Women’s History Month: A Call to Action for the Global Church
WRITTEN BY: CHERYL NEMBHARD & TALASI GUERRA
As we embark on Women's History Month, we pause to look around at the world we live in and reflect on the historic narrative of humanity.
In doing so, we find a recurring theme that we cannot ignore: the silencing of women’s voices.
Like an echo that reverberates throughout history, it reminds us that for far too long, women have been told to stay quiet, stay small, and stay out of the spotlight.
At the Women Speakers Collective, we've had a front-row seat to this reality. Our speaker bootcamp events always begin with a solidarity exercise that never fails to astound us. We pose questions, inviting women to stand if their answer is yes or remain seated if it's no. Among these questions are:
Have you ever experienced a 'silencing' of your voice?
Have you been challenged theologically about women being 'allowed' to speak in church?
Have you been told you are too pushy when you volunteer or ask to speak at your church or community?
The overwhelming number of women who stand in response to these questions speaks volumes. And not only that, but their stories hit hard.
Consider the woman who was dismissed from her church for being too effective as a communicator.
Or the international speaker who preaches globally but is restricted to delivering sermons only on Mother's Day in her local congregation.
Or the woman whose father always told her that she could be or do anything she wanted when she grew up—even become the president of the United States. But when she returned from a youth conference and told her father that she felt called by God to become a preacher, he said, “not that.”
We've heard countless accounts of women silenced in workplaces, churches, and even their own homes. Still, amid these grim realities, there's a glimmer of hope. Throughout history, from Hagar to Mary and the countless unnamed women who propelled the gospel forward without credit or recognition, we recognize a fundamental truth: God's strategy on earth has always centered the liberation of women's voices.
God's strategy on earth has always centered the liberation of women's voices.
The Way of Jesus: Championing Women's Voices
Jesus exemplifies this truth in his life and ministry, consistently affirming and advocating for women. He purposefully deviates from cultural norms to ensure the dignified treatment and inclusion of women. His interactions with women are not incidental but deliberate and transformative.
One of the most poignant moments in the Gospels is Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well. Here, he defies cultural norms by conversing directly with a woman, alone, who had been marginalized by society.
This woman's life was one of hardship and ostracism. She, an outcast, encounters the Savior at a well, where Jesus offers not just water but boundless love and acceptance. In turn, she becomes the first evangelist to her people, testifying to Jesus as the Messiah.
Or consider the woman with the issue of blood. In three out of four gospel accounts we read the story of another unnamed woman who had suffered from a chronic gynecological condition resulting in a heavy flow of blood for the past 12 years. And not only had she suffered the physical ramifications of her prolonged hemorrhaging (severe pain, exhaustion, and, very likely, chronic anemia), but she had also suffered immense emotional, relational, and religious trauma as a result.
Being deemed “unclean” by the religious system of her time, this woman had spent more than a decade of her life on the margins of society.
Penniless, estranged from her family, cast out by her community, and having exhausted every option for medical help, she had nowhere to turn. God wasn’t an option—her condition excluded her from any form of religious gathering or intervention.
This woman’s entire identity was wrapped up in a twisted concept of broken femininity.
For her, as a woman, and in her state, to approach Jesus at all—let alone in the middle of a boisterous crowd who wanted nothing to do with her—was unthinkable. No other woman would have had dared to do it.
But she did. In a system that refused her access to God, she dared to approach his Son in the streets and to reach out her hand to receive his grace, his mercy, and his healing. And what’s truly extraordinary about this story is what Jesus does next.
He gives her a voice.
In front of the crowd that despises her, Jesus asks, “who touched me,” as if he doesn’t already know. Recognizing that she cannot go unnoticed, the bible says that the woman comes to him, and trembling falls down at his feet… and speaks. She finds her God-given voice and uses it to declare the healing power of Jesus.
And how does he respond?
“Daughter.”
Not only does Jesus grant her physical healing, but he responds to her with tenderness and love, restoring her dignity and value. He brings her from the margins of society to the center of divine attention, giving her both a voice and a future.
The Work of the Spirit: Unleashing Women's Voices
As Joel prophesied, the pouring out of God's Spirit encompasses all of humanity, without regard to gender or age. It's a vision where daughters stand alongside sons, dreaming and prophesying the coming kingdom of God. Because God’s strategy on earth has always centered the liberation of women’s voices.
In Acts 2, we witness the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy, where the Holy Spirit empowers all believers to prophesy (Acts 2:17-18). This outpouring of the Spirit transcends gender and status, demonstrating God's intention to unleash the voices of women.
Throughout scripture, we encounter many inspiring examples of women empowered by the Spirit to lead and contribute to God's work. Consider Deborah, a judge and prophetess, and Priscilla, who alongside her husband Aquila, instructed others in the ways of God. It is evident that the liberation of women's voices isn't just a societal shift but a spiritual reality, reflecting God's desire for all believers to boldly proclaim his truth.
A Call To Action
The church, on the other hand, has work to do. At Women Speakers Collective, we have trained hundreds of women to communicate effectively and in the way of Jesus. But overwhelmingly, they still return home to the same lack of opportunities and systemic silencing they faced before coming to us. The issue isn't a lack of skill or proficiency in communication; it's the absence of spaces and platforms where women can exercise their God-given gifts freely.
That’s why, through our Global Partnerships initiative, we aim to dismantle barriers and cultivate cultures of equity and inclusion in local churches worldwide. By partnering with churches to create spaces where women are not only welcomed, but actively encouraged to lead and speak, we're not just addressing a problem; we're establishing a stronger future for the church as we empower women to participate in ushering in the coming Kingdom.
Jesus believed in liberating the voices of women and positioning them as catalysts to spread his gospel and build his church. From the Old Testament to the early church and beyond, women have been integral to God's redemptive plan. It’s time for the global church to step up, embrace this liberating truth, and actively join God in his strategy to mobilize women for the flourishing of humanity and the fulfillment of the Kingdom.
So this Women's History Month, we are calling the global church into action.
If you are ready to join us in our mission to liberate the voices of women around the globe, here are four impactful ways you can partner with us:
Donate
Support our efforts financially to expand our reach and impact, enabling us to dismantle barriers and cultivate cultures of equity and inclusion in churches worldwide.Become a Church Partner
Become part of a global movement committed to creating places of equity and equality for women to use their gifts in the local church.Host a Bootcamp
Bring our empowering speaker bootcamps to your local church or organization, providing women with the tools and confidence to amplify their voices and make a difference.Book a Female Speaker
Amplify women's voices at your next event with our diverse roster of accomplished speakers.
