When Christian churches engage in the practice of separating men and women in Bible study, they are practicing nothing less than separation in the church by gender. Is there something more behind this than meets the eye? We, and many others, believe it is. And what's behind it is certainly not support from the Word of God (the Holy Bible). One thing we know is that in past years, there was no such thing as a regular practice of having women's Bible studies and men's Bible studies. Another thing we know is that in earlier years, many churches were not empty as they are today. Many are empty as far as the number of people who attend. And many who have many members are virtually empty in Spirit. Why? Because far too many changes that are not biblical have been implemented.
Women's Bible Studies and Titus 2:4-5
When some Christian leaders were questioned about the practice of separating men and women in Bible study, they responded that the passage of Titus 2:4-5 is biblical support for the new trend. What does Titus 2:4-5 actually say? It says, "That they (the older women) may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children; to be discrete, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed."
In what way is the above Scripture biblical support for separating men and women in Bible study? The passage simply says what older Christian women are to teach younger Christian women. The Bible also gives instructions to parents for raising their children. It instructs husbands how to treat their wives. God's Word instructs pastors how they should lead the flock. The list could go on. So, if we take the Titus passage as biblical support for separating men and women in Bible study, what are we headed for next? Separating people in the church by marital status? By whether they have children? By whether they are a pastor? The fact is that this is NOT what is seen in Scripture, which is our example for how to conduct our lives in and outside the church.
Are There Dirty Minds in the Church?
We don't see anything in the Scriptures that would speak against an occasional class conducted by and for women only, and an occasional class conducted by and for men only. The problem is in making a habit of separating men and women in Bible study. Is there another reason behind the practice? A dark one? Some justifiably believe that there are many more dirty minds in the church than we'd like to think. Why?
We recently came across Christian tracts that, after putting forth the basics of salvation, attempt to offer the new believer guidance in how to grow in his or her relationship with Christ. One of the pieces of advice emphasized in the tracts was to find a Bible study made up of people of the same gender, in other words, a women's Bible study if you are a woman, and a men's Bible study if you are a man. Are the supporters behind this anti-biblical trend afraid that everyone has a mind so dirty that he or she cannot concentrate on the Word of God if members of the opposite gender are nearby? Do they see the practice of separating men and women in Bible study as a way of safeguarding their own interests? Perhaps they do not trust their own husband or wife to be in a Bible study with members of the opposite gender. Perhaps they do not want single Christians to come together at all to prevent their opportunity to meet their future spouse. Any and all of these reasons reveal a dirty mind, a mind which is not of Christ.