Sexual harassment was a term I had always associated with a man making unwanted, illicit, sexual advances to a woman. Women in entertainment, business, journalism, and other positions of power are usually the victims. Especially attractive ones. At least those are the ones we usually hear about on major media platforms.
Imagine my shock when I discovered that there are godly women in church, who not only battle gender discrimination for their chosen field of service, but are harassed for it as well.
Harassment is any unwanted behavior, physical or verbal (or even suggested), that makes a reasonable person feel uncomfortable, humiliated, or mentally distressed.
An incident came to my attention in a church recently. A woman, who was more than educated and qualified to share the gospel with others, was approached—more like physically cornered in a church hallway—a week before she was to preach a message to God’s people.
As he held onto her arm, she was told privately and forcefully by this man she barely knew that she should let her husband do the preaching, that she basically had no business doing the Lord’s business. How does one deal with such a nerve-wracking, troubling encounter?
Men, often when confronted about this kind of behavior, explain that they were just joking and didn’t mean any real harm. But the intent of their verbal and physical message is quite clear and its effects may be long lasting and painful for the women on the receiving end of this kind of “humor”. Their message and the intent of their remarks usually aren’t perceived as anything lighthearted or trivial by the receiver of their “joke”.
Attitudes must change, or women will continue to suffer such emotionally-damaging treatment at the hands of thoughtless men in the church, and sometimes even other women who agree with them.
Perhaps we could all use a refresher course in the important work women have done for the Lord all through Bible history. Maybe you haven’t heard of…
- Deborah, a judge, prophetess, and even military leader in God’s army (Judges 4:5)
- Huldah, a judge who helped King Josiah and the high priest understand the book of the law (2 Chronicles 34:20-24)
- Anna, a prophetess in the temple who recognized baby Jesus as the Messiah and preached to all she knew about it (Luke 2:36-38)
- Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna, just a few of the women who were considered disciples of Jesus, along with the twelve (Luke 8:1-3)
- the unnamed Samaritan woman at the well who met Jesus and ended up evangelizing her whole village and beyond (John 4:39-42)
- Phoebe, the first woman deacon (the word diakonos, or servant, is the same word used for Phillip), see Romans 16:1
- Junia, the only female apostle mentioned in the New Testament (Romans 16:7)
And don’t forget that women are included in those endowed with the Holy Spirit in the last days (Joel 2:28-30 and quoted in Acts 2:17, 18). To believe that women shouldn’t be preachers, when our own denomination recognizes the prophetic ministry and preaching of a woman named Ellen G. White, is to deny the validity of her ministry. But it’s also a denial that we are living in the last days, and that the Holy Spirit can and does empower women to do these things.
How can we be ready for the Lord to come with only half the workforce God has called to finish the work? Let’s welcome women preachers and pastors. Their voices should not be silenced.
And they should definitely not be harassed or made to feel unwelcome by those very ones they have been sent to serve.
