The cold heart of the church is found in its By-laws. That is where the church puts the members on notice that women cannot be deacons, or pastors. Every church has By-laws. As a church member you have a right to have a copy of or to see what your church has in writing as to why women are not allowed to be deacons. These By-laws are voted upon by the members of the church and are public knowledge. They can be changed. Churches change By-laws whenever they want to institute a new policy or adjust an old one.
This cold heart of the church is the invisible fence placed between women and men. Women are allowed to sing praises all day long, to tithe, to volunteer as teachers of children, youth, and adults, but this cold heart says that we can go only so far, that the office of deacon, and the office of pastor will never be open to a woman in that particular church.
Every time I walk into my church, I feel this invisible fence. This fence separates men from women and declares loud and clear that women are not equal in the sight of God in that church.
When women have had enough, then it is time to change the By-laws of their church.
bWe Baptist Women for Equality's Blog 