Potentially Very Unpopular Opinion Post

I know I've written about it before but this morning I feel led to share this.

Growing up I was never told nor was it ever implied to me that women couldn't be in leadership roles in the church. I grew up hearing women preach, watching women teach, and even have a family heritage of credentialed women ministers in my family. When I shared that I felt God calling me to ministry at 16 years old I was only encouraged and mentored. I preached my first sermon on a Sunday at 17 years old. It wasn't until I was an adult, pursuing my calling and walking in a vocational ministry role that I began to see the push-back women face in obedience to their God-given call to serve in ministry.

This morning, my mom shared a video with me from a man she grew up with who is now a pastor. It is an excerpt from a video teaching series he is working on by request of a Christian University.

As I watched this, I kept thinking, "Women need more men to speak up like this." We don't need them to because we can't speak but we shouldn't have to defend our call when there are good and godly men who recognize it and can speak to those who do not. It's unfortunate but when women defend God's calling of women to leadership it oftentimes falls flat. When you have other voices who can testify to the validity of the call they see, it tends to add credibility and helps others look differently than maybe before.

As this thought is floating in my head, it hit me. This is why so many people of color get tired of defending themselves when race issues are brought up! It's why many people of color expect and hope for their white friends to speak up and use their voices and platforms to help make a difference. Several weeks ago I came across a video that immediately came to my mind while I was processing this.

Now listen to me closely. In no way does me sharing this at all mean that I don't support my brothers in ministry or other races or, dare I take the plunge and say police officers. That's absurd. I have so much respect and appreciation for all of the men who serve God's Church with humility and honesty, representing Jesus to a world that needs Him. I think the beauty of the many different people in this world is what helps make us as humans special. And I have a lot of love and respect for for those in blue who wear the badge with honor and take the oath they make seriously to protect and serve all people. The reality is that while there are many in the church who do not have a clear biblical understanding of God's plan for women in the church, there are those in our world, in uniforms or not, who use their position to tear down people instead of building them up.

I have heard a few leaders who are people of color say something along the lines of women having a better understanding than many what the fight for justice is like. Women have had to fight for the right to vote, be counted and lead. So yeah, in a way, I get it. I may never understand what it is like to be treated differently because of the color of my skin, but I do know what it's like to feel like an outsider because of my gender. And isn't it time to change that?