That was the consensus among members of the Covenant’s Commission on Biblical Gender Equality and students of North Park Theological Seminary. They met during a recent lunch forum at the school.
The gathering discussed how to overcome a number of obstacles – including at the pastoral level – that have continued to inhibit the number of Covenant women in ministry. Although the Covenant has been ordaining women since 1976, only 36 are senior or co-pastors, according to the Department of Ordered Ministry.
“We still have a long way to go,” said Dave Kersten, executive minister of the ordered ministry.
The discussion is more than theoretical for students at the seminary. One third of all Master’s of Divinity students are women. In total, 51 percent of students are women. (Not all of the women are Covenanters or seeking M.Div. degrees.)
Grassroots change needs to happen if any more progress is to be made, says Catherine Gilliard. Gilliard, who facilitated the seminary discussion, is pastor of Commissioned Disciples Covenant Church in Stone Mountain, Georgia.
Pastors sometimes don’t lead on that journey because they fear an adverse reaction from the congregation, said commission members. When lay people say they would like to discuss the issue, pastors will feel more permission.
Objections to hiring women are varied. Many people are hesitant to accept women in ministry because they have never known a female pastor, students said. Students encouraged the commission to include women speakers at conferences, as well as regional and national meetings.
The denomination already has begun to undertake that step, said Gilliard. She related the story of two children who came up to her and could not believe she was a pastor. They wanted their picture taken with her because they had never seen a woman pastor.
Students also suggested that more women be promoted as guest speakers as local congregations. After the meeting, a commission member told the story of being told she couldn’t preach at a Covenant church because the congregation would not approve. She was allowed to teach a Sunday school class and gave a brief talk during the worship service.
The commission member said that she basically shortened a sermon she had given. She received applause from the congregation, and a year later the church enthusiastically accepted having a woman as a guest preacher.
Search committees also are being made more aware of women ministers, said Kersten. Every committee receives at least one profile of a female candidate.
Some Covenant pastors continue to object to women pastors on what they say are biblical grounds. They invoked the ethic of Covenant freedom to disagree in the local congregation. Kersten told the students that freedom does not apply.
Kersten reasoned that opposing women in ministry denies female colleagues the respect they deserve and goes against a definite position the Covenant has taken on the issue. Pastors and churches seeking affiliation with the Covenant but oppose women in ministry are rejected, he added.
To further promote discussion in churches, the Covenant recently has published several works. The commission has published study and leaders guide for a seven-week curriculum entitled Called & Gifted, which focuses on the different positions around women in ministry. The curriculum is a companion to the “Called & Gifted” statement published by the commission.
Jay Phelan, president and dean of the seminary, recently authored All God’s People: An Exploration of the Call of Women to Pastoral Ministry. Phelan also signed copies of the book, which was given free to the students.
Copies of the Called and Gifted materials are available from Covenant Bookstore online at www.covenantbookstore.com or by calling 1-800-621-1290.
Copyright © 2011 The Evangelical Covenant Church.
