Thanks, Kevin, for this well-reported and thoughtful piece. I have to say, though, the last sentence caught me by surprise, and probably shouldn't be left as the last word. I travel widely around N. American Protestantism, and in churches that do not ordain women I find tons of women under 32. Clearly it's not unthinkable for _them._

I have been told by more than one woman that women under 32 will, frankly, go where the men under 32 are. And the men tend to go to churches that are led by men (not least because in many places those are practically the only energetic, growing, evangelistic options).

For the record, I am a complete and fervent supporter of churches recognizing the gifts of women for every kind of ministry and leadership, including preaching, teaching, and celebrating the sacraments. And I wish I believed that there is a generation coming that for biblical reasons sought out churches that develop and honor women as leaders. But I'm not seeing it, in fact quite the reverse!

When God opens a door, who can shut it?

My father tells a story of an elderly woman in Ukraine. After she heard the gospel, she wanted to share it with others. She got on her rickety bicycle and rode to the next village. A church sprang up there. She went to the next village. And the next. And the next.

In total, she planted 88 churches.

I would challenge women who feel called to this particular ministry. Do it. Don't wait for acknowledgement by "men." Just go and do what God has called you to do. He'll open the doors that are needed.

Women are critical to the mission of the church. They always have been since the creation of humanity. That is not changed just because their voices were not proportionately represented.

“I think it will be different in ten or twenty years, because for women today who are age 32 or under, the thought of going to a church where women cannot lead is increasingly unthinkable.”

I am a woman under age 32. Barely. Yet I still attend a church where women are tightly limited in the capacities in which they are allowed to lead. It chafes, but I love my church. I just can't really discuss my views on women in leadership without being ganged up on. What to do? I'm not sure, but I certainly don't want my daughter growing up thinking that God has placed limits on her use of her gifts based on her gender...

I'm glad this was a great experience for you. As for the lack of women, the issue of women in leadership tends to eb and flow. Satan increases his attacks because he desperately does not want women in leadership. As Tami said, once God opens a door, though, no one can close it. Woe be unto anyone who tries. The Acts 29 group can't continue to stand against God forever.

Now, I know everyone hears reports of the Methodist church's imminent demise, but as Twain said, rumors of our death have been greatly exaggerated. I attend a Methodist church that has well over 7000 members and has women in leadership and encourages women to use their gifts. There are many other Methodist churches like ours. The moral of the story is that if we focus on serving God, then God will take care of we women.

Nothing in scripture remotely restricts women as evangelists. Church planting is a different situation entirely. Church leadership many think, is restricted to qualified men. One can discuss that issue and come to different conclusions. But if one takes the 2nd view church planting is much more church leadership rather than evangelism.

I see nothing unscriptural about women being involved in the church planting process. However, I do think Scripture is a little more clear on men's and women's roles regarding the pastoral office.

Churches that do not ordain women as clergy must learn how to articulate their reasons for this practice in a way that affirms the dignity and role of women in the church, rather than coming off as merely negative.

I don't think a woman-led church is illegitimate as a church, but I would say that this scenario is not God's ideal. If it was, so much of what Paul said in his epistles would have to be rendered obsolete now.

Thank you for this insightful article. This question has been rolling over in my heart and mind for months now. I presently serve as an assistant and am grateful I serve with pastors who recognize the gifts and call in a woman. As more male leaders speak up and acknowledge genuine female leaders it will help pave the wave for those truly called to be church planters. Our focus should always be about building and advancing God's Kingdom regardless of gender. Your article was encouraging!

The tagline for this conference was "Experience God's church planting movement around the world", but I think the conference was targeted at church planters in the U.S. and consciously or unconsciously the organizers filtered their list of potential speakers based on their appeal to the majority of U.S.-based church planters.

Church planting on mission fields around the world has for a long time had a huge representation of women. There are very few single men on the mission field and large numbers of single women in addition to those married women partnering with their husbands. For a long time, women with leadership gifts quietly went off to the mission field to plant and lead churches and were supported by home churches that continued to restrict women here to teaching Sunday School and leading ladies' Bible studies. Because of the intial ground-breaking of these fields by women, many of the indigenous leaders who have followed behind the cross-cultural missionaries are also women. Perhaps this conference should bring in some of these overseas church-planting women (both missionaries and indigenous leaders) to speak at the next conference. That is, if they truly want to see what God is doing around the world.

Thanks for the comments. I went last year and had some of the same thoughts. However, I know the Fergusons and I have never thought of them as anything but very supportive of women in ministry. Perhaps your comments will give them opportunity to think and pray about how the Lord may want to use women in this arena.

I think Dave Olson is right about the 32 and under crowd. This is a group that has grown up with women leaders in all areas of life and can then see how Paul's instructions were for a specific point in time (the same with his instructions for slaves. Now how many of you think his instructions support slavery?). They're going to think that it's ridiculous for women to be Secretaries of State, astronaughts, etc, yet "be easily deceived" and not able to plant and lead churches.

Interestingly enough, out of 50 speakers (give or take) I'm the only chica at the National Outreach Convention this year. :)

This article is very interesting. I am a female church planter and I would have loved to attend this event. Unfortunately, the location and time of year were not feasible for my schedule. Perhaps it would be helpful if this event was available twice a year, in multiple locations such as Virginia, Washington DC, Philadelphia, or New York. Remember as new church planters there are different obligations on the leaders that would preclude them from being too far away from the new development.

