Stump the Pastor IV: Howe

Q: God has power over us! Does Satan have power over us?

A: God definitely has power over us. He is the Creator, Sustainer and Force behind all that is. However, Satan is a created being. Although his status as a fallen angel makes him a different creature than humans, his power over us, or with us, is very limited. In fact, Satan only has the power that we allow him to have.

He has the power to tempt us. This is one of his greatest resources. He is able to draw us away from God by enticing us to sin. However, he cannot force us to sin.

The story of Job in the Bible is very problematic for many Christians. In it God seems to grant Satan the authority to tempt and afflict Job. This is a special case where God allows this test as a means to demonstrate Job's faithfulness.

Q: Why do we believe it's OK for women to become pastors?

A: The first answer to this is because there are so many women pastors and leaders listed in the Bible. Consider Lois and Eunice (Timothy 1.5), Phoebe (Romans 16.1) and Priscilla (Romans 16.3)- among others.

Secondly, we need to look at the fruitfulness of women in ministry through the years. Many of the great leaders of the faith have been women. There was Joan of Arc, Aimee Semple McPherson, Barbara Heck and others. Susannah Wesley also serves as an example of effective ministry among women (although she was not a pastor). Surely if God pours out his Spirit on ministry, whether it be performed by women or men, we should encourage and endorse that.

Finally, the biblical objections to women in ministry can almost all be dismissed without much controversy. The New Testament passages in which Paul prohibits women leading, teaching or preaching in church are almost always cultural in nature. He tells women to be silent because they are gossiping, or disrupting the service, for example.

Q: Which translation of the Bible is the "true" translation?

A: None of them. Many people point to the King James Version of 1611 as the "Authorized" version. This is true, but it is not as accurate as most of the newer versions.

Anytime that there is a translation from one language to another, some of the meaning and color of the original is lost. This means that no matter how much care you put into it, you cannot get to the author's original intent. Add to that the problems of time- up to 3000 years, cultural differences and geography and it is easy to see that accurate translation of the Bible is problematic at best.

The Bible that we use in worship is really as good as any. The New International Version is by far the most popular Bible in the USA. I prefer the New King James Version because it is similar to the King James Version and that is most familiar to me from my early life. This year I have been reading the New Living Translation. I am enjoying it much more than I expected to. It is adding new colors and understandings to my faith.