Hi JIm:  Thanks for your comment.  I don't believe we want to "run the church" (necessarily) although perhaps that is what is feared.  We want the opportunity to use our God given talents and gifts for the Kingdom.  What holds us back is the ongoing teaching about a few verses in the NT that have been singled out to be of utmost importance.  Why do we put up with it?  Bible thumping men constantly throwing in our faces what we should and shouldn't be doing.   And we haven't studied scripture for ourselves, so we lack confidence to throw it back at them.  Why do pastor's accept it?  Well, I believe after nearly five years of asking in various ways that my church doesn't change (Elder &amp; teaching roles) "yet" because it would be too controversial.  I have had elders, pastors, and other church leaders tell me they don't believe in what they are perpetuating, but I must be patient.   The bigger fish to fry metaphor works in this case.  And I don't want to be the course of controversy, so I hunker down for a while and leave people alone about it.    But I would be interested in hearing from pastors why they accept it and asking other women why they think women perpetuate it.