I totally agree with this statement “neither the church nor the culture is ready for women to plant churches” I would like to add that over the years I have found that as a female church planter most male pastors or leaders are intimidated by women in leadership. Amazingly enough let’s face the facts; women in ministry are held to a higher standard, and oftentimes they more educated, and more qualified than their male counterparts. I find it applauding that leaders in the body of Christ are still debating this issue about whether a woman is permitted to be a pastor. Consequently, I have grown accustomed to the challenges and obstacles of the mandate on my life as a woman pastor. I believe that time is too short to be caught up in the political bureaucracy. Yet our primary objective should really be to disciple the unreached people not only in foreign countries, but in our cities, and communities as well.

I think the comment in the last paragraph "For women today, the thought of going to a church where women are unable to lead is increasingly unthinkable" shows one of the crisis I believe the church will soon face. Something will have to change. Either women must be allowed to use their gifts and their voice with freedom and with encouragement OR we will lose the women of the next generation and there will be a dearth of volunteers in the local church.

I've planted twice, both times as a worship pastor, yet that hardly seems to count. The male is deferred to, even at conferences, etc. where entire teams are present.

What is so sad to me is that this is not really noticed. It's considered normal.

Houston, we have a problem!

Hi I'm a christian and am totally against women preaching in the church.It is worse than nuclear missles ready to fire off.Women have enough to deal with in the homes they reside in,children need a mother and the father needs to be the bread winner that he is.The bible never said that women can preach in the churches,this violation is found in 1corinthians14;34&35.Any questions?

I am a female church planter in Rochester, NY. www.BlessedHopeCC.org.
I so appreciate the fact that CT has addressed this issue at all! Thank you so much for talking about the elephant in the room! And I am still singing Dave Furguson's praises! Yes, there are very, very few of us and those of us that are planting as senior pastors are doing pioneering work! And yes, the satanic attacks on us are HUGE because of what we represent in God's Kingdom. He might be able to slow down the work of God, but he can't stop it! We have baptized over 60 people since our church began and we are still growing strong! BHCC is hosting the first ever church planting conference for WOMEN in 2010! More info on the Christ Driven Women site. It's time for women to rise up and lead like Christ! Thanks again for this awesome article Kevin!

"automatically exclude as leaders 60 percent of today's college graduates."???
Are we now assuming that the college graduate pool is our only source for future church planters?
Is that insensitive?

In response to johnjusko: That may be all well and good. But, not all women and men are married. So, what then? From what I have learned of churches outside the US, they are not as restrictive as American churches, which tend to frown on women in leadership no matter, even if Scripture offers a gray area, they've deemed it black and white.

Hi,
i am a women and i am leading a church.
But i know the problem.
I'm from Germany. And i the most meetings withother leader's i'm the only women.
Sorry, somethimes some pastor'S women sty with their pastors.
:)

I think it's a environmental conditioning. The most people in church are thinking pastors/ churchplanters should be men.

if we want to have more female churchplanters, the male pastors should support the women.
lot's of love from germany.
sandy

Women and men are equal in all areas of our Christian life. We have the same chance to grow in maturity and learn about God as the other. But Scripture declares that women are to be silent in church and Paul wrote that women are not to have authority over men. I know some will say that was a different time and I read in a previous comment on slavery how it is wrong and what Paul wrote could not be used for today. I say that where does that argument end and what will we use and not use found in Scripture. All of it is relevant today and we should act as if it were written today. Just because you do not agree with what has been wrote does not mean it is culturally irralevant. Slavery is just another form of government hust like our republic democracy (now that is bold). Gov are only good if the leaders are good. We either must obey the Word or not read it at all. It is either Gods Word or it is just a good read. Only in Christianity are women revered and honored. Just because men and women have diffferent roles does not mean one role is better than the other. God Bless.

Dear Beloved's in Christ

Greetings to you in His Wonderful Name! We are so thankful to the Lord for this great privilege to contact you with much prayers and shedding tears about the terrible floods calamity in many districts of Andhra Pradesh. We are very regret to inform you this sad matter about the terrible floods and severe cyclone in our 12 districts of Andhra Pradesh in this Septemember last week and October first week 2009.

We hope and trust that have heard this bad new through the Televisions and News Papers which was happened in Andhra Pradesh .God varies, Dames and Projects of 12 Districts of Andhra Pradesh, great havoc. The flood situation worsened in 12 districts as heavy rain lashed those districts even the level of the Dams. The danger level due to heavy rains the catchments 12 districts.

As a result of heavy rains for almost all one week and the rivers, canals, pools and Dams were overflowed and breached in those places. Due to the High capacity of the water all the fields, crops, villages and other interior areas were fully drowned. Thousands of hundreds of families were affected with their houses inundated in floodwaters. The unprecedented rains paralyzed normal life completely. Thousands of families were evacuated to safer places while hundreds of villages were completely marooned in the flood waters. All the crops in thousands of acres were completely damaged and destroyed.

Many people and children were died in the flood waters. All the roads were also breached and damaged. Nothing left to those people in their areas due to the heavy floods. So many people are living at present on the railway stations, , streets, and other places. All who have been devastated from the flooding by cyclone Flood waters have been up from 10 to 15 feet’s. Those districts of people who are crying for food, clothing, drinking water, medical care and other essential items in their severe distress. They are in great crisis.

We write this letter to you with much shedding tears and prayers for your kind sympathetic consideration of this appeal and uphold them in your prayers. Still, there are flood waters in many areas. (Matthew 25: 34- 46.) Your prayers are very essential now for those who were lost and flood affected families. Please remember those families in your prayers to restore all that they had lost in the floods calamity and for this great tragedy. Will you please share this news with your friends and relatives and other churches for prayers.

May the Lord richly bless you and prosper you in all the ways and lead you to uphold those people and our mission people. Anxiously, waiting for your favorable and encouraging early response. Please do not hesitate to contact us. With much prayers and love!

In His Love,

V.George Raju
Helpiing hands in India
Karkakyipeta
Amalapuram 53321
E.G.Dt. A.P. India