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Stephen Garner's avatar

Thanks for this. One of the reasons I've remained committed to my denomination is the full equality of women in all aspects of ministry. I wanted my children, and esp. my daughter, to see that as a reality. My wife is an elder (and session clerk) so she's modelling that too. I've also been shaped positively by women in leadership in a range of context.

What I am seeing, though, is while different churches might have polity that affirms women in ministry if there are no visible signs of that (e.g. the sermon is always preached by a man), then the female leader role models aren't there to encourage and build up the subsequent generations. That manifests itself in an increasing number of young people that I've encountered heading back down the complementarian and male-only leadership because they can't see or imagine anything different. Working on that when I encounter it.

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Caleb Haurua's avatar

Kia ora bro. I remember my home church having its first female elder within the last decade. It wasn't communicated explicitly that they couldn't. It is the systemic way that the Baptists, as a settler-colonial institution, have upheld white patriarchy that has had more light shone on it since I first became part of the haahi over half my life ago. Kia kaha kōrua mō tō mahi :) Proud to have you's as friends who humbly and with grace prophetically call out the Church to be all that she is designed to be. Ngā mihi!

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