“The Lord gives the word [of power]; the women who bear and publish [the news] are a great host.”
(Psalm 68:11 AMPC)
In my lifetime, my church membership has moved from United Methodist to Reformed Church of America to Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod to Word of Faith. In the meantime I’ve spent time in Roman Catholic, Assemblies of God, Harvest Bible, and Evangelical Covenant Churches. These church bodies’ approach to women in positions of leadership – especially in pastoral ministry – varies greatly. I have studied the scriptures that seem to prohibit women from leadership positions, read the counterarguments, and examined those scriptures in the larger context of God’s heart for his Church, for men, and for women. Although I respect each group’s carefully articulated theological position, I was never able to fully understand why we would prohibit someone from pastoral leadership simply based on whether or not they have a “Y” chromosome, especially if they are obviously gifted, graced, and – dare I say it? – anointed for ministry by Holy Spirit. Although there are many, many very talented male pastors, I have seen and experienced God’s work through women pastors, too. Again, although I have respected the positions of whatever type of church body I’ve been in, I could never quite reconcile this within me. Evidently I am not alone. Today I read a word that I found helpful; perhaps it will speak to you, too. If you, like me, believe we are living in the Last Days and the final Harvest may very well be upon us, we the Church need to be open to Holy Spirit’s leading. The Kingdom definitely needs all hands on deck – Y chromosome or not – in these End Times.
“For decades, I studied on the topic of whether women should speak in church or be in ministry. And I know there are a lot of doctrinal and theological differences in the Body of Christ out there. I have read so many books on this subject. And here is a basic conclusion I found: When it’s harvest time, the arguments cease. You need to hear this. When it’s harvest time, the arguments cease on who God can use—because we need all the laborers we can get. If we do not use all the laborers we can get, the harvest can rot in the fields. I make an appeal, right now. Let’s empower whoever will volunteer freely. Around sixty percent of the members of the Body of Christ are women. Approximately eighty percent of the intercessors in the Body of Christ are women. So let’s empower the women, because they are a great company.
“The point is, when it’s harvest time, there is no argument on a woman’s right to preach the Gospel. Look for the arguments in history, there aren’t any.
“I’m here to say it’s harvest time. I’m not here to say anything about violating Scripture, but I am here to say it’s harvest time, so let’s empower women to preach the Gospel in Jesus’ name.” *
Lord of the Harvest,
In these Last Days we pray that you would use any and all people to bring in your Harvest. Pour out great wisdom to all people who seek you. Pour out your Spirit on men and women, young and old, mature and new believers. Bring dreams, visions, signs, wonders, and miracles. Help us to be instruments of good news, of healing of every sickness and disease, and of great compassion on the people of this world who are harassed, helpless, and desperately in need of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Give us a heart for the Lost and to be workers in this Great Harvest. We ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, AMEN.
“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'” (Matthew 9:35-38 NIV)
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5 NIV)
“God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” (Hebrews 2:4 NIV)
” I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days.
I will show wonders in the heavens
and on the earth,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Joel 2:28-32 NIV)
*James W. Goll https://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word.html?ID=29259#word-truncate