Cast Aside But Irrevocably Blessed

In 1991, I became aware that God was calling me into the ministry as an evangelist. In the Bible, Ephesians 4:11-12 (New International Version), we learn that God, ” . . . gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.”

Unfortunately, it is not always the case that a woman, called by God, gets the opportunity to walk in her calling. As many know, the use of women by God has always been a controversial topic in many churches. But I agree with the scripture and say let God be true and every man be a liar (Romans 3:4). In 2 Corinthians 13, Paul wrote and said, ” . . . in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” Let’s use that same standard he set to settle this controversy, if possible. Number one, God chose Deborah, a woman and prophetess (a prophetess is a female prophet), to be a Judge over the Children of Israel (Judges 4:4). Number two, Moses’ sister was a prophetess (Exodus 15:20). Number three, Anna was a prophetess who was there in the Temple when Mary and Joseph brought Jesus there after His birth (Luke 2:36-38). And significantly, number four, we see Mary Magdalene, after being sent by Jesus, run to tell the Apostles that Jesus had risen (John 20:17-18). During this Easter season that same sermon will be repeated throughout the world. It’s important to note that at first the Apostles didn’t believe Mary either; so, to all the female ministers out there, we are in great company. Now compare all these witnesses against the one passage in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, where the Apostle Paul says, “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak . . . for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.”