TAKE THOU AUTHORITY TO PREACH THE WORD

I’ve learned a lot about differences in the ways that ordination are observed across various denominations just by being part of the Bethel Evangelical Presbyterian Church for the past seven years.

Actually, it hit close to home for us as a couple. Several years ago, Debbie was ordained as a ruling elder in this church. She served for three rather explosive years as a member of the ’session’.  She felt the burden of leadership throughout this experience. One interesting caveat was the fact that the ruling elders serve Holy Communion to the congregation. So, for the first time in our lives, she served me communion – instead of the vice versa!  I am proud of the respect she has garnered as a result of her leadership investment.

In the Wesleyan movement, elders are ordained by bishops and are enabled thereby to lead local churches, marry, serve Holy Communion, and hold a vote in their annual conference.

When I was ordained, the Free Methodist Church practiced an ordination of submission that included a first step of being ordained as a ‘Deacon’. After a minimum of satisfactorily serving in this role, one could then be fully ordained as an ‘Elder’.  I was fortunate to receive both ordinations by a bishop that I highly respected and admired: Bishop Paul N. Ellis. 

I must admit that I don’t recall much of the specifics of those events. The one memory I do have is negative. Debbie was invited to stand [and kneel] with me during this rite of passage. When the service concluded, my conference superintendent congratulated us and told us that it would have been better if Debbie had not worn that flashy, beaded necklace! He was NOT one of my favorite leaders.

The ordination service typically takes place at our annual conference. Our leaders designate the final service of worship to include this sacred time in the lives of our prospective candidates who have been voted on by the entire conference after the answering of the required questions. 

Typically, the worship leads to a message by the bishop who then presides over the ordination service. The candidates are called forward along with their spouses where they publicly respond to the required questions for ordination and are then invited to kneel before the bishop and congregation. Any elders present are also invited to move forward and participate in the ‘laying on of hands’.

The presiding bishop – along with the elders - then lay their hands on the ordinand while speaking the following words:

“The Lord pour upon you the Holy Spirit for the office and work of an elder in the Free Methodist Church now committed unto you by the laying on of our hands.”

Then, the bishop holds the ordinands Bible out to them. As they together grasp the Bible, the following charge is given:

“Take authority to minister the Word of God. Faithfully proclaim His Word, declare His forgiveness, celebrate the sacraments, shepherd His people.”

The service is usually brought to an end by a prayer and an opportunity for the worshipping community to come forward and offer congratulations to the newly ordained elders and their spouses. 

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Debbie and I recently attended a special Tri-Conference event involving the Harvest Conference [Pittsburgh area and West Virginia], the Keystone Conference [Northwestern Pennsylvania] and the Ohio Conference [Nearly the whole state of Ohio]. Bishop Kaye Kolde presided over this special event.

Those who know me and read my blogs will be aware that I have been a lifelong advocate of women in ministry. The Free Methodist Church has been ordaining women since 1911.

Eight individuals were called to the platform during the Tri-conference ordination service: four women and four men – all accompanied by their wives/husbands. One at a time, they were brought before Bishop Kolde.  All elders had been invited to fill the area in front of the platform so that they could participate in the laying on of hands. There were surely one hundred elders crowded across the front of the worship center. At the appropriate moment we all laid our hands on one another’s shoulders bringing us into symbolic contact with the ordinand. 

Surely someone took a picture of this event; I wish I had that picture! I ended up right in front of Bishop Kolde and about five or six feet from the place where she spoke to the ordinands. 

It was surely a powerful moment for those being ordained! You could sense their humility and the responsibility they were accepting as they interacted with Bishop Kolde.

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I have always had a penchant for observing the differences between males and females. It’s a topic that I have written about frequently. 

Although this event took place several weeks ago, I am still contemplating the difference between the ways the men and women responded to Bishop Kolde.  I’m not sure yet what this difference implies.

The Free Methodist Church has MANY women in ministry! 

My first hire while leading a growing church was a young woman – Raeanne Thompson – who had just graduated from college. She was an outstanding ‘Youth Pastor’ and was responsible for growing the Oakland Church significantly over the next several years. She is still active in ministry today!

I also worked for six years with Lead Pastor, Brenda Mason Young, at what was then the Cornerstone Free Methodist Church in Akron, Ohio,  During that time the church grew from an attendance of 400 to over 700. Her exemplary and dynamic leadership was the primary catalyst for that growth! They were the most exciting years of my overall ministry!

In an age when the church is in serious decline and many denominations are having difficulty finding enough pastors to fill their churches – one wonders why they are not turning to the vast number of women who are responding to God’s ‘call’ to ministry!

I’ve wandered…let’s get back to my ordination observations:

In the case of each of the men that Bishop Kolde ordained, the men knelt with the heads bowed. When the bishop offered them their Bible for the second part of the act of ordination, they looked up briefly and then bowed their heads again. 

