An investigation into the phenomena and practices of spiritual ...

leaders in the kingdom. Winston is echoed by other writers as diverse as the liberalPresbyterian male feminist Daniel Patte (1995), the Catholic editors of the Jerome Biblecommentary (Brown et al 1996), the Cambridge Companion to Biblical Interpretation,(Barton 1998), as well as the URC divine McGrath (1997), who all assert leadersexperiences different kinds of calling in different ways. The calling of Moses, Samuel andDavid are cited as examples of leaders being called and selected by the Holy Spirit.One question on which Pentecostals, like other church tendencies, are divided, is thequestion of women in ministry. According to Barton (1998) the interpretation of biblicaltexts is always through the eyes of the age in which they are read. Women in leadershippositions within the Old Testament are few and it is illustrated in many biblical texts suchas when Moses was instructed to select seven elders who were male. The outline of howwomen should dress and conduct themselves in a worship service is directed to womenfrom the culture of the author who wrote the book of Timothy and Corinthians. Womenfrom western culture may now think they do not have to abide by the same rules and thechallenge to male power has permeated to other sections of women‟s lives especially in thework place and public organizations. In Toulis‟ (1997) chapter on „Wives, mothers andfemale saints‟, she argues that the gender processes in the New Testament Church of God(which has similarities to COGIC) „are broadly comparable with other Protestanttraditions‟.Tutu‟s (1986) advocacy of a politically active church in his booCrying in theWilderness‘ encouraged many Black churches to view their leaders as people who shouldactively engage with the wider community and politics. Many in mainstream churchesaccept the view, however, that the churches should not interfere in politics. Howevermuch church leaders are given apparent high regard, they are still viewed with disdain by175