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Why the need now for woman elders?  By Ardis Dick Stenbakken
Presented 2001
Why the need now for women elders?
When I was asked to be an elder, I had to think about it long and hard. It had nothing to do with the fact that I was a woman. That was not an issue for me or for that church fortunately, but I was afraid that I could never fulfill the expectations—mine, the church’s. Being the first woman elder for that church brought extra pressure. I asked Pastor, “Do men go through this agony?” “No.”
I have heard the same struggle from other women. Women take being an elder very seriously. Although I had been an elder, when I began working on this, I discovered I didn’t know much.
Are there currently women elders in your congregation?
Why the need now for women elders?
1. Because the majority of the church is women.
2. Because it is no longer safe for men to visit women alone.
3. Because the pastor’s wife is probably workings, she may be unavailable to do visitation with him or pick up many of the tasks traditionally expected of her.
4. Because when we look at the requirements of an elder, we see that they may be asked to do many things, but the elder’s wife is probably working too so he cannot do all the things expected of him.
5. Because the families visited used to be in tact families; this is no longer necessarily so.
6. Because of the type of problems women and families present:
“When a woman is in trouble, let her take her troubles to women.”— Evangelism, 460.
7. Because of the nurturing, inclusive character of most women.
8. As a model for the young women of the church—that they too matter.
“The Lord has a work for women as well as for men….They can do in families a work that men cannot do, a work that reaches the inner life. They can come close to the hearts of those whom men cannot reach.” – Welfare Ministry, p. 145.
Who, or what is an elder? The term “elder” is used 194 times in the KJV. In the Old Testament, an “elder” is not necessarily old, but is one of maturity and experience. “Elder” designates official position such as heads of families or tribes. In the New Testament, elder, bishop, and overseer are used interchangeably. This office existed from the beginning of the Christian church. In AD 44 the position already existed in the church at Jerusalem (Acts 11:30). On his first missionary journey Paul “appointed elders in every church: Acts. 14.23.
There seemed to be two types of primary leadership in the New Testament church: (1) apostles teaching, planning, administration, evangelism and usually itinerant, and (2) elders who were lay persons in local congregations.
The position of elder in the Seventh-day Adventist church has evolved. The earliest churches seem to have elected deacons, but not elders. In 1854 and 1855 Joseph Bates and J. B. Brisbie wrote of two kinds of primary church leaders: (1) those who traveled from church to church, and (2) those having pastoral care of one church.
In 1861 J. N. Loughborough, Moses Hull, and M. E. Cornell were asked to study the biblical model and concluded that election and ordination in local churches of elders, as well as deacons, was clearly prescribed. In 1874 G. I. Butler wrote that the office of elder was recognized as the principle office in the church. By 1875 the church had agreed that elders should visit, seek the wandering, baptize, and conduct ordinances in the absence of the evangelist, and call business meetings.
“Women who are willing to consecrate some of their time to the service of the Lord should be appointed to visit the sick, look after the young, and minister to the necessities of the poor. They should be set apart to this work by prayer and laying on of hands….This is another means of strengthening and building up the church. We need to branch out more in our methods of labor. Not a hand should be bound, not a soul discouraged, not a voice should be hushed; let every individual labor, privately or publicly to help forward this grand work. Place the burdens upon men and women of the church, that they may grow by reason of the exercise, and thus become effective agents in the hand of the Lord for the enlightenment of those who sit in darkness—effective agents in the hand of the Lord for the enlightenment of those who sit in darkness. –Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, “The Duty of the Minister and the People,” July 9, 1895.
During Mrs. White’s stay in Australia, a number of women were ordained as deaconesses. The Ashfield Church, Sydney, Australia, church clerk’s minutes for August 10, 1895 read:
“Immediately following the election, the officers were called to the front where Pastors Corliss and McCaullagh set apart the elder, deacons (and) deaconesses by prayer and the laying on of hands.”
Several years later, in the same church, W.C. White officiated at the ordination of the church officers. The minutes of the Ashfield Church for January 7, 1900, state:
The previous Sabbath officers had been nominated and accepted for the current year and today Elder White ordained and laid hands on the elders, deacon and deaconesses. – Adventist Review Jan. 16, 1986.
This information seemed to have been lost until it was verified by the Adventist Review in 1986.
