coffee talk: women in ministry
Remember G-Daddy and the motorcycle? Yeah, me too. What I didn’t tell you back then was that shortly after I passed G-Daddy’s motorcycle test, I flunked an even bigger one. We got in a discussion about women in ministry, and I very quickly lost my standing in his good book.
After hearing all about our ministry, G-Daddy was excited. He complimented me repeatedly on all that God had done through Niel and I in a reasonably short period of time. Over and over again, he emphasized what a wonderful job we were doing; he even began talking about the possibility of coming to serve with us in a long-term capacity.
Everything changed when he mentioned that he was ordained, and I replied that I was, too.
I thought he was joking with his initial responses, and then I quickly realized he wasn’t. The conversation spiraled into him telling me that we aren’t running our ministry in a Biblical manner because I, as a woman, am in leadership.
I was hurt by his “attack”, not because this was the first time I’ve received criticism like this, but because I was staying in his home and had, just moments before, been someone he seemingly admired. I was also puzzled by his earlier praise: was he really just complimenting me for being a token wife, simply hanging on the arm of my minister husband who, of course, does everything? Hmph.
So… I ask you: What are your thoughts on women in ministry, particularly in leadership roles?
I have found that my thoughts are important but not always the truth. I recently read something about woman, Adam and Eve and how God created Eve from a piece of Adam’s rib bone, and the rib bone is what protects the heart. And there is more but I could not find the book where I saw that. In my search I found these words from a bible study book called The King’s Daughter-Becoming the Woman God Created You to Be by Diana Hagee. “Every woman has a divine destiny that a sovereignGod determined from the foundations of the world (ephesians 1:4)” What do I think based on this?-Man does not tell you your calling, God does.
@cassgirl says:
This comment box is so daunting…
Okay.. why does leadership suddenly have to have a sex? Why can’t women lead?
I thnk it’s between God and the indivdual.
people (mostly men)criticize me ALL the time on this issue.
I am a businesswoman, I work for a billion dollar company, I also work in a male dominated position, I estimate cars.
In my company with over 5000 employees or more, there are 39 women that hold my position, 4 of them in California where I live.
I live in the San Diego area where it’s highly mexican in culture. Before I went to my company I worked in bodyshops for 16 years.
I have painted a car. restored/repaired many.
I am a woman.
My point. it doesn’t matter of the sex.
I am also a ministry leader too.
I am a mom and a wife.
Now, here’s the deal with me.
I cannot stand women who bow-beat men to death over this, No we are not equals.
We are two teams with a purpose in leading people to God. If it’s a man or a woman WHO CARES..
The point is WHO is going to stand up and do it..
Lead people to Christ I mean!!!
where would we be without women in ministry who have gone before both women & men? people like mother theresa!!
in leadership it doesn’t matter whether your a woman or a man…both are equally important in ministry!!! if god didn’t want women in leadership within ministry, he wouldn’t have made such a big deal about women in leadership in the scriptures & how important women are within that capacity!!!
THANK GOD FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF WOMEN IN MINISTRY!!!
tjMAXX — “Man does not tell you your calling, God does.” — amen!
heidi — good thoughts. thanks, friend.
mark –i’m so glad to hear a man’s perspective on this. thank you!
@atangie says:
Amy once compared your capacity in the ministry to that of a mother. She could not have been more right in every sense of the analogy (conception, birth, nursing, nurture, correction, raising and the process continues). All the work of motherhood is ministry. Therefore if you say a woman cannot be in ministry then she cannot be a mother either. That is the logic in my brain.
Now, in the scriptures, the same man who wrote 1 Timothy 2:12 also wrote Galatians 3:28. And what about the prophesying that men and women are to be doing (Acts 2:1-18)? All flesh is all flesh.
If we would like to pick apart the whole idea of “ordination” then we could see that any ordination is a human recognition of the gift of God at work in the life of another human. It is no the ordination that brings the anointing, rather the ordination is an affirmation of the anointing on another person. And what is the anointing? An infilling of the power of the Holy Spirit enabling a person. In the book of Acts the group of 120 in the upper room there were women as well as men. And the Holy Spirit baptized them all; as he continues to do today.
