 IntegrityYour Body: The LiverTrue MinistryDon’t Neglect Your GiftSearching for Your Self-Worth |
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From the EditorFellowship of ServiceWho, Me? Serve?MentoringThe Role of Christian Women in Paul’s DayElizabeth: A Woman of FaithShopping for Modesty in Egypt |
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Fellowship of Service
By Noni McVey | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
How does today’s Christian woman serve her church and community? The opportunities open to women for ministry are unlimited. But first, every woman should be encouraged to find her place of ministry within the body of Christ and then be allowed to practice in the fellowship of service. But where does one begin?
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Christ never made a woman to be one of His 12 disciples, He did not tell a woman to “feed my sheep” and He did not choose a woman to be an apostle. Yet, women played a very important role in supporting Christ’s ministry and in the New Testament church. Jesus’ very attitude toward women supports the fact that God has a place and a plan for every woman in His Kingdom. Jesus elevated women from degradation and servitude to fellowship of service. In Matthew 26:1-13 and John 12:1-3 we read about Mary anointing Jesus’ feet with a pint of expensive perfume and then wiping His feet with her hair. The fragrance filled the entire home. The disciples were all indignant about Mary’s action. They believed it would have been better to sell the perfume and give the money to the poor. Note that Jesus did not scold Mary for what she had done, “I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached in all the world, what this woman has done will be told and people will remember her.” Mary was a woman who was not afraid of expressing her love for Jesus. She was not consumed with what the disciples would think and she was determined to seek the will and heart of her Lord. Jesus found her extravagant act of adoration a beautiful thing. It is apparent Paul understood the message Jesus gave and the equality of women is affirmed before God when Paul wrote in Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Women are excluded from the authoritative teaching role of pastor or elder (I Timothy 2:11-12; I Corinthians 14:34) but, women are included as “fellow workers” in Romans 16:3, 6 and 12. Priscilla was a servant, leader and a team player. She moved with her husband, Aquila, between Rome to Corinth to Ephesus and back again. At each location Priscilla served all those she came in contact with. Priscilla was hospitable, kind and with great joy spread the gospel and nurtured the church. Priscilla and Aquila, with quiet wisdom, instructed the preacher Apollo’s from Alexandria who had not heard about Jesus’ life, crucifixion, resurrection or the Holy Spirit. They were friends to Paul and their home was a place of refuge for him. Many believers came to Priscilla’s home, which was a warm and safe place, to be trained and educated in the truth. Priscilla was a spiritually mature woman. She and her husband were a team that played a vital role in building the early church. Where to Begin
Your gift(s) have been identified, now how do you put them into use?
Places to Serve Women are not in competition with other ministries or men. Wherever God calls a woman to serve, this is her ministry. Every woman can pray, evangelize, teach, counsel, and serve. Too many Christian women today believe they are only serving if the service is taking place in their local church. Ministry to others is not exclusive to church members. True ministry is motivated by a loving concern for people in all walks of life. Your neighbors and your community are all in need of Christian service. Below is a small list of suggestions that may help you get started in finding your fellowship of service.
God has a plan and purpose for every woman and it is not to sit and be silent, but rather to be participating in the fellowship of service. There is no small job in the ministry of loving and serving one another. “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10). It is your responsibility as a Christian woman to find out what your God given gifts are and then put them into use to serve others. i | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||