Planting Churches among the City's Poor - Volume 1

P ART III: P LANTING U RBAN C HURCHES • 393

Ordination of Women Q and A Rev. Dr. Don L. Davis

Question Hello Dr. Davis! I am writing you to get your insights into ordination, particularly ordination of women. We are privileged to have a strong sister who is a member of our congregation, who is a committed worker here at our church and is incredibly dedicated to building God’s kingdom! We understand it would be advantageous for her if she was ordained; it would help her navigate through the secular areas where she ministers without so much difficultly. We are wrestling with the issue of what the Scriptures teach regarding women being ordained, and in particular leadership over men. Our church is closely associated with a more conservative church movement, and it is not typical for us to ordain women (none of our other churches have done this that I can recall), but if we are only doing so because of tradition, we are open to examining the Scriptures to see this issue more clearly. Please share with us (the elders of our church) your understanding of this issue. God will use this sister regardless of any titles she is given by men; we only want to do what glorifies God and pleases Him! Answer Thank you so much for your note on ordination, and, more specifically, on the ordination of women. Being a part of a historically Black denomi nation, as well as an inter-denominational urban missions organization, I have been a part of and am aware of evangelical communions which wholeheartedly affirm a more egalitarian understanding (over against a more complimentarian vision) of the role of women in ministry, specifically in both missions and church polity. In the AME church (African Methodist Episcopal communion) in which I was raised, the ordination of women was a fundament in its clergy life, being a denomination that was deeply informed from the 18th century onwards by the black-white disparity in American society, and the recognition of godly, gifted, and anointed females whom the communion assessed to be able and willing to accept the role of pastoral care. Even in light of this, I totally appreciate your questions, issues, and concerns about women being ordained, and, as this is a question where Bible-believing evangelicals have sparred over for many years, I hope my opinion and input can bring at least the evidence and arguments for my view. You will find attached a document that we use routinely in our TUMI training entitled “The Role of Women in Ministry” which