Women Preachers and a Deacon

Rev. Katie Anderson is preaching at Eminence Baptist today, September 16, 2012.

While with a group of folks this week, none of whom are connected to our church, I shared that I was not preaching this Sunday and that Rev. Katie Anderson would be our guest.

“I didn’t know Baptist churches allowed that,” one woman said.

“Many don’t,” I replied, “but our church and a growing number of Baptist churches do.”

The truth is that this Baptist preacher has not always been in support of women as pastor/preachers.  When I arrived at Southern Seminary in 1973, I knew that the pastorate was reserved for men.  After all, how can a woman be the husband of one wife?”  The Bible said it and I believed it. 

The first challenge to my belief was meeting Molly Marshall, a student at Southern.  She was enrolled in the Master of Divinity Degree program, not the Master of Religious Education or the Master of Church Music program.  Over time I would learn that Molly’s call to ministry and her commitment to our Lord was not that far removed from my own experience.  (By the way, Molly is now Dr. Molly T. Marshall, president of Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Shawnee, Kansas.)  Then something else happened. 

I became pastor of Utica Baptist Church just across the river from Louisville in Indiana.  The church organist’s mother was a preacher and lived with her daughter the organist. I was made aware of this, but I chose to ignore it.  Then the mother became ill, and the pastor had to make a pastoral visit.  How could I ignore the ill mother of the church organist?  I made the visit.

Once in the presence of the mother/preacher, I heard myself say something I would never have said had I been in control of my faculties.  “Tell me about your call to ministry.”  WHAT DID I JUST SAY?  Having said it, I had to listen.

This dear lady, who surely knew she was talking to a young man who didn’t approve of her vocation, gently shared her testimony of faith and her call to ministry.  When she finished, all I could think to say was, “Your testimony and call is very similar to my own.”  A young pastor learned an important lesson that day: God calls whom God calls.

What about I Timothy 3:1-7?  Well, I interpret it, which is what the rest of the Bible believers do with the Bible.  Some say they don’t interpret; but they do; otherwise they would be living very different lives, including not ever having another barbequed pork rib.  Particularly, I interpret I Timothy and the rest of the Bible in light of who Jesus is revealed to be.  As I read the gospels, I discover that Jesus didn’t have a  problem with women.  Have you noticed who first proclaimed the tomb empty to the rest of the disciples?  It was Mary Magdalene.

Following Jesus’ lead, we who are Eminence Baptist Church have chosen to affirm God’s call of women, men, girls, and boys.  What does that mean?  If God calls and if the called bear witness to the calling in life and deed, we affirm. 

I’m so pleased to be pastor of a church that affirms all God’s children.  By the way, this church just elected a new deacon chairperson.  She is Donna Duncan.  Yes, that Donna Duncan, my wife.