It is a topic that I have stayed away from for quite sometime: Women in leadership. Transparency moment: because I really didn’t know what I truly believed on the subject. Can women really lead within the church? I didn’t grow up in a denomination that believes women can hold high level leadership positions in the church, and I have rested in my knowledge of a denominational doctrine for years, versus what I have read and concluded in the Scriptures in my heart.
This year, I have been challenged more than ever before to decide what I believe. As a woman in leadership on platforms all over the country and within my home church, I’ve had people as well as pastors from all over the country ask what I believe, or ‘kindly remind’ me of my place. I also have friends that sit on either side of this discussion: Can women really LEAD within the church? I love a good discussion. 😉
As the year has progressed, the topic has come up more often than not; it’s when I began realize maybe there are others that aren’t so sure what they believe either… a lot of ‘others’.
Why is ‘women in leadership’ within the local church such a big deal?
Because there are girls and even women that I pray will not just open their minds, but their hearts to where God is leading them: to lead others. There are leaders who aren’t so sure how to lead these women whom they have been entrusted to pastor – this is for you. This is for all of us. This is for the Church.
Time after time in the scriptures we see women leading in all kinds of capacities: Deborah led the nation of Israel as a judge, Esther saved the Jewish nation from genocide, Lois led Eunice well who guided her son Timothy in the faith, Mary Magdalene was the first to share the good news of Jesus not being in the grave (evangelizing), Junia was proclaimed by Paul himself as ‘great among the apostles’ (Romans 16:7)… Notice I mentioned different kinds of leadership, because
…leadership can take place on a multitude of levels in a multitude of forms.
Gloria Umanah, leading the way through her gift of spoken word. www.gloriaumanah.com
1 Timothy 2:11-12 has been given a banner to state that women are only relegated to restricted areas within the church. If we are to take this portion of scripture literally to the letter, then we need to add in verse 15 where it states women will be saved through child-bearing – which we know isn’t a literal verse for us as we believe within the Church Romans 10:9.
I would like to ask you to think about all of those females around you that could be great leaders, and aren’t. Some are like this because they have no drive and therefore aren’t meant to lead at a higher position, but some are this way because they feel like there is no door. I ask you to open your heart – as well as your mind – to the idea that maybe, just maybe women can lead within the church, and do that well. Not just because the are an exception to a rule and can get the job done, but because they are CALLED to lead.
Now then, the table has been set. Let’s look into this topic together this month. Every Tuesday, let’s meet back here and dive in. I’d love to hear your comments below – let’s have a discussion. What has the Lord shown you about women in leadership?
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