It's almost like a cruel joke

It might be all the Jonathan Edawrds and St. Augustine I've read or it might be the four years I've spent at an engineering school; but I cannot escape my hunger for logic.

After reading this article I understood the punch-line of a perfectly comic truth: despite my spirit's hunger for logic the language of my mind is painfully illogical.

I adore puns

From the the 2010 Farmer's Almanac:

"for instance, we are predicting a major snowfall in mid-February; possibly even blizzard conditions for New England (indeed, even shovelry is not dead)."

Love it.

An affinity for phonetics

I find so much phonetic pleasure in the word podiatry. I'm not sure why. It's just so great to say and such a joy to hear.

Thanks to TBS I now feel a strong sense of camaraderie with two groups of ethnic minorities.

Possibly the oddest dream I've ever had

Last night I had a dream where I followed Diane Sawyer on a great journey. Her goal was to "live off the land" in a rugged survivalist fashion.

We traveled down a giant rice paddy/cornfield that was flooded; because of the tall nature of the cornstalks and water up to our chests we trudged for awhile all while walls of fire closed in on us (it was at night and given the nature of the explosions causing the fires I am lead to believe it was in Vietnam during the war). We spent a lot of energy trying to hold onto our journals but they were lost in the saturated field as we were making our exit.

Our journey ended at a giant farm of some sort with many trees--I think it was in the pacific northwest--where we met up with George Costanza (yes, George from Seinfeld). The three of us then moved giant logs by hand. The end.

It is a long word whose legitimacy is suspect...

This reporter made up a new word. I like it.

" conditionofanonymitybecauseofconfidentiality "

More Costume Ideas

Halloween costume ideas: 1) The white Barack Obama (I can do a pretty mean Obama) 2) Some form of David Bowie (i.e Davie Bowie in space, David Bowie from Labyrinth, 1972 David Bowie from the Ziggy Stardust tour, 1980 David Bowie from the video Ashes to Ashes, David Bowie's freak-ee brother Sherman Bowie) 3) Long Division 4) "carries a pejorative connotation" 5) A Band of Horses 6) Albi the Racist Dragon 7) A "man with no chest" (C.S. Lewis reference)

8) A Wes Anderson character

9) Casimir Pulaski Day

It's not from my favorite movie but it IS my favorite line from a movie

"The crickets and the rust-beetles scuttled among the nettles of the sage thicket. "Vámonos, amigos," he whispered, and threw the busted leather flintcraw over the loose weave of the saddlecock. And they rode on in the friscalating dusklight."

Languages I want to learn within the next ten years

(I'll leave greek and hebrew off because I'll be learning them soon enough in graduate studies)

1) Icelandic

2) French

3) Spanish and Portuguese (listed together because I want to learn them for the same reason)

Queue

Today I found out how much I like the word queue. It is fun to say and to spell--but mostly to say. Doing it doesn't even bother me that much.

"Maybe next time I'll estimate myself"

I may have underestimated myself.

I read some Chaucer tonight and it made me want to edit my "interests" on facebook.

I was going to say "I enjoy writing prose (because I'm dull)" then somehow keyed this into the parentheses (and for the sake of irony I want to inject this tangent) instead:

"(for I pen not cool rhymes, my melodies'r far from sweet; but I well write of their wonders, I find this my feat )"

Who knew?

I'm glad God made smart people...

because they're better at articulating my thoughts than I am--i.e. C.S. Lewis and "The Abolition of Man."

I don't remember zucchini being this big...

then again I'd hardly consider myself a seasoned zucchini expert--or any sort of zucchini expert.

What did I do this afternoon? A quick culinary experiment--not to be confused with a coronary experiment, which would be dangerous.

I really enjoy experimenting with food. I decided to experiment with a pizza this afternoon, because I like vegetables served in pie-like formats.

BBQ sauce over hand mixed crust, a chopped bell pepper, then a whole grapefruit (I squeezed the juices over the pizza because it sounded fun).

CARROTS! Because they're in my top three favorite naturally occurring category (opposed to my top three "prepared foods" category).

Various cheeses--and by various I mean extra sharp cheddar and mozzarella, nothing exciting by any means.

Un poco oregano, and even mas poco garlic salt, but a moderate to generous throw of cinnamon (because it's one of the best chemically induced sensations known to man).

now my macbook smells like cinnamon.

I wait. It cooks.

moral hazard

Generally I enjoy making fun of how vain I am and it prompts character change. However, sometimes I wonder if making light of things promotes callousness to seriousness rather than crafting useful satirical commentary.

