Breaking down the Barriers of Hierarchy
The issue of biblical equality for women is more than a “hot button” issue. It is not something that will quietly pass away. In America, more women are spiritually more engaged than men.[1] The future of discipleship and ministry leadership will find more and more women at the core of these activities. Already in the modern era[2] and through the entire contemporary era, the issue of biblical gender equality can be likened to waves constantly crashing against the shores of Christianity and its theology.[3] The issue of biblical equality for women is much more than just an issue of secular rights or something of politics or feminism. To equate the hunger of the sisters of Christ Jesus to serve the King in His Kingdom as akin to secularism is to mock and grieve the stirring of the Holy Spirit in the lives of our beloved sisters. In the same way that Apostle Paul was compelled, so are many of the sisters of Christ. Paul confessed:
1 Cor 9:16-18 For
necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 For if I
do this of my own will, I have a reward, but not of my own will, I am still
entrusted with a stewardship. ESV
Why is this passion for preaching the gospel only for men?
Are not women endued with the power from on high to be the witnesses of Christ?
Is the Holy Spirit less in the sisters of Christ Jesus than in the brothers of
Christ[4]?
I firmly believe the anointing of the Holy Spirit poured onto women confers the
same authority as that which is conferred to men. Gender is not a prerequisite
for ministry leadership in the Body of Christ! Only the Holy Spirit qualifies a
person for ministry leadership.
Specifically, what is a woman to do?
What should a woman do if she has a
ministry calling upon her life? First,
recognize the issue of gender equality will never be resolved within the
organized church, there will always be conflict within and without denominations.
While it is wonderfully supportive to have the recognition of the corporate
church, it is not the church that calls. To those called, we answer to the Holy
Spirit first and foremost. If you are called to minister, regardless of gender,
do not allow the institutions of men to negate the authority of the Holy Spirit;
the Holy Spirit is the authority of your call to minister. To every woman sensing a call into the
ministry, I advocate, “test the waters!”
Women sensing the call to ministry should not ignore the sweeping unction of the Holy Spirit over their lives. It is time to break the bondage of institutional religious denominations and societies that bind and suppress the authority of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Christian women.
I understand the need for an
immediate answer, especially when our souls are hungry for direction. I caution
against shortcuts; the later chapters will provide sound scriptural and
practical advice. Carefully work through this book, chapter by chapter, giving
the Holy Spirit ample opportunity to speak to you.
Important
Preliminary Thoughts to Consider
Change Your Thinking!
First, stop seeing yourself solely
in a gender role, male or female; this is an important point, the very foundation
to gender equality in the body of Christ. When baptized into Christ, you become
the co-regent of God. It is the baptism of Christ that returns you to your
original purpose as declared in the creation narrative. Consider the following passage:
Gal
3:27-28 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28
There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free, there is
neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ESV
The issue of biblical gender equality often attempts to rest
in verse 28. I suggest this is a weaker position when verse 27 is absent from apologetic
statements for gender equality. The imagery in verse 27 is one who bears the
very image of Christ. Verse 27 negates our emphasis on gender and calls us to
acknowledge we are to reflect the image of Christ. It is important to
understand that verse 27 is the gospel at work, resurrecting us out of death;
putting on Christ is how we become “new creations.” Now verse 28 bears power
and significance. Whether I am a Jew or
Greek, my heritage no longer separates me from God. Whether I am a slave or
free, my economic nor social status no longer separates me from God. Whether I am male or female, my flesh no
longer separates me from God! All worldly constraints born of our sin nature
are broken when we are baptized in Christ! All that matters are we (all who are
baptized in Christ) are one in Christ. In conjunction with verses 27 and 28, I
draw your attention to a very important verse.
What Really Matters?
Gal 6:15 15 For
neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only
thing that matters is a new creation![5]
The new creation is to be the image-bearer of God, as addressed in Genesis 1. Consider the very words of God from the creation narrative:
Gen
1:26-27 26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our
likeness…27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God, he
created him; male and female he created
them. (ESV)
In the Genesis creation narrative, male and female are God’s
new creation. The focus of God is not in the gender qualities of male and
female. God’s focus is on His image and likeness in His new creation. Equally,
the New Testament “new creation” narrative speaks to being the image of God,
each one specifically to bear the image of God:
I Corinthians 15:49
And just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, let us also bear the
image of the man of heaven. (NET)[6]
If “the only thing that matters is a new creation,”
then it is essential for us to have a deep foundational understanding of our
origins as revealed in the creation narrative.
I speak specifically to the creation narrative before the fall in the
Garden Eden. Who were Adam and Eve
before their rebellion? When God created male and female, what was their image?
The names of Adam and Eve are given after the fall. Understanding male and
female created in the image of God reveals to us the nature of ourselves as a
new creation.
The discussion of male and female in the chapters to come are
essential reading. Let me say this at this point; too much of our theology is
built on the rebellion of Adam and Eve. Consequently, our perspective of
ourselves is that of Adam and Eve. We have no sense of understanding how as new
creations in Christ, we are co-regents of God as male and female and not Adam
and Eve. I believe our obsession with the fall of Adam and Eve is at the core
of gender inequality in our theology, interpretation, and application of
scripture and the dogma of “complementarianism.” Again, this issue will be further
discussed in the chapters dealing with “Origins.”
Educate Yourself!
I cannot stress the importance of this statement. Women in ministry is not a new issue. This aspect of Christian ministries has a great documented historical legacy. Even today, there are women involved in many powerful ministries that cross gender lines. There is a great history of women in ministry that is inspiring and, most importantly, filled with “lasting fruit,” as described by the Apostle John in the Gospel of John 15:16. Any person sensing a deepening interest in ministry needs to feed their souls on the manna of life experiences of male and female predecessors. Parallel to discovering the history of women in ministry, immerse yourself in the ministry experiences and instructions revealed to us in scripture.
