Bethany Church values the worth and dignity of all persons without distinction as created in God’s image.
1. We affirm the priesthood of all believers
2. and the responsibility of every Christian woman and man to take an active role in edifying the church.
3. For that purpose, the Holy Spirit distributes ministry gifts to believers without distinction of any kind.
4. That reality imposes the responsibility on every believer to fulfill ministry consistent with God’s grace. Bethany Church distinguishes between ministry function and church office. While upholding the necessity of mutual respect and affirmation as those subject to the Word of God,
5. Bethany Church understands that the biblical office of Elder/Pastor/Overseer according to Biblical guidelines was gender-specific.
6. Therefore, we maintain that the church offices of Elder, Pastor, Overseer, and Associate Pastor should be limited to the male gender.
Genesis 1:26-27
I Peter 2:5, 9; Revelation 1:6
Romans 12:4-8; I Corinthians 14:12; Ephesians 4:11-13
Ephesians 4:7-13; I Corinthians 12; I Peter 4:10-11
Ephesians 5:17-21
I Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9
Introduction
The Bible teaches that God created two complementary sexes of humans, male and female, to bear His image together (Gen. 1:27-28; Matt. 19:4; Mark 10:6). This distinction in gender represents an essential characteristic of personhood and reflects an essential part of being created in God’s image. As outlined in Scripture and in accordance with our Statement of Faith, we believe that men and women are absolutely equal in essence, dignity, and value and are complementary by divine design in their roles. Gender does not merely represent a social construct but, instead, represents a reality present in every human from birth. Men and women are not interchangeable.
From the opening pages of Scripture, we find that God, in His wisdom and providence, created two complementary sexes for our good and His glory. In light of His good created order, and the fact that women and men both share in divine image-bearing, God intends for women and men to have different yet complementary roles and responsibilities in the church and home. These role distinctions do not arise from cultural definitions of masculinity and femininity but are an integral part of God’s plan for humanity, as revealed in Scripture. The Bible depicts a vision of men and women laboring alongside one another in the world and the Church for the sake of the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 12:4-31). God has made no distinction in the giving of spiritual gifts to individuals based on gender (1 Cor. 12:7-11). When we don’t empower individuals of both sexes to engage and use their gifts, in complementarian partnership, both genders suffer, and the mission of the Church—to proclaim the gospel and make disciples of all nations—suffers.
In light of the belief that male and female image bearers flourish in partnership, we expect that the primary relationship between Christian men and women is that of brotherly and sisterly love. We note that the Bible upholds the metaphor of siblinghood as the primary descriptor for male-female partnering in the Church. The concept that is taught in the New Testament is that the Church ought to have the kind of love for one another that is reserved for blood brothers and sisters. This uniquely Christian disposition reminds us that we ought to see each other as a family in a special sense. Therefore, the primary relationship in the local church between men and women is the relationship of brothers and sisters, united in Christ, not subordinates. We affirm that cultivating an environment of brotherly and sisterly love is at the heart of complementarianism. These relationships should be marked by honor, care, and sacrifice for one another.
What We Believe
We believe that both men and women have been created in the image of God and are entitled to the privileges and held accountable to the responsibilities that come with reflecting our Creator.
We deny that either gender has been given or is entitled to greater dignity in society, the home, the church or the kingdom of God.
We believe that both men and women are needed and necessary for the health and ministry of the church. Godly women and men should be visible partners in the corporate life of the church, deploying their diverse gifts for the good of the body. Simply put, all Christians contribute to the ministry of the church.
We deny that the church can flourish without brotherly/sisterly partnership. We deny that a church can exist in which the men flourish and the women do not, or vice versa.
We affirm that all members of the church should be in glad submission to the office of Elder leadership (See “Policy on Gender Roles in Biblically Defined Church Offices”), and that all should be in glad and sacrificial submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church.
We deny that all women are subject to the leadership and authority of all men. Further, biblical submission is not indicative of subordination or inequality, as seen in Jesus, the Son’s, submission to the Father (Phil. 2:1-11).
We affirm that all men and women have been created in the image of God, whether single or married.
We deny that single men and women must be married to be meaningful participants in the corporate life of the church. We deny that single men possess any authority over single women. The way that they love and serve their sisters should not patronize, victimize or show force, but rather should be the fruit of brotherly love, and vice versa.
Practice and Application
Organizational Leadership
At Bethany Church, we highly value the perspective and wisdom found in both genders, men and women, as God has gifted both for the work of ministry and the edification of His body. In light of that, we have both men and women in various levels of influential leadership throughout our church in various ministries. Our Elder Board and Pastoral team are made up of men only in accordance with our “Policy on Gender Roles in Biblically Defined Church Offices”. Our “Staff Ministry Leadership Team” is comprised of both women and men to bring Godly wisdom and influence to help us execute with excellence the ministry God has called us to here at Bethany. We desire the leadership, wisdom, and influence of both genders in the exercising of their gifts in ministry in order to see the Church mature fully in its calling as the complete body of Christ.
Sunday Morning Worship Services
Although we have both women and men helping lead and teach in various ministries throughout the church, we reserve the place of teaching in our main worship services, as our highest place of authoritative teaching, for those called to the Office of Pastor or Elder. We will, on rare occasions, have guest teachers from either gender outside of the office of Pastor or Elder teach on a Sunday morning under the authority of the church Elders. Anyone asked to teach would be pre-approved by the Elders with the desire to help teach and edify the church, with excellence, according to a Biblical worldview and in line with the desired Pastoral and Elder teaching plans.
Practicing The Ordinance of Baptism and Communion
Every member at Bethany Church is invited to baptize during approved baptisms at Bethany and distribute the elements of communion either in our worship services or other ministries/Group environments.
Teaching and Leading In Bethany Ministries
Both mixed-gender and single-gender teaching environments are overseen by a qualified Pastor or Elder. It is the role of this Pastor/Elder to seek out, equip, and utilize gifted women and men for leadership oversight, shaping of the specific ministries, and teaching excellence within each of these ministry environments. Teaching environments that include both genders can be taught by either gender under the authority and oversight of the Pastor/Elder overseeing each ministry. Gender-specific teaching environments are taught by leaders of the same gender (see “Position and Policy on Sexuality”), although there are circumstances where a guest teacher of the opposite gender might be utilized to bring a perspective that would enhance the desired goals of the ministry/teaching environment.
Adults Groups/Bible Studies/Classrooms
Gender specific groups are led by leaders of the same gender (see “Position and Policy on Sexuality”). Men lead men’s groups and women lead women’s groups. Mixed-gender groups can be led by both/either a man or woman. In mixed-gender groups, it is preferred when available, to have two leaders, one from each gender. In mixed-gender group leadership, we expect there to be a co-discipleship and co-leadership relationship between the man and woman. It is our desire for both leaders to work in unity together in their roles according to their gifting, helping lift the other up as leaders of their group for the “edification of the body”. Both men and women may serve as group leaders, group coaches, and study leaders.
