September/October - Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

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for encouraging your church to be open to calling a woman as pastor By Clarissa Strickland IN RECENT YEARS, CBF partner churches have made great strides in empowering women in ministry. We create a climate in which young women feel God’s call upon their lives and catch a vision of ministry. They occupy almost half the seats in the classrooms of partner seminaries. We call them to associate staff ministry positions and ordain them to ministry. They live among us, love us and serve us in so many ways. And yet, when it comes to calling a woman as senior pastor, many of our churches say they are not quite ready. In doing so, we create barriers for women to exercise their calling in Christ Jesus. Jesus spent his ministry breaking down barriers. Here are some suggestions to help churches do the same: Invite women to preach 1Take advantage of opportunities to invite women into the pulpit. For people who have never been exposed to a woman preaching, the idea of a woman pastor is probably a foreign concept. Hearing a woman preach may help open a congregation’s mind to who God has called to the pastorate. When your pastor is scheduled to be away, consider asking a woman from your congregation, a local seminary or neighbor church to preach on that Sunday. (You can even call the CBF office for referrals.) Also, make plans to participate with other Baptist churches in the annual Martha Stearns Marshall Day of Preaching. This event is held the first Sunday in February and is sponsored by Baptist Women in Ministry, a CBF partner. Study examples of 2 female pastoral leadership Another way to help change the gender stereotype of pastors is to highlight examples from scripture, history and the present day where women serve as religious leaders. Study biblical examples, such as Mary the mother of James and Joseph, Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Susanna, who were involved with Jesus’ ministry. Learn about women from history who paved the way as pastors — Martha Stearns Marshall, a powerful preacher during the late 18th century, or Addie At the CBF General Assembly, Cathy Anderson, minister i to children at First Baptist t Davis, the first Church of Marietta, Ga., and her daughter, Gracie, wear shirts reading, “This is what a preacher looks like.” The shirts were produced by Baptist Women in Ministry. Southern Baptist woman ordained to pastoral ministry. Also, read especially young people, with the time and about current women pastors in this issue of opportunity to discern how God might be calling fellowship! or online at www.thefellowship.info/ them to serve. femalepastors. Support those “called” women in your 3 congregation as they move through the rigors of Engage in earning a seminary education and seeking a place prayerful discussion of service in congregational life. Offer them regular Referring to women pastors, Daniel congregational and personal prayer support, as well Vestal said recently, “Myths need to be as financial support during their years of theological exploded. Half truths need to be refuted. The Bible education. Write notes of encouragement to them. needs to be understood. History needs to be read. When they have occasion to be back in their home Fear needs to be replaced with comfort and joy. churches, offer them an opportunity to preach Much of this could be accomplished through study, when possible. reflection and conversation.” 5 As a congregation or in small groups, take time Conduct a genderto engage in honest discussions and prayerful blind pastor search discernment. Openly address concerns, myths, When your church arrives at the stereotypes and questions that members might point of searching for a pastor, set have related to female pastors. Invite guest up procedures that allow the search committee speakers with knowledge about the subject to lead and congregation to assess candidates without church members in conversation. gender bias. As résumés are received, transfer 4 the information to forms which do not use names Encourage the calling or gender-specific pronouns. Compare candidate of all people qualifications without respect to gender. Be intentional about discussing and Be open to God’s leadership — wherever it celebrating the different ways people might take you in a pastor search. are called to ministry. Provide church members, Rod Reilly photo Clarissa Strickland serves as the Fellowship’s networking specialist, providing reference and referral resources to churches and ministers. Contact Strickland at cstrickland@thefellowship.info or (800) 352-8741. For more ideas and a list of resources, go to www.thefellowship.info/femalepastors. 12 | f ellowship! SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008
Students take global tour of U.N. MDGs T Participants included: Carson Foushee, Mary Beth Gilbert, Jacob Kendall, Emily Morrow, Nina Peppers, Caitlin Sandley, Jacob Smith, Fran Stafford, Rosie Stafford, Caleb Tankersly, Karen Taylor, Meredith Wilkinson and Jennifer Wilmore. Read about their experience at www.thefellowship.info/blog. Save the date Make Houston your stop for July 4th Don’t make those normal July 4th plans before considering the 19th annual CBF General Assembly, set for July 2-3, 2009, in Houston, Texas. While you’re at the Assembly for exciting fellowship, inspiring worship, practical ministry workshops and much more, you’ll be amid downtown Houston with its restaurants, entertainment venues and shops — plus an easy public transportation system to get you from place to place. Catch a Houston Astros game, a concert, or quarter horse racing. Visit a museum, the aquarium, or the Galleria — the seventh largest mall in the United States. Whatever your interest, you’ll find something exciting in Houston, including the Freedom Over Texas Festival on July 4th. With live concerts and the state’s largest fireworks display choreographed to music, you’ll be glad you spent the holiday weekend in Texas. For more information go to www.thefellowship.info/assembly. Photo courtesy of Great Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau f ellowship! SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 | 13
Page 1 and 2: CBFfellowship! COOPERATIVE BAPTIST
Page 3 and 4: Contents 6-12 Female pastors: Learn
Page 5 and 6: WhyI give... “We believed in educ
Page 7 and 8: By Patricia Heys, CBF Communication
Page 9 and 10: Caroline Davis photo 6 Sarah Jackso
Page 11: Resources
Page 15 and 16: Serve Individuals www
Page 17 and 18: CBF photo Hope for the journey CBF
Page 19 and 20: By CBF Communications Online — Go

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