An indicator that many social commentaries I have and will continue to make are more than likely justified--the worst thing is it's a Georgia tag.

see more Fail Blog

My new favorite part of our apartment

So my apartment-mate took this table from a girl we know. He cut glass for it, put it on door hinges, attached a handle, and lined the bottom with vinyl LP sleeves; it is kind of awesome--just slightly.

I really don't recommend garlic coffee

I primarily brew my coffee with a press (it is delightful) and am currently without a microwave (which I use to bring water to a boil for the brew).

Apparently tastes of garlic lingered in the pot I used for boiling and were introduced into my coffee--this is not recommended.

I have a confession

I like shopping for "home things." I enjoy Bed, Bath, and Beyond--mostly the beyond. I'm ok with spending part of my afternoon there and other "home" stores as I replenish the things that "walked out" when one of the guys in my apartment moved out yesterday.

"Gravity? One word: no way."

I laughed out loud

Nerdy accounting/word humor

1) I love funny acronyms; IBRACON makes me think of "I, bacon" and I, therefore, laugh out loud.

2) If a fund is labeled "fiduciary" it almost sounds like it is being personified as a jerk.

It's sad

If you ever need a buzz kill just go look at the facebook profile of someone born after the early 1980's and read what they list for "Books."

It'll go something like:

"ummm..."

"all the good books are made into movies"

"haha"

"..."

" i hate reading "

" Dan Brown books "

and my favorite: " [classy explicit verb] reading/books!"

I'm so disappointed in my generation.

Too early for Halloween planning?

I've found myself playing with halloween costume ideas already. So far I have:

1) the even whiter Barak Obama (I do a pretty mean impression if I do say so myself)

2) a fan of 80's alternative punk rock (i.e. The Cure)

3) a band of horses

4) a flock of seagulls

5) elf

Rocked it

And I totally just rocked private sector not-for-profit accounting and auditing standards. Solid.

My Two Helpers

Let me introduce you to my two writing companions. A slinky I got last year for Christmas and a Toy Story Mr. Potato Head toy I got thirteen years ago for Christmas.

They're good helpers for facilitating thought and logical progression.

Will this too pass?

Years of writing--half a dozen at fairly complex levels--and I still struggle with this regularly.

"Its vs. It's"

When I write I almost always have to pause and ask, "am I using the right one?"

I often find myself asking "who do you think you are?"

I think it's pretty presumptuous and can be borderline arrogant when someone "apologizes on behalf of all [fill in the blank]."

On the other hand apologizing FOR others can be encouraging and help foster reconciliation if not offer some sort of start for healing at the very least. (i.e. apologizing for when someone flies off the handle and wrongs another; "I'm so sorry that just happened")

I gather the former is usually a means to save face for one's own sake while the latter shows sympathy for a wrong doing.

Awkward Turtle

I enjoy puns and one ling zingers with those I consider friends; when intentional they mock our own attempts at humor and are a fun thrust towards humility.

I discovered this morning puns and passing zingers can be in vain when made around acquaintances or strangers and therefore substitute introspection for ineptitude.

Oops.

Regardless, I'm glad I gained perspective and the mother of that three year old on the tricycle in the 12 Hotel was made--at best--very uncomfortable by someone's tactless stab at humor. It was awkward to say the least.

I see great things in the future

I'm just one small silo of oats away from a groovy homemade bongo set.

My right of dorky passage

While studying just a few moments ago I took off my glasses (which I've only had for a month now), fogged them with my breath, and cleaned them with some cloth.

First time I've done that.

It was an exceptionally novel moment for me.

Me: 1 Apple: 0

All that remains of my late afternoon snack

A fly on the wall

I've been thinking about Calvin a lot--mostly because most of the blogs I read have been doing the same and because I have been reading a lot from and about him this summer.

Today would be his 500th birthday.

Because of this milestone, today I have been wondering what it'd be like sitting down with him and talking--probing his brain and heart mostly. This obviously made me wonder what it'd be like to do the same with Jonathan Edwards, then C.S. Lewis, then I wondered what it'd be like to see the three of them at a table and just talk about whatever came up. I wonder how they would engage topics thrown into the middle of the table.

It would be awesome.

Pop Psychology is fine, but has no place in God's Gospel

I'm still not on board with some of the buzzwords and frameworks I'm hearing from some churches, writers, and ministers about "being real" and "being vulnerable."

