What Is The Future Of Churches With Women Pastors?

Q: What is the future of churches that have women pastors?

A: If you want to take a look at the future of having a lot of women pastors in churches, look at the Lutheran Church of Sweden. Up until 1958, women priests or pastors were not permitted in the Church of Sweden. Now, there are lots of women priests or pastors. More than 50% of the pastors in the Church of Sweden are women. Yes, and more than a third of Church of Sweden bishops are women. Five out of 13, that's almost 40%. The previous Archbishop of Sweden was a woman. And hold on to your hat for this one: 70 to 80% of theological students for the Church of Sweden are women.

Despite the presence of some faithful and God-honoring pastors in the Church of Sweden, as a whole, the Church of Sweden is in radical decline. The number of members is in decline, the influence and the relevancy of the Church of Sweden is in decline, and the gospel witness and the courageous biblical faithfulness of the Church of Sweden is in decline. If the "women should be pastors" crowd was right, there should be incredible revival and radical biblical faithfulness in the Church of Sweden. But whatever problems the Church of Sweden seems to have, women pastors have not been the solution for it.

So, I don't believe that women should be pastors or elders in churches, though God has gifted them and there are wonderful and appropriate realms in which they can and should use their gifts and serve the Lord and further his kingdom, but not in opposition to what God has said in his word.