New Research Reveals Troubling Inequities in Women’s Ministry: A Conversation with Jen Wilkin

All Things

A new survey of churches across the US reveals that only 17% of women’s ministry leaders are in paid staff positions at their churches. Put another way, 83% of women’s ministry leaders serve totally as volunteers. Additionally, only 5% of women’s ministry leaders conduct their planning with the involvement of the wider church staff.

Women’s ministry can be a great joy, but it can also be a heavy burden. Women’s ministry leaders often face variables that are unseen by other church members and leaders. Navigating inequities in pay and involvement in overall church vision and strategy can be isolating.

On this episode of All Things Jen Oshman asks Jen Wilkin tons of women’s ministry questions:

Why it’s beneficial.

Why and how to integrate it within the broader church staff and vision.

Why it’s important that women are paid for their work (Serving is good too! But pay does matter.).

What makes a substantive women’s ministry.

How women who lead as volunteers can begin a conversation about wages with their leadership.

If women should go to seminary if they aren’t guaranteed paid work.

How women who serve in healthy churches can encourage their sisters who don’t.

A gospel-centered perspective on growing women’s ministry, even when it feels tough. .

We cover a lot of ground! If you are a woman in ministry, a woman in church, or a man in ministry, this episode is for you.

Many thanks to our episode sponsor:

Crossway: crossway.org

Behold and Believe: A Bible Study on the "I Am" Statements of Jesus, by Courtney Doctor, Joanna Kimbrel - https://www.crossway.org/books/behold-and-believe-tpb/

Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Our Minds, by Jen Wilkin - https://www.crossway.org/books/women-of-the-word-tpb-2/

Word-Filled Women's Ministry: Loving and Serving the Church, edited by Gloria Furman, Kathleen Nielson - https://www.crossway.org/books/word-filled-womens-ministry-tpb/

To learn more about Jen Wilkin’s work: https://www.jenwilkin.net/

Resources mentioned on the epsidoe:

Honor Thy Church Mothers—with Wages: Christianity Today article by Jen Wilkin - https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2023/october/wilkin-women-ministry-leaders-church-staff-wages-lifeway.html

The State of Ministry to Women by LIfeway Research - https://research.lifeway.com/state-of-ministry-to-women/

Resources for growth for women in ministry:

Lifeway Women Academy: Online Courses for Women, by Women - https://www.lifeway.com/en/special-emphasis/lifeway-women-academy

Women’s Ministry Leadership cohort with The Gospel Coalition - https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/tgcwomen/#cohorts

Simeon’s Trust Online Courses - https://simeontrust.org/online-courses/

Bible Equipping Cohorts - https://bibleequipping.org/cohorts