This week, I was on the radio helping to host a Christian call-in show. Guests call in each week to ask area pastors difficult questions about the Bible. One of the inquiries this week was "Can a woman hold the office of Bishop?"
There were two pastors who said that a woman cannot hold the office and there were two women pastors hosting the show with us men. I answered the question this way:
This is a very controversial question. There is some evidence in the New Testament that there were possibly women Apostles in the Early Church. There were women deacons for sure. The fact that women pastors today are preaching the Gospel should encourage the men to step up. I also stated that I am glad the Gospel is preached, however it is preached.
Lastly, I'd like to add that the office of "bishop" is the same as that of "elder" and "pastor" in the New Testament, so that the three terms are interchangeable. There are only two offices-Bishop and Deacon. I as a Pastor am also a Bishop. The use of the term Bishop to differentiate between “a pastor” and “a pastor of pastors” was not until about the time of Ignatius of Antioch and later.
