Question: Are females allowed to be pastors or not?

Answer: The best answer to this question does not come from the opinion of people, rather it must come from the unchangeable and eternal Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17)...

1 Timothy 2:12-3:13 I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. (13) For Adam was formed first, then Eve. (14) And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. (15) But women will be saved through childbearing-- if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety. (3:1) Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. (2) Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, (3) not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. (4) He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (5) (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) (6) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. (7) He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap. (8) Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. (9) They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. (10) They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. (11) In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything. (12) A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. (13) Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

Titus 1:5-9 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. (6) An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. (7) Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless-- not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. (8) Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. (9) He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. (NIV)

While the title "pastor" exists in only one Bible passage (Ephesians 4:11), an entire office and tradition has grown up around it's current usage. Scripturally, a pastor is one of the elders (or, better stated, the elders are all pastors); each are under-shepherds (which is what the word "pastor" references). Therefore the Biblical qualifications for an elder are the only valid standard for this office. In an effort to side-step the issue, some use the following passage to try and say that the restrictions of the other passages need not apply...

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

The context of the Galatians text is in regards to our standing in the matter of salvation, that all who are saved have become sons of God and joint heirs with Christ (Galatians 3:26,29). This passage does not negate, or supercede, or contradict, the other passages of Scripture (nor can there ever be a contradiction in God's Holy Word). While our standing in regards to salvation is common ground, God has and does equip, gift, and call specific individuals to certain tasks based on qualifications that He has set. How can we dare to go against them?

Isaiah 55:8-9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. (9) "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (NIV)

View this related article, on Understanding God's Authority Structures, for more details on a woman's role in the church.