Role of Women in Ministry

The question of the role that women play in the ministry has been in existence for a long period of time. There has been a significant debate relating to the role that women play in both local churches as well as in the ministry. The opponents of the role of women interpret the Bible from the perception that women do not have to lay active roles in the ministry while proponents of the debate support the idea that women can get involved in some roles in the ministry. The arguments depend on the perception that the Old Testament and New Testament both have adverse effects in relation to their role in society. The modern agreement on the role of women in society indicates that women have an opportunity to play active roles in all other activities other than those positions with governmental authorities. This information indicates the relationship within the family unit as dictated God should translate to the roles that men and women play in society. This paper focuses on analyzing 100 men and 200 women to shows that men and women need to have equal opportunities to play roles in society except to position with governmental authorizes. 

Literature Review

Equality for Men and Women 

The relationship between men and women in society plays an essential in understanding the role that women in the society have to play in the ministry. While the opponents of the perception that men have to play an essential role in the ministry attach their argument to the perception that women should be inferior to men, the critical role of women in a community should be translated to the ministry. In a family institution, each individual plays an essential role in ensuring that there is a continuation of the institution. For instance, the husband works as the overall leader in the family while the wife plays essential duties such as taking of children and getting involved in the decision-making process. 1 However, they both act as leaders in the family with the husband exercising more power than his wife. Based on this information, it is evident that the ministry should not completely women in the ministry but they need to assign women some duties such as education prophesying in the ministry. 

Despite the argument by a majority of people that inequality that exists in the society also appears in the ministry, they ignore the perception that both genders played an essential role in the ministry. Ability and power to lead and prophecy is the leading approach that people need to apply in choosing leaders in the ministry rather than basing church leadership on masculinity. This information indicates that God calls women, men, and children to the faithful service of God provided that they have an ability and capability to serve the interest of their God. 2 In this situation, the positions in church leadership are open to all but the masculine nature of men guarantee an opportunity for men to fulfill all the authoritative powers in a church. The effect of this argument is evident in many ministries where senior pastors and senior elders are men and few representatives of women. This change reflects the transformation of church leadership that reflects through the teaching of the New Testament where both men and women played an essential role in the church. 

The teachings in the Old Testament do not allow women to play an essential role in the ministry because they do not have to exercise power over men. 3 This information reflects the message that Paul conveyed to Timothy in an attempt of criticizing the unacceptable behavior that women displayed in churches. However, most ministries and biblical scholars find trouble in understanding this message. 4 As a result, the judgment by ministries that women should not be involved in active roles in churches reflects the transcultural interpretation of the Bible. Under such circumstance, it becomes challenging for the majority of ministries and Biblical scholars to understand the role of women in church services thus undermining their powers and ability to serve God. Despite the existence of this limitation, it is evident that women played an essential role in ministries even in the Old Testament thus creating an opportunity for participating in churches even in modern society. 

The perception that there exists inequality between men and women in church leadership originates from the fact that Jesus had twelve disciples with no woman used as a disciple. However, these ideas ignore the perception disciples where senior people in the ministry and they had an authoritative power. The presence of the disciples that Jesus had does not signify that women remained completely excluded from the ministry. This argument strengthens through the argument by Paul that women should remain Silent in churches; they are not allowed to speak. This Biblical argument has significantly been used by opponents top justify their argument against the support of women in the ministry. 5 Despite these arguments, it is evident that Paul also recognizes the essential roles played by women in the ministry during this time. For instance, Apostle Paul writes to recognize an essential played by women in the ministry during this time. It is undeniable that people in the society that women in society receive that people receive adequate information in society to receive adequate information related to the development of the community. Old Testament played an essential role in the ministry because Paul talks of a lady who assisted her in the ministry over this period. 

Similarly, it is evident that denying women to play an active role in churches undermines the gift that God has over the people. Though it is evident that family unit requires women to remain respectful to their husband, God gives all people an opportunity to pour all fleshy over the people irrespective of being women and men in the ministry. 6 From this view, God has a great purpose of all people in the society and shall poor fleshy among its members and all women and men shall be in a position to prophesy. Based on this information, it is argued that despite the talent and gift from God among women to play essential roles in churches, society and perception of women as inferior would prevent women from playing an essential role in the society. Some duties such as prophesied in the Old and New Testament were played by women. Inequality between men and women in society exist on the basis of men and women exist in social, political, and economic differences. However, God’s gifts do not depend on social and economic benefits thus increasing an opportunity for women to play an essential in the ministry. Based on this background information regarding the relationship between men and women, the role of women in the society can be understood on the basis of a governmental form of authority in the church.

