To be a catalyst in Baptist life, drawing together women and men in partnership with God, to illuminate, advocate, and nurture the gifts and graces of women.
Resources
ARTICLES (also see BOOKS and LINKS)
Practical Questions about and Biblical Support for Women in the Church’s Ministry by Todd Still, Associate Professor of Christian Scriptures, Truett Theological Seminary of Baylor University.
The 2010 State of Women in Baptist Life report highlights the previous winners of the Addie Davis Awards and includes statistical information and analysis about ordinations, ministry positions, and theological education institutions.
The 2007 State of Women in Baptist Life report is a 25 year retrospective of Baptist Women in Ministry. It highlights the contributions and notes the struggles of both the organization and the movement of women toward more expansive expressions of ministry. In Part I, the report offers a retrospective of the last quarter century. Part II makes the comparisons between the status and leadership of women in Baptist life “then” (1982-83) and “now” (2007-08). Part III provides updates from state women in ministry groups.
The 2006 State of Women in Baptist Life report takes a more sociological approach that surveys the opinions and attitudes of Baptists and compares the place of Baptist women in ministry with the advancement of women in other professions, such as medicine, law, and teaching. The 2006 report continues to offer basic statistics about ordinations, church staff positions, leadership in other ministry positions such as chaplaincy and missions, and in Baptist agencies and governing boards.
The 2005 State of Women in Baptist Life was commissioned by the Baptist Women in Ministry (BWIM) Leadership Team in order to clarify ongoing needs of Baptist clergywomen, bring to light growth and losses, and illuminate nationwide trends. It includes statistics regarding women and ordination; service as pastors and co-pastors; ministry on church staffs, and as chaplains, counselors, missionaries, and deacons; leadership in Baptist agencies; participation in theological education; and Baptist women making news in 2005.
The Ordination of Women among Texas Baptists and an accompanying response paper considers women in ministry among Baptists in Texas by surveying the typical questions raised over women’s leadership. Ann Miller, the author, looks at gender and the doctrine of God, and how Scripture has been interpreted in support of male leadership models. She then turns to the dramatic changes in Baptist life in biblical interpretation and actual ordination of women. Ultimately she finds that it is the autonomy of the local church that has allowed for women to be ordained. Rosalie Beck responds to Ann Miller’s paper by demonstrating the connection of ordination with preaching ministry, and the overall expansion of women’s roles in the typical Baptist congregation.
Seeking the Word and Will of God on Women in Ministry is a paper, written by Jim Denison, former pastor of Park Cities Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas, which explores six biblical passages on the issue of women serving as deacons. It also considers the larger question of women in biblical leadership, reviews a very succinct history of this issue from the biblical era to the present, and then draws conclusions for their church. (Attached in PDF form)
BOOKS
Baptist Women in the United States: A Selected Bibliography from 1970 to 2005 by Pamela R. Durso.
Beyond Sex Roles: What the Bible Says about a Woman’s Place in Church and Family by Gilbert Bilezikian: This biblical and theological study offers an accessible examination of the key texts of Scripture relevant to understanding female roles, affirming full equality of the sexes in family and church. This third edition has been revised throughout. Pastors, church leaders, students, and those interested in issues relating to gender and church life will value this classic work on the egalitarian viewpoint.
Courage and Hope: The Stories of Ten Baptist Women Ministers by Pamela and Keith Durso, editors: This is a collection of essays about Baptist women who have served in the ministry for over thirty years. Among these women are pastors, church staff members, missionaries, mission organization leaders, and professors. Each story offers insight into its subject’s calling, ministry experiences, obstacles, and the mentors and encouragers who supported her.
Putting Women in Their Place: Moving Beyond Gender Stereotypes in Church and Home: by Audra and Joe Trull: Twelve respected authors address key questions for Baptists desiring a biblically based and theologically sound discussion of gender issues. For students and teachers, laity and clergy, this text will serve as a basic introduction of the proper place of women in church, home, and society.
Religious Institutions and Women’s Leadership: New Roles Inside the Mainstream by Catherine Wessinger: This book documents the movement of women into positions of leadership and ministry in mainline American Judaism and Christianity and evaluates how this trend will reshape traditional religions in the U.S. The contributors compile data formerly found only in diverse scholarly and denominational publications to offer an enlightening interdenominational, interdisciplinary comparison of women’s struggles for a central role in mainstream religious leadership and ministries.
