It’s challenging being a woman in today’s culture because of social media, the fast pace of life, and the mental load we carry. When you add ministry to the mix, things level up. Women who minister to others often feel lonely, misunderstood, and unsupported. Sometimes, we feel as if we have a huge target on our backs.
The stories are too common; women whose ministry roles brought them face-to-face (or screen-to-screen) with critics whose only thought was belittling or objectifying the female in front of them. Exhibit A: I once had a church member ask me what I wrote about. “Women in the Bible,” I answered.
“Oh, so you’re a femi-Nazi,” he said.
Exhibit B: female worship leader friends who’ve confided that a man said they “looked sexy” after the service.
Exhibit C: Beth Moore. By now, you’ve most likely seen the headlines about her exit from Southern Baptists (my own denomination). It grieves my heart that Beth felt she had no option but to leave. However, I totally understand her doing so. I’ve watched with growing dismay as she’s been vilified, mocked, and hounded on social media. The angry mob grew especially loud after she refused to support Trump or be silent about a) racism and b) the ways our denomination’s leaders and pastors had dealt with sexual abuse revelations. (To be clear, this treatment of her came from believers in many different denominations, not just Southern Baptists.)
It’s okay to have ideological differences and come down on different sides of issues; what’s not okay is bullying those with whom we disagree. Read More
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