In reading this review of Rachel Green Miller’s Beyond Authority and Submission: Women and Men in Marriage, Church, and Society, one of the reviewer’s comments
stood out to me:
“[The] message is that
conservatives need to examine themselves to see where their own errors and
acceptance of extra-biblical and even anti-biblical traditions have led them
astray. Miller speaks in earnest when she describes the way contemporary
stereotypes caused her to question her femininity (124)… These are concerns
that many people will share. Having served as a pastor in various churches for
around a decade now, I have encountered several smart and capable women who were
discouraged that the majority of the ‘women’s’ studies focused only on topics
of marriage and childrearing. The men get to talk about theology, while the
women just talk about being women. This is indeed a problem, and church leaders
ought to see that all members, men and women, are taught the entire content of
the Bible, including theological topics, biblical symbolism, and Christian
ethics for all of life.”
I googled “gender-specific church ministries,” and the
results fall into two basic categories: 1) we need gender-specific groups
because people won’t open up as much in mixed groups, or 2) we need mixed
groups because gender-specific groups reinforce unbiblical stereotypes. Both
options may be valuable in different settings.
“The current crisis in Christian education stems, in large measure, from a lack of clear purpose at the grassroots level… Christian education is dedicated to helping people discover God’s meaning for life” (Jim Wilhoit, Christian Education and the Search for Meaning, 2nd ed. pp. 9-11).
Church-based ministries should be tied to a specific
purpose, and that purpose will then determine the makeup of the group. If the
primary purpose is fellowship, then groups can be aligned on any sort of
commonality—gender, age, marital status, hobbies, food, or other affinities. Groups
focused primarily on service will likely be shaped by the gifts and abilities
of the people involved. (But don’t assume men won’t cook or women won’t do
construction projects.) If the purpose is growing in knowledge and application
of Scripture, there seems to be very little reason for segregation of genders.
The vast majority of the Bible is written for everyone and should be read and
learned by all. And even the few passages that are more applicable to one
gender need to be understood by everyone.
It may be true that men will open up more with just men and
women will open up more with just women, but much of that depends on the
example set by the leader. A well-trained leader can solicit deeper input from
all members, as well as redirecting conversation that is off-topic,
monopolizing, or inappropriate.
The size of a group also plays an important role. A smaller
group will naturally have more intimate conversation simply because there is
more time available for each person to contribute to the discussion. Groups of
3-5 may be better suited to single-gender formation, particularly if there’s a
likelihood that only two people may show up at any meeting. Large single-gender
groups seem more inclined to become cliquish and unintentionally exclude those
who are on the fringes of whatever the current stereotype may be.
Since there are no biblical directives for small groups, and
since there are pros and cons of every group, much of it simply comes down to
personal preference. Large churches may be able to offer a variety of options
that small churches simply can’t maintain. Small church leaders need to assess
what types and makeup of groups will best meet the needs of their people. Unfortunately,
that means that members won’t always get what they want, but that is part of
humbly submitting to one another within the Body of Christ.
“From [Christ] the whole body, joined and held
together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working
properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (Ephesians
4:16 ESV).
© 2019 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are
copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect
the views of my church or employer.