10 Lies the Church Tells Women by J. Lee Grady: The gospel was never intended to restrain women from pursuing God or to prevent them from fulfilling their divine destiny. In his revised and updated book, which includes testimonials, Grady boldly proclaims the truth of the gospel—that men and women are appointed by God and empowered by Him. Readers will discover: why Jesus went out of His way to minister to and disciple women; how the apostle Paul, who told women in Corinth to “be silent,” also empowered many women to be church leaders; How “the Proverbs 31 woman” has been misinterpreted to deny women opportunities in the workplace; and how the gospel of Jesus empowers women to claim their spiritual inheritance.
What Paul REALLY Said About Women: An Apostle’s Liberating Views on Equality in Marriage, Leadership, and Love by John Temple Bristow: For any person who reveres Scripture but who struggles with traditional interpretations of passages concerning women and who fears that a desire for equality between the sexes is a violation of Biblical principles, this book is a must.
What the Bible Really Says about Women by Sheri Adams. The author poses the question of what the Bible really says about women in the largest context possible: dealing with the Bible’s development and need for interpretation, its history and culture, its theology and ethics, and the concerns of the God who inspired it. This Christian theology book serves many purposes. It can act as an accessible, easy to read Bible study tool or a theology textbook.
Why Not Women? A Fresh Look at Scripture on Women in Mission, Ministry, and Leadership by Loren Cunningham and David Joel Hamilton: This book provides a detailed study of women in Old Testament writings, Jesus’ ministry, and the letters of the apostle Paul; historical and current global perspectives; an exploration of the value and roles of women in Greek and Roman history and literature, Jewish rabbinic literature, the early church, current cultures, and the church today; an examination of the fruit of women in public ministry; and a hard-hitting revelation of what’s at stake for women, men, the Body of Christ, God’s Kingdom, and the unreached.
Women & Christianity, Volume 1: The First Thousand Years by Mary T. Malone: This books brings to light both the persistent courage and the innovative quality of women’s lives. Malone’s perspective not only offers a critical analysis of previous conventional histories, but emphasizes the importance of women’s contributions to the creation of Western culture.
Women in Christian History, A Bibliography compiled by Carolyn DeArmond Blevins: For much of Christian history, the role of women in the life of the church both local and universal has been downplayed, overlooked, or simply denied. Such a state of affairs of course also denies the testimony of the church’s Scriptures regarding the key role women played in Jesus’ own ministry and that of the early church. The reach of this bibliography is wide, from the earliest church to present times, across every ethnic and national boundary, and throughout virtually every segment of the church, Catholic and Protestant and stripes in between and beyond.
Women in the Church: A Biblical Theology of Women in Ministry by Stanley Grenz and Denise Muir Kjesbo: This book offers an in-depth theological study of women’s roles in the church, one of the most bitterly contested issues of our day. Carefully considering the biblical, historical, and practical concerns surrounding women and the ordained ministry, this book will enlighten people on all sides of the issue. The authors make no secret of their bold conclusion: “Historical, biblical and theological considerations converge not only in allowing, but also in insisting, that women serve as full partners with men.” Thorough and irenic, this book takes an intense discussion to a new plane.
Women’s Place in Baptist Life by Carolyn D. Blevins: This book, published by the Baptist History & Heritage Society, encourages women to 1) ask questions and be willing to find unexpected answers, 2) study their diverse heritage and learn from it, and 3) answer God’s call to use their abilities.
Your Sons & Daughters Will Prophesy : A Four-Week Curriculum from the Network for Ministerial Excellence. The goal of this curriculum is to help churches become more open to calling a woman as a senior pastor. The sessions are designed to help congregations deal with the issues openly and honestly and to draw personal conclusions based on study, prayer and honest discussion.
LINKS
Georgia Baptist Women in Ministry
North Carolina Baptist Women in Ministry
Virginia Baptist Women in Ministry
Women in Leadership/Ministry, Baptist General Convention of Texas
The Baptist World Alliance Women’s Department