Are there too many women in the church? Is it possible that the very presence of women and their kingdom activity are deterrents for men to respond to the gospel or get involved in ministry? Carolyn James asks these question in a provocative post that recaps her conversation with John Piper about women’s involvement in their local church.
John Piper responded expressing his concern abou the feminization of the church. Like Carolyn said in her post, this expression often gives me pause. I’ve heard Michael Horton on the White Horse Inn express the same concern. Maybe you’ve heard the complaints about the trend in contemporary Christian music to write ‘Jesus is your boyfriend’ type lyrics that would make any man uncomfortable? Or you’ve heard about the emphasis in church groups to ’share your feelings’, a very womanly behavior that often excludes men?
I’ve heard these concerns and have been concerned about these troubling trends as well. But this doesn’t answer Carolyn’s question. “Are there too many women in the church?”
Did Paul worry about ‘feminization’ when he planted the church in Philippi with a committed team of women? Can women, ‘can anyone’, do too much for the kingdom? And if men are holding back, is the solution to restrain or sideline women? Or does not the very scope of our mission in the world mean we should be calling both men and women to serve God heart and soul and to do it together?
The other day in conversation about a number of good things that are being left undone in churches, I responded by saying, “Maybe God is allowing these things to go undone so that the situation will get so bad the men will have to get involved.” In other words, I was implying that God is letting people and needs go uncared for in order to teach a more important principle – the church will not survive without men. Only in situations of last resort will God call upon women, because men in service to the church are God’s first choice.
I recant!
Maybe you go to a very ‘manly’ church, as I do. There is no indication of feminization in any corner. You sing manly hymns, only men serve as ushers, there are no women deacons (even unofficial) or elders, women serve only at the piano or in the nursery during worship. Feminization is not a concern. Yet I feel at some ‘manly’ churches women are having to restrain their gifts, step to the sidelines or whisper in their husbands (if they are married, they have widows and single women) ears. Is this God’s plan? Or, as Carolyn asks in closing, does not the very scope of our mission in the world mean we should be calling both men and women to serve God heart and soul and to do it together?
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Are our men this delicate that they would allow themselves to be pushed out of service because the women have taken over?
God calls us to service, should we ignore his voice? I'm trying to start a small 1/2 an hour per week Bible study with seniors at our church to prepare them for the challenges to their faith they'll face when they go to college. Should I have waited for a guy to do it? No one has come forward before this, why shouldn't I think they won't do it this year as well? It's already September.
Sorry but if guys aren't taking the lead it's not because we're there. We're there because there is a need and it needs to be filled. I don't look at myself as a substitute
Way to go Michele! We didn't have a High School Sunday School for a couple of years because no man would volunteer. There were women who were willing and qualified. As a Mom of one of those HS students I'm afraid waiting for a man to teach was a matter of putting priorities in the wrong place and my son suffered because of this.
Your right – your not a substitute. We need to realize God doesn't have a Plan B – if the need is there and you fill it, you are (woman who fill that need) are his first choice.
Way to go Michele! We didn't have a High School Sunday School for a couple of years because no man would volunteer. There were women who were willing and qualified. As a Mom of one of those HS students I'm afraid waiting for a man to teach was a matter of putting priorities in the wrong place and my son suffered because of this.
Your right – your not a substitute. We need to realize God doesn't have a Plan B – if the need is there and you fill it, you are (woman who fill that need) are God's first choice.
I agree with you Chris, God does not have a plan B.Unfortunately I think many Christian's do.As women we are made in the image of God,taken from Adams rib to stand beside men and serve our Lord in obedience to His call. This doesn't mean that we say "I'll wait and see if any men step forward before I say, yes Lord.Obviously scripture addresses area's where men clearly are to lead,it's the gray area's where pride get's in the way.
Pride – so often comes down to that doesn't it? Great point – thanks for commenting.
I think the problem may be that there are too few men! Not in numbers necessarily but in willingness to serve. I do not doubt that there are churches that have been 'feminized'. I wonder if men find this type of environment oppressive and uncomfortable. It would make sense for those men who are in a non-feminized church to fear this trend and become unwilling to acknowledge the abilities and gifts of the women in their own churches and instead relegate them to the non threatening womanly areas of nursery and food service. But pigeonholing women and the failure of men to step up are two different things. In other words, if men do not allow women to venture out of the nursery, then one would think they would be willing to make sure there is enough man power to serve in the other areas of the church. What is it that is keeping them from eagerly serving, looking for and welcoming opportunities to serve, and encouraging women to serve as co laborers?
I have the same question as you –
I think the two questions are intertwined, what is keeping them from eagerly serving and encouraging women to serve as co-laborers? I suspect if men were joyfully serving they would be more welcoming to women as co-laborers. But, when there is a vacuum they fear women will rush in and fill that vacuum. What is sad though, is the church suffers and the vacuum remains unfilled.
Thanks for bringing up this point – very helpful. Also, sorry for the late response, the week flew by.
Hmmm, how much of this issue do you think has to do with cultural pressure? Most of the men I observe in our churches are working full-time, parenting to some extent and trying to stay on top of other household duties. Just to have the time to participate in a couple of church-related functions is many times a task in and of itself. It is sad, but seems that unless he is employed by the church, service there seems to be another commitment competing for his time. Thus, enter women. We are more readily available and tend toward the social and organizational environments anyway. A great question, and one I think we'd all agree on. I think the bigger question is what to do about it.