Can We Pray Together?

Women praying in front of men, is it okay or not . . . .hummm, . .  let me think about this for a minute.  I’m pretty sure I have some questions.

Can a Christian woman pray with her husband without threatening his authority in the home?  Can I share what is on my heart with my husband even if he hasn’t asked?  Can I read the bible to him out loud?  Where 2 or more are gathered in my name . . . ,right?  Is it a worship service?

If a family has a devotional can a woman pray or otherwise participate?  What constitutes a “family” devotional?   Just immediate family; or, does that include extended family?  If we say okay to women fully participating in their family devotionals, including extended family, how is the extended family defined?  Is it only blood relatives; or, can I really consider my brothers and sisters in Christ part of my extended family?  If I can then does it matter where that family devotional takes place, home, work, the mall, the church building? If a gathering has been referred to as a devotional why would not be a devotional because a female was asked to participate and did?

Okay, let us move away from the family devotional questions for a minute.  What about a bible class?  If men are in a bible class does that mean a female is not allowed to participate?  If we say yes she can actively participate in a bible class then how is participation defined “for a woman” and who defines it?  If we say that female participation is limited to comments and a teacher decides, during their class, to have a designated time for prayer and opens it for anyone in the class to pray does that mean anyone but females?  If we say that now women are not allowed to participate/pray in a bible class, was it wrong in the past when male teachers said “We are going to just start a prayer and anyone that wants to pray just start in when you think the one before has finished.  Any woman who is comfortable with praying feel free. Joe will you finish it up when you think everyone is finished or time runs out.”?  Does the size of the bible class make a difference?

How can a female Christian usurp a male Christian’s authority by talking or praying when a male Christian has requested or allowed her to participate in that way?  If a female opens her heart to pray or share does that mean she is trying to impose her will on the men or can we consider that she may want to bring those around her closer by giving them a glimpse in to her heart or maybe even to seek guidance?  If we say a woman can share as long as it is presented by her husband or another Christian man in the class or devotional, are they still indirectly imposing their will over the other males in the group?  Are we saying that because the sharing was filtered through a male brain cleanses it someway making it more appropriate? 

Should women go back to covering their heads in church?  What about slacks worn by women in church?  I was not allowed to wear a pair of pants with a zipper in the front growing up because it somehow was a challenge to male leadership.  Do we go back to that?  Do we tell our female teens and college students they can no longer actively participate in class, except for singing and silent prayer?  After all we aren’t talking about putting a woman in the pulpit, or at the Lord’s table, leading singing, prayer or reading scripture in a formal Sunday congregational service.  That would not be honoring our parents and other seniors.   It would not be putting others needs above our own.  Will there ever be a day when these things won’t be offensive to someone?  Only God can answer that.  Does this mean a church can or would segregate classes, services, ect. by male and female? 

Are not all members of the body equally important?  Should a one talent Christian be looked down on by the multi-talented Christian?  Does method of communication, written or verbal, change the purity of the message?  The bible is the written Word of God.  There is none other like it but still if a Christian’s talent is writing and they choose to write and then read what they wrote to other Christians, why would another Christian consider that sharing any less pure of heart?  What about those that write the songs that we praise God with and encourage and uplift each other, are the writers less committed to the Lord because they took great pains to write and compose a beautiful song?  Who can know a man or woman’s heart but the Lord? 

Well, I better stop . . . for the moment anyway.  I have a lot of questions as you can see.  My questions cover a wide range of topics. 

Dear Lord, please bless all Christians everywhere with the strength to persevere in their struggle to remain faithful so they may receive the gift of life in the end.   Let us not be easily persuaded to abandon our convictions.  Help us to receive correction humbly.  Give us the wisdom to discern Your will and make sound choices.  Not only sound choices for ourselves and our families, help us make sound choices with regard to Your church.  We love You and praise You with all our hearts.  May our lives bring glory to You always.  In Jesus name, amen.

 Stand for Him brothers and sisters, just stand.

“Purer in heart O God help me to be . . . .”