Organizational Leadership in the Ministry

Based on the information related to the relationship between men and women in society, it is evident that the form of organizational leadership in churches. Organizational structure in the church determines the role that women and men have to play in the community.in the modern world, churches have different leaders in the society such as Bishops, ushers, elders, prophecies, deaconesses, and reverent. 7 The organizational structure in churches depends on the perception that people in the society depend on the ability of people to determine the positions that leaders in churches believe they need to have leaders depending on the understanding of scriptures in the ministry. The role of women in churches needs to ensure there is a separation of leadership position and deciding the positions that women and men have to play in churches.

Leadership in a church is divided into different roles and every individual has to be active in the process. In most cases, for instance, women play an essential role in churches such as increased concern in facilitating the success of church functions. For instance, women play an essential role in praying and working as prophecies in the church. As a result, the leadership structure of the ministry shows that there exist some differences in leadership approach used among people in churches. From ministry leadership perception, it is evident that women should work along with men in churches and they should not teach elders in society. This argument indicates spiritualism supports the argument that women need to play an essential role in the ministry but they should act in lower positions than men. For example, working as a prophet does not have any role in teaching indicating that women do not take an essential role in ruling in churches. This argument translates to the argument that women do not have to remain silent in churches but they need to be assigned some duties in churches. 

Despite the argument that women should not speak and ask questions in churches as required by Paul, the New Testament is taking a different perception and recognizing the roles that women have to play in churches. This change reflects the changes witnessed in the society especially in the ministry where there are increased participation of women in church roles. For instance, there exist many female leaders in various churches but they have senior pastors and elders who are men. Women play essential roles in the inferior positions such deaconess associated with teaching women the roles they need to play such as teaching fellow women. 8 However, Bishops and senior pastors lie in the category governmental authorities and majority of occupants of this position are men. An example is a Catholic ministry where nuns do not play an active role in preaching but religion recognizes such people as essential people in the church.

Sharing of leadership position in the ministry among women and men depends on the perception of teaching in Christianity and determines the perception that men are the only people with the authority of teaching in the community. Despite this argument, whenever people assemble in a church, each individual has an opportunity for ensuring that men and women remain actively involved in church services. Praying and singing as well as praise and worship team involve both men and women but preaching should only be tied to men. Though this remains to be the current understanding of the role of women in the ministry, leadership organization is still changing with women playing an active role positions that were initially considered to governmental authorities for men. 9 However, as women actively play a role in church preaching especially in protestant ministry, congregation perceives women as powerful preachers in the community. This argument calls for a need of understanding the difference between men and women teaching in ministry by analyzing the acceptable behavior of leaders in the church. 

Acceptable Behavior for Leaders in Church

The analysis for the behavior of leaders in church originates from the story of creation that requires women to remain respectful to men the society. There is a perception that God created man in his image and women arose from the rib of a man. Based on this argument, the traditional view of the role of women in ministry is that women should remain submissive and respect men in religion. This story of creation indicates that women should always be in a less position than women and they should not engage in playing an active role in church service in the presence of men. Over the last 2,000 years, many religions have no allowed women to play an essential role in teaching men. 10 Instead, they perceive that women should be assistance for men. Despite the existence of this teaching, it is evident that there exist some changes that recognize the importance of women in playing an essential role in teaching the word of God. Most of the arguments indicated that the majority of women in society were uneducated and that they did not have a chance to reach most of the educated men in churches.

Despite the existence of this argument, women are increasingly taking an active role in Christian understanding. Effectiveness of this change results from increased concern for women to reduce the gap between men and women in education. As a result, the majority of women just like find their ways in learning theology thus increasing their ability to play an active role in the ministry. 11 Though a majority of the opponents of women involvement in the ministry supporting their argument with education gap, it is evident that changes and increased concern for women to study theology opens up an opportunity for the feminine to participate in teaching religion. However, the issue of authority undermines the ability of women to exercise full power in churches and they remain under control of men. Despite the increased concern for women to bridge the education gap between men and women, they still occupy lower positions in the ministry. This information translates to the need for understanding circumstances under which women can teach men in churches. 

The authoritative nature of religion requires that women should have limited roles in the ministry. The Old Testament, especially from the teaching of Paul, indicates that the word is very clear that women do not have an opportunity to lead and exercise authority or power in church teachings. This information indicates that women have an opportunity for practice leadership activities especially in the absence of men. 12 As a result, women can be leaders in women ministries and function in other leadership roles in a church under the oversight of church elders. The authoritative nature of religion and the desire for women create an understanding that ladies cannot exercise power in the presence of men. Despite the existence of such a perception, there are some limitations in this view on the occasions under which a boy can be considered to be an elder. This argument indicates that women can have a chance for preaching in the presence of men especially in circumstances where such men have not attained the age of elders. The perception of the role of women is changing in the role of women in society which reflects a transformation in ministry. 13 Women are increasingly taking essential role leadership activities provided they remain under the supervision of men leaders in the church. 

