Do I Stay or Do I Leave? A Dilemma for Women in the Church
Earlier this year we shared a guest post titled "Why I'm at a Church That Doesn't Support Gender Equality". The post led to…
The Burden of the Exceptional Female Pastor
There is a phrase that continues to be repeated by those in leadership when asked how local churches might be encouraged to be…
Why I Support Women in Church Leadership – in 30 Seconds
I was recently asked to summarize why I support women in church leadership in thirty seconds or less. This was my response… Deborah…
In Support of the Female Pastor: Practicing Our Theology
I am thankful to have a church heritage that affirms and values women in ministry, women in leadership, and female pastors. Yet, I…
On Being a Female Chaplain in the Military
I just spent six weeks with a group of 21 other Air Force chaplains. All 21 were male. I’m a female chaplain in…
Jesus Found Me
One of my favorite stories is when Jesus heals a man who had been born blind since birth. After Jesus heals him,…
We Need You, Brothers
I used to work for a church that went through the tedious process of changing the church bylaws to allow for the full…
Mentoring in the Church: Apollo had Priscilla, Phoebe had Paul
Empowered by higher education and the willingness of thinking people to judge others on their merits rather than their plumbing, more women are…
10 Ways Men Can Fight Sexism
Are you a man who is discontent with just believing women should be treated fairly? Are you ready to do something? Here are…
Women & Leadership in Sacramental Churches
When I was a pastor in the nondenominational world, most conversations around gender and church leadership revolved around whether women should preach from…
Is Marriage a Ministry Qualification?
A few weeks ago I was having a conversation with a woman while at a social gathering. In the course of our conversation…
Midwifing the Church
I’ve found that metaphors for leadership and church planting over the last few decades have arisen dominantly out of male narratives. Much of…
I Don’t Believe in Men in Ministry
There’s a curious little story in the book of Acts about a man who wanted to purchase the power of the Holy Spirit.…
Why We Need More Women Pastors
The power of exposure and custom—and the lack thereof—etches deep marks in our inner beings. We associate pastoring with men because the pastors…
Three Reasons I Believe Men and Women are Equal Co-laborers in God’s Kingdom
Today Dave Johnson, Lead Pastor of Neighborhood Christian Fellowship (a Wesleyan church in Southern California) writes about his belief in biblical equality. His…