Do You Know These Names?

"When asked how many women have ever been democratically elected as a president or prime minister, 66 percent believed there had been less than 10. In fact, there have been more than 50. Iceland, for example, had a woman president for 16 years. Ireland has had women presidents consecutively elected for decades. In the Netherlands Antilles, five female prime ministers have held office. Switzerland has been led by two women presidents." Kim Mance

Check out these names:

• The Right Honourable Helen Clark, Prime Minister, New Zealand

• Her Excellency Tarja Halonen, President, Finland

• Her Excellency Emily Saidy de Jongh-Elhage, Prime Minister, Netherlands Antilles

• The Most Honourable Portia Simpson Miller, Prime Minister, Jamaica

• Her Excellency Dr. Vaira Vike-Freiberga, President, Latvia (1999-2007)

Click on this link for a longer list of female world leaders.
It is really encouraging to see this long list of women that are role models for other women. Dr. Lee Haines completed a book (started by his wife) listing a history of Women in Ministry in The Wesleyan Church called "Celebrate Our Daughters." Check it out. "This book honors and celebrates the daring women who have contributed much throughout the years to The Wesleyan Church." There are more of us than you think!

Ignored Talent Pool

"When companies overlook women for executive positions, they ignore a vast talent pool and undermine their profitability." -Robin Gerber, author, Katharine Graham: The Leadership Journey of an American Icon

When the church is crying for leadership and overlook women...they too ignore a vast talent pool!

The Culture

So did you look up Answering the Call? It's pretty cool, huhl!
So now that we know the history of the church and the church's positive stance toward women in ministry how do we change the culture in our churches?
Culture? What culture?
The culture that says, "Well, Pastor, we would hire a female youth pastor, but I am worried for you. What would it look like? We don't want you to be tempted." Or, "Well, District Superintendent, we believe women can be ministers, but we don't think we could follow a female leader." Or, to the potential female candidate, "How can women be leaders in the church if they are to be submissive to their husbands?" Changing the culture is not easy! But 100 years ago, it would have been difficult to foresee an African American president! That was difficult to foresee until it happened! This Presidential Inauguration Day should give us hope. So...I guess we just keep talking, teaching, educating, praying, hoping, doing, preaching and answering our call.....

Answering the Call

If you click here....Answering the Call it will take you to a page on The Wesleyan Church's website. Look for the link "Answering the Call" under Women In Ministry and you will find a video well worth watching reminding us of both the historical and the current position The Wesleyan Church holds on Women in Ministry. This video was produced by the "Center for Women in Ministry" and funded by "Wesleyan Women."

Freed

"While the church talks constantly about the world's need of the gospel, it's plain the church needs to hear it no less urgently. For only as the church hears the gospel will the apostle be spared seeing in the church what he dreaded seeing in Galatia (5:1); namely, those whom Christ had freed from slavery being betrayed into bondage by the church."--Victor Shepherd

The Feminization of the Ministry

"The feminization of the ministry is one of the most significant trends of this generation. Acceptance of women in the pastoral role reverses centuries of Christian conviction and practice. It also leads to a redefinition of the church and its ministry...Furthermore, the issues of women's ordination and the normalization of homosexuality are closely linked. It is no accident that those churches that most eagerly embraced the ordination of women now either embrace the ordination of homosexuals or are seriously considering such a move." Albert Mohler

What do you think? Do you think that the ordination of homosexuals and the ordination of women are inextricably linked? Is there a slippery slope? If there is a slippery slope does that mean that women should not be ordained? If those who make this argument believe that homosexuals should not be ordained because of their sinful lifestyle, what does that say about the worthiness of women?

Come...follow me

"Recently, I’ve been trying to picture Jesus. Really picture him. Not just slide into a lazy picture of the Jesus in countless religious storefronts on Mission Street… I ask him, “Do you know what it’s like to be me…And if you do, do you have any changes you’d like to make regarding your commands?” I ask because I find some of Jesus’ words hard and culturally insensitive. …Does the suggestion to serve others and take the lowest spot apply when it seems that we often start with the lowest seat—or no seat—at the table?" MORE THAN SERVING TEA

In the article "More Than Serving Tea" Nikki Toyama-Szeto wonders if Jesus really knows what it is like to be her. Sometimes I feel like that too. She found her way through that question as she began to realize

"that her gender and her ethnicity were not obstacles to be overcome but gifts, chosen by God so that I might know him better. They weren’t an after-thought but a grace he had given to me. My gender and my ethnicity continually lead me to a deeper understanding of Jesus. And his call to me is, “Even so…come follow me.” So I bring who I am and follow him." MORE THAN SERVING TEA

That is the best we can do. We can only bring who we are and follow Him!