*This post is sponsored Reason to Return: Why Women Need the Church & the Church Needs Women
I grew up in a non-denominational, evangelical church where no one ever mentioned the preferred gender of pastor. Yes, ours was male, but it was just what it was and I never questioned it.
My faith grew devout as a middle schooler, when I began going on short-term mission trips, reading about missionaries like Amy Carmichael and being inspired by heroic figures like Corrie Ten Boom. Later, I did Beth Moore Bible studies and learned from women like Joyce Meyer (my mom blasting her videos daily) and Christine Caine.
It never occurred to me there was anything women couldn’t do — in God’s work or in the Western world. I couldn’t wait to be a mom someday, but that calling never hindered others God placed on me; I would write, I would travel, I would minister. (And, surprise, I do all of those things as a Mom today!)
I couldn’t wait to be a mom someday, but that calling never hindered others God placed on me; I would write, I would travel, I would minister. (And, surprise, I do all of those things as a Mom today!)
Naive to Criticism of Female Pastors
I never felt “called” to be a pastor, so I didn’t wrestle with that particular desire. In fact, I was so sheltered back then, I didn’t even know it was a debate. Post-college, I joined a large church with a female co-pastor (this is her and I still think she’s awesome!) and only then did I realize there are people who…don’t really like that.
And I know many female pastors hear from angry people online that they are going against God’s word, or have seen folks walk out of a service when they realized the ladies were preaching (that seems dramatic to me, kids.)
The debate, at the time, felt irrelevant to me. I enjoyed our female pastor when she spoke and couldn’t imagine her Biblically sound messages could be “wrong” just because they came out of her mouth. God clearly calls women to lead His people in various ways, through writing, speaking, discipling and mothering.
There’s no doubt women play an essential role in the God’s Big Story. The first people to see the resurrected Jesus were women. The most important thing to happen *ever* first witnessed by a demographic considered “untrustworthy” at the time. But that’s how Jesus does — empowering women and making them key figures in the Gospel story.
I don’t know a Complementarian that would argue with you on that either.
Does Egalitarianism Lead to Progressive Christianity?
All that said, I can admit that I wouldn’t feel comfortable at a church where the *only* pastor was female. Maybe it’s tradition. Maybe it’s Biblical. Whatever it is, I like male leadership, at least in the head pastor role, but is that just a preference?
The church I attended for 7 years more recently includes a head male pastor and two, female assistant pastors. Denominational allegiance has never been my thing, but we settled at a Wesleyan church because we liked the vibe of this congregation, never once considering their theology on gender roles.
As I’ve become more immersed in theology and doctrine, this question becomes more pertinent. It feels like it begs to be answered. I’m am, after all, theologically conservative and those I tend to align with are firmly complementarian. I’ve never felt comfortable drawing that line in the sand, though.
Friends of mine like the label “soft complementarian,” which I’ve understood to mean that the head pastor should be male, but women can serve in almost all other leadership roles. This feels like a soft place to land, but I’m still unable to fully articulate why.
I’ve seen hardcore Complemenetarians say that Egalitarianism is gateway drug to progressive Christianity, but is that true? Not in my experience. As I mentioned, my Wesleyan church is egalitarian, but firmly rooted in a Biblical worldview of sex and gender, for example. They aren’t going to budge on that, especially given Wesleyans have been Egalitarian for decades.
And people on both sides of the argument spend many words attempting to fully explain why they believe what they do. History, context, geography all play into what the key scriptures on this issue truly mean. Some will say it’s cut and dry, completely clear that God says women cannot be pastors. Others will say the opposite — there’s so much nuance and it’s very open to further interpretation.
What Did God Actually Mean?
What’s most important, in my opinion, is that we are open to hear from God whatever it is He actually meant. It’s not about what we want it to be. Rather, it’s about whatever God actually intended. Of course, I’m still not sure what that is but my heart is open to the Truth.
Like Creation theology, I cannot say I “know” on this one. I’ve also often said, I don’t really care how God got things moving. Was it 7 literal days? It could have been? Were 24-hour days not a thing in the beginning? I mean, Black Holes suspend and change time (or so I’ve heard) so it’s perfectly possibly that 7 days meant something else and solid Christian scientists believe that. John Lennox’ book, “7 Days That Divide the World” is a must-read on on this.
Side note: It’s fascinating to me that so many people question their faith based on the Creation question. This is why I’m already making it clear to my kids that Christians believe different things about Creation and that’s OK! No need for a faith crisis at 18!
And I’ve done deep dives. I’m watched much of Mike Winger’s series on this topic. I’ve read The Making of Biblical Womanhood, among other pro-Egalitarian books. Certainly, I’ve read 1 Timothy, the main scripture we look to on this issue. If Complementarianism is “right,” then I’m in. I just haven’t been fully convinced of that locked down position. Lord, lead me in your Truth.