And while I don’t exactly like being compared to a donkey, God did use a donkey to ‘minister’. Why would he not choose to use a willing and able woman to get this job done.
I do realize that some people are connected to a certain line or denomination and they need to follow the rules and regulation of their group. If their conscience does not condemn them, then I am fine with it. But it the same way that I respect their practices I would expect that they respect our practices.
In the case you described I don’t think the issue is so much “man vs. woman” as it is “fundamentalism vs. non-denominationalism”. In which case we must agree to disagree.
In the end the focus must be on the people. Are the people being helped? Yes. Then what is the problem?
I have to say… I’m sorry… I’m still so sorry this happened.
and women in leadership and ministry… yes! Why? I don’t have a complex point of view… just, why not? Look at how God uses women… just look at how He uses you. So… yes!
angie — i knew you’d have great insights. thanks for being so thoroughly thorough.
kitty — no need to apologize!
@cassgirl says:
@ngie it hit it today… thank you!!!
hmph. I’m annoyed by mister G-Daddy.
I’ll answer the rest later. I’m LITERALLY restraining a screaming kiddo right now. ;-) seriously.
you need to give me lessons in multi-tasking, brandy!
Hi Lovely! I am not sure that I have the answer for you right now as my head is spinning…but I would like to in person talk to you further about this. My immediate thoughts are that God uses and enjoys those who are willing and obedient. Okay, scratch that…I think He uses and enjoys all of us. He made us. Both sexes. I think that people get all caught up in the legalism of it all and use words like “ordained” and “directorship” to make a fuss when really, I wonder if God is more concerned with our hearts and leading people to the Cross with our love for His peeps. Yup. I think ministry is a funny thing when really…I have never understood why we make it so complicated. I also don’t understand why this computer doesn’t have spell check. Sorry. I love you and am praying for you specifically over this matter.
thanks, kristi… and yes, i’d love to to-be-continue this conversation for an in-person visit. (yay!) i agree that it’s something people make a bigger issue of than i believe is necessary. and no worries about me; i’m not distraught over this or anything – i just thought it would be a good topic to discuss over coffee here in the blogosphere. love you!
First of all, I am so sorry you have to endure such harsh words. Most people, including myself, cannot honestly say they have done an in depth study of “women in ministry” from a biblical perspective. Nearly all are repeating only what they’ve heard over the years.
In his book, Letters to a Young Evangelical, Tony Campolo addresses each chapter as a letter: Dear Timothy and Junia. He does so because as he explains in the first chapter (or preface) because modern bible translations incorrectly translate some name from the new testament into a male name. He claims Junia is the accurate translation and reveals that a woman was a leader in the early church.
My grandma took me to church when I was a young child. Not my dad. Not my grandfather.
My Sunday School teachers were all women, with the exception of Mr. and Mrs. Dox who team taught the 4th and 5th grade.
My wife married me even though I had left the church at 13 years old and had no intention of ever returning.
When I did return, I got suckered into an adult bible study by my wife.
The bible study leader’s name is Leah. And she was younger {gasp} than me to boot.
In that bible study Leah led me (kicking and screaming … well on the inside anyway) to Christ.
Where it not for women leaders in ministry, I would be dead.
Thank you for all you do.
wow, ric. thanks for that. “were it not for women leaders in ministry, i would be dead.” WOW.
in college, i went through a phase where I was determined that I wouldn’t change my last name when I got married. you can probably see where my comment is going….
but seriously, my friends (all church leaders…some men, some women) are going through this book…Men and Women in the Church by Sarah Sumner together now. They say it’s been really good and it’s brought up some interesting conversations. I’m excited to read it…it’s definitely on my “to buy” list when I’m home.
I LOVE all these comments! And I agree with them all too. I dont like women with “balls” who have to scream from the rooftops that they are just as able or strong as men. Sure maybe some butch lady is stronger than a smaller man, but all in all I think men are mostly more able. Well that really has nothing to do with any of this. I dont think I would go to a church with a woman pastor who preached every sunday, but the one we just started going to has a woman pastor who teaches every few weeks and she was pretty good. On that it’s just my personal preference, But if there were not woman ministers, who would really minister to woman. I am a big fan of woman to woman ministry and man to man. I think this G-whatever his name was, needs to check himself. I hope the rest of your stay there went fast.