In a nut shell most of these conversations encourage "vulnerability" and "being real" with God because He was "vulnerable and real" with us at the Cross.

There are hints of truth in these statements but the poor diction and misguided emphasis tends to lead people into embracing a weak--and therefore incomplete and false--gospel. This framework has four big problems:

1) It robs God of His sovereignty thus taking from His glory

2) Lessening Christ's Divinity

3) Makes man the center of the gospel rather than Christ's Glory

4) Is a gateway into legalism

I don't want to worship a Being that is ever, has ever, or will ever be vulnerable. God did not make Himself vulnerable at the Cross nor was Christ ever himself vulnerable in the true sense of the word while on Earth--to teach this diminishes His Sovereignty and is blasphemous.

The only vulnerability we see at the Cross is that of our own, John Calvin informs this notion wonderfully:

"Christ is called the Prince of Peace, and our peace (Isaiah 9:6; Ephesians 2:14), because he calms all the agitations of conscience. If the method is asked, we must come to the sacrifice by which God was appeased, for no man will ever cease to tremble, until he hold that God ispropitiatedsoley by that expiation in which Christ endured his anger. In short, peace must be sought no where but in the agonies of Christ our Redeemer."

John Calvin, The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book III, 13.4.

The cross enables us to make ourselves vulnerable to God who is completely sovereign and unlocks unrelenting joy in the inexhaustible goodness of His glory.

God is not a 16 year-old drama queen who "opened Himself up" out of a weak sense of neediness directed at the affections of man. Who wants a God no stronger than an emotionally starved narcissist? Churches need to stop teaching this, it's destructive to the Body and masks the true wonder and beauty of the gospel. This is why we need less pop psychology and more championing of the scriptures in churches.

Healing emotional wounds is fine and there are a lot of tools found in these "Pop Psychology" frameworks that CAN help people--but it just doesn't fit in with the gospel. Let's not pollute the gospel with anything else but God's Sovereignty, Christ's Glory, and the joy spilling out of both.

It sounds great

A Pretension Convention SOUNDS great phonetically but I am sure the magic stops there.

my hygienic accessories are out to get me--there's a plot

While preparing to go to bed I was attacked on multiple fronts by the various items I use for pre-slumber hygienic "funtivities;" they're usually funtivities because I'm probably playing an episode of The Office or rocking out to a podcast or sweet tunes, thus the actives then become fun. Tonight was The Office.

The series of seemingly coordinated events:

1) My face wash burned the heck out of my face for some strange reason

2) My floss DESTROYED my gums and left me pretty bloodied up--like baseball bat in the mouth bloodied up

3) I got mouthwash in my eye--which kind of amazed me

4) I dropped my beard trimmer on my foot

5) Tripped over my scale...

It's a conspiracy. I'm convinced. A strange conspiracy... involving Nivea ...Wah ... Procter and Gamble... and... maybe... gravity....

More details on said conspiracy as they unfold

this isn't patriotic--not intentionally, it just isn't

but in a round about way I suppose you could make it patriotic

so for the past few years Sufjan Stevens has been my favorite musical artist; there has been no close second.

Music is art and I like growing in ways to appreciate art. So, I am going to be "immersing" myself in his art this month.

So, for the whole month of July I have decided to only listen to Sufjan Stevens' music in hopes to gain an even deeper appreciation for his art. To make sure I am dedicated I actually took everything but him off my iPod.

It's not that I think it's a big deal--because it's a pretty small one--but I was wondering if anyone else has ever done anything similar. Not just with music but with any art. Not even art but with anything. Has anyone else ever had a "month of [insert whatever]."

I would be interested to hear about it.

peace.

Toilet

I had a conversation with a friend while in one of the bathrooms at our college of management

I almost walked out without washing my hands (relax people, it was just a number onesee visit); then I looked at him and said "I have to wash my hands because if I don't you're going to think I'm a disgusting human being. You seeing me not wash my hands is literally the only reason why I am going to wash my hands."

What a convoluted reality.

He told me he was going through the same dilemma--apparently I'm not the only crazy person in the world.

Awesome.

Sidewalk profiling and my own personal failure

I was approached by a chanting Krishna monk today--granted he was not chanting while he engaged me nor did I witness him chant. He was tiny and bald.

I was smiling affectionately and almost skipping as he approached though completely unaware I was nearing another person; there was certainly a noticeable joyful pep in my step, as it were. He stopped me and we began to briefly discuss peace, joy, and happiness--though it was mostly him talking and me listening.

