Imagine if men and women could contribute equally to serving and leading the Church. How much stronger and healthier the kingdom of God might be? This book explores what healthy partnerships can look like through Biblical exploration and practical insights from different contexts and how we can overcome barriers of tradition or misunderstanding that hinder us.
Published as the latest volume in the World Evangelical Alliance’s (WEA) Global Issues Series, the book features theologians and missions experts who challenge readers to think beyond the usual debate about the role of women in the Church. With topics ranging from women in the Bible, Jesus’ encounters with women, to women and men in ministry in first-century churches and contemporary stories of women and men partnering for God’s Kingdom, the book draws on insights from evangelical Bible teachers and thinkers in mission from 13 different nations and cultures.
Bp Dr Thomas Schirrmacher, who recently assumed the role of WEA Secretary General after serving in WEA’s Theological Commission for many years, has written in the foreword, “I hope that this book helps to inspire all Christians to work together for equal opportunity, equality in ministry, according to gifting and for recognition of the very real contribution women make as we pray ‘your kingdom come’.”
The book’s editors, Amanda Jackson and Dr Peirong Lin, have written that they want readers to explore what positive partnerships can look like in the Christian world today and how we can overcome distrust. “We want the Church to be more effective, more healthy, for families and church leaders”, said Peirong Lin, who is the first woman appointed as Deputy Secretary General of the WEA.
The book is aimed at leaders of Christian networks and churches, local church leaders and young people. It includes eight stories from across the world that deal honestly with the opportunities and issues facing woman and men. Every chapter has reflection questions to ground the ideas in personal experience.
Amanda Jackson, who leads the Women’s Commission, explained the project, “We wanted to explore how women and men can serve and lead together in healthy ways which are ‘biblical’ and avoid the acrimony over women preaching and leading that we all know about, and which seems to have increased in recent years rather than subsiding.”
The book has a number of actions individuals and churches can take, at a pace that suits their context. It is a follow-on to the Call to All Christians, written by 60 women leaders in 2019 and endorsed by the WEA and the Lausanne Movement. The book will be accompanied by webinars in June.
The book is available FREE to download as PDF.
Authors: Andrew Bartlett, Andy and Emma Dipper, Alison Guinness, Mary Evans, Rosalee Velloso Ewell, Amanda Jackson, Peirong Lin, Jay Matenga, Margaret Mowczko, Florence Muindi, Samuel O. Okanlawon, Evi Rodemann, Gabriel & Jeanette Salguero, Madleine Sara, Leslie and Chad Neal Segraves, Amy Summerfield, Menchit Wong
NZCN is the New Zealand member of the World Evangelical Alliance. This article appears on the WEA Women’s Commission site here
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