Despite the existence of authoritative nature and the negative perception that women have been experiencing in ministries, women are not excluded from teaching some classes such as fellow women, children in Sunday schools, and girls. However, they are discouraged from playing an active role as pastors and teaching in schools believing that women teaching in public are prohibited by God. Many religions such as Islamic adhere to these believes but in Christianity, women are increasingly taking an active role in educating people about Christianity. 14 However, the limitations about the role of women playing active roles in ministry still exist, especially in the church level. For example, in protestant churches, there exist pastors working hand in hand with women branded as pastor lady. This difference s in titles given to men and women who study theology reflects differences in the roles played by men and women in ministries. The rate of continuous change in the role of women in society accompanied interpretation of the Bible by many people supports the argument that women play any roles in the society, unlike the positions that need governmental leadership.

Discussion

Despite the discrimination of women in occupying leadership roles in churches and ministry levels, continuous change experienced in the world political and economic sectors reflect changes in religion. Feminists in religion argue that God gives the Holy Spirit to both men and women without distinction. This information indicates that all people are equal to God irrespective of being a man or a woman and they are created to serve the interest of God. In effect, whenever the ministry discourages women from exercising leadership in churches even in the presence of men undermines feminist effort in serving God. In effect, women are increasingly taking theology and they are increasingly taking an active role in ministry. 

Women in ministries play a role of forming an uplifting feminist theology in the ministries. In most religions, there exist womanists and feminist theologians who are participating in the fight to acquire gender equality in the ministries. 15 Women are struggling using the perspective of faith where they believe that faith and women’s equality is not compatible. Feminist theologians have raised the problem of gender inequality in ministries following the challenge of misinterpretations and misunderstandings of bible verses which declared the separation of communities according to gender. In 1970s feminist theologians in Jewish religion developed a social justice team which aimed at providing equal access to men and women in leadership roles in the faith. 16

Women in ministries play a role in fighting against sexual harassment in religious communities. In the past years, there have been increased complaints concerning persistent and pervasive sexual harassments in religious communities which no sector has been resistant to this issue even the faith societies. 17 In most cases, women are profoundly affected by this problem as they are victims of sexual harassment compared to men. This made women make efforts to fight against sexual harassment making sure women are protected, and victims of sexual assault acquire justice in the communities. This has been achieved through women creating platforms where victims of sexual assault can raise their complaints and express the problems they are facing in society. For instance, #MeToo movement was created with the aim of destigmatizing victims of sexual assault in the communities. Also, feminist theologians including Emily Joy and Hannah Paasch implemented the campaign of #ChurchToo on Twitter, and this movement offers victims of sexual assault an opportunity to share their sexual violence stories in sacred space. These groups and movements help victims who feel they are silenced and their experiences eradicated to be heard, seen, believed and surrounded by other people especially spiritual counselors who encourage them to help them overcome the trauma. 

Women are struggling to acquire positions which will enable them to serve in public offices especially in religions which are underrepresented in ministries. In most cases, elected officials from other religions other than Christianity are underrepresented in state, local and federal government offices. For instance, in the USA 91% of Congress are Christians, 6% are Jews, 3% Buddhists, 3% are Hindus, and 2% are Muslims. 18 Recently women in ministries are fighting to acquire positions in offices, and this has made the number of religious women running for the elected position to increase at a high rate and these women are including those from underrepresented religions. 19 This shows that women in ministries are fighting to acquire equal positions as men and to ensure all faiths in communities are represented to reduce discrimination in the ministries. Muslim women in the country are occupying legislative positions across the nation, and these women are advocating for the implementation of policies which will help women in their community faith. 

Women in ministries are fighting to occupy leadership positions in faith communities. There were only 11% of American congregations which were led by women, and today 1 of 100 churches is led by a woman. 20 This change in women leadership has changed to women’s efforts to establish patriarchal leadership models in various churches and worship places in the country. Women are considered to be redefining leadership in worshiping houses with women offering essential role models for young worshipers in the churches and struggling to change gender inequality from within traditional religions. For instance, Bishop Vashti McKenzie was the first woman to lead African Methodist Episcopal Church, and her role fostered and empowered other women to develop professionally and acquire leadership positions in faith communities. 21

Conclusion

Men and women have equal opportunities for playing essential roles in ministry except in situations where the position has managerial authoritative. This information indicates that there is a changing nature of perception of the role of women churches from the traditional view to modern perception and interpretation of the Bible. The effort that women put in ensuring that they become leaders in ministry remains undermined by the perception that women should not act as leaders as well as teaching elder men. As a result, women services and powers in churches remain under children and fellow women. In circumstances women have to teach religion, they have to do it under the supervision of a man. Changes in modern society especially with the introduction of many churches indicate that women will have to occupy powerful positions such as teaching in the ministry future.

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