This is not something I felt impressed of the Lord to share. These are my own personal thoughts and observations. That being said I know I’m not the only one who feels this way.

Over the past several months and hectic year that is 2020 I’ve seen multiple prominent ministers with prominent platforms speak out about different important issues. These issues include racism, injustice, and also a stand for life. This is a great thing. We need Christian voices to speak on these issues.

The one thing that I noticed in all of this is that these same people who were quick to call racism a sin (which is absolutely correct) do not apply the same veracity and vigor to sexism.

Thankfully, I belong to a church that fully affirms women in the 5 fold ministry and speaks on relevant social issues. I know there are other churches who do also. If the church doesn’t speak out who will?

What I’m talking about is that the church as a whole has largely been comfortable with sexism because it is the way it’s always been.

For example, when a prominent minister speaks out and essentially tells female pastors to “go home” where are their voices then? As theologians continue to cripple half of the body of Christ under their watch by denying women full operation in the 5 fold ministry – they say nothing. Segregation used to be argued by pastors and theologians too.

What we’re currently allowing is a form of spiritual segregation.

I know that many of these silent ministers fully affirm women in ministry but they won’t say anything rebuffing ministers who don’t. I’ve watched as great men of God said absolutely nothing when their voices were absolutely needed. They are starkly silent. It begs the question why? Frankly, I think they don’t want the fight.

There’s a reason this is so controversial. It’s an historical spiritual oppression that has plagued women since the garden and no one wants to challenge it. This is a spiritual problem that requires spiritual answers.

My goal here is not to be confrontational but to ask a question that hopefully leads to a different result.

If a prominent minister said the same thing to a racial minority in America “go home” many would speak up. If doctrines in the church were teaching that people of certain ethnic groups could not operate in the 5 fold ministry there would be outrage.

Where’s the outrage for women? It creates a dynamic in which women are constantly fighting an uphill battle where only the most extreme progressive voices support them. Then we wonder why the younger generation is increasingly progressive. Those who know the truth stay silent.

Not allowing women to operate fully in the 5 fold ministry is no longer a doctrinal issue but a moral one. How long will we as the church allow this? In the past, we’ve tolerated other things far too long and now look back in shame. I think the issue of women will also be one of these areas.

The ultimate problem is that church leadership does not believe that sexism is equal to racism and that it is also a sin. Both racism and sexism are in direct violation of Galatians 3:28, NASB: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Isn’t it interesting how God equates race with gender? Because He knew these were two topics we’d still be fighting until today.

Why? Because so many in the church still have their own hangs up when it comes to women. Sexism traverses race, country of origin, ethnicity, and culture. That’s why it’s so hard to fight. Sometimes, I think church leaders are not entirely sure where they stand. Sometimes I think they are downright confused because their doctrines are conflicting with what the Holy Spirit is speaking.

A dividing line is being drawn. Those who continue to limit His women are going to have to answer for why they have limited His Gospel, why they have presented Him so inaccurately, and the fact they have caused many to fall away.

The lack of engagement from church leaders who know the truth leaves a wide open door for people who do not know God to tackle this issue. Then Christians wonder why things look the way they do. When it becomes highly progressive they then speak up and complain about how wrong it is. Where were they when they cried out for help to begin with? This has largely fallen on deaf ears.

People like me have to come out of the woodwork and say something. It shouldn’t be this way.

I’ve had to conceal my gender in order to share many of my writings within Christian circles. Why? Because men are not willing to hear about a woman’s place in the church from a woman. They feel it’s “safer” if they hear it from someone who they think is male. They especially don’t want to hear it from a female ordained minister. If I were male there would be no conflict. Sad but true.

This does not cause me to lose faith in the Gospel because I know these things do not accurately represent Christ. This is not who Christ is. What it does do is show how we are still operating based upon our own biases and cultural upbringings rather than Christ culture.

We have to begin operating in Kingdom culture because the Third Great Awakening is here.

Many have rejected Christ or left the church because of these reasons I’ve stated in this article. Our behavior as the church is setting an example and it’s not always setting a good one. How we treat people matters and how we address social issues matters. When we stay silent and provide no solution we appear complicit.

When people are turning away from the Gospel because of us something has to change. Jesus is beautiful, perfect, and right and we have to display this to a world looking for answers.