Let’s explore the policies governing the work of the elder and the history of women elders in more recent times:
Church Manual, 2000 edition, page 47:
In the work and organization of the church, if a pastor has not been provided by the conference/mission/field, the office of elder ranks as the highest and most important.
Church Manual, 2000 edition, page 48:
The local elder must be one recognized by the church as a strong religious and spiritual leader, and must have a good reputation “with them that are without.” In the absence of a pastor, the elder is the religious leader of the church and by precept and example must continually seek to lead the church into a deeper and fuller Christian experience.
Church Manual,2000 edition, page 48:
Election to the office of elder does not in itself qualify one as an elder. Ordination is required before an elder has authority to function in that office. During the interim between election and ordination, the el3ected elder may function as church leader but not administer the ordinances of the church.
Women’s designations as elders began in 1972 when the Potomac Conference and Columbia Union Conference presidents, W. G. Quigley and Cree Sandefur ordained Josephine Benton as a local church elder in the Brotherhood Church, Washington, D.C.
In 1973 conference leaders in Germany wrote the General Conference (GC) leadership asking to ordain Margarete Prange as an elder. This was one of the factors that lead to Robert H. Pierson’s call of the Camp Mohaven Conference. [This conference carefully studied and then recommended such ordination.]
At the GC Spring Meeting in 1975, ordaining women as deaconesses was approved.
Also voted was permitting women to be ordained as elders if “the greatest discretion and caution” was exercised. In January of 1978, Sligo Church failed to endorse ordination of women elders although 60% voted in favor because the General Conference, Columbia Union, and Potomac Conference had stipulated a “clear majority” was necessary. A “clear majority” was interpreted as a 66% or two-thirds vote.
In March of 1984, the Potomac Conference Committee voted to permit eight local elders to baptize. Three were women in pastoral roles. The Potomac Conference was chastised for defying the GC authority and policy. In August the entire conference committee was summoned to meet with the GC officers and asked to rescind their action.
At the October 14, 1984, the GC Annual Council voted to allow the ordination of women as local church elders (see GCC Annual Council 84-386).
At the 1985 General Conference Session, a motion to update the Church Manual to reflect the church’s 1975 decision to permit the ordination of deaconesses was protested by Hedwig Jemison, and tabled, although the policy was not nullified. It was the next January when the Adventist Review published the article about W. C. White in Australia.
The current Church Manual simply states:
The church may arrange for a suitable service of induction for the deaconess by an ordained minister holding current credentials.—Page 56.
In 1986 three Hispanic women were ordained as elders by Robert H. Carter, president of the Lake union Conference, at the Spanish church in Berrien Springs, Michigan. The church business meeting vote had been 250-4 in favor.
Shortly after, the Pioneer Memorial Church, Andrews University, voted in favor of women elders 56-44% but the motion failed because the church board had stipulated a “clear majority” to settle the issue. This is when Samuele Bacchiocchi emerged as an outspoken opponent of women’s ordination.
On May 21, 1987, Pioneer Memorial church voted to elect and ordain women elders by a 62.5% majority. Dwight Nelson reversed his prior stand against women’s ordination; he presented a powerful sermon outlining his biblical reasons for his change of mind.
In the 1990 edition of the Church Manual, the wording was changed to reflect the1984 vote regarding women elders with the removal of the word “he” when referring to the local elder, replacing it with “the elder” or “the local elder.”
A 1988 study by the Institute of Church Ministry surprised many when it found there were 960 ordained women elders in the 3, 036 NAD church. There were 14, 495 male elders.
The study showed that 78% of those churches with women elders felt these women strengthened the church. The survey revealed that women functioned as elders in churches of every size and racial and cultural background.
Some places elect a woman as elder but refuse to ordain her. This is in contract to the Church Manual, 2000 edition, page 48, which says: “Election to the office of elder does not in itself qualify one as an elder. Ordination is required before an elder has authority to function in that office. During the interim between election and ordination, the elected elder may function as church leader but not administer the ordinances of the church.”
Ordination as elder is permanent—for the same or any other Adventist Church. If you have been ordained as a deacon, there is no need to re-ordain you. So, if ordained as a deaconess? Ellen White recommended the ordaining of deaconesses.
Before we can look at the work of the elder we need to see what they are supposed to do.
