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IS IT THE VESSEL OR THE GENDER?

The Female Peacher

The Stance of the Female Minister 

 


Hmm...what an eye-opening topic that brings the subject of Christianity to bare. It is heartrending to note that the scripture has been used as the very tool to disparage, underuse and depreciate the ministry of women. So many religionists in the Christian umbrella will never see this freedom that Christ has brought. They are still in a maze like the Pharisees, who were far to see the light in women and the Sadducees, who were sad to see the light in a woman. They have indeed danced to the tunes of ancient scribes and have inscribed ancient scripts on the scriptures.
They have maintained the notion that women as weaker vessels are too weak in capacity to understand the teachings of the bible. Most religious groups, who are called Christians are so blinded by ignorance that they are becoming too worried about the ministry of women. They have engaged in combats against denominations with an opened eye about the true position of women. Such denominations have often been criticized as bringing the pattern of the world into the church. Some are even in doubt that any woman could be Spirit filled as the man. By restricting the women from using their gifts for the benefit of the church, men are in disguise stopping the scriptures to go forward, thus contradicting the great commission. The truth still lives! God will not give women gifts and talents if He does not want them as ministers. Psalm 84:11 says, "For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” 


The Naked Truth 

In defining the importance of the church, Ephesians chapter 5 says, husbands should love their wives as Christ loves the church. The true depth of this is that just as the church and Christ, the man needs the woman to be complete. The woman was repositioned as helpmeet after a timely depravity in the Garden of Eden. Hence a woman as helpmeet is in partnership with the man in teaching, counselling, doctrine and so on. When the woman falls short of this, she is irresponsible and actually sins against God.
1st timothy 2:12 and 1st peter 3:1 are scriptural weapons used against the genuine ministry of women. It is unfortunate that women with a shallow knowledge of the truth have also accepted it and have left their ministries to die in the hands of ignorance. If you are still in doubt about the woman's required role in partnership, what do you think about proverbs 1:8. 6:20? Okay. What about John 2: 4-5 where Jesus (God Himself) had to submit to His mother's request and perform His first miracle? 
If the woman was so valueless, it would be unnecessary for God to ask Abraham, a father of nations to follow Sarah's instruction in Genesis 21:10,12. In disclosing the next deliverer in Israel, it was Manoah's wife the angel appeared to (Judges 13). What about Deborah in Judges 4:4? How would Israel's victorious prophecy come if she was silent? There was no man in the land that had the light she had in her time. She saw Israel's victory and spoke it into manifestation. In the days when the apostles were noted for sonship manifestation, Apollos submitted to Priscilla's teaching (Act 18:26). The daughters of Philip also prophesied in Acts 21:8-9. Now, it is reasonable to ask? What did Paul really mean in 1st timothy 2:12 and 1st peter 3:1? He was actually speaking on the realistic attitude of women as mothers and teachers of the word.
In 1st Corinthians 14:34-36, Paul responded to the many questions confronting the Corinthian church. The words were not his words but a reaction to the Corinthian church to the women. If Paul could make such chauvinistic statement, he would not have encouraged all [men and women] to prophesy. 1st Corinthians 14:31. 

Why should we reject the anointed because of the container?

To brush us up further, there is neither male nor female in the body of Christ. Scripture says; "But as many as received him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, Even to them that believe on his name." John 1:12
God is no respecter of persons, so the male and the female are subject to the same standard in ministry. As a matter of fact, the bible refers to both male and female as "he" so spiritually, there is only one gender. This connotes that both the man and the woman require the same passage of salvation and qualify for ministry through the Holy Spirit.
Let's examine 1 Corinthians 12:21, "And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."
Why won't women preachers and women teachers not accepted in the body of Christ? Why should we reject the anointed because of the container? Is this not equivalent to rejecting Christ, the head of the church?  
Do you remember the woman at the well? She's had six husbands but was a chosen instrument to propagate the gospel. She had so many converts in evangelism. Does this not clarify that it is God Himself that chooses His vessels and not the man?
The man and the woman have equality in creation, redemption and ministry. (Joel 2:28-29. Acts 2:1)
Notable women whose ministry God blessed in the Old Testament are Miriam (prophetess, leader), Deborah (prophetess, judge-highest authority in Israel at that time), Isaiah's wife (prophetess) and Huldah (prophetess).
In the New Testament, there are also women prominent for their ministry. Phoebe is described as a deacon, Junias as an apostle, Priscilla is depicted as the leader in her home and in the instruction of Apollos. Peter and Paul both speak of women as prophesying

Loud Challenges Inherent in Denominations

  1. Lack of acceptance into ministry because it is seen as a man's domain. Many women are denied ordinations and some struggle for breakthroughs.
  2. Disappointment from church members who in spite of their exposure to the bible remain in the dark about the truth of female leadership. They fail to give persecuted female pastors required support or positive assertion for their work. They bring down the pastor's gender and leave her with a defenceless congregation. 
  3. Some female pastors are left to struggle in a church of brethren where sisterhood is less preferred.
  4. It is very unhelpful for a female pastor who is judged by her congregation for her clothing. Instead of listening to her sermons, she is either praised or criticised for her dressing. 
  5. The ministry of female pastors are mostly limited to women and children. This exposes the truth that most congregations are yet to embrace the concept of equality in ministry of men and women as the bible mirrors it.
  6. Single female pastors suffer a lot of suspicion and are most often mis-matched. The congregation in most cases interfere with their romantic needs by trying to match make for them. They are seen as incomplete and incompetent and are usually not wholly accepted as suitable ministers. 
  1. Most female pastors lack their spouses' support and are often not appreciated by family members. Most husbands are too insecure to approve their wives for ministry and fail to realise it is the call of God. 
    2. On the plinth of buttressed truths about the stance of female ministers, I will like to bring to the fore that;
  • No woman's destiny ends in the kitchen. Genesis 2:18
  • The woman is also here to manifest sonship. Romans 8:14
  • Whether married or single, a woman can be spiritually effective.


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