There was a distinct difference in the way that the women responded. They also bowed their heads while the bishop laid her hands on their heads. However, when Bishop Kolde offered the women their Bible, each of them continued to look up into Bishop Kolde’s eyes! I felt like I could sense the communication flowing between these women!

The bishop drank in their gaze with deep sincerity. They showed admiration, respect and the experiencing of a divine moment as they returned her gaze!

I walked away with the sense that these women – in particular – would NEVER forget that moment!

May each of these new elders follow through with passion and integrity! May they see the churches to which they are assigned flourish with rich, robust and sincere commitments to serve the Lord of the Church!  May they each brng joy to the heart of God! 

WOMEN IN MINISTRY

Why do I write as much as I do?

I suppose that I have several reasons.

I write to preserve family history, foremost.

I write to share my thoughts with others – who may agree or take issue with my thinking.

I write to entertain! Use the ‘Search’ bar on my blog to explore the topic, HUMOR.  [You’ll find 45 posts listed on about five successive pages. 😉]

I write for pleasure to preserve my thoughts while reading scripture. [My ‘Bible Study’ notes serve as a great starting point for those who may teach or preach upon occasion.]

But today I write to clarify.

Like many others, I do not thrive on confrontation or conflict. However, I am willing to openly share my thought processes. It is – after all – important, at times, to take a stand.

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There is a topic that is frequently debated in our culture. The topic is whether or not women should be given the right to lead in ministry settings.

Take notice that it is a cultural debate! Other countries, such as the Philippines, do not see this as an issue whatsoever!  Women ministers abound in quite a few cultures.

For background, I was raised in the Free Methodist Church. It was founded in 1860, and has been ordaining women since 1911. 

But, I’m a free-thinker, and my thoughts are not based purely on my denomination’s stand. I’ve attended a conservative theological seminary and a liberal theological seminary. I’ve read the Bible through many times. I’ve led growing churches and have served with women in ministry and also hired women to serve alongside me! I served – for six years – in conjunction with a woman lead-pastor whom I highly value and consider a mentor!

My point: I’ve thought about this topic a great deal.

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Since my purpose with this blog is to clarify my process of coming to conclusions on the topic of women in ministry, I will try to be succinct.

It seems clear that sometimes we may come to different conclusions even after considering the evidence presented in scripture. This has been solidly demonstrated by the fact that we have so effectively divided ourselves into far too many denominations.

I have tried to form opinions on the foundation of God’s Word. I am well aware of the passages that are quickly quoted from the Corinthian letters, such as:

· “I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.” – 1 Timothy 2:12

· “Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.” – 1 Corinthians 14:34-35

· “Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, and able to teach.” – 1 Timothy 3:1-2

[This is a sampling only. There are other scriptures that convey the same thoughts.] 

However, there are other verses that seem to counter the thinking in the above verses: I’ll cite three of them, as well, for consideration:

>     “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae.” – Romans 16:1

[We could extrapolate on the words used in the Greek text (of which we have no actual ‘originals'). However, this is not the place for textual criticism.]

>     “He [Apollos] began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.” – Acts 18:26

[This scripture highlights Priscilla’s role (she is always named first – ahead of her husband) in teaching Apollos. It exemplifies how women can teach and clarify the faith, even while maintaining supportive roles in partnership with their husbands.]

>    “I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers, whose names are in the book of life.” – Philippians 4:2-3

        [This verse acknowledges two women who worked alongside Paul for the Gospel!]

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MY PERSONAL THOUGHT PROCESS

At the core of my discerning process was the clarity I observed when reflecting on the above scriptures AND those that I will now mention.

FIRST

I have always been deeply impressed with the prophetic utterance of Mary, the mother of Jesus, recorded in Luke 1:46-55. This has been carefully preserved for us in God’s Word. The words are precious to us!

Hmmm…the first words spoken under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit – after Jesus’ conception – were divine words spoken by His own mother!

SECOND

I am struck by the message preached by the Apostle Peter on the day of Pentecost, when he quoted the prophet Joel, saying:

“And it shall be in the last days,” God says, “that I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on My bondslaves, both men and women, I will in those days pour fourth of My Spirit…”

THIRD

The last thing to push me over the line are the words of the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Galatians:

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” – Galatians 3:28

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 I think we can come to different conclusions on the topic of women in ministry and still have fellowship. I don’t think we need to exclude one another over this issue.

After studying in a Catholic community for two years and making MANY precious friends there with whom I worshipped regularly, we had to politely and with discretion, avoid the discussion of certain points from our various traditions. I was not going to change them, and they were not likely to change my thinking and practice. BUT, we had deep and rich fellowship and loved one another in Christ!

I hope my words today have helped and not hurt. I labored to be fair and gracious! I don’t need to convince anyone in order to have rest and peace of mind. Again, my purpose in writing today is to clarify how I came to hold my current position on this topic. Let’s put our hope in the following words from John 16:13,

But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth;

for He will not speak on His own, but whatever He hears,

He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.