What is a church? What is the elder to serve? The Elder’s Handbook lists 4 definitions for a church: (1) A church is a group of Christian people. That of course includes women. Women comprise 60% of church membership in most North American Christian churches according to Barna, and 70% of the Adventist church worldwide
(2) A church is a group of Christian people called out from the world, learning to love God and each other. That, too, includes women. And women need this model. And the church needs the input of women to do this learning and loving successfully.
(3) A church is a group of Christian people reaching out to the world, inviting others in. Half of those we are trying to reach are also women. We need women who can reach these women and help develop programs, too, for reaching the men.
(4) A church is a place for healing the hurts of life. That, of course, includes women!
Please look at a list of things people bring to the church and tell me which are more female and which are more male:
1. Message of wisdom
2. Message of knowledge
3. Faith
4. Gifts of healing
5. Miraculous powers
6. Prophecy
7. Distinguishing between spirits
8. Speaking in different kinds of tongues
This, of course, comes from 1 Cor. 12:1-11. Verse 7 says, “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (v. 8) To one there is given through the Spirit the …message of wisdom,” etc.
The church needs the Gifts of the Spirit; the body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.
1 Cor. 12:28 lists other related gifts:
Apostles
Prophets
Teachers
Workers of miracles
Gifts of healing
Those able to help others
Gifts of administration
Speaking in different kids of tongues
We find character/qualification/job description in 1 Tim. 3:2-4:
Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect…..”
The New Revised Standard Edition states this verse in this way: “Now a bishop must be above reproach, married only once, temperate, sensible, respectable, hospitable, and apt teacher, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way….” That is probably a more accurate translation—married only once, rather than saying it has to be a man with a wife.
To meet the needs of the church, elders are becoming more and more important:
1994 17,000 ministers for 7 million members One per 412
2001 20,000 ministers for 12 million members One per 600
And it is projected that in:
2020 30,000 ministers for 39 million members? One per 1300
(Estimates from 35-43 million)
Finally, we will look at the qualifications for an elder. Job description varies greatly according to the needs of local church and who is available—individuals from those with doctorates to those who are illiterate serve. Some congregations are large, some small, some rich, and some poor. But for all, some factors remain constant. The elder is to be:
1. Elected
2. Highly respected
3. Possessing leadership and administrative responsibilities
4. Praying for and anointing the sick.
5. To be shepherds (not serving for personal gain, not having a domineering attitude)
This can be summarized as three areas of emphasis
1. Spiritual leadership
2. General oversight along with pastor
3. Nurture
Elder’s Manual, p. 54-57 suggests some ways the Elder can pastor the pastor.
1. Accept their humanity
2. Be a Barnabus, a minister of encouragement
3. Be a listener
4. Publicly support the pastor
5. Have an annual Pastor’s Day
6. Offer yourself
7. Resolve congregational conflict
8. Insist on a spiritual renewal time
9. Insist on family and recreation time
10. Encourage provision for anonymous counseling
11. Pray for/with pastor
12. Encourage and affirm the pastor’s spouse.
(If that is a woman….)
Pastor pastor’s children
See that they are invited to go out for anniversary, birthdays, etc.
Hurting parents.
Women have always been active in the Adventist church, most working behind the scenes, some out front. But it is time for these women to be recognized and included in the leadership and decision making of the church.
More and more, pastors are asked to pastor more than one church, or are often involved away from the home church. The work of the elder becomes more and more important. Women elders can do much to help see that worship services run smoothly and are inclusive of all members. Most women have a gift for organization, and this can be of great value regardless of the size of congregation or number of elders. Women elders can do much to reach out to former members, missing members, and help with visitation and taking Communion to sick members, especially women.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church has a huge mission, a mandate to warn the world of the soon coming of Jesus Christ. Church members themselves must be discipled and nurtured for this. And the world must be told. It is time to involve spiritual, gifted, caring women.
Women can be the instruments of righteousness, rendering holy service. It was Mary that first preached a risen Jesus. . . . If there were twenty women where now there is one, who would make this holy mission their cherished work, we should see many more converted to the truth. The refining, softening influence of Christian women is needed in the great work of preaching the truth. The Lord of the Vineyard is saying to many women who are now doing nothing, “Why stand ye here all day idle?’ Zealous and continued diligence in our sisters toiling for the spread of the truth would be wholly successful, and would astonish us with its results. ~Review and Herald, Jan 2, 1879.
When a great and decisive work is to be done, God chooses men and women to do this work, and it will see the loss if the talents of both are not combined. CEvangelism page 469.
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