Women and voters’ assemblies
If the construct of a voters' assembly is adiaphora, as in there is no explicit biblical basis for this practice, why is it that the idea of women participating in these positions is seemingly impossible? I understand the spiritual authority aspect, however, as an adult, unmarried female my opinion does not have a way to be heard, due to my inability to attend these voters meetings (not true of every congregation). Applying general passages to a very specific system does not seem like the logical basis to create a system. Could not the women of a church better understand the needs of a church from a different perspective than that of a man? If I, as an unmarried female, wish to raise a concern about who the congregation is calling, for example, how could I go about that in the current system, besides going to my pastor outside of a voters' meeting? This situation then removes my concerns from the congregation, which could have helped raise discussion to help choose the person best fitted to the needs of said congregation. This topic has often troubled me, and I would like more explanation as to why we practice what we do.
Providing adequate detail in the responses to your questions can be challenging in a forum like this. So, perhaps the best way I can help is by steering you to a couple of Bible study resources that congregations can use as they address questions like yours.
The first is A Bible Study on Man and Woman in God’s World. The second is Heirs Together of God’s Gracious Gift.
The resources apply Scripture passages to congregational life that we have, in Christian freedom, developed today.
As congregations apply the scriptural roles of loving head and loving helper (Genesis 2:18; 1 Corinthians 11:3, 8; 1 Timothy 2:11-13) to the context of voters’ assemblies, they want to do so with love and respect for one another. That certainly means trying to receive input from those who are not part of the voting process. God bless your study of this topic.