Father, we have our work cut out for us here now in the last few minutes to pack into this the important material that we have.

And so help me, give me your guidance for what to leave in, what to put in, and what to leave out.

I pray and give us energy for this session.

I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

So here's the key text now on the controversial issue of whether men or women should be elders in a church

or should be the ruling board in the church.

And in Bethlehem, it's men who are elders, and that's a constitutional mandate.

And I was part of the group that in 1990, when the Constitution was rewritten, pressed for that being in a Constitution, and I'm glad it's there.

It would take two-thirds of our folks up in arms to change that, and I hope that that never happens.

I think it's a healthy thing for a church

to love their women, free their women, liberate their women, affirm their women, put their women

in all kinds of hundreds of ministries of life change, transforming kind, and do it from a

standpoint of men assuming the primary responsibility for leadership and teaching in the church.

First of all, then, I urge that in trees and prayers and petitions and thanksgiving be made on behalf of all the men,

for kings and all who are in authority so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

Now, the reason I included verses 1 and 2, when the context is really verses 8 following,

is to catch that word quiet.

Because the women are going to be told to be quiet down below, and I want you to see

the use of the word quiet here.

You see how it's used?

So that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. That clearly in that verse does not mean don't say anything. It means have a demeanor of not being rowdy in

culture, something like that.

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