Ordaining
women for ministry
1. My
own experience concerning the strength of women
I learned everything
from my mother! She was the greatest person in the world and every time she was
not at home, things were paralyzed. Nothing could function well especially in
the area of taking care of the whole family when she is not around. She taught
me how to love, how to be obedient, how to keep the hope burning for great
things to happen. She always taught me that in life I have to be positive and
always optimistic. Most of all, she pointed me to God telling me that I will
overcome in life because God loves me!
When my father was out
there trying to provide for the family at the beach, my mother has always been
selling fish to keep food on the table. When my father had no job, it was my
mother who worked hard to provide by selling small fish in the market after
getting the capital from someone else who requires it back with interest. As
years advanced, my two sisters became adults and they made sure everything was
doing well in our home even when my mother is not around. They are both married
now and we always remember how good they were to us by taking care of the whole
family: in cooking for us, gathering fire wood in the forest, fetching water in
the river for everyone to use, cleaning the whole house, teaching the boys how
to cook, and sometimes dividing tasks to everyone in the domestic duty.
Lastly, I have a wife
now. It is chaotic every time she is not at home. If I did not get a first born
daughter, who is almost eight years old to help in one way or another, it can
be almost impossible for me to care for two young baby boys. From my mother, to
my sisters, then my wife and my daughter, I see the strength of a woman in
everyday life. They are just strong that is why God called them helpers. Nobody
can help if he/she does not have extra strength to contribute in helping.
2. How
Jesus Christ treated women
The first thing I
notice here is in John 2 in different verses. The first treatment we see Jesus
portrays towards a woman is in verses 3 to 11 whereby we see Jesus obeying the
suggestions of His mother. He never disobeyed her even publicly. It shows that
He esteemed her so much. The second scenario is found in verse 12. Jesus could
spend some time with his mother even at that advanced age she had. They walked
together from Cana to Capernaum and never felt disturbed to walk with His
mother.
Other places we see
Jesus interacting with women is first of all found in John 4 with the Samaritan
woman. Jesus never ignored to talk to her and wait on a man to come. He
immediately approached her despite differences. To entertain a conversation
with this woman signifies a lot of things and Jesus never rebuked or pushed her
away. In Mathew 15, we see Jesus meeting another woman. After sometime of
silence, Jesus decided to talk to her and congratulated her faith. In the same
chapter, Jesus fed people and among them there were women: Jesus was willing to
take care of women also just as He was taking care of men. This shows equality
in terms of value for Jesus. Another woman came and poured expensive oil on Him
and He commended her action and said that she will be talked about in all
generations (John 12); there is also this woman with issue of blood that Jesus
never refused to talk to (Mark 5:21-34); In verse 34, God calls this woman His
daughter. It is a much esteemed name; Jesus wept with the sisters of Lazarus
(John 11); Jesus responding to people who are talking about the womb that gave
birth to Him (Luke 11:27-28). This shows how Jesus could entertain women even
when they did address themselves to Him; He had to engage Himself in the
conversation. In Luke 10:38-42, we see Jesus being received by Mary and Martha
in their house. Jesus went on teaching them while one was busy to try to feed
Jesus and the other was sitting at His feet. Jesus gave a comment saying that
Mary has chosen well, a gift that she will not be taken from.
Not all the things we
get in life will remain with us. Even when it comes to the ministry, position
can be taken from us. A widow that gave what she had in the synagogue was much
appreciated by Jesus to the point of giving a comment on her (Mark
12:41-44); Allowing women to stay
together with men for the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1); Jesus giving a
new name to a bent woman for 18 years (Luke 13). He called her “mother” in my
mother tongue bible. Jesus never excluded women in different settings.
3. How
Paul treated women
There are many women
who hosted Paul and others ministered to Paul in a very profound way in his
missionary journeys. In his letters he used to recommend some of them (1
Corinthians 16:19; Romans 16, especially verse 13 where he mentions a certain
woman to be like a mother to him).
4. How
did Paul say about women’s ministry
1 Corinthians 11 speaks
of women always covering their heads in church; Galatians 3:28 Paul says that we
are all one in Christ; Ephesians 5:22-33 Paul says of the duties for both women
and men; Philippians 4:2-3 Paul requests to keep these women in ministry and
help them; Colossians 3:18-19 Paul says that women are to obey and men to love;
1 Timothy 3 (especially verse 11: “women
must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips but temperate, faithful in
all things”); and finally Titus 1 speaks of men and women.