(sorry my thoughts are all jumbled together today, I have a pounding headache. Something I never do well with! Basically, what everyone else said!)
oh and where does it say in the bible that women should not be ordained? I wonder how this guy feels about Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin!!?? Maybe he just is against strong women in general.
I grew up in a denomination that allowed women to teach Sunday school, but only to kids and never to boys 13 and older.
Since then, I have been under some wonderful male and female leaders….and have watched as my current pastor (at home) has changed his view of women in leadership to the point where we ordained one of our leaders to be on the pastoral staff. I am sad that people halt the call of God on others because of narrow mindedness or the inability to see beyond….
Also- if we are created in HIS image…God has both masculine and feminine…so i would imagine that we both got some of the leadership gene too….
@moweezle says:
I guess I wouldn’t be in ministry then if that were the case cuz I don’t have a coat tail to be hanging from. Good thing we answer to God and He gives us our calling and our ministry, not man (or men) hehehe :)
I don’t feel ‘qualified’ to say ‘Yea’ or ‘Nay’ to Women in leadership in Church (which i assume you are referring to mostly Leesh?)… but i am quite capable of answering Faith’s q.
Why do so many Christians not have a clue about their Bible?
1 Corinthians 14:34
34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.
35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
36 What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?
37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.
Angie pointed out the other one in Timothy 2 and also that there are no such things as male and female – we are all one IN Christ. But Paul does seem to make it quite clear that while we are all one in Him there are still distinct differences between men and women when it comes to talking in Church.
Are we so ignorant of Scripture that we still feel matters of great importance are left up to our own personal ‘taste’/gender/intelligence?
Or do we read the Word and live in His Spirit for guidance in all such things as a matter of priority?
Scritpure is supposed to contain God’s Truth and is not a matter for personal interpretations that meet our own objectives, but rather is for instruction, under mutual agreement and understanding in wisdom.
I read in Scripture where men and women prophesy and minister (many women ministered unto Jesus but i rather fancy that is not to be read as ministering His Word to Him).
Can any readers in Greek/Hebrew give a clearer translation of the Corinthian passage? Or does it mean what is said?
<B
Hey Alece – I’ve been following along on your blog since you sent it to me last spring, but haven’t jumped in to comment yet. This issue was the hot topic when I went through seminary, and it’s a difficult (and unfortunately often emotionally driven) topic with a lot of theological history going behind it. The wife of a former professor of mine has written several excellent books on the topic (Women Caught in the Conflict is the main one I’ve read) that examines the bibilical justification for women to be in leadership. She recently started a blog to promote discussion on the issues and I thought it may interest you: http://www.menandwomenleaderstogether.blogspot.com
Love reading your experiences and reflections on here. I was glad to see that someone else pounds the chai tea lattes while back in the US as well!!
@danielleH says:
Oh dang.
Yeah, I agree with him for the most part….or not at all.
I think women in leadership are great…and biblical. Lisa Bevere has some good podcasts about this.
The only thing I’m not very comfortable with, and this is just opinion, is a woman senior pastoring alone. But again, that’s just opinion, not really based on anything biblical.
i’m intrigued by all the thoughts and feedback here; thanks everybody!
julie - thanks for coming out of hiding with this one! :-)
I think the main problem is that people use the 1 Corinthians 14 passage as well as the passages in 1 Timothy 3 to squelch any and all discussions about this topic. I do think that conversations about cultural context are important. Was it disgraceful because it is disgraceful or because it would have been disgraceful within that society? I’m not educated enough to answer that question.
I do, however, know that – in addition to the two passages I listed above – 1 Corinthians 11:5 says that “every woman who prays or prophecies with her head uncovered dishonors her head – it is just as though her head were shaved.” Does this mean that women are allowed to pray and prophecy in public? Is it prophecy without others to listen?
To go even further with this concept — later in the chapter Paul (versus 14 – 16) says “Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering…” Since our society no longer teaches that short hair on women is a disgrace – and that long hair on men is a disgrace – I wonder if (at least for this rule of worship) the rule was created solely because of the societal standards of the day. Does that then transition to other rules?
