter. God has spoken,stop trying to change His word for our own selfish reason's. This is the time to Watch and Pray. God will be sending Jesus for us very soon. The papacy is planning to persecute us for the name of Jesus. Do we really have time for these type of discussions No! Get ready saints Jesus is coming. Let us focus on those things. This is the work of Satan keeping us focused on things that do not matter. Wake up, Watch, and Pray

    ReplyDelete
  9. Marie Alex:
    The best opinion on the subject, I've heard yet!

    Maranatha.

    ReplyDelete