By: Sarah Underwood
I played basketball freshman through junior year of high school. I loved the sport. I was decent at it. Though not the best on the team, I was working towards playing more and more and was definitely not the worse. My junior year, however, I was frustrated because I sat the bench more than I played. Rarely, in fact, was I ever invited to play other than in practices. I was once accused of not being athletic enough. Now, not to sound arrogant and I don’t know how many of you reading this actually know me or not, but I’ve never before and never since been accused of non-athleticism.
Fearing the possibility of not playing at all my senior year, I asked my coach, point blank, if I would be getting playing time the next season. I specifically asked for him not to sugar coat it. “I can handle the truth,” I said. “I would like you to be honest and real. Am I good enough?”
Coach proceeded to explain to me how beautiful my character was and how great of a student I had become. In fact, I remember a specific statement that went something like this, “If my daughter turns out to be anything like you, I have done something right!” Oh, gee, thanks, Coach. But, that’s not exactly what I asked. Needless to say, I quickly and purposefully ignored the flattery and quit the team. I haven’t played since.
Nearly four years later, I am facing and watching many others face a similar situation, though not within athletics. Women are not getting “playing time” within the Christian Church.
Dawn Gentry is the mother of a fabulously brilliant Milligan Bible major, Elizabeth Gentry. She is also currently studying to receive her Masters in Divinity at Emmanuel Christian Seminary across the street from Milligan.
Although a student, Dawn Gentry is not new to the ministry. In fact, she has spent most of her years working in ministry. This journey has led her to realize that there is in fact a sort of ministry hole.
Her experience has been one of rejection, confusion and – at worst – frustrating stifling silence. Dawn Gentry explains her journey within the Christian Church on her blog A Transformed Life.
Although my experience with the ministry is triumphantly less than Dawn Gentry’s, I too have noticed the limitations the Christian Church has placed on ways in which women can serve in a church setting. For instance, I was once told by a leader in a Christian Church that men cannot handle when a woman is in charge. Hence, it is not biblically incorrect for a woman to become a leader; however, it is discouraging to the male population.
Now, my purpose here is not to bash. In fact, I fully understand that the church, especially the Christian Church, has indeed made vast strides in unifying men and women under Christ. However, you cannot deny the fact that a woman is more likely to find a ministry job outside of a Four C’s church (that is, Christian Churches and Churches of Christ). If you don’t believe me, do some church hopping. Ask some questions. Church leaders are called to be warm and inviting, so don’t hesitate to sit down with them and hear what they believe on the issue. Again, my purpose is not to argue or debate, rather it is to encourage people to become educated, especially when considering going into the ministry.
Milligan has a beneficial connection with the Four C’s churches. They support us through prayer and finances and other roles. Milligan would not be the college it is today without their help. It is interesting to me, then, that Dawn Gentry’s daughter will struggle when she graduates in a year to find a church among one of these denominations – the denomination which she in fact has been raised in and has fallen in love with.
The Registrar’s Office reports that this year, of the 52 Bible majors that Milligan has, 21 of them are women. These women are being raised up in a faith that teaches if one is gifted by God with a certain passion or gift, one should pursue that calling, regardless of gender. So, then, ladies, what are we to do? Should we bash? Should we quit like I did my junior year of high school? Should we storm in church offices with guns a-blazing?
Maybe, we should take Dawn Gentry’s advice and talk about it. Arguments and harsh words will get us nowhere. But apathy will move us backwards. How do we do this? While remaining passionate about the subject, we become educated. Search hard enough and take enough Jeff Miller classes and one will find out that there is nothing theological about discriminating between genders. Keeping certain people out of a leadership role and refusing to ordain women is more of a tradition rooted in tradition than it is a biblically sound theological idea.
So again, ladies, are you called to preach? Are you any good at it? What should we do with our gifts? Where do we go – to a different denomination? Should we shut up and quit?
One thing I do know for certain: I am so sick of hearing, from men, how wonderful and strong and holy we are as women, and then being told that because of that, we can “handle submitting ourselves” to a subservient role within the church. After all, aren’t we all called to be servants? When will we stop giving authority to tradition (fear) and start giving authority to what our Creator actually teaches?
To end, we need to continue talking about the issue. Encourage one another to pursue our gifts. Keep asking questions, keep listening to answers, and keep biting your tongue (unless moved by the Spirit to shout).
Dawn Gentry says it best as she writes, “We need to encourage each other to have genuine dialogue about things we disagree on, not just assume that what has always been is the only reality in which God can work, or that cautious avoidance will prevent rocking the proverbial boat. And in the meantime, while we wait for the important conversations to take place, we need to be courageous. Courageous enough to use the gifts God has given us and encouraging others (both men and women) to do the same.”
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