In 1 Corinthians 7:34 it says “an unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit.” Exactly how does that look, especially since Paul later almost compares himself to a widow who doesn’t remarry (verse 40)? He says “In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is (unmarried) – and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.”
Finally, the other two verses that come to mind are Galatians 3:28 (we are all one in Christ) as well as Philippians 2:13 (for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose).
Personally, I see a refusal to listen to conversation about this topic as very un-Christ-like. That doesn’t mean one must agree on the topic, but to shut down and quote Scripture at people without also listening to their understanding of Scripture as well as any questions they have… hmmm… not what I believe Christ would want.
TM — i really appreciate your input; thank you!
OH BOY OH BOY! Don’t even get me started!
I serve in a church with a Women’s name in the title….so what do you think? Marylin Hickey Ministries is one of the most amazing and powerful outreach ministries on the planet and I am honored to be mentored and serving in a church that values and supports women in leadership! She is supported and submissive to her husband in all ways. But she is the visionary and she is the crusader – and he nor anyone else is holding her back. Did I mention that she’s been doing this for over 40 years!?!?
be genuine, never arrogant, have genuine care and love for people or don’t be in that role, and develop alligator skin. nuff’ said!
judi — this much i know is true: marilyn is a powerful woman of God!
rachel — good stuff. thank you!
@bernardshuford says:
My views – I really don’t know. I have some “positions” that I basically hold, but it’s not something I really think about a lot, because it’s not a big issue in my area.
It does amuse me that many of “us” give more credence to “women keeping silence in the church” than we do to “thou shalt not commit adultery”…
This is a tough subject for me as a Baptist.
I don’t believe women should pastor churches, I do know that. I believe my position to be Biblical, but neither am I versed enough about it to really be able to defend it. As to “leadership roles”, that can cover a lot of ground.
Please, y’all, don’t hate ME for this. Alece asked about our views, so I’m responding. :)
bernard — i did want to hear your views, and i’m glad you voiced yours. i’m not trying to get us all on the same page, just to hear everyone’s thoughts on the subject. thanks for being honest!
@bernardshuford says:
To add…
Whether or not someone is in my “good book” has nothing to do with what they believe about this :)
Not that I have a “good book”, but we all know what we mean…
Hmmm…
This is the spark of the moment, so …
If God only wanted men in ministry or leadership, wouldn’t He commandeer all ministry for Himself, and not leave any to the church?
… marriage being the mystery of Christ and the church and all.
Just sayin’.
I have seen genuine, qualified, “that was God” ministry from women in my life. I believe it is possible for any person to step out from the protective covering of proper authority in ministry, and lead contrary to the will of God. Men and women both. Why do we insist on making flesh the issue, when the point was always the spirit?
annie – i’ve never thought about it in relation to the marriage of Christ to the Church before… thanks for a totally new perspective!
I’m sorry you had to go through such a tough conversation.
I hate it when people put God in a box.
Women in ministry? Yep. There are SO many roles to be filled.
Find your role and minister.
hmm…I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say my feelings are some where near those of Bernard. But, I’m not Baptist.
So here’s the deal…for a long time I viewed myself as capable as any man in any role. I’m a 3 yr old christian. I’m a wife of 11 years. I now see my role as wife so differently than I did when I got married. I’m understanding my role as I see it in such a different light. How does that translate to women in ministry? It doesn’t. But it does translate to women in leadership or pastoral roles.
I agree, women in ministry covers a lot of ground. But I just don’t think that women should be in the role of the church pastoral leadership. I’m really not trying to offend anyone, but as a woman, and as a christian, I have to say that for me personally, I think women should not assume a role of leadership over men. That’s not to say that women don’t have a place in church, or that women should be ‘silent’ in church. Women do have a role as ministers…in many ways. But to have a woman as the leader of the congregation is problematic for me personally.
I’m sure that’s not going to make me the most popular kid on the block, but that’s the way I see it.
@tamhodge says:
i did not read through all the comments, im so sorry, and someone prob has said this already. but…
women in leadership/ministry…vital. we add something that men cant. the emotion, the estrogen sided perspective, the softness.
wait…not that men cant add any or all of those things – but there is a different touch and approach to things from women.
thats all.
