Is it Full Partnership or Partial? The Church of God Struggles with the Role of Women

The Church of God 73rd International General Assembly met in Orlando, Florida July 27-30, 2010. This biennial meeting is a significant event on the Church of God (Cleveland, TN) calendar. Among other things, during this time denominational leadership is nominated and elected and contemporary issues facing the organization are discussed, debated, and decided, first by recommendations from the General Council of Bishops (all male), then by ratification of the General Assembly proper (all registered delegates, clergy and laity, male and female, over sixteen years of age). During this assembly the issue of women in ministry was prominent – and discussion was passionate.

Acts 2:17-18 clearly indicates that Spirit-filled women have an important place alongside Spirit-filled men in the ministry of a Pentecostal church. Unlike many other Evangelical groups, the Church of God, one of the oldest of the classical Pentecostal denominations, ardently affirms the place of women in ministry; but the Church of God has often struggled to define the specifics of that place, particularly in leadership functions. This ambiguity contributes to partial affirmations combined with partial reservations. Soon after the General Overseer (aka Presiding Bishop), Dr. Raymond Culpepper, made moving remarks about uniting and implementing the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20) and the Great Commandment (Matt 22:37-40) and led the gathering in a significant time of concert prayer, the General Council session quickly moved into passionate and spirited debate on the agenda item, Women in Ministry, particularly on ordination of women as bishops. In the Church of God, bishops comprise the General Council with rights to debate and vote in session. Also, only bishops are eligible to serve in almost all elected or appointed positions. Presently, the Church of God ordains women as ministers with full rights to preach, to perform weddings and the sacraments, and to pastor churches but it does not allow women to be bishops.

The Moderator repeatedly found it necessary to remind the Council to be sensitive of the Council’s tone, decorum, and demeanor and to carefully weigh all remarks. Opinions on this issue were polarizing. It seemed everyone passionately desired to correctly interpret, apply, and embrace the truth found in Scripture. Those “against” ordaining women as bishops adamantly argued that a literal interpretation of Scripture allowed no room for any other view. They appear to fear compromise of biblical beliefs thereby undermining commitment to biblical inspiration and authority. However, speeches made by those “for” ordaining women as bishops included several leading biblical scholars and theologians as well as church historians. These seem convinced that careful exegesis of Scripture and awareness of Church of God history and the Pentecostal heritage provide a firm foundation for full partnership in ministry. In fact, some argued that the struggle about the role of women in the Church of God is itself indicative of doctrinal transition or departure from the denomination’s Holiness Pentecostal roots toward a more Baptistic theology and polity. On the one hand, opponents to the motion were apparently concerned that a “liberalizing” trend beginning with ordaining women bishops might lead to similar steps in the future regarding ordaining homosexuals and lesbians. Proponents of the motion emphatically denied any such perceived connections. On the other hand, proponents of the motion to ordain women as bishops repeatedly compared antagonists to 19th century Christian slaveholders in the southern United States prior to the Civil War – a connection that was also emphatically denied by their opponents. Though much of this discussion was about nomenclature, culture and context, the process required a simple “yes” or “no” response. The motion failed with a “no vote” of 62.52%. A bold attempt to reconsider the subject in the General Assembly session failed as well.

Under the same heading of Women in Ministry, the General Council addressed the issue of women serving on the Church and Pastor’s Council. In the Church of God, a local congregation may opt to form a committee to serve in an advisory capacity to the pastor and congregation. This group is known as the Church and Pastor’s Council. Although a congregation may or may not opt for such a council, and may even choose other options for local church governmental leadership, a congregation which does choose to have a Church and Pastor’s Council is thereby required to follow the guidelines laid out in the General Assembly. One of the guidelines for serving on the Church and Pastor’s Council has been that a council member must be male. The definitive response from the Council was perhaps one of the smallest margins of decision ever noted in the Council’s history. The recommendation to delete the word “male” from the guidelines as written in the Church of God Book of Minutes passed by a 50.12% to 49.88% margin, a five vote differential (1,080 to 1,085). This measure went to the General Assembly for ratification by a similarly narrow margin (10 votes out of a body more than twice the size). Therefore, women, clergy or laity, will now be allowed to serve on local church councils if they are otherwise qualified.

The intensity and narrowness of these votes probably suggest serious division within the Church of God regarding this important issue. In fact, it appears there are almost equal but opposite camps. There are those who believe that godly women full of the Holy Spirit should be full partners with men in ministry, and others who believe that in spite of ability women should fill supportive and subservient or subordinate roles when it comes to any kind of leadership. Nevertheless, the favorable vote for women serving on local church councils may possibly be a cautious step toward potential incremental openness to eventual ordination of women as bishops. In all of this discussion and division, one thing seems sure: the matter of women in ministry and in leadership is not about to go away any time soon – at least not in the Church of God.