I think it was because I'm bald. I feel as though I were profiled in a matter of speaking because of my lack of hair and for having what I hope was the appearance of one brimming with peace and joy.

I would consider being profiled for the latter affirmation in the supremacy of Christ and my subsequent longings for Him--because it's what was on my mind at that particular time.

I'm still indifferent about being profiled by the former.

And alas I failed to share with him what fountain of joy and life birthed this visible manifestation of joy.

Father, forgive me. I pray you send him a more faithful servant so that he may hear of your Greatness and Splendor.

Love words

I find myself enthralled with the word "euphemistically."

Each time I read the word I am filled momentarily with a wonderful affection.

I just read it in an article for my class.

Rain, Psalms, and free stuff.

It rained a lot today.  

I got to walk around in the rain in the morning time and in the night time; both were fun but the night time was the best--I sang a lot during the latter.  

It was awesome.

Psalm 63 is simply wonderful.

I finished "Let the Nations Be Glad: 2ed" today--now onto this which can be downloaded for free here.  Almost 30 pages into it--I'm already teeming with joy and encouragement by what I'm beginning to grasp through it.

Because it's sMARTA

No the title doesn't really mean I'm insinuating taking public transit intrinsically indicates or imparts heightened intellectual capabilities--but I think public transit is a good idea.

A Pastor at the church I've been visiting lately (Trinity Vineyard) feels Summer was created to slow down the pace of humanity (I'm paraphrasing); this of course means the direct pace of people's "daily" lives but one could assume said pace would be the same for "humanity" as a whole--also this aforementioned slowly pace is not sluggish nor does it operate out of fear but rather is the fruition of wisdom and prudence and also values the idea of rest (and humanity's need for rest is a matter I love exploring but since I am already long winded as it is with this post I'll save it).

So with this in mind I've taken it upon myself to take public transit as often as I can; this offers me the chance to walk outside for extended periods which affords me moments of prayer, scripture meditation, and time to meditate on the Holy Spirit and how He can manifest Christ more in myself.  

Once I am on the bus I have time to read and meet new people.  Just Saturday I met a man named Gavin.  Smart man.  He studied Mechanical engineering for three years, started to do some financial management for various clients, and travels the country playing jazz; we discussed philosophy, the scriptures, evangelism, ministry, so many great things.  This alone is worth taking the bus.  Yes it can almost double my trip time in some circumstances but it is worth it.  Why?  Because it slows life down to a pace where I can find more time (in addition to the time I specifically set aside) to enjoy God through meditation, prayer, and people.  Totally worth it.

Pollen: 2 David: 0

I am a weak man.  Something as small as pollen particles wield enough power over my body  to drastically inhibit me for two consecutive days.  Alas, I can only rejoice.  Pollen kicks my butt and am therefore humbled all the more into realizing how feeble and powerless I am with the Spirit of God within me and the Life of His Word.

Thank you sweet Jesus for the Life of John 6:63!  You ARE LIFE!

What's in a name--a joyful reminder

What’s up with the name of my blog--"Above All Else Is Joy"?  The name of the blog serves as a reminder to myself.  In all efforts, all activities, all encounters, in every facet of my life I must champion this notion: above all else is the joy found in savoring the goodness of God.  This joy cannot be tackled because of the supremacy of it’s source.  For me to not champion this notion, to not run with this joy, to trade this glory for any another, is death; It’s trading the abundance of the greatest good I will ever hope to find for something infinitely less, as in Christ’s parable it’d be like finding a most valuable treasure and not trading--when compared to the treasure--my most insufficient and worthless rags.  That’s where the name comes from.  

I want to champion said notion with every breath I have in these lungs until the Lord sees fit I fight for it no more.  That’s sort of the jugular of the blog too; I suppose not directly but simply because this blog is an extension of who I am and what I value and is also a platform for my thoughts and convictions--these things make up who I am and would therefore constitute extensions of myself (i.e. The blog).

I explore theology with zeal and endurance; where the act the end itself I would argue it to be “empty religion” and the makings of staunch legalism; however, I find the more biblical theology I explore the more I understand the nature and mysteries of God (but praise Him nothing is ever quite that simple when it comes to the Kingdom--though I would argue even that’s a question worth exploring in that the complexities and grandness of God can be championed by men by a “backwards working down” of our complex preconceived notions and loaded questions.  This is why scriptures are so rich with calls to be like a child--their prayers can render the Enemy to his weakest [psalm 8:2].  To understand God more fully and submit to His goodness all we have to do is minimize our selves more?  More dependance like a child?  Less needing to know and more eager to trust?  Re-rendering our years of built up knowledge and confidence in our own ability to understand into the simplicities of trusting like a child?  Wonderful!  Simply wonderful!  This is why I love God’s sort of economics [that is to suggest God has a sort of science he works at in His kingdom]).