It seems Paul wanted women silent in church.
Can that be a cultural issue? Is there any context for those passages? Are
those passages meant to be for even now or just for that time? In any case,
Paul likes to either talk about the current situation in his time or a certain
truth that goes beyond time and culture. Would Paul be against ordaining women
today? The answer can be “yes” or “no”! But I do not lose anything when women
get ordained. I respect them and believe in the potential God put in them
without man’s permission.
5. How
did Peter spoke about women and their ministry to God
1 Peter 3:1-7 speaks about men and women but
especially the riches on a woman. It is found inside her not her outward
appearance (verse 7 is the key; we are all heirs of God’s inheritance).
6.
The reason why women should be ordained
a.
Definition
of ordination
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This is an ecclesiastical Term
that says much of consecrating (someone) as a priest, or
a minister; it is to confer holy orders upon; It is also
to appoint with authority in a way of establishing order that is supported by
the power and authority given[1]. It is investing with
someone ministerial or priestly authority. This is to be entrusted with God’s
call to minister to the people and their God. Someone uses his/her gift to
serve others while pleasing God. An ordained minister is someone who has been
given authority to minister and serve God’s people while being used by the
God of the people.
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b. Qualification
for ordination
In the book of Titus and 1 or 2 Timothy, Paul speaks
of some leaders who should be people that God entrusted them with a family and
they are taking good care of their families first. There is a certain behavior
that is expected to be seen in their lives. But those characters can be found
to both genders and can be exhibited by both genders too.
c. Examples
of OT women workers
We have strong examples of women ministry
especially: the ministry of Ruth to Naomi and Boaz (the book of Ruth), the
ministry of Queen Esther to the Jews and at the palace (the book of Esther) and
finally the ministry of Deborah in the book of Judges in the 4th and
5th chapter. These women were powerful in their office as ministers!
d. Examples
of NT women workers
When Jesus rose up from the dead, the first people
to be in the tomb were women. Women were the first ones to be given the job of
telling the rest of the people that Jesus Christ rose up from the dead. This
great news, which is the foundation of the Christian faith, was entrusted to
women before anyone else. Our faith could not have any foundation if it could
not have been for these women who accepted to speak out this great news. I take
it as a ministry that God gave them to evangelize and tell people that Jesus
was not actually among the dead, but He was among the living.
Tabitha or Dorcas in the book of Acts 9:36-43 who
ministered to widows in a mighty way to the point that when she was dead,
widows wanted her back. Priscilla (as mentioned above) is also the most spoken by
Paul because of what she did to him. These women were much spoken besides the
mother of Jesus and her company.
e. What
to lose when ordaining women
We actually do not lose anything when women get
ordained (given a position to serve God better and in authority). On the
contrary, we allow women to make an impact and put into use their gifts. These
are gifts that God gave them. Men are not the ones to give gifts to women. If
they do not use them, God will ask them why. We cannot afford to have a
ministry of hindering people to live for God and serve Him.
f. What
to gain when ordaining women
We gain another side of ministry that men do not
have. Women get to put into practice their gifts. Women cab please God with the
gifts that God gave them. Ordination comes with responsibility. Women become
stewards of their gifts. We are able to put women in their place where God
ordained them to be. There is always something g that someone has that is
different from what we have or know.
Conclusion
There are two main things that allow women to be
treated as men in different level of life responsibilities:
1. Galatians
3:28 says that men and women are one in Christ. There is no distinction between
man and women when it comes to the expectations of serving God in any capacity.
In the same place, Paul says that even women are children of Abraham and equal
heirs with the rest of the people according to the promise.
2. It
is believed that God created man in His own image (in the book of Genesis).
This gives enough evidence that God decided to give His image to every human
being and refuses any other animal or thing to possess His image.
Therefore, I respect and accept the people who would
not ordain women. But for my opinion, I don’t mind if some of them are ordained
because of their calling, faithfulness, proven and gifting. I would always sit
under a woman’s teaching and get the message that God has for me. This position
is not that I am right or wrong. It is just because I have nothing to lose when
a woman is ordained.
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