You asked my opinion on the article “Women pastors / preachers? What does the Bible say about women in ministry?” or on the site ‘gotquestions’?

The latter first..This is not a site I would use for preparation of my sermons for anything related to Biblical Interpretation. For such matters, especially if it is something doctrinal, I would use more primary sources and more inclusive and ecumenically focused commentaries.

Now that does not mean gotquestions is not useful. However, I do use sources like gotquestions when presenting on a controversial topic in order to represent an opposing position. I doubt I would agree with a lot of other articles there as well, since our starting points are so different (read their Statement of Faith). I simply do not share some of their beliefs and neither do many of us who belong to the Jamaica Baptist Union. Go read our Beliefs, note the differences and let us discuss them here or at Jamaica Christian Youth.

By now you must have anticipated that I do not agree with the article! It does pretend to be presenting a balanced view on the subject, but descends into the most far-fetched conclusion as a result of those said arguments that I had to laugh. Basically, I disagree with the author. I’ll show you why in a separate post.

Blessings,
Marvia

You are not the only one who is shocked sometimes to see what has been happening over the last 2 decades. I know 20 years is a lifetime for some of you – to me it is like several lifetimes based on the many changes I have witnessed or actively participated in their coming into being.

In 1995 I was the 3rd Jamaican female accepted by the JBU for training in pastoral ministry. My female pastoral role-model was Rev. Marjorie Lewis. Anyone who knew Marjorie back then or now, will immediately understand why. At the time, I had not yet seen our first female pastor trained by the JBU – Rev. Doreen Winter. She was one of 3 (this included one female from Guyana).

In 2007, I lived to hear a young female minister in training publicly testify of my role in her accepting the call of God to pastoral service. I was the first female pastor she ever met, and this was 1999!! By then there were 8 of us out on the field. Today there are about 15 including 5 in training. ** Someone help me with these figures please…so many I’m confused now

We have come a long way indeed. And yet women pastors of the JBU continue to face challenges in ministry especially regarding ‘mode of dress’. The President’s admonishment at the Sunday morning worship at the National Arena was dead on on target. Women in our Jamaican Baptist congregations waste far too much time squabbling over what other women wear. The fields truly are ripe – but focused labourers are busy pointing at the bareheads (no hat!!), women in pants (what????), jewellery, make-up, and skirt hems. Need I mention the type of hairstyle and quantity of ‘tall hair’??

International Women’s Day is coming up on March 8th – I’ll save some until later…
Marvia

And then while at assembly another thing struck me, many of the older female deacons who were serving communion where wearing white (i thought dem deh days deh ova!- ie if they wear it out of some false obligation but if its because they felt like wearing white and look good in it no prob) Immediately i recalled seeing a black and white photo in one of the St. Catherine Baptist Association Youth Arm’s – SACABAYA anniversary mags (the one that you edited Marvia) and i realized that all the women in the pic of the communion service up Snacnud, (Duncans) were wearing white! (yes a know is a black and white photo but still all da girls in da pic wore white).

When a look on things like that i have to say God know what him was doing when he saw it fit for me to be born in the late 80′s, cause mi nuh know how I’d cope back den…

Thank God for the women and men who brought us this far but we still have some way to go…

Bless
Derri