I think if we dare look Jesus in the eyes and say “I don’t believe a woman can be ordained” He’d probably not agree. In fact I think he would warn us about the leaven of the Pharisees. Search your hearts.
Yes there are scriptures to be interpreted, there is also the “Law of Moses” that’s all they had. That’s like asking Christ, “If a woman is married and her husband dies… if she remarries…. when we get to heaven who will be her husband.? I know I’m paraphrasing a bit, but Christ would tell us that the Spirit of the Law is greater than the letter. And we’re asking about things we don’t even understand.
So be very careful about using scriptures like lawyers do the law.
Are there women Generals? Are there women who are over entire countries? Does not God appoint Kings? Are there women Supreme Court Justices? I have served in both the military and in ministry under very capable women. Ha! what is a church by definition anyway?
Just keep doing what God has asked you to do! Keep praying for your friend. Shake off the dust and move forward.
thanks to all the newbies who chimed in on this one.
i really appreciated hearing everyone’s thoughts on the matter. i know it’s sometimes a “delicate” or controversial subject; i’m glad we could come together to voice our opinions, even if they differ.
for anyone interested, this relevant article came up on my CNN feed this morning:
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/09/23/martin.hairston/index.html
hmmmm…
@bernardshuford says:
Alece – I read the CNN article earlier and came away a bit torn. I feel that Mr. Martin’s attitude puts Lifeway in a bit of an undeserved light, and some things have been said that are, IMHO, really unfair.
Almost as unfair as what your friend said to you.
What saddens me is that this is interpreted as being “an attack on these strong women.” Lifeway and Southern Baptists as a whole are very often portrayed as being women haters, and that’s incredibly far from the truth. Many – perhaps “most” but perhaps not – of “us” simply interpret the Bible to clearly say that women should not be in authority over a man. The wording, I think we can admit, is clear, even though the application may not be. Paul basically said that HE didn’t allow these things, and the question is whether he was simply expressing personal preference or was he laying down the apostolic “law”.
In making this interpretation, I don’t hate women. I don’t think women are to be scorned. I don’t want women to be unsuccessful. But I DO feel it’s a part of the Bible that we need to pay attention to.
It IS a part of the Baptist Faith and Message. Since Lifeway IS an extension of the SBC, a “not-for-profit” bookstore, if you can believe that, I can see a certain logic in this action. However, there’s a good deal of hypocrisy in it, since they sell books by a LOT of writers that are doctrinally VERY far from the same Baptist Faith and Message.
I’m sorry that women are hurt by this, and I’m sorry that it becomes a divider of sorts. We’ve all got a place, and we’ve all got a calling. Men and women both.
In MY mind, leading a missionary work is a good bit different than pastoring a church. Maybe that’s wrong, and maybe even THAT is interpreted as sexist. I don’t mean for it to be. I simply run into bumps in the road when trying to reconcile female senior pastors with Biblical principles.
I am enjoying this thread Alece.
I hear Bernard. When in Rome and all. The article does sound a little like, “those Romans are such Romans!”
Here is an interesting article that is cross-denominational: http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=47
Its from 2000 but the stats are probably unchanged. Basically, men are not in the church (in the numbers of the women). Not even close. Those men who are in the church are not leading (again in the numbers compared to women).
So here’s the question: If we’re all following the Lt. Cmdr. into battle and during the charge he abandons his post and leaves, who is left leading?
If that person (male or female) knows that abandoning means all is lost, what should that person do? What action will bring God glory?
I am not a Baptist or Catholic. I don’t struggle with this issue. Whoever is leading is the leader.
I haven’t really read all the comments, but here are mine…so maybe they have already been said.
By studying the New Testament, especially the Gospels we see that many disciples were appointed past the original twelve, some of which are women.
Later in the New Testament we hear of women prophets and other such things like this…
Paul was mostly talking about women’s role in these churches as it applied to their culture at that time, not every church the world over.
So although the Bible is good for all (in teaching, discipline, etcetera…) in this retrospect we must take the scripture in context of the church he was writing to, their practices, and the allowed tradition and culture of that time for that area (geographically)….otherwise we find ourselves getting back into the old arguments of cutting our hair, head coverings, women talking in church…and the like.
