In the last few weeks, a controversy has been stirred up in the PCA regarding ministry positions for women. To set the stage for this controversy however, let me give some background.
We believe that Scripture is clear that God gave government in the church to qualified men and that this flows from the way that God made men and women in general (1 Tim. 2:11-15; 3:1-13; Eph. 5:22-24; 1 Pet. 3:1-6). This authority is not for men to lord it over women, but is meant for the benefit of all when exercised in a right and godly manner. This understanding is not unique to us but has been the historical understanding of the church throughout the ages and the world.
However, in recent generations, these lines have been blurred or redrawn. Theological liberalism believed that the teaching of the Bible was not divinely inspired and authoritative, but was an ancient view of fallible people about God that modern people needed to improve upon. This perspective regarding men and women in relationship to authority was seen as an example of a culturally defined belief that an enlightened and egalitarian people should move beyond. As such, these churches started to promote the idea of women in leadership in the church, even as deacons, elders, and pastors.
The liberal drift of the Presbyterian Church US on this and other issues was the impetus for forming the PCA and the PCA's governing documents has firmly required that only men serve in the positions of pastor, elder, and deacon. Yet, there have been many in the PCA who are not satisfied with that and have tried to find ways to work around these restrictions. This led the PCA to form a denominational study committee on the topic of Women in Ministry a few years ago and to adopt a change to our Book of Church Order last year that tightened up the language on these issues.
Still, some churches have established boards of "shepherdesses" (which as a term is the female equivalent of pastor), "deaconesses," or other titles that give the appearance of setting up female offices in parallel or with the same function as the offices of the church. For some churches, these women purely minister to women, but for others, they carry out duties for the whole church, with some leading elements in the worship service normally reserved for pastors or elders.
The recent controversy was started when a pastor who is not currently in the PCA (but formerly was and is considering rejoining) highlighted numerous churches with these aberrant practices regarding women in the leadership of the church. He even put together a database of every church in the PCA so that it can be seen if they list women as serving in these ways on their website. This pastor has done this with the hope that the conservative men in the PCA will take action against those who are trying to circumvent the church's government and beliefs and that the practices that are making women function life church officers will cease.
In response to this, there are those in and around the PCA who are claiming that the PCA's current practice and any attempts to stop these churches from having functional female officers is "sidelining" the women in the church, i.e. keeping them from serving in meaningful ways in the church. In response to this claim, I wanted to share this article by Martha Dunson, who is the wife of one of my former professors at GPTS.
The point is, we do not believe that women need to become men or serve as men to serve faithfully and fruitfully in the church. I hope this discussion gives you insight into some of what is going on in our denomination and how you can pray for us as a denomination and a church.