Men and Women in Leadership at Autumn Ridge Church

Posted on February 26, 2024 Posted By: TJ Schultz Categories: Uncategorized

Excerpt from the Elder Board Statement

"In December 2023, after more than 1.5 years of deliberate study and discussion, the Elder Board, by majority vote, made the following position statement:

Women may occupy or serve in any position of leadership at Autumn Ridge Church.

When the elder nomination process begins for 2025, women who are nominated will also be fully
considered as prospective elders. We recognize that responses to this new practice will range from
celebration to concern. Many will simply be curious about the nature of this process and possible
implications of this decision.

It is our hope and prayer that we will remain a body of believers with diverse viewpoints and that our
church experiences profound peace and unity through our inclusion in Christ."

Questions included in the FAQ document:

Have there been any changes in how we regard Scripture?
Are we saying that those who disagree with this decision are unbiblical?
Is this an essential or non-essential issue?
What do we say to those who have left or are thinking of leaving over this decision?
Does this decision put us on a slippery slope toward affirming same-sex marriage or other LGBTQ issues?
What is our church’s historic practice and position regarding women in leadership?
Why make a change at all, wasn’t the compromise working?
Are there biblical examples of women in leadership?
How do we know the difference between a tension and a contradiction?
What resources are recommended for further study?

Additional Resources on Men and Women in Leadership

Below are resources we recommend for anyone looking to learn more about this topic.

Sermon Videos and Manuscripts

https://autumnridge.church/sermons/

This page is updated every week with Pastor Rick’s outline, manuscript, and sermon video.

Small Group Resources Webpage

https://autumnridge.church/1-timothy/

The Small Group Resources page has a wealth of content bringing diverse materials together on a weekly basis. These resources include:

Discussion questions based on each week’s message.
Small Group Video with thoughts and questions to encourage applying the week’s message content.
Sermon video, outline, manuscript, and a link to the current week’s Church Is Messy podcast.

Church is Messy Podcast

Every week pastors Rick Henderson and Svea Merry dig deep into the weekend messages and answer listeners’ questions as well. Visit any of the major podcast platforms to subscribe to the podcast and have new episodes delivered to you, or visit our podcast page at:

https://autumnridge.church/church-is-messy-podcast/