The more I understand the more questions I have; the more I understand the more affection I find; the more I understand the smaller I find myself when in front of the throne and glory of the Father and the more I find I still have a long way to go on the road of sanctification.

And yet I digress....

So that’s the name more or less.  It is a reminder to myself and a testimony of hope to those who read, that because of the redeeming works of Christ I am granted the joy to savor God and will rejoice in Him for eternity.  Amen!

A response to a question posed by a very dear friend

Below is the question of a very dear friend of mine.  We have been exceptionally affectionate friends for years and have been in the business of encouraging one another from the get go.  First his question, then his response.  That simple.

"hi friends-

these are some thoughts.
this is a discussion board.
this is a very controversial topic and i know this. please respond if you'd like, but please be respectful of this topic and other people's responses. 
i want to hear from you. i want to hear your thoughts.

my question is: has the female voice been lost? (specifically in ministry and leadership roles in the christian and church realms) if so, why? if not, why?

my thoughts:
i consider all people being created by God, for God, and in the image of God! we are each created uniquely and intentionally to proclaim the kingdom of God here on Earth. should women be given the opportunity to lead, speak out, have a voice, serve, "do ministry," etc. yes. can women be effective in ministry/leadership? yes. 

i think the female voice has been lost, however, this is not a new idea or topic and i understand this. but why? in my limited experience, i have experienced 3 main types of women in ministry/leadership roles: (1) women who think they should be heard and think they deserve respect, when they haven't earned/deserve respect or honestly have nothing really to say, (2) women who don't say enough, they sit quiet on some occasions, but have extraordinary things to say, and (3) women who don't speak up at all, they remain silent, timid, or afraid, but should talk!

women should be in ministry and in leadership, which includes: pastor, speaker, book-writer, teacher, professor, shepherd, counselor, leader, communicator, etc.

do you think there is scriptural evidence that support women NOT being in ministry? if so, where and why? if not, why?

what are your thoughts on this loaded topic?"

and my response

There are some important frameworks that need to be established before diving into the practical implications on women's roles vs. men's roles in the church. .  The truth is it is an issue that does not exist in a vacuum but in a web related to the rest of God’s moral will, natural law, and his character

 

Jason, the three points you bring to the conversation are more "practical implications" of how one attempts to bring to fruition whatever the scriptures teach about masculine and feminine roles in church; And that's not to say they aren't worth discussing, Paul teaches on practical implications of this matter in Titus and 2 Timothy--it is important to recognize why Paul injects his opinions into these practical matters; it is imperative to keep in mind these are an extension of Paul's understanding of "the deeper issue (i.e. the aforementioned framework--I'm going to get to it I promise) and given that we hold Paul's teachings as canonical we must therefore revere Paul's statements as being directly ordained from God rather than a mere "Pastor's opinion".

 

This “deeper issue”, the important framework to first establish before approaching the points you raise is this—has God created men and women with strictly feminine and masculine characteristics and roles?  To first answer this I encourage you to look at the created order (Genesis 1:26-27):

       “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.  So God created man, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

And in Genesis 2 we first see a distinction between masculinity and femininity:

            “18 Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him…’ 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man…24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

 

            Now we see God created man and woman both in His own image (Gen. 1:27) and we see an initial distinction in the role of a man and woman; The reason woman was created was to be a “helper” to man (2:18) —I realize this can sound like loaded diction but let me paint the whole picture before any sort of emotional or intellectual responses well up. 

            God created both man and woman in His own image and both with distinct traits of His own likeness.  To assume one likeness is better than the other is scripturally unfounded and absolutely prideful.  That being said, men who claim the distinctions between women and men Holy likeness to God’s image as true but merit that the likeness of men as superior are simply scripturally out of line and tyrannical—it is an injustice that God will not stand for.  Women were created to be the helper of men—this infers submission.  The leadership men are called to display is NOT tyrannical (though such is the case far too often—a truth that truly burdens my heart) but rather to be that of Christ characterized by servitude, humility, (Matt. 20:24-28) and the desire to disperse good; the good to which I refer is the ultimate Goodness and Glory of God—that He be made famous, be praised, be glorified in all things. It is to this end all roles, positions, and pursuits are to exist—to glorify God and savor His goodness (which are two sides of the same coin). 

