Home About Us Apostolic Free Library Questions & Answers Guestbook Order Online Search The Network

Apostolic husbands as head

Submitted: 12/9/2004
Post a comment or
ask a follow-up question
 
Question: Apostolics have heard many sermons by sole-pastors exhorting men to take ownership of and model the role of head of their apostolic wives, but what exactly does that 'look like'? Do you think that some good men fail in this because the sole-pastor has usurped the man's headship, so the apostolic man just gives it over through what appears to be passivity or disconnection? What about an apostolic wife who has never had a dad or husband who biblically modeled this role, is it possible that her expectations of her apostolic husband might be unrealistic? What exactly does her head do? Love her as himself and as Christ loves him is kind of vague for women who have never seen it modeled. Actually, some sole-pastors convey husbands are A-OK in fulfillment of their headship role if the husband just makes sure he and his wife obey their pastor so as not to touch God's anointed! Some good men have never seen headship modeled by their dads or a pastor.

Answer: Please read our articles titled The Headship of Jesus and The Limits of Pastoral Authroity. They can be found on Shelf 4 of the Apostolic Free Library. The first article describes what headship really is and how it operates. Each man is the head of his home, not the pastor. Pastors reflect the headship of Jesus to a local assembly, but they must realize the limits of their authority. To reach inside a man's home and usurp the man's authority over his wife and children is to misuse the authority he has been entrusted with. This is one area where leaders will have to give an account (Hebrews 13:17).