The Leadership of the Azusa Street Revival
Some Pentecostals are proud to say that Pentecostals affirm women in ministry. They might point to the leadership of the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles (one of the most influential centers of early North American Pentecostalism), where about half of the leaders were women.
As Pentecostal denominations formed, some churches continued to give prominent place to women leaders. The Pentecostal Holiness Church and the Open Standard Bible Churches have always given women full clergy rights. The same is true of The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, started by Ammie Semple McPherson, and today around 40% of their credential holders are women.
Institutional Restrictions
Most Pentecostal denominations, however, placed restrictions on women’s ministry and leadership in some form.
The Assemblies of God (USA), which began in 1914, has ordained women since 1935. The Church of God (Cleveland, TN), in contrast, still does not grant women their highest level of clergy credentials (they call it “ordained bishop”). As a result, women are restricted from the highest leadership roles in that denomination.
Canada
My friend, Carmen Kampman, at her recent ordination ceremony
In my own Pentecostal denomination, the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC), in 1984, after a full decade of discussion and debate, we finally voted to ordain women. Nevertheless, as of 1986, only 25% percent of ministers thought that women should be elected to leadership roles (as Presbyters, to be specific).
As a result, it wasn’t until General Conference in 1998 that the PAOC finally removed all restrictions to women in leadership. At that event we voted to “provide for gender inclusivity in all matters relating to the credentialing process and qualifications of candidates for the elected offices of District and General Executives” (1998 Conference Minutes, page 16).
Current Ambiguity
My own research shows that even now only 83% percent of PAOC clergy consistently affirm women in leadership (again, specifically in the role of presbyter), with another 8% undecided regarding the issue. Furthermore, less than 6% of lead pastors in the PAOC are women, even though about 27% of all credential holders are women (PAOC Fellowship Stats, 2017)
Women ministers still face obstacles. Patti Miller, lead pastor of a large Pentecostal church in Montreal, pointed out to me that young women, especially staff pastors, often get questioned by people in their church about their leadership roles as women. These questions sometimes even come from their colleagues. Furthermore, some male pastors have stated that in this metoo# environment, they are afraid to hire female pastors onto their staff.
Recent Developments
At the PAOC’s General Conference in May 2018, the General Superintendent, Dave Wells, reminded those in attendance that we affirm women in ministry because Acts reminds us that Jesus pours out the Spirit on both the sons and the daughters.
Patti Miller then presented a summary of the new “PAOC Statement of Affirmation Regarding Gender Equality in Leadership.” Rather than only affirming women in ministry, the statement ends with a number of commitments to intentional action.
This document was prepared by a committee of female and male PAOC leaders over the last 9 months. Going forward the committee hopes to guide churches and leaders in how they can further integrate women into leadership roles in the Church.
Click here to read the “PAOC Statement of Affirmation Regarding Gender Equality in Leadership.”
Leave a comment below by clicking here.
You might also be interested in these posts:
- #MeToo and the Church: #PentecostalSistersToo
- How are Canadian Pentecostal Clergy Changing?
- Updating the PAOC Statement of Faith: Gender and Language
Andrew K. Gabriel, Ph.D., is the author of Simply Spirit-Filled: Experiencing God in the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit (forthcoming) as well as three academic books, including The Lord is the Spirit. He is a theology professor at Horizon College and Seminary and serves on the Theological Study Commission for the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. You can follow him on Facebook or on Twitter.
That trully was a watershed moment at conference. My wife serves with me as the Connections Pastor. While most of my leadership affirms her, there still are those who ask, ‘Why do people call her Pastor Sue, shes just the pastors wife?’
I’ve been a “woman in ministry” for the last 12 years in the PAOC. I have never once been confronted by the thought that I am secondary because of my gender and have let my work speak for itself instead. It’s nice that this has been formally recognized, but let’s stick to hiring staff and pastors because of their character, competence, calling, chemistry & commitment to serving the Church. Please, churches: never hire a woman to be the token woman on staff to up the ratio of women to men in ministry. That is a dangerous practice.
Indeed. Thanks for your words of caution!
