A Subtle Crisis

For my recent graduate seminar, I did a paper on “Women in Missions.” Along the research period, I was tempted to change my thesis title to one related to this. I was inspired by what I discovered. Saddened to observe the foolishness of the fallen human nature. Why? Because when gender difference caused a discrimination that forbids one gender from serving in some ministry capacity, the work is stunted by half. My research took me to explore books written as early as in 1929 where authors (men) were already rallying for gender equality. These books were written by Western authors and just as we may think gender discrimination is becoming less in the West, surprise…surprise! Even until 2003, which was the latest book I consulted on women in ministry, women authors are advocating gender equality…

Those in my graduate seminar are “top guns” in their own capacities/ministries. I’ve heard their comments. But I would like to hear from the members at large. Is this thing of gender discrimination prevalent in the church today? In this nation? I must be careful to add that certain denominations are “more conservative” than others.

I remember someone coming into my office & saw a book by a lady mission historian & he brushed it aside, asking me why I would read a book that promotes “feminist theology.” Honestly, I do not understand why men are so fearful to accept women as their equal. In Women in the Maze: Questions and Answers on Biblical Equality the author raised several thought provoking questions. I’m glad I came across this book. Among many topics, it talks about the power of Jesus’ resurrection. That if Jesus had come, we human species no longer are under “the curse” (Gen. 3). If we truly believe Jesus had come, we can go beyond the curse. So, why still live under the bondage of the curse. This is mere foolishness to me. I know there is a school of thought that believes “leadership is male” & I would say these people are pretty ignorant. There is a difference between roles and functions. Personally, I am convicted that with the resurrection of Jesus, the church now can strive towards the original order of creation. Not to perfection – as long as we are on this side of heaven – but as near as we can.

Jesus saw both genders as equal in “value” to the Kingdom. Paul saw both genders as equal partners in ministry. They were radicals, won’t you say? But how about today in the 21st century? I remember quoting a caption of chorus from a song by ZZ Top. I don’t remember the title but I sure remember well one phrase that stood out “18th century brain, in the 21st century head.” And this is true in many circumstances. The church with its strong male adherence literally is pushing women to serve in the mission field where she can use her God-given gifts to serve. My challenge to the skeptic is to study history & to discover for yourself how we owe women who strongly persisted in using their gifts to serve God.

William Booth, who founded the Salvation Army with his wife Catherine commented that “My best men were women.”[1] Leaders like D.L. Moody, A.B. Simpson, and A.J. Gordon believed in encouraging women's gifts for public ministry. Both J. Hudson Taylor, founder of China Inland Mission, and Fredrik Franson, founder of TEAM (The Evangelical Alliance Mission), saw the need to recruit and send women to evangelize cross-culturally. In 1888, Taylor wrote, "We are manning our stations with ladies."[2] Throughout its initial history, his mission expected women, both single and married, to carry out all the missionary duties, including preaching and teaching. (extract from “Women in Missions” research paper)

The names quoted above are “big names” in history & they saw the value of including women in ministry…the result? Just read history.

In the midst of equality concern within the church today, this is a challenge. It is a challenge of and for the church to show in its life that it believes the gospel – that women as well as men are created in the image of God, that women as well as men are saved and set free by Jesus Christ and that because women and men are baptized into one Lord Jesus Christ, distinctions between women and men disappear and should not affect the life of the church. God calls the church to share in the struggle for liberation of all people, especially women. The church can only do so when it ceases to oppose its own members and let those of its members who suffer oppression in society direct its mission.[3]

That was my concluding paragraph. (I’ll be glad to oblige any request for further bibliography) In the corporate sector, women has to be twice as good to be accepted as an equal but in ministry, women just has got to be three times as anointed to be accepted as an equal. And it still puzzles me – if we truly believe the Bible & its teachings, if we truly confess faith in Jesus, why? Why the discrimination? I cannot comprehend. And I still fail to understand. For the next generation – the present generation of the so-called young adults – if they have lady bosses in their offices, if they themselves are bosses, the church has certainly lost its relevance if she still wants women to stay silent in church and refuse women the same opportunity as men to lead.

When women say that they feel left out or like second class citizens, they are often labeled radical feminists, aggressive or just plain unspiritual[4]

Am I promoting a “feminist theology”? No, on the contrary, I am appealing a return to Biblical teachings that must be extracted from cultural practices. It is the failure of the church if we do not disciple a believer until he/she experiences a transformation of worldview – from his/her old worldview to that of a Biblical worldview. And again, let me stress here, that a Biblical worldview is distinct from Biblical culture.

Read this quote,

Imagine the possibilities such a combination [cooperation of both genders] might create: strength working in tandem with stamina, the male’s laser-like focus expanding to take in the female’s quest for meaningful connections enriching the male’s determination to get things done. In theology, business, education, and communications; there is an emerging recognition of a different vision, a different voice, a different viewpoint – a female one, neither inferior nor superior, neither right nor wrong, neither better nor worse, but one that may open up new and unexplored possibilities for both sexes.[5]

It is truly my prayer that the church will rise to be the community she ought to be. Talk about love, talk about unity but beneath that is this issue of gender equality that we must confront now, in the 21st century.



[1] Marguerite Kraft “Distinctly Female” in Frontline Women (Pasedena, CA: William Carey Library, 2003), pg 76

[2] Marguerite Kraft and Meg Crossman Women in Missions http://www.thetravelingteam.org/2000/articles/women2.shtml

[3] Virginia Fabella and Sun Ai Lee Park (eds) We Dare to Dream: Doing Theology as Asian Women (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1989) pg 153-4

[4] Lorry Lutz Women as Risk Takers for God (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books 1997) pg 241

[5] Diane Hales Just Like A Woman: How Gender Science is Redefining What Makes Us Female (NY: Bantan Books, 1999) quoted in Marguerite Kraft “Distinctly Female” in Frontline Women (Pasedena, CA: William Carey Library, 2003) 337