            When looking at scriptures parsing the relationship between men and women they paint the picture of how Christ relates to the church (Ephesians 5:22-29); the church does not submit to Christ out of inferiority but out of joy; Christ works to perfect the Church not to clean up a rotten mess (as an ultimate end) but to restore People to a state of absolute joy by enjoying that which is perfectly good—being God in His fully majesty.  This is what leadership and submission looks like when executed in the scripturally sound fashion God intends—it is an inexhaustible cycle of absolute joy. 

                        So now that I have made the case for 1) a distinction in the roles of men and women and 2) that these roles do not carry implicit value over their counterpart but rather complete the human likeness in God when they come together (this is seen in Genesis 2:24 that “a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh”). 

            What exactly are these distinctions in the characteristic traits of men and women?  Well from scripture we see men are called to be leaders in families and churches (Ephesians 5:22-29); the role of women would then naturally need to be the same as that in a family—nurturing, supportive to leadership in submission and servitude all with the end goal of Glorifying God and savoring Him and all His Fullness. 

            Why these specific distinctions?  It seems they are based on the notion that women have an experience they share with our Creator that men will never understand—being a life giver.  From this experience we see the flood of nurture and provision women are programmed with that men simply struggle even at their best times to understand.  This is an experience they share solely with God the creator. 

            God had the distinction designed from the beginning with the intention of bringing them together allowing a deeper appreciation for Himself—this gloriously beautiful unity is reflected in how Christ relates to the Church (I will even argue marriage exists so we can better understand how Christ relates to the church in addition to better understanding the character of God—though I am sure at some level these are yet again two sides of the same coin but it is a notion I have yet to visit in study and meditation) and can be recognized, I argue, in any interaction between men and women. 

            Now let’s keep this in mind—this doesn’t say that all women submit to all men in all circumstances.  (I’m borrowing this next example from C.S. Lewis) Would a woman relate to a paperboy the same as she would relate to her boss at work, her husband, father, or even her son?  This woman has no more business submitting to this paperboy than she does to her very own son; the same would hold true for a woman superior in a the workplace and her subordinates.  Women are encouraged to be savvy in economies and societies (look at the woman described in Proverbs 31—she hardly seems timid and weak yet she ascribes to the biblical role of being a wife and has no problem submitting to her husband).  So for men that try to carry biblical roles in churches and families into other environments are simply fools.  Also, keep in mind submission to authority in God’s kingdom doesn’t translate into inferiority as it does traditionally in the economies of Man.  This article delves into the concept of Biblical authority that can be applied to this issue as well (http://www.cbmw.org/Resources/Articles/Embracing-God-s-Plan-for-Authority)

            Now to the nitty-gritty of your three points Jason.  The first type of person you describe is full of pride and lack the Christ-like humility we are called to as disciples—both men and women.  A male voice in a church like that would be equally horrific.

            The second person is a sad case also.  A church that does not offer opportunities for it’s members to fellowship, talk, share ideas (in small groups or other venues) and foster healthy dialogues and faith issues is not a healthy church--Hebrews 10:23-25 encourage us to meet together, spur one another on, and encourage each other regularly.   This second person sounds like they’re not in an environment encouraging said community.

            The third person you described sounds like they need to be built up and encouraged, even discipled by another woman to teach them how to be in healthy, edifying community (Titus 2:3-5). 

            So in short, should women teach?  Yes there are environments where they should teach and no there are environments where they should not teach.  Should they pastor?  No, that violates the scripture out right 1 Timothy 2:11-15 instructs women to not teach as with authority over men in the church—but shows that their role in leadership lies in the other likeness of God attributed to them through life-giving and nurturing.  Submitting to authority is a beautiful thing whose function is to show us the ultimate Majesty of God—even the end of gender distinction is the Glory of the Father.  This utility of submission is true for both men and women as all are subject the rules of submitting to authority. 

            I hope I have painted a picture showing that the scriptural distinctions between men and women in churches (and families) are far from a bad thing.  It offers complete experience in rejoicing in God’s goodness and savoring His Glory.  I find it simply stunning that God created both men and women in His image to communicate a more full reality of His Fullness.  Also, I’ve found http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1059_womens_ministry_in_the_local_church/ to be a great resource on the matter and is a gateway to other issues tying into the subject.