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| Photo by Evgeni Dinev |
I love reading missionary biographies! The great
missionary women of the past inspire me.
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Mary Slessor with her adopted children: Jean, Alice, Maggie, and Mary. Taken while in Scotland c. 1880. Photo: Dundee City Library Local Resource |
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| Gladys Aylward with her adopted son Gordon and Sarah Griffiths. Photo courtesy of Sarah Griffiths. |
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| Amy Carmichael with children in India |
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I read their stories and am challenged, but I’m always
left with questions. Did these ladies overstep their biblical ministry
boundaries? I’m not sure—although if Mary Slessor actually preached to church groups including men, she did.
We follow in the footsteps of thousands
of effective missionary ladies.
What does the Bible say about our job? Are there firm biblical
guidelines?
Titus 2:3-5—The
aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false
accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach
the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To
be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands,
that the word of God be not blasphemed.
Mature Christian women set
the example and mentor younger women. We’re even told what to teach them: love husbands and children, be disciplined and controlled, live purely, homemaking
skills, be respectable (The Greek word used for good means “excellence.”), and to be submissive to their husbands.
1 Timothy 3:11-12—Even
so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their
own houses well.
We’re examples in our serious, non-gossiping, faithful
way of life. We help our husbands to teach our children.
The Great Commission
(Matthew 29:19-20) is for every
believer. The missionary lady evangelizes and helps the ladies and children in
her church learn to observe all things whatsoever (Jesus) commanded. That’s quite an outline!
The next two passages are about our
behavior in church services:
1 Corinthians 14:34-35—Let
your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to
speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And
if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a
shame for women to speak in the church.
1 Timothy 2:11-14—Let
the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to
teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was
first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived
was in the transgression.
God has a specific order for the home and ministry. Let’s explore this idea further.
In the home—But I would have you
know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the
man; and the head of Christ is God (1
Corinthians 11:3). God the Father—Christ—Man—Wife.
In the church—Wives, submit yourselves unto your own
husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as
Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore
as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands
in every thing (Ephesians 5:22-24). God the Father—Christ—Husband—Wife.
Let them lead! Just as
a married woman yields to her husband’s leadership, a single woman listens to
her father. In the church, women yield leadership to the men. A
woman does not usurp authority over
the men, nor does she teach them. (1 Timothy 2:12, above) I believe this extends to
counseling. Let men counsel men.
Women have the privilege of ministering to 70% of
the world’s population—its women and
children. The Bible outlines how we’re to teach young women. It’s our job to rear our own children
and to help the women in our churches learn to love their children, bringing them up to love and serve God. We’re to educate our church ladies in practical
Christian living. Also, we set the example of respect for pastoral authority through our quiet,
supportive role.
Let me throw out a list of ideas for women’s
ministries:
- Mentor younger women
- Teach children
- Participate in the music ministry
- Interpret services for the hearing impaired
- Teach women in Bible studies and/or Institute classes
- Personal evangelism
- Visit in hospitals
- Biblical counseling for women and teens
- Do graphic design projects for Christian materials, help with information technology
- Share the gospel
- Give out gospel tracts
- Care for children in the church nursery
- Translate (or write) biblical literature
- Visit the elderly and lonely people
- Be a hostess: plan, decorate, cook, clean up, host people in your home and church
- Write encouraging e-mails or send cards, blog, journal, write a book, write a gospel tract
- Help to clean and/or organize at church
- Pray for your pastor, other church leaders, and specific people in your church. Pray for the sick and needy.
- Keep in touch with your church’s missionaries
God bless you as you reach the world
and train Christians for His service!
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1. www.historymakers.info/inspiritational-christians/maryslessor.html.
Article about Mary Slessor, by Rebecca Hickman.
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