To begin feeding your souls, I ask
you to consider the writings of the Apostle John in his gospel, specifically
Chapters 15:1-16:15. Even now, open your bibles and begin to feed yourself.
Here are a few things to consider. Women need to prepare themselves, to grow in
knowledge and understanding. We will be discussing
options, opportunities, and strategies addressing preparation for ministry.
Step UP and Step IN!
First, test the knowledge you are
gaining from your education. Determine to begin to venture into ministry
incrementally. I encourage our people to begin “pocket ministries.” By that, I
mean small ministry efforts that are manageable within our knowledge and
skillsets. Through prayer and the
influence of the Holy Spirit, I challenge my people to minister to a person, a
family, developing a relationship, build the bridges of hospitality, create
opportunities for fellowship and interaction.
Second, focus on the fruit. Your
ministry at every stage of growth must produce quality fruit. To ensure
“lasting fruit,” it is essential to develop ministry approaches that are
consistent with your skill levels and capacities. Learning and being realistic
about skill levels and capacities ensure fruit that is lasting and glorious to
God.[7]
Third, be faithful to the call!
Some may question the value of “pocket ministries.” For every woman considering
the call, “pocket ministries” are a powerful and empowering first step. Hiouchi
Community Fellowship and this entire ministry began with a simple bible study.
A woman asked me if I would help her and her husband understand the scriptures.
She asked if I would teach the word of God to them as a couple. This “pocket
ministry” has grown over the last ten years into a church filled with growing
saints. Never underestimate the importance of “pocket ministries.”
I have a woman in our church whose
husband recently passed away. The grieving continues as is natural, yet, she
determined to do something with her life. Leona, at 68 years old, has a very
important pocket ministry of caring for the younger women in our church. She invests her time, biblical knowledge into
the lives of these single mothers. It is a small group, but it is a powerful
pocket ministry that will continue to grow! Annie is in her late 60’s as well.
Annie is involved with a discipleship class in the early afternoon that
includes men. Singles and couples make up her ministry. Annie is faithful to
her ministry and is wonderfully supported by all who attend. Annie’s experience
was one of trial and error. She felt
inadequate to teach, yet, she had prepared herself and pushed beyond the
boundaries of teaching only women and expanded her ministry to include all! My
wife has a powerful pocket ministry; it is her “Tuesday Morning Breakfast Club.”
It is perfect for her. This ministry is well within her skill sets, and she is
working from a position of confidence. The ministry is producing fruit; it is
connecting women together and they are growing in unity to one another. What is
important about these examples is that each one is in its infancy. We get to watch
each one grow in power, influence, and fruit!
We do not know how each ministry will grow, but we are excited because of each
woman leads, is learning about leading and teaching other women about
leadership!
Fourth, these incremental
experiences with “pocket ministries” allow you to discover, grow and serve in a
manner consistent with your immediate skill sets and abilities. It is essential
to continue to prepare yourself for the next level of ministry and
responsibility, whether it is through self-study programs or formal education;
keep growing! God will advance you as you prepare to move forward. In our later
chapters, we discuss this more fully, focusing on possible opportunities for
local ministry.
Let God Frame Your Ministry Direction
The effectiveness of any ministry is directly related to the
soundness of the foundation built by a ministering saint in harmony with the
Holy Spirit. I am speaking of quality fruit that glorifies God and not the size
of ministry. Every woman, seeking to
move into ministry must ensure the cornerstone of her assigned ministry is well
placed and secure. Many women are ready to begin; to each woman ready, I say,
“move forward!”
Women are studying. Women are working the scriptures,
becoming more than adequate. However, because of male-dominated leadership,
women find themselves restricted. Too often, women allow men in religious
leadership to frame their ministry direction. Or, women anticipating male
opposition to their ministry direction, restrict their ministry direction to
avoid conflict, opposition, seeking accommodation. When a woman is confronting male
religious barriers, it is necessary to step away. She must walk away from the
traditional public in vestures of authority to minister. Let her seize the
anointing of the Holy Spirit for the Holy Spirit is the only true authority to
minister. This is a crucial point in the book.
We will be spending more time on this topic, addressing issues of self-confidence,
creating a spirit of personal courage and how to step-away through the peace of
Christ.
[1] In
the United States, for example, women are more likely than men to say religion
is “very important” in their lives (60% vs. 47%), according to a 2014 Pew
Research Center survey. American women also are more likely than American men
to say they pray daily (64% vs. 47%) and attend religious services at least
once a week (40% vs. 32%).1 According to media accounts, women so outnumber men
in the pews of many U.S. churches that some clergy have changed decor, music
and worship styles to try to bring more men into their congregations. https://www.pewforum.org/2016/03/22/the-gender-gap-in-religion-around-the-world/
[2] Modern
history is the history of the world beginning after the Middle Ages. Generally,
the term "modern history" refers to the history of the world since
the advent of the Age of Reason and the Age of Enlightenment in the 17th and
18th centuries and the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. https://simple.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_history
[3]
Ruth A. Tucker’s, The Changing Roles of Women in Ministries, The Early
Church Throughout the 18th Century, is an excellent primer on
this topic. Also, Janette Hassey’s, Evangelical Women in Ministry A Century
Ago, The 19th and Early 20th Centuries. See Discovering
Biblical Equality, Complementarity with Hierarchy: Ronald W. Pierce and
Rebecca Merrill Groothuis.
[4]
See Acts 2:3-4, 10
[5] from
The NET Bible®, Copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.,
Dallas, Texas, www.bible.org. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
[6]
Ibid
[7]
See John 15:8,16
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