Are Conservative Christians Pushing Women out the Door?

NEWS FLASH: The disenfranchised are not going to Stay

Old. White. Men.

There I said it. I dare to speak it. I fearfully tread down the hallway toward the closed door session of my church’s leadership.

But I am jumping ahead, some background first.

An Invitation that was not to be Accepted

In Sunday services, an announcement read that there would be a meeting to discuss matters about the future of the church. As a responsible member of the congregation, I made it my business to attend.

No one told me that this invitation was not intended for me. After all, I was a single female with children. {gasp}

Many reading this will probably raise an eyebrow and say, so what? But I assure you that in the church, this prejudice exists. Especially when the church is a traditional Lutheran congregation, with a proud 125 year history in the Midwest.

Back to my story, to this unattached, unwed mother dares to step into the meeting room. Upon entering, all eyes discreetly swing my way as the discussion begins. At a break in the very serious discussions of whether the Pastor should be allowed to submit the bills for long distance calls from the church office or if he needs to eat the cost.

Eventually, the leader in the meeting, obviously very important since he appears to be days away from embalmment, he asks the reason for my attendance. When it is discovered that I had no actual business to bring, I was excused because this is a ‘serious’ conversation with confidentiality implications.

I left. Humiliated. Perplexed. Hurt.

Old. White. Men. (Part 2)

This episode transpired in the mid-1990’s. At the time, attendance was only beginning to decline.

The leaders did not recognize that our generation was not going to serve as vessels to bring forth the next generation and then quietly age in the back pews, to die to quiet death in servitude. They missed the signs, the trends, the needs of over half of the congregation.

They are closed.

The Exodus

It is no surprise that membership at traditional churches is dwindling so low that thousands of churches closed each and every day.

Where are they going? Are they forsaking their faith entirely? Are they forgetting to serve God, their Lord?

The great news is NO! They are not.

You find women of faith in existence, as they always have been, everywhere. They are your mother, your sister, your friend. The fact is that women remain the faithful anchor of society. Women continue to guide and nurture.

Women has simply run out of patience for corporate churches. Women are tired of being continually reminded that they are the ‘lesser’ beings. Women are tired of being quiet and not sharing their ideas.

Tired of not sharing their faith.

Old. White. Men. (Part 3)

The patriarch is quick to point to passages in the Bible that support their positions. They are there. There is Timothy — the guide to aspiring pastors. There is Paul — fiery convert known for early killing of Christians only to turn to their BFF. And let’s not forget Adam. Mr. Throw-Her-Under-the-Bus himself.

Strangely, they forget the parts where women are great leaders. They are not only steadfast role models, heroes, teachers, and acting in the role as patroness, but students of Jesus.

Yes, these are the parts forgotten or simply diminished.

We are out there — come find us

So, now you are surprised that we are leaving. We are not staying to serve on your ‘hospitality’ committees. A kind way to say cooks and maids.

Where are we now? Good news! We are not hiding.

We are leading in every other aspect of life.