Hailing All Women… Who Love Jesus
Sitting in one of my final seminary classes, I looked around at the people surrounding me, and my heart sank.
More than eighty percent of the class was men.
I was one among the four other women.
When I attended Ozark Christian College for my Bachelor’s degree, the percentage between men and women was more equal. (There may have actually been more women attending Ozark in the late 90s). In 2021, 55.3% of the Ozark Christian College degrees awarded were to women and 44.7% to men. The question I ask is this: where did these women go? Did they decide to move on to receive their Masters in another field of study? Or decide to get married and put aside their higher education dreams? (Someone really should look into the stats on this...) For me, I attempted to change my field of study, but we moved several times in the first decade of our married life, and online study was not a thing yet. I let go of my dreams, poured myself into stateside and church plant ministry, and became a mother to four amazing kids.
But the question I still ask is this, “Where did all the women go? Why aren’t they pursuing a Master’s degree in Bible after Bible college?” At my exit interview at the end of my Bachelor’s, my professor, Jim Johnson, looked me square in the eye and asked, “Have you thought about pursuing a further Biblical education at seminary?” I hate to say it; I chuckled at the thought. I had a “plan” for my life. I had decided to pursue art therapy at the Masters level and had set aside all thoughts of pursuing a deeper biblical knowledge. Looking back, I chastise myself for not listening to the Holy Spirit’s proddings on studying Biblical languages and even sending people to try and push me towards it. But I cannot dwell on the past. I eventually found myself back, full circle, where I realized my hunger for understanding original languages and the Hebrew Bible.
When I decided to apply for seminary in 2019, the Holy Spirit re-ignited my passion for the Bible after teaching a higher-level Bible class at our church plant. It was through that situation that I realized that I needed more education. I needed Biblical languages. I wanted others to discover the beauty I had found in knowing the Hebrew Bible's historical and cultural context and themes. And so, my new passion is this: to ignite other’s passion for the Bible in a new way, for them to discover for themselves the cyclical themes and hyperlinks buried within our English translations that ancient Hebrew readers would have immediately noticed. I want to teach others how to see the Old Testament in a whole new light, not just a prelude to Jesus, but the story of Him throughout the Old Testament that points to the New.
But what happened to the rest of the women that I graduated back in 2004 with? And not just them but all women who’ve graduated from a Christian or Bible college. Did they go on to another degree program? Find themselves working in social justice or the medical field? Or did they decide that marriage and motherhood was their next season? Honestly- ALL of these paths are honorable. Powerful. Full of respect and wisdom. Women are NEEDED in these areas. But I wonder if there are several women who, like me, just needed someone to respond to their question of, “Would it be weird if I applied to seminary?” to respond with, “Yeah, you should definitely do that!!” Because it’s true. God placed you in this period when women are desperately needed in our seminaries, churches, and communities.
So, today, I’m the one shouting from the rooftop, “You should definitely pursue what God is leading you to!” Because if He doesn’t get you to do it today, you’ll find yourself back at the same decision down the road. And He will provide a way for you. He will bless you when you follow His lead.
Maybe He’s asking you to:
disciple another woman
lead a small group through a Bible study
apply for that ministry position at the church you’re attending
attend Bible college or seminary
start a ministry geared toward one of your passion projects
So, if you feel that God is nudging you to do something out of your norm, something “weird” or a tad crazy, maybe pay attention to it. I have a passion for others to grasp what I’ve learned over the past five years. That it’s so much DEEPER than the text we read today. That our God is an intentional God. One who has orchestrated and pursued us since the beginning.
Women, we are needed. In our schools. Our churches. Our communities. Don’t fade into the busy. Don’t short-change yourself at God’s purpose for your life. So, here’s me giving you permission: