Calling, Ordination and Women
This week’s topic centres on the role of females and female leadership within the church. While we have seen increasing opportunities for females throughout church history, the reality is that females still face gender-related challenges that could limit their potential and callings. It is a widely held belief that leadership is male, and Catford(2009) highlighted a few challenges females in Pentecostal churches face. There is a lack of deep theological basis for their leadership position, and females find themselves having to prove or validate their position, which can be tiring and discouraging. It is also not easy to juggle their family and ministry responsibilities, amongst other things. As a result of these challenges, some had to adapt accordingly, ignore them or even leave the ministry.
The reading by Catford made me reflect on the underlying issues behind the challenges that female leaders face: culture and sexism. Although I am not a feminist, I believe that the gospel has always been counter cultural since day one. Jesus was radical in his attitude toward women, and the early church defied their culture by making females equal leaders and partners. However, we still face surmounting challenges in this day and age that male leaders do not need to overcome. I have seen exceptional female leadership in church, whether or not these females were married to a pastor or if they were single. Yet I also know a few single female leaders personally, who have been frustrated with the challenges of leading as a single female. Without the support of a male partner, sometimes their ministry can be limited, and some would even say that has affected their single status adversely. However, I would also challenge their mindset as a limiting belief, as they can still make a significant difference for the Kingdom with or without a male partner, if not more as they do not have marital responsibilities to juggle. Another interesting insight the reading brought out was the challenges of a dual-clergy couple, and the relative ease of a female attaining a leadership position and authority based on their marital connection to a pastor husband. Unlike single females they would not need to justify or seek to validate their authority as much. I had always assumed that the pastor’s wife’s role is to support her husband and his calling as his partner and helper, be it supporting him as a stay home wife or as a pastor on platform. But I also wonder if the perception that a female leader is given position and authority based on her husband’s role could actually affect her own self-perception, confidence and assurance of her gifts, callings and dreams, as well as how people perceive her? Would they see her husband as more of a leader? Would she still be a leader without her husband?
The sharing by Narelle was also insightful, as she shared from her own experience as an ordained female minister. I was encouraged and inspired to bring more females along on the journey, and to affirm their God-given giftings and callings. It also made me question my own limiting beliefs, biases and assumptions. I want to see people the way God looks at them, and not box them based on their gender or other stereotypes. God made us in His image, both male and female, and He has a unique calling for each of us that I hope will never be undermined or unfulfilled because of our gender.
References
Catford, C. “Women’s Experiences: Challenges for Female Leaders in Pentecostal Contexts,” in Clifton, S. & Grey, J. Raising Women Leaders. Sydney: APS, 2009, 26-50.
The reading by Catford made me reflect on the underlying issues behind the challenges that female leaders face: culture and sexism. Although I am not a feminist, I believe that the gospel has always been counter cultural since day one. Jesus was radical in his attitude toward women, and the early church defied their culture by making females equal leaders and partners. However, we still face surmounting challenges in this day and age that male leaders do not need to overcome. I have seen exceptional female leadership in church, whether or not these females were married to a pastor or if they were single. Yet I also know a few single female leaders personally, who have been frustrated with the challenges of leading as a single female. Without the support of a male partner, sometimes their ministry can be limited, and some would even say that has affected their single status adversely. However, I would also challenge their mindset as a limiting belief, as they can still make a significant difference for the Kingdom with or without a male partner, if not more as they do not have marital responsibilities to juggle. Another interesting insight the reading brought out was the challenges of a dual-clergy couple, and the relative ease of a female attaining a leadership position and authority based on their marital connection to a pastor husband. Unlike single females they would not need to justify or seek to validate their authority as much. I had always assumed that the pastor’s wife’s role is to support her husband and his calling as his partner and helper, be it supporting him as a stay home wife or as a pastor on platform. But I also wonder if the perception that a female leader is given position and authority based on her husband’s role could actually affect her own self-perception, confidence and assurance of her gifts, callings and dreams, as well as how people perceive her? Would they see her husband as more of a leader? Would she still be a leader without her husband?
The sharing by Narelle was also insightful, as she shared from her own experience as an ordained female minister. I was encouraged and inspired to bring more females along on the journey, and to affirm their God-given giftings and callings. It also made me question my own limiting beliefs, biases and assumptions. I want to see people the way God looks at them, and not box them based on their gender or other stereotypes. God made us in His image, both male and female, and He has a unique calling for each of us that I hope will never be undermined or unfulfilled because of our gender.
References
Catford, C. “Women’s Experiences: Challenges for Female Leaders in Pentecostal Contexts,” in Clifton, S. & Grey, J. Raising Women Leaders. Sydney: APS, 2009, 26-50.
Comments
Post a Comment