This was probably taught to him in his culture and its still evident when you see the relationships in general life (between the man and women) not just in the church. (particularly in your area geographically)
Why would someone try to limit ones capabilities in Christ? YOU GO GIRL!
I LOVE what TBC said! I was thinking all of that yesterday but couldn’t relate it in a way that would make ANY sense. ;-)
Embarrassingly (for me) Jake has issues with this. Mostly, he does not prefer women worship leaders or women leading a church as the pastor. We go round and round about this and it gets pretty heated.
I will never understand that way of thinking.
Can’t put God in a box, and you can’t say that HE can’t speak through whoever he wants to, man OR woman. ;-)
love you friend.
@cassgirl says:
@brandy…
I have the SAME issues at my house, especially because of Paul’s hispanic culture.
God uses whomever He needs too..
He’s God!!!
lovin and prayin
@Heidi, it’s very frustrating for me b/c it’s like he wants to discount whatever a person says b/c it’s a woman teaching. He has nothing against WOMEN in general, but he feels like God calls MEN to those positions, not women. I couldn’t disagree more. *sigh*
@cassgirl says:
@Brandy.. Yes. it’s the same here. I hold a ministry leadership and it bugs my husband to no end. He feels that all women should be nursery workers and so forth. I understand we NEED to be home for our children and so forth. But we should have the freedom tho be worship leaders, pastors and so forth. :double sigh:
@Bran, God calls each of us to great things. As that Barna article points out, statistically speaking women are much more likely to actually answer that call. I do not think it is fair to become angry with or about the women who DO (subtle plug). If someone has a problem with this, I think they should be more concerned with the men who are not responding.
@cassgirl says:
@Ric- AMEN!!!
Having recently responded to a post where Scriptural quotes were used in a completely inaccurate context to ‘prove’ an author’s point (how often do we all see that?) i gave thought to Paul’s quote i stated from 1 Cor 14 earlier about ‘women being silent in church for it is a shame for them to speak in church.
it can be a great mistake to quote a verse and say that the way ‘i’ read it is the right or only correct way to read it.
Many books (if not all?) in the Bible speak in simple terms of very complex issues and to many levels of our being.
Given who Paul was writing to (The bretheren of Churches at Corinth) and the topic he referred to in the first part of this particular chapter (and the fact he was CHOSEN of Christ Himself to be a disciple of His Church who was to spread His message to the entire earth) it is quite likely that Paul uses the term translated as ‘women’ in something other than the most easily identified context.
in Many books a ‘woman’ is equated with a style of thought other than the True understanding of God and following other beliefs or practices that conflict with those of God.
i believe it is possible Paul is saying that all of us are to keep ideas which are contrary to, or questioning of so as to lead away from, (His) Truth our thoughts when ‘in church’.
The ‘parable’ of Eve being tempted of a Serpent and then leading the man astray from God’s word as described in the Law of Moses in Genesis lends credence to the idea that Paul was warning the MEN of Corinth’s church he addresses to not let them be mislead by ‘women’ into committing sin.
That some can chose to read this passage as a distinct commandment of God (against the role of women in ‘leadership’/ordination is testament to the kind of thinking i think Paul knew of and wanted us all (men and women equally) to resist.
While i am of the understanding that through Christ all are ONE flesh and in His Spirit there is no male OR female but all are One.
i am less inclined to believe that most of us mere mortals have yet mastered the perfection of this and until we do it is going to be VERY hard for a woman’s role in His Church to be universally accepted – or perfectly administered.
Frankly – there are many times i am so glad to not have a church to attend or ‘belong’ to so that these kinds of divisive issues rarely affect me personally.
i don’t believe Alece will change to suit any one individual’s view on this matter.. it is basically between you and Him – right Hun?
<B
wow. i loved loved loved reading the myriad of thoughts and perspectives regarding this. thanks everybody for sharing!
I’m late in this – LOVE your blog btw. My comment for what it’s worth.
Paul highly praised the teaching Timothy received under his mother and grandmother. Ordained or not – women are called alongside men to serve – by God, not others. And my guess is, you look at your husband as the spiritual head of the household and are a partner with him.
Thank you for being a great example to others – and following God’s lead, not man’s advice.
thanks, susan!