Bible translators were reckless with 1 Timothy 2:12, a critical passage that addresses female leadership in the church. The New King James Version renders Paul's letter in English, "I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man." Problem is, the Greek text doesn't match.
Translators omitted the word "yet" twice from the verse, which totally corrupts Paul's message. Applying the Greek Interlinear Bible, it is better rendered, "I am not permitting women to teach YET or to have authority over man YET (emphasis added)." Jewish women in Paul's day were not afforded the same religious training as men. Paul wanted women to wait until they had equipped themselves to teach doctrine correctly. Men were held to the same standard. Men and women are equal partners in the body of Messiah (Galatians 3:28), including offices of leadership. Male cronyism in church is a violation of Scripture.
Footnote – Thanks to Christie Michas for helping me smooth out the choppy English in the Greek Interlinear Bible. Christie and her husband Peter co-authored an excellent book entitled "Christianity's Misconceptions of Women." The book can be read online for free here.
The apostle Paul directed members of the Corinth church to "imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ." A lot of pastors today imitate other pastors. Imitating Paul might cost a mainline pastor his job, credentials and reputation.
Paul shouldn't be a polarizing figure. He wrote two-thirds of the New Testament, the blueprint for Christian living. Yet pastors won't follow his example. Paul kept the Biblical feasts of the Old Testament because they pointed to Christ. God's appointed times are eternal and never were meant to be abandoned or replaced. Paul rejected all expressions of idolatry, including the Roman festival of Saturnalia, which was celebrated in his boyhood home of Tarsus. It was held in late December to honor the harvest god Saturn. Today it's called Christmas. In the fourth century Roman emperor Constantine severed the church from its Hebraic roots and Christianized two pagan holidays, Saturnalia and Easter. The church regards these days as sacred. God calls them abominations.
If pastors imitated Paul they would not accept or ask for tithes. Christ became our High Priest, abolishing the Levitical priesthood and tithes that supported it. New Testament giving is led by God's Spirit. Paul also welcomed women in church leadership, which is forbidden or discouraged in some denominations. In Romans 16:1 Paul acknowledges a female leader named Phoebe, "who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea." The Greek word for servant, diakonos, translates as deacon, teacher or minister.
Christ asks us to count the cost before becoming a disciple. If you're a pastor, imitating Paul might kill your career as a "professional" minister. But that doesn't mean God has terminated your calling as a teacher or shepherd. Perhaps He is positioning you for something new.