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Women In Leadership part 6: Where Do We Go From Here?
[audio:WomenInLeadershipPart6.mp3|titles=Women In Leadership part 6|artists=Christian St John]
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My final question in regards to the issue of women in church leadership is where can we as a church go from here?
Upon reflection of my findings, only a fraction of which I have briefly looked at in this series, I am a firm believer that women should be equal with men in every area of life whether in the secular workforce or in the church. And while it’s true that men and women have their differences, but I am convinced that it’s these differences that together make for a better team.
Brian Moore, in an article he wrote for Christianity Today writes, “The heart of unity within the church is that there is “one body” (Ephesians 2:16; 3:6; 4:4, 4:25). Since there is only “one body,” one can say that this truth (“one body”) is the means whereby Christ brings unity to all the warring factions (various divisions) within the Christian community; this “one body” brings unity to all the various races (every nation); this “one body” also establishes equality and unity between men and women.” (1)
There is only one body of Christ. One body for Jew and Gentile, slave and free, man and woman. No distinction is made as to the ministries of Jews and Gentiles, slave and free, black or white… so why is there so much restriction put on the ministries that can be carried out by men and women. The apostle Paul wrote, “There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hope when you were called – one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:4-6)
We can conclude from this that there is supposed to be oneness in Christ, a unity binding all the members of his body. But the way things are in many churches and denominations, 50% or more of the body is restricted in its function.
The prophet Joel (835 BC) wrote about the Messianic Age in which he stated that God’s Spirit would be poured out on “all people.” He writes, “I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.” (Joel 2:28-29)
Both men and women were active in the ministry of Jesus as well as in the ministry of the apostles, yet in spite of what Joel wrote (quoted by Luke in Acts 2:17-18) many churches still refuse to allow women to speak, teach, or lead in any form in their churches. In fact there are churches out there in which women are forbidden to pray out loud in a congregational meeting, especially if men are present, and even stop women from taking communion. I have also read accounts about Christian families in which women are forbidden to give thanks for food in the presence of men, even in their homes.
It has been widely accepted by scholar and layperson alike that the Great Commission was given to women as well as men and that they were, and are, to share in the responsibilities of Gospel outreach. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20) If this commission was given to both men and women then Jesus himself was affirming and empowering women as well as men to make disciples (students of the Word) and to teach them.
But how can women teach disciples (students) if 1 Timothy 2:12 stands for all women, for all time. Are women only to be empowered to teach and lead other women? Or are many believers missing the bigger picture here?
So where can we go from here? Where and how do women fit into ministry? Are they to simply exist doing the background tasks of the church, the jobs that men typically shy away from making it convenient for women to do them, or has God made a way for all his children to be equally active members of his body, sharing in all areas of ministry, from Sunday School to the teaching, from baking to the preaching, from cleaning to leadership responsibilities?
I would like to think that in twenty years from now this issue will be behind us and that both men and women will be simply focusing on the task at hand, the fulfilment of the Great Commission in our modern world. However, I feel that this issue is going to generate a lot more debate, anger, resentment, frustration, confusion, church splits, and disunity in the body of Christ before this becomes a reality.
The Bible ultimately holds the answer to this, as well as every problem the church may face. But I feel that some will never be ready and willing to accept what may be found if we prayerfully looked afresh at the Word with the unity of the body of Christ in mind. And do we dare challenge the status quo? Are churches ready to rise to the challenge of men and women working with one another, hand in hand in leadership together? Is there a place for women in leadership within the modern church? Or are women in our churches destined to live out their existence in the shadow of men?
Christian St John M.Div, BChM, ACS
July, 2009
Picture by Marcos Santos
Notes:
1. Brian Moore, The Role of Women In the Great Commission (Christianity Today: March, 1987), 34
Thanks again Chris, for your courage to stand up for the cause of Christ. You may have some backlash as you continue to speak out, but every time you do, you are planting seeds that in a few years might grow and change the way Christians view women. Be encouraged!
I am so appreciative of the Godly men who have dared to stand against the tide in order to give their benediction to the female members of the body of Christ. It means the world.
I will pray for you that when God gives you words to speak that you won’t shy away. Be bold in his might. God richly and bountifully bless you!
Thanks Ruth. I didn’t set out to make anyone angry or to get people’s backs up with this series, I am just trying to understand for myself why women are held back when they should be trained and empowered into any area of ministry when it’s clear that God’s calling is on their lives – I would say the same about anyone regardless of gender.
As a man I could just shut up and pretend to know nothing about this issue, it would definitely be easier. However, I have a wife and daughter and I want for them what I want for any wife, mother, daughter out there, that they be respected and regarded as equals in Christ, as well as given every opportunity to serve both God and others.
And it would be good for us to remember that while we Christian’s are arguing like children over who’s right and who’s wrong the world watches on in disbelief and says I want no part of that. In fact I saw a picture just the other day on an Atheist website where a fat man is sitting on a throne-like chair with a woman (his wife) standing behind him with her hand on his shoulder. The caption on the picture said, “Having a penis means that God wants you in charge of the womenfolk… How convenient for you Mr. Christian!”
I had to laugh this week when a friend of mine, after reading my blog, sent me the following quote from a Christian comedian : “I suppose that if we really thought that genitalia could be a sign of superiority, then wouldn’t it be more rational to think that women were the superior ones? After all, their reproductive organs are inside their bodies where they are better protected. Shouldn’t our leaders be a little less vulnerable to a swift kick to the crotch? If God designed one sex to be superior, wouldn’t it be the second one — the one created after all the flaws in the original model were revealed? “Whoops, those dangly bits are risky, let’s try that again…”
LOL!
Pretty funny!!! Ya gotta laugh or you might cry.