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Biblical womanhood, Christian feminism, Christian women, Christianity, religion, women's ministry, women's roles
Awhile back I had a post entitled “Be a woman of depth who leads the way.” In it, I shared my frustration with Christian women’s things…because they tend to be: devotional or “light” in nature, emotional/relational, or focused entirely on a women’s “role” as wife, mother or housewife. None of these things are bad, but women are more than this… and need more than this as well. In my post, I reference an article written by Lisa Robinson entitled “Why I think women need to study theology.” She also shares her frustrations with women’s ministry, and I appreciate her emphasis that precisely because women are more emotionally/relationally geared is why they need more objective teaching.
Recently there seems to be a number of other women speaking up in the blogosphere. Hurray! Perhaps this can help turn the tide and push women’s ministry in a much needed new direction.
Here is one such post: Why women don’t like women’s ministry. It is not that women’s ministry is all wrong, but that something is missing. The author highlights 3 things that need to be recognized in ministering to women. One is that we need to get better at focusing on general needs, instead of specific ones. Not all women are married with preschoolers. Not all women are going through menopause. Not all women are in college. We alienate so many women when we gear our ministry towards a specific life stage. (Can’t we just come together as women and rest in our identity in Christ…instead of in our role or life stage?) I also appreciate her point that the women’s ministry shouldn’t be a rogue renegade in the church but should line up with the mission, vision, and values of the church. (Yes, it often seems like women ministries just do their own thing!)
Here is another post: Why traditional women’s ministry is facing a PR problem. This article contains some thoughtful analysis and offers some solutions. I particularly liked the suggestion to “diversify your program and focus on fostering authenticity” by offering classes that appeal to women other than SAHMs and empty-nesters. The 4 examples of classes that could be offered are awesome! I love the idea to recast the vision and see women as strong, confident, defenders of the Gospel.
[On that note, there is always a risk of causing offense when speaking out on this issue. Some may see such concerns as condescending towards women. That’s not it at all. We are simply concerned that the traditional paradigm has not encouraged women to go deeper and serve in broader ways. Women are indeed strong and capable, yet too many women have failed to see their full potential for God’s kingdom because the status quo has limited their perspective.]
And, wow, check out this article: Why we don’t need women’s ministry. Please stop treating women’s ministry like a safe club for the little ladies to play church!
“…Is womanhood only about wifehood and motherhood? What about those among us that are not wives and mothers? We’re not all in the same season of life. We are – or should be – diverse image bearers of a Divine God. We need Jesus. We are seeking deep spirituality. We are seeking fellow travelers. We are hungry for true community, a place to tell our stories and listen to another, to love well. But above all, point me to Jesus–not to the sale at the mall.”
Finally, I recently discovered a blog called “Housewife Theologian.” Yes, this blogger is a traditional housewife and mom, but she is trying to take women deeper in the faith. I appreciated this post where she reflects on the lack of women learning theology. Her blog actually is not a “Christian women’s blog” per se – but just a blog on theology and she happens to be female. We need to see more of this from women!
I mostly read blogs/books written by men because they tend to be general about theology and the Christian life (and not exclusively through the lens of fatherhood, being a husband, or masculinity) – and therefore applicable to everyone. Why is it that so few women are capable of this? Our identity should be in Christ and should flow from the Gospel. But it seems that for too many women, their identity is in their role and flows from their life status. Don’t misunderstand – there is a time and place to discuss roles. But too much women’s material is anchored only in roles or distinctly feminine issues.
Are you aware of other women speaking out with their concerns with women ministry? Please let me know.
UPDATE: I just found this blog called “The Ruthless Monk” by a woman working on a Masters of Philosophical Studies at Liberty University. Check out this post: Where Is the Voice of the Evangelical Academic Woman?. The comments that follow are worthwhile too!
Yes, Yes, Yes!!!
: ) Thanks for sharing the post on facebook. Some of the ideas in the links really resonated with me too. I appreciate when people do more than just complain/voice concern, but also have ideas for improvement and a positive outlook.
About 99% of the female authored blogs I read care very deeply and speak out regularly, as do I.
Yeah Kim! So glad to hear this! A few months back I went on a “internet hunt” for women’s blogs of more depth/substance and/or without a “roles” focus. I even asked around, and posted on a Christian blog site what I was looking for. The few referrals I got were for sites that were very light and lacking substance. I did find a handful – which I shared in my original post (Be a woman of depth who leads the way). I knew there had to be more out there but they were just evading me! I am pleased to discover new ones here and there!
Thanks for speaking out. We need more women to continue to do so. It seems to me that some of the more theological female bloggers need to support each other more – perhaps through guest posts, engaging in thoughtful dialogue, prayer, etc. I am sure some of this IS going on, but I’m not in the loop.
Laura, I love Aimee Byrd’s Housewife Theologian too! She really gets to the heart of things. Another one that touches theology regularly, usually in the sense of how it intersects with everyday life, is Kim Kirby’s Kingdom Civics. (I just posted a guest piece there today, as a matter of fact: http://kingdomcivics.com/2012/05/25/on-being-presumptuous/)
Glad I followed you over from Leslie Keeney’s The Ruthless Monk!
Tim
Thanks Tim! I’ll check out the blog you mention. I stumbled on The Ruthless Monk on page 4 or 5 of a google search. I am on a hunt for blogs of more substance by Christian women…They seem to evade me. But I am finding more and more to my encouragement! I’ll probably eventually have a post where I share links for these blogs.
Speaking of The Ruthless Monk, Leslie just posted a guest piece I did: http://www.theruthlessmonk.com/too-good-to-be-true/
It’s about an errant dentist and the gospel truth. Hope you get a chance to check it out, Laura.
Tim
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Thank you so much for sharing this, it has encouraged my heart deeply. I am so grieved by “women’s ministries” in America because I rarely ever hear the Gospel actually being preached. It seems as though many of these “ministries” are still so focused on ourselves and our personal struggles/insecurities. The Lord cares about these things but these things are not the Gospel. I am saddened to tears that I don’t really ever see true discipleship training among women in America. It really breaks my heart. I am praying for the women in America. Thanks for sharing 🙂
I appreciate your encouraging words on my post Leah. It seems more and more women are speaking out, so let us hope and pray that with time we will see a radical change with women’s ministry.
Can I just say – I LOVE this post! 🙂 I’m a twentysomething female Christian and I’ve found every single women’s ministry that I’ve experienced to be completely patronising. Almost every meeting that I have attended has focused on self-image and self-esteem issues. It’s great to hear that I’m beautiful – I hate my bits of flab, blemished face and tiny boobs just as much as the next person – but I don’t particularly think that our insecurities should be no.1 on the women’s ministry priorities list. I studied theology at university, and whilst it was a huge challenge (in more ways than one!) it taught me so much about the Bible and why I believe what I believe. My biblical Greek and Hebrew classes were 99% male (in a few classes, I was the only female), and in one of my language classes I was put down so much by the teacher about being female and studying theology that I had to lodge a formal complaint. I’m by no means a feminist – I’ve been in a loving relationship for 4.5 years with a fantastic man who brings me out for dinner and still opens the car door for me (yep, I’m lucky!!), and I am SO looking forward to having my own family someday – but there is far FAR more to women than image and emotion and housework. We are God’s warriors too, and we need to be equipped with the spiritual tools we require for the battle!
Thanks so much for your enthusiastic reply to my post! Yes, we sadly limit women when we primarily focus on things like emotions, body image and “roles”. Women desperately need an identity that rests in Christ and not in outward appearances and roles. May the Lord use you in a mighty way Emma!