Abstract
Ordaining women to the ministry appears to be commonplace now. However, appointing them or using them in the church as senior pastors or in other leadership roles is still a tug of war, a real struggle. In my denomination, the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AMEC), women continue to answer their call to the ministry, they are allowed to study with the Board of Examiners which prepares them for ordination over a five-year period. Following ordination, some women are appointed to churches. However, more often than not, they remain at their home church with duties that have been relegated as women’s workChurch school teacher, Bible study leader, Christian Educator, Children’s Church/pastor, visiting the sick and shut-in—all under the watchful eye of the male senior pastor. The acceptance of women as Christian educators and associate ministers appears to be an obvious attempt to limit the rights of clergywomen. While these are significant roles, women’s calls should be taken as seriously as men's with the understanding that they, too, can be senior pastors leading congregations. There appears to be a great deal of concern over ordaining women, when in fact, it is a mere formality for the majority of women in ministry in the AMEC. The experiences and contributions of women as administrators, managers, nurturers, caregivers and biblical and theological scholars speak volumes to the ability, skill and expertise of women. Women are very capable of being senior pastors in churches that are led by men who are less and less skilled.