Complementarianism at Ashe Alliance

Now that you have explored the scriptures and discovered what God desires for his people, the family, and His church, you are probably wondering how this all plays out at Ashe Alliance Church.

That is a great place to land as we end the conversation. In our final moments discussing the topic of complementarianism, I’d like to speak about how we uphold these truths in doctrine and function.

Doctrine

We believe that the complementary roles of men and women are God’s design and scripturally defined. This means that the Egalitarian position (the view that there are no gender roles and any distinction of gender roles is a product of the curse) will not be taught.

As we interact with scriptures such as the ones mentioned in this series, we will encourage our congregation to embrace these God-given roles and seek to build one another up in them, bringing honor and glory to our great God.

We will encourage men to love their family sacrificially, provide for them, seek their well-being above self, represent Jesus well, and seek direction from Jesus, your governing authority.

We will encourage women to speak life into their husbands (if they are married), to come alongside him as a helper and submit to his God-given authority, displaying the godly character of Jesus’s submission to the Father and the compassionate care that the Holy Spirit gives us as our Helper. We want to encourage you as a pillar of your family to let your godliness radiate through your character and, in doing so, give glory to Christ.

We will also intentionally encourage our church family to be gracious to those not holding this position. This is not an issue to divide over, nor is it a salvation issue. We acknowledge that faithful brothers and sisters in Christ fall on both sides, so this is not a matter of heresy. Instead, it is a family discussion that can produce fruitful conversations when done in love.

Function

We desire to see men and women flourish in the church and the home, using the fullness of the gifts God has given each of us to bless one another and give Him glory.

We also do not seek to limit anyone from serving where scripture does not set specific boundaries, which is why you will see men and women using their gifts in a multitude of ministries, such as

• Worship
• Encounter Team
• Events
• Children
• Youth
• Prayer
• Bible Study
• Life Groups
• Deaconship

And as we grow, so will the involvement of men and women, exercising their gifts for the benefit of the Body. The only limitation for where one gender can serve while another cannot is where scripture places the guardrails.

We do not want to put our women in a position where they would be functioning in a way contrary to what the Bible says. As we have seen, the limitation of 1 Tim. 2-3 is when a woman would teach and/or have authority over a man in the household of God and in the functional leadership of the home, which would be:

1. In the position of an Elder/Pastor/Overseer.

2. In a teaching role in the gathered assembly of the congregation.

We do not intend to dictate any other limitations pertaining to women’s leadership in academic institutions, CEO positions in a company, a para-church ministry, or other similar roles outside of the gathered church or the home. That is where the Bible draws the line, and that is where we want to be.

I hope this series has been a blessing to you. I pray it has clarified your biblical understanding of men’s and women’s differing but complementary roles and how those roles glorify God and create the conditions for human flourishing. And I hope it has given you a clear understanding of how these roles are practically lived out at Ashe Alliance Church.

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor Nate

Series Links:

Intro | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4