What I Do Know For Sure
What I am certain of is that women are called to positions of spiritual leadership, as we see they’re in throughout the Bible. Miriam, Deborah, Abigail, Phoebe, Priscilla, Junia and others all played important roles.
What I’m also certain of? Many a fallen man has twisted Complementarian theology to be harmful to women. In certain denominations, women have been relegated to very few roles within the church and home. In The Making of Biblical Womanhood, (which I have other issues with, but…) the author talks about how she wasn’t even allowed to teach the boys youth group “alone” one night because she was a woman.
You’re telling me that a woman can’t relay a lesson to 14-year-old boys? These are children and that is really taking it too far.
I can also see how, historically, scripture has been twisted to keep women quiet in far too many capacities, silencing their views and reducing them to something God never intended. We humans can really screw things up — and we’ll keep doing that.
We Need Female Voices in Church
I spent two years researching and writing my book, Reason to Return: Why Women Need the Church & the Church Needs Women.
It received some criticism that I did not talk about how patriarchy and sexism are main culprits of women leaving church. The truth is, those reasons do pertain to some, but the vast majority of women leaving don’t attribute it to that.
The main reasons were things like:
busyness
apathy
moving
a partner who didn’t go
single motherhood (note: we really do need to do better for single moms, so that is an issue I can talk about in another post)
A post-Christian cultural that doesn’t value or prioritize church is a much bigger problem than the “patriarchy” bogeyman, in my opinion.
That said, most churches could use more female voices and input. The vast majority are pastored by men. Yes, men are fully equipped to lead both sexes. By nature, however, they will pivot to examples, ideas and though processes that lean toward a male brain. (Yes, men and women tend to think differently!). This is why it’s so important to have female input in church ministry, messaging, event planning and more.
I read an incredible bit in Gloria Furman’s book Missional Motherhood, which talks about “women’s privilege” in God’s Big Story:
We can “leverage our ‘women’s privilege’ in social situations around the world where male ministers are not necessarily effective or welcome. I’m thinking of the zenanas in Indian villages, ladies’ clubs and tea rooms in high society Arabia, and women-only sitting rooms in North Africa. Women missionaries may be the only people whom Jesus calls to serve him in these societies.
…I’ve heard from women who are teaching girls in gender-segregated classroom settings…These are just missional, mothering ambassadors of Jesus, leveraging their ‘women’s privilege’ for the sake of the Gospel.”
I read that today and thought, man we sure complain a lot. Boy, do we waste a LOT of energy arguing about lines in the sand when we could be out there just doing the dang thing God has called us to.
If God really meant for only mean to be head pastors, so be it. Women, we’ve got a LOT of work today either way.
It’s not okay for anyone to twist scripture and make women feel “less than.” I know this has happened and still happens in some churches. But Complementarian theology is not abusive (as some will say) when lived out correctly. And Egalitarian theology doesn’t “always” lead to progressive Christianity (though yes, all progressives are Egalitarian.)
I’ll end on this note: I still don’t know if women should be lead pastors. I still don’t know how God created the Earth. I still don’t know how to wrap my head around the Trinity or eternity for that matter.
But I know this: I have faith in the One who has been faithful to me. I will pursue continue to ask questions, pursue Truth and get to know Him more each day.
I will join hands with Christians who find different leanings than me on second-tier issues like this one.
And pray fervently that those who don’t know Jesus would know him, no matter who preaches the Gospel to them.
What do you think about this topic? Do you resonate with any of the things I’ve written today? I’m open to hearing all opinions in the comments!
I find this topic somewhat amusing. The only reason I can se for the Male Only Pastors is one of control and/or a need for dominance. You named a number of women of importance in the Bible but you didn't go back far enough. From the beginning women have been given major roles and held on high. At the Fall, Adam got to work his butt off for the rest of his life just to eat whereas Eve would have pain in giving birth it was her seed that would bring redemption. Sarah is the only person in the Bible who Laughs in the face of God and lives to tell about it. And on and on it goes all through scripture. It could be argued that Jesus didn't need to be "born". God just as easily could have created the whole thing from the beginning to have occurred any number of different ways. But He chose to have a young woman bring His Son into the world. It should be obvious to any thinking person that both genders (and there's only 2) are necessary to procreate and that would include birthing churches and followers. It should also be obvious that if God created a person He endowed them with a personality. Which would imply that some, regardless of gender are born to be leaders. That does occur more often in males than females, for some Godly reason but does not preclude the fact that plenty of women are born to lead. And there is a plethora of examples.
If you want more information on Creation, but from the Intelligent Design perspective (although many of them, like John Lennox, are more seven day Creation leaning) explore the website EvolutioNews.org. It will blow your mind where the science of today is at. Check out some of videos of Dr. James Tour.