Gender Roles in the Church — A matter of what woman may do? or what God has called MEN to do?

In his already-widely-read book, LaGard Smith suggests that our current controversy has been wrongly focused on questions about what women may do in times of gathered worship. The real issue, he says, is whether we believe in the pervasive biblical principle of male spiritual leadership.

First introduced as Men of Strength for Women of God, and later published under the title, What Most Women Want, this latest imprint is designed as a Special Study Edition. For the first time, this edition includes discussion questions suitable for both men’s and women’s classes. There is also a revised introduction which brings the dialogue up to date for a church struggling with renewed calls for recognizing women’s unique spiritual gifts.

Since the book was first released almost a decade ago, the mostly dormant issue of gender roles has now found its way back to the top of the agenda for a changing church. One congregation after another is now opting for greater participation of women in ways once considered unthinkable. Yet, little attention has been paid as to why there was ever and Biblical restriction on how women participated in the assembly. Smith argues that the principle of male spiritual leadership has far more implications for the church, the family, and society at large than we may have previously appreciated.

17 Chapters