Women in the Church: International Women’s Day 2023
Submissive majority. The two words almost caused me to wreck the first time I heard them in August 2020 while riding down the road, listening to the book My Own Words, the autobiography of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.Those words perfectly summed up how I felt as a Christian woman in a male-led and -dominated Church world. As I looked around me, I saw a lot of women in church, probably the majority of faces were female, yet women were not represented in church leadership. With so few faces in leadership, what does that say about women’s roles in the church? What does that say about how God values, or even thinks about, women?
Women of the Bible as Leaders
Women throughout Biblical history have shown strength and the ability to lead. Though the story of the woman throughout the Bible has not been out front and shouted from the rooftops, we can’t mistake quiet for non-existent or submissive. Here’s just a few Biblical women who were leaders.
Miriam
After that miracle at the Red Sea in Exodus 15, Miriam, the prophet, took up a timbrel and began dancing and singing praise to God. And, “all the women followed her.” Miriam led the celebration and worship of God in that moment. The Bible does not speak of what Miriam did during the flight from Egypt. However, she must have had a leadership role. We know that for sure because (1) “all the women followed her,” and (2) God named her in Micah 6:4 along with Aaron and Moses as a leader of the people, bringing them out of Egypt and slavery. (excerpt from my Bible study, Seen: A Study of five Biblical women who were deceived, raped, and disregarded yet seen by God.)
Deborah
Deborah is the only female judge and the only judge to also be called a prophet (until Samuel came along). These roles were traditionally male roles, as they are mostly still today. For a woman to lead in this way and be so effective that the Israelites enjoyed 40 years of peace, is phenomenal and not to be overlooked. Deborah is a leader in her own right — not because of who her husband or her brother or her father was — but because she loved and served God. She was a political leader in her time as well as a military war hero. In fact, the male general whom she called upon to lead them into war refused to go unless she went with him. Interestingly, the true hero of that battle was the woman, Jael, who was the political assassin (Judges 4:21).
Proverbs 31 Woman
Traditionally, I viewed the Proverbs 31 woman merely as the ideal wife – the faith-filled, God-loving homemaker who dotes on her husband and children. Mother’s Day year after year in church, we hear about the “Proverbs 31 woman: her children shall rise and call her blessed.” The association between mothers — and women in their capacity as mothers — and Proverbs 31 cemented in my mind that the Proverbs 31 woman was all about being a wife and mom.
This is to take nothing away from mothers. Mothers have the hardest job on the planet. I’m in awe of mothers who juggle work, spouse, and children. I honestly don’t know how some mothers do everything required of them. However, I have learned to view the Proverbs 31 woman in another capacity: as a businesswoman.
She seeks wool and flax – she is preparing, planning, for her family and her craft.
Works with willing hands – she’s working, y’all! She’s working with her hands, earning her own way, and contributing to her family income.
She rises while it is yet night, and provides food for her household – I can relate to this one, getting up at 3:00 am to prepare for a trial, to make sure my work is done, all to earn a paycheck to contribute to the household finances.
She considers a field and buys it – she is looking at property AND buys it. Notice it says “she”, not she and her husband, just SHE. She bought the property with her own money. Not joint funds, not family funds, not from the husband’s check, but her own money. The women who followed Jesus during his time on earth likewise provided for themselves and the ministry. So, the concept of women working and providing for herself and her family is centuries old and approved by God.
She dresses herself with strength, and makes her arms strong – she’s not weak! Here, in this chapter we use to put women on a pedestal, one that has been revered as celebrating mothers, we are told that women are strong. Where did the “weaker sex” business come from? God affirms in one of the most famous chapters in the Bible about women that women are not weak, but are indeed strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable – she perceives. She has a good mind. She thinks things through. She understands. Women are capable of using reasoning skills and judging the quality of their work.
What is so striking here is that the same set of verses that we hear every Mother’s Day in American churches, is the same set of verses that set forth women in the workplace, women providing for their families, making their own decisions about property, buying property using their own money, and women as physically strong. In the ancient world — a patriarchal world — the woman is being praised for her hard work, ingenuity, independent finances, and strength. it’s not just about becoming mothers, but about being strong, smart, businesswomen. Proverbs 31 shows us that women are capable. Indeed, the Proverbs 31 woman is celebrated for being a businesswoman and leader.
Jesus and New Testament Women
The women were devoted to Jesus. When Jesus hung on the cross, when He took His last breaths, His disciples were not there. The men who had been with Him day in and day out, the ones who professed their love for Him, were not with Him at the time He needed them most. John is the only disciple to be named as being present at Jesus’ death. Instead, it was the women.
The women stood firm in their devotion to Jesus. At the risk of jeers, taunts, physical harm, and further ostracization, the women stood by to watch after Jesus; they were loyal to Him. They stood by to care for Him, support Him, and ensure He didn’t die alone. It was the women He last saw and whose love He saw as He took His last breath on earth as a man.
Jesus Affirmed Women as Leaders
Jesus gave value to a woman who followed God’s call on her life. For Mary, it was to bear a child. For Mary Magdalene, she was the first to be given the Great Commission (“Go and tell …).(Matthew 28:10).” For the woman at the well, it was to be an evangelist (“The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, ‘Come, see a Man... Could this be the Christ?’ They... and came to Him”) (John 4:28-30). For Mary, Martha’s sister, it was to receive religious education. For me, it was to become an attorney
Women’s Rights, Inclusivity, and Value
Today is International Women’s Day which brings attention to the achievements of women, the struggles we have endured and continue to endure, to raise awareness about violence against women, and to focus attention on women’s rights and equality.
This is nothing new. Jesus set the bar for how women were to be treated. In this New Testament, with a new covenant, Jesus didn’t silence women, nor did He tolerate the oppression of women. When looking at how Jesus honored women, I don’t believe submission was His desire for women.
Call to Action
On this International Women’s Day, take some time to read the story of Miriam (be sure to include Micah 6:4, Deborah, and the Marys of the New Testament. For a closer look at Miriam, get my Bible study, Seen, by clicking here. For more information about how Jesus liberates women, read by book, Equal Protection Under God.
Excerpts from my book, Equal Protection Under God: Gender equality and women’s roles in the church, available wherever you buy your books online.