I wish to comment on the 2nd Opinion by David Gushee [“Gender debate ultimately about Jesus”] published in the Religious Herald on Oct 2.
Since I am a storyteller, I would like to refer to a favorite tale by Hans Christian Andersen, The Emperor's New Clothes.
Andersen tells how everyone, including the king, was hoodwinked into believing that certain weavers had woven special cloth that could only be seen by ones who possessed certain qualities. No one wanted to admit that they did not have such qualities, and that included the king, who allowed them to make a most wonderful suit of clothes out of this cloth. He then went so far as to don these clothes and head up the parade wearing them. Everyone stood on the sidelines exclaiming about the beauty of the wonderful new clothes that the king was wearing, until finally a little child cried out, “The king has no clothes on!” Then everyone saw that they had been fooled by the crooks, and the eyes of the king were opened to see himself in a most embarrassing spot.
This is somewhat like the special eyes required to recognize the Lord when we behold him in all of his effulgent glory as he walks around in the everyday clothes of someone we happen to know to be “the carpenter's son!”
It is obvious to all who have the Lord enthroned, and are able to see him plainly in the lives of others, that the Lord is no respecter of persons. The woman in Christ knows that he is her Lord, and she says, along with Mary, “I just want to obey and please my Lord.” To such a woman, it is easy to submit to him and to work anywhere he places her in the role he gives her to play.
For example, every marriage counselor knows that there are times in happy marriages where it becomes necessary for the wife to take the dominant role and to lead out in the Christian path for the family to walk. There are millions of marriages that survived, and a happy union was enjoyed until both were old, because the woman assumed that role when it became necessary.
Most of the time, however, in the Christian marriage, the man becomes more aware of his responsibility and takes the lead when the family begins to grow.
It is the same way in the world of church leadership. When a woman has a call to the ministry, she approaches the call with the attitude, “I am the handmaiden of the Lord.” She listens. The Lord speaks to her. What does he want her to do? She hears the Voice. She must respond. God will show her where he wants her to be, and he does that through the work he is doing in his people.
Personally, I do not feel that there should be anything resembling a debate in the church regarding whom God calls to be his ministers. There were men and women present at Pentecost. I think of Jesus alive and working in his church and in the world. When I think of that, I do not picture an individual, but my mind goes instead to the idea of 2,000 years of multiplied millions who have experienced redemption.
There are many wonderful aspects to the Christian ministry where women can use their special gifts in ways to magnify our Lord. I would say, where the pastorate is concerned, the special ways that a woman is gifted by the Lord are needed in the particular ministries for which she is suited. He said in the Garden, “I will make a suitable helper for him.” Just so, in his Vineyard, there are so many places where the pastor needs one who can work along side him to build the church as the Lord intended it to be. A woman should train for the ministry where she is led by her gifts to minister.
A church seeks a pastor with the particular gifts that suit the needs of that congregation. If no man fills the bill, then the pulpit committee should be open to the Lord and ask for a definitive answer. “Lord, who do you want for us? Let us know. We are ready to listen to you.”
In answer to such prayer, what if they should receive résumés for exactly what they need and have been unable to find? And what if the résumé shows that the person is a woman? Will they put that one aside, even if they prayed, “We are willing to listen to you”?
To one who has heard the clear call, there can be no doubt in her mind that the Lord spoke clearly and that she heard correctly. She is ready to serve where he has prepared a place. Through listening and obeying, finding just the right pastor will lead into the type of congregation that he intends. With the supernatural leadership in the Holy Spirit, only the Lord can call a pastor to a certain church.
The woman in Christ is responsible to him for all that she does in him and through him. Who can imagine where the Spirit of the Lord will carry the heart that is centered on Jesus?
Maxine Bersch Lovern is a professional story teller and a former Virginia Baptist living in Texas.