Men's Business Meetings

[Reformer8291]

A good brother asked me the other day how I felt about Men's Business Meetings, which are common in most churches.  I'd like to share my answer with you.

I have no objections to business meetings as long as the entire flock is invited to participate.  For if the sheepfold in the aggregate is denied the right to decide its own destiny, the "Men's Business Meeting

[twd]

I don't find any men's business meetings in the NT.

[Bon Voyage]

Nor do I.

What's up with these change agents adding things to God's Word.  If Men's Business meetings are not authorized in the NT, then they are as instrumental music in worship.

Strange fire.

[spurly]

Why would a church want to invite a group of business men to come into their building to hold a meeting?

Maybe they do this so they can reach out to those in whatever business these men happen to be in.  Maybe that's it, because many churches have outreaches to businessmen through prayer and bible study.

[mandalee65]

Shouldn't that be the job of the elders/deacons? Every experience I've had w/ the men's business meetings has been bad (at least as much experience as I could have had, being a woman). In the absence of a strong leadership, the business meetings seem to be useless.

I agree w/Reformer. If you're going to have a "business" meeting, invite the whole congregation. I don't see how it would be wrong to invite the congregants' opinions on certain business-y matters. It's not like the women are usurping anyone's authority if they are asked their opinion, is it?

[boringoldguy]

There's not any reason to exclude women from a congregational meeting.

It's also counterproductive.  In my experience,  the only time there's a "business meeting" is when the elders want more money than the congregation is giving them,  and in general,  women control a lot more money than men do.   So if they want money,  they need to talk to the women - especially the old ones.

[Volkmar]

Gary,

Great picture... ;o)


V

[spurly]

Again, I ask why do churches open their doors for local businesses to use to hold meetings?  I hope it is in an effort to evangelize those business men and women.

And some people mentioned something about allowing women to come.  If they are in your community and they are in business of some sort, they should be welcome at your building just like the men that are in the shoe business, food business, car business, etc.

[twd]

Good question, Spurly.   

[DCR]

There's not any reason to exclude women from a congregational meeting.

Is a congregational meeting an assembly? 

[janine]

Depends if it happens between the voodoo-magic "opening" and "closing" summons and dismissal of God.

[Reformer8291]

Again, I ask why do churches open their doors for local businesses to use to hold meetings?  I hope it is in an effort to evangelize those business men and women.

And some people mentioned something about allowing women to come.  If they are in your community and they are in business of some sort, they should be welcome at your building just like the men that are in the shoe business, food business, car business, etc.

Spurly, "church business meetings" are for "church leaders," not for the town's business men to advertise their wares. 

As I noted yesterday, if the "Church's Business Meetings" concerns the whole congregation, the entire sheepfold should be invited.

Buff

[James Rondon]

See Acts 15.

[Weeble]

OK I've seen it now what do you want me to do with it? The counsel was a gathering of Elders and Apostles, not a men's business meeting.

[twd]

When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.

Acts 15:4 (NIV), emphasis mine.

It was, apparently, the whole church that was present, not just a men's business meeting.  And this was a lot more serious than a discussion of what color carpet to put in the sanctuary.

[James Rondon]

When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.

Acts 15:4 (NIV), emphasis mine.

It was, apparently, the whole church that was present, not just a men's business meeting.  And this was a lot more serious than a discussion of what color carpet to put in the sanctuary.

[WileyClarkson]

I understand that cultural factors 2,000 years ago did not permit women to officially participate in governmental affairs affecting the community of the redeemed.  However, we today live in a different culture.  Consequently, the entire flock should play a role in the decision-making process.  As with the home, however, men should take the lead, but without denying input from the feminine gender.

Unless a particular congregation is ALL MEN and NO WOMEN, men's meetings are not scriptural!  See Acts 15:22 .  Scripture includes  women in the decission makiing process, unless of course, one does not accept women as being members of the church!

NIV 22Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided [/b] to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.

Also, to carry this one step further, the only true example of a major decission being made in the form of a "business decission" by elders and apostles, ALSO included the whole church! 

This seems to rule out the "board of directors" style eldership that is so popular in the CoC today!

I think, like many scriptures, we tend to just disregard the implications to our modern church, especially if gender and rule are in the picture.

[Weeble]

OK James, Please don't think that I am a jerk but I am confused.

You said

See Acts 15.

Then I said

OK I've seen it now what do you want me to do with it? The counsel was a gathering of Elders and Apostles, not a men's business meeting.

Then TWD agreed with me and said

When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.

Acts 15:4 (NIV), emphasis mine.

It was, apparently, the whole church that was present, not just a men's business meeting.  And this was a lot more serious than a discussion of what color carpet to put in the sanctuary.

To which you  - ed

What was I supposed to see from Acts 15?

[phoebe]

There's not any reason to exclude women from a congregational meeting.

It's also counterproductive.  In my experience,  the only time there's a "business meeting" is when the elders want more money than the congregation is giving them,  and in general,  women control a lot more money than men do.   So if they want money,  they need to talk to the women - especially the old ones.