Take a walk in any church today and it will be evident that women make up the majority of every congregation. So, how do the two words fit together, (women and ministry)?
Without women, our churches would literally be empty…
God has given many mandates to men that sometimes women can feel left out in the process. But women have a role to play within the family of God.
He sees and he knows the cry of every believing woman’s heart. The first thing God wants of us as women to have is a heart surrendered to Him.
Everything has its proper place. The ocean only comes to a certain point and God-ordained when the rain stops and when it starts again.
So, to be used of God requires our heart and every fiber of our being to be totally surrendered to God.
There is a particular lady in the Bible by the name of Esther who God used tremendously. She single-handedly saved the Jews from annihilation at that time in history.
Before Esther went to her husband, Esther fasted and prayed for three
days...
Not only she, but her maidens and every Jew in her time joined in. Esther was a perfect example of a heart surrendered to Christ. Her words “If I perish, I perish” have stood the test of time as someone whose faith was put to action.
God created women and men equally. Both can come to him at any time to pray or to receive salvation. In God’s eyes, we are all on the same level. Just like the trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
However, although the persons in the trinity are one, they all have specific roles to play. God, the Holy Spirit couldn’t have been the one to come to earth to be crucified for the remission of our sins. It was not his responsibility.
This is why women shouldn’t usurp the authority that God has given to men. When a woman is married, the head of the home is the husband even though they are equal partners.
Within the church, women are called to be loving, hospitable, and caring…
Women are able to minister to other women as well. God commanded in his word that the older women should teach younger women how to be good wives and mothers, hospitable, to be good Christian women. (Tit.2:3-5)
One example in the bible is that of Timothy’s grandmother and mother, Lois and Eunice who were mentioned by the Apostle Paul because of their great faith.
Paul realized that the maternal parents of Timothy were the ones that had taught him to be the man of faith that he was. (2 Tim.1-5)
So, one role women can play in the church is that of teaching…
There are many instances where men may be scarce in the ministry. That is where our teaching can come into play until a young man is able to learn and assume the headship of the ministry.
Teaching Sunday school, children ministries, even youths are just some ways that teaching can be used to impact others.
To be commended by the Apostle Paul is a high commendation, Paul recognized that God dwelt within these two ladies because of their great faith.
Another example was Lydia, she and her household were baptized right after putting their faith in God.
Not only did she believe what Paul taught, but she also began her ministry right away. She started by being hospitable to God’s disciples. She opened her home to them and persuaded them to rest.
Another interesting point about Lydia is that she was an entrepreneur. She was a seller of fine purple and that didn’t stop her from taking care of her family and the men of God.
There are many crowns that the believer can receive; one being just to offer someone a glass of water to drink.
Can you imagine what Lydia’s hospitality will reap?
Today there are many ministry avenues for women to contribute to the body of Christ. Writing for a Christian publication, being an author, women’s ministry, teaching, singing, being a missionary, supporting your husband, ministering to and raising your kids, etc. The fields are ripe for harvest and women can be a major part of winning lost souls for Jesus.
Eve was tricked by Satan. And yet God allowed a woman to be the vessel by which Jesus entered the world and crushed Satan once and for all. There will be times that we mess up. But God has proven that he is Sovereign and he still has a use for us in his kingdom.
As women, we may wonder if God receives glory from the seemingly minuscule parts (to us) we play in his body and church. However, the part of the body that holds and controls the head is the neck.
Just because we may not be in the forefront doesn’t mean that the roles that we play are not as important as the men because they are.
Let us as women seek to bring glory to God by playing the role that he has entrusted in our care. God is sovereign and the choice he made for us as women need no explanation.
Tell me what do you think about women and ministry? Do you think that women aren’t as important? What are your thoughts, let me know in the comments.
I love you with the love of Christ.
Keneesha 🙂
