By Ardis Stenbakker
Ever since God prophesied that there would be enmity between the serpent Satan and the woman, Satan has had it in for women. He planned to target all women so he would not miss the mother of the Savior. It did not take long for the abuse of women and girls to begin. Fortunately, it has been Jesus Christ and other real Christian men who have turned the tide on the devil through the ages.
One indication of how things stand today is the fact that one of the most successful programs of Women’s Ministries is the abuse prevention initiative. This was introduced when I was director of Women’s Ministries at the General Conference as Abuse Prevention Sabbath, and it caught on like wildfire around the world. It was concrete and hit a nerve, often a bruised nerve, and began to make a difference in lives young and old, male and female. It was designated as a specific day on the world church calendar—the fourth Sabbath of August. After I retired, Women’s Ministries and ADRA received a grant that they worked on together and renamed the program “enditnow.”
Although abuse is probably not the top challenge for women in the twenty-first century in the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Rocky Mountain Conference (although it well could be), it is an area where our churches could be making a difference in our communities by supporting shelters and getting involved in local abuse prevention programs.
There are other challenges here in RMC as well.
On a local church level there is a need for committed Women’s Ministries leaders. I believe one of the problems is that most churches, pastors, and women themselves do not really understand what Women’s Ministries is about. If realistically and thoughtfully carried out, it is a program which helps and empowers each woman to find a way to minister rather than just warming a church pew on Sabbath. It is far more than retreats and teas.
And beyond that, there is a need for women in leader- ship on the local church level. At the last five General Conference sessions, those for which I have done statistical research, women have made up only about 15 percent of the delegates. So although the church membership is made up of 65 to 70 percent women, their voices and views are not being represented. How does this happen? It starts at the local church level when women are not included in decision-making positions. It happens when nominating committees and church boards do not reflect the membership. The same is true of conference and union executive commit- tees and constituency meetings where women are not represented in proportionate numbers. It is only when women are treated equally at the local level that they will have a real say nationally or in world-wide decision venues.
So that women are prepared to serve on committees and boards at all levels, they often need training. Fortunately, some receive that on the job; others need opportunities for leadership training either through Women’s Ministries (leadership training is available through WM), their pastor, or their local church board. Women themselves need to take responsibility to get this training, to learn parliamentary procedures, and be willing to serve, to speak up, and to make a difference. Mentors, both male and female, pastors, and other church leaders can help make this happen.
I am delighted that the North American Division has stated unequivocally that they remain in support of women pastors and elders because this sends a message to all women, pastors or not, that they are valued—a message not often given.
It is well known that men and women think differently and process things differently. To fully understand what God has to say to us, and to plan and carry out the mission of the church, we need the women’s perspective as well as that of men; in our discussions and decisions, in our Bible study, and in our sermons, we need to hear both voices. After all, we are told that both men and women were created in the image of God.
One way women can be included and valued at the local level is for all those who write and speak to use inclusive language. When the King James Bible was translated, and long after, when one spoke of “men” or “man” it meant all people. Two examples: “Jesus answered, ‘It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matt. 4:4, NIV). We know this means that women need to know Scripture as well as men, but that is not how it is written. Or these words penned by the Apostle Paul (Romans 3:28): “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (KJV). To the younger generation, those who have been educated in inclusive language, it does not look inclusive; it may not say women are included if the reader is not used to reading scripture. And even if you know what this means, to a woman it can still feel hurtful.
In Acts 2, repeating Joel 2, Peter writes: And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. (ESV)
One has to wonder whether or not the Holy Spirit can be fully poured out if we stand in its way, not allowing it to rest on our daughters, allowing them to prophesy/preach. They too have dreams of witnessing and being recognized fully. It was Peter himself who later said, when defending his actions for going against traditional Jewish practices by meeting with Cornelius and his family, “Who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?” (Acts 11:17, NIV).
We have a huge challenge before us: to take the love of Jesus to the whole world. About half of the population of the world is female. To reach them, we need to have a message with which they can resonate. We must be intentional in bringing women to the table. Let us work together to fulfill the Great Commission and Acts 2 in a dynamic, inclusive manner.
–Ardis Stenbakken, formerly director of women’s ministries at the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, writes from Loveland, Colorado. Her passion is that her granddaughters will be able to use their talents in this church. Email her at: [email protected]