Quote from the document…. “Although women were present when the PAOC was originally chartered in 1919, the first directors were male, and the Memorandum of Agreement declared that the PAOC was to be controlled by ordained Elders and Pastors, all male.” I guess the big question that is never really addressed is… Why was this allowed to happen? Why not just come out and say that the PAOC was in error all these years and is now repenting of it’s sin? Would that be so hard to do, or does spiritual pride get in the way?
That is probably part of it. But the other part of it is that it is easy to convince _others_ to follow the current trajectory if you can identify ways that it is consistent with the earliest expressions of the tradition.
I’ve been doing a 3 part series on women at our local PAOC church and I am made curious by a concept I read in Psychology Today regarding “Gender Equality Paradox.” While I am preaching the egalitarian position it seems to indicate that despite our efforts in this regard – the outcomes may not be what we would expect. I think that people have used the created order (where God made them “male & female”) to oppress women and we are bringing in to focus the new kingdom order (where there is neither male nor female) to release women yet it seems that the created order may be playing more of a role than we had anticipated. Something that I think deserves some fleshing out.
Thanks for sharing. What were you referring to when you said “the created order may be playing more of a role than we had anticipated”?
I am so happy at reading the statement of gender equality in leadership. While many women have served and have been supported in church leadership, often their service has been contingent on the acceptance of the existing male leadership in the congregation. With this statement, all men in PAOC leadership have the opportunity to review the statement, re-visit their theology and philosophy regarding the equality of women and be intentional about moving over to give space to the gifted women around them. It is wonderful to see the that the PAOC has wrestled with the lens of the previous less-than-affirming interpretations of the scriptures to validate the position of women as equal to men though different.
I can’t speak for all women but I don’t want to be a lead pastor. I’d be quite happy as assistant. Not because of roadblocks but because of choice.
Thanks for your comment. I’m sure many men feel that way too (I do 🙂 ). But I do wonder (I really don’t know) if more women feel that way than men.
The Bible is very clear. Any woman who is made a pastor or a leader in the Church ignores the word of God and His will. They condemn their congregation with heretical leadership and the darkness that comes with it.
I used to be ok with women pastors but have changed my mind. I cannot see it in scripture. Why would Jesus not have chosen a woman as a disciple? Prophets and Apostles in new and old testament? Yes one can point out a few exceptions. It is not the rule. The PAOC seems driven by the culture now more than ever. There is a divine order we are ignoring – in the family and in the church. Doesn’t mean one is better than the other. God made women for particular roles and men for other roles. The temperament and emotions of one vs the other should tell us that. There is a difference between a man and a women and we need to ask why did God do that? (and it is not just church leadership)
Now regarding the 6% female lead pastors mentioned above. I have heard that at a General Conference breakout session on women in ministry (which by the way was poorly attended and had not very compelling biblical arguments). If we want to play the numbers game and then keep quoting the bible as a defense (Deborah, Phebe etc.) then how about using the % women in the bible vs men. I’m guessing it is much less than 6%. Again, we should be asking why? That breakout session in 2018? No answers.
“Patti Miller then presented a summary of the new “PAOC Statement of Affirmation Regarding Gender Equality in Leadership.” Rather than only affirming women in ministry, the statement ends with a number of commitments does intentional action.” That sentence is disturbing. We are going to have some type of affirmative action? Where does competency come in? For that matter God?
It’s time we stopped being influenced by popular culture and look at this from a biblical perspective. Some would argue that we are. Oh really? Why then is this issue paralleling what is happening in the world?
Full on disobedience of Scripture. Women are not to preach or have authority in the Church over a man. Stick with what the Bible teaches.
Amen. As Peter said in Acts 5:29. It is Vital /important to obey God; than to worry about moral men.
Cos man’s rules will change with their own opinions and seasons but God we must fear; PAOC won’t take you to heaven or give you eternal. Serve God with fear and trembling. God’s word is not complicated very simple men should not twist it. There’s consequence follows. 1Cornth 14:32-35 & 1Tim 2:12. Amen 🙏