Let My Handmaid Speak: A History of Women in Ministry in the International Pentecostal Holiness Church from 1901–2011

Copyright © 2011 Jeraldine T. Posey, D.Min.

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Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2010 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

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ISBN: 978-1-4497-2062-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-2063-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011933362

Printed in the United States of America

WestBow Press rev. date: 10/12/2011

Contents

Foreword

Preface

Introduction

CHAPTER 1

Women in Society

CHAPTER 2

She Works Vigorously

CHAPTER 3

Revive Us Again

CHAPTER 4

Her Works Bring Her Praise

CHAPTER 5

With His Stripes

CHAPTER 6

Bits and Pieces

CHAPTER 7

Deborah’s Daughters

CHAPTER 8

Life Sketches

CHAPTER 9

In Memory of Her

CHAPTER 10

Write it Before Them

CHAPTER 11

God Has Spoken

Bibliography

Periodicals

Acknowledgement

DEDICATION

To the many torch bearers (lady ministers)

of the Truth for living by the principles

of the Word and preaching the same.

You have made a difference.

You heard the call of God to go forth into the world.

The path was not always a pleasant one in which to walk,

But you persevered in your service.

You stayed in the Truth of the Word;

You kept the faith in all things.

To be a woman at times seemed like a curse;

However, the Holy Spirit spoke through you

And made you something of worth.

Souls were blessed and added to the kingdom,

And your influence lives on today.

As handmaids of the Lord, you continue to speak.

Foreword

The first woman to ever live provides a life story that depicts the impact of women across human history who have proclaimed to their world a Savior who would redeem all who would be redeemed. Eve, though a part of the tragedy, became the person whose seed would restore all that had been lost to mankind and the entire Universe. She became the instrument in God’s hands that produced hope in the midst of chaos. You would think that she, who participated in the fall, would be the most undeserving person to have a part in providing good news to a human race whom, otherwise, had no good news to hear. God chose her who, through pain and heartache, produced the seed that would be the Savior of the world. What a story of grace to the broken!

This message of grace to those who are broken has flowed through womanhood in many ways throughout history. In my own life, I first heard the gospel story as a child through my godly mother and grandmothers. I heard it through lady evangelists that came through our community of churches. I was converted at age 15 in my mother’s arms. I was sanctified and filled with the Holy Spirit while devout women prayed with me. As a teenage preacher, I was invited to minister by lady pastors such as Lynnette Mosley and Eva Belle Brown. I could go on with my personal journey of how lady evangelists, pastors, teachers, and missionaries have influenced my life.

This book, long overdue, penned by Sister Jeri Posey, is a tribute to the women of ministry in the International Pentecostal Holiness Church. I count it an honor to salute these heroines of faith.

We have 122 lady ministers in the North Carolina Conference whom we designate as Deborah’s Daughters. They are evangelists, teachers, pastors, pastors’ wives who team with their husbands in ministry, and conference directors of ministries. They serve on conference level councils. They are working gallantly, honorably, and with great effectiveness. We salute all of them, and Dr. Posey who is reminding us of their great place in the work of the kingdom in the past and in the present, and who will continue to be great in their labors for our coming King. Thank you ladies of the cloth, and thank God for you.

Bishop Jim Whitfield

North Carolina Conference

International Pentecostal Holiness Church

Preface

Several conferences are not represented in this book, not through an oversight, but because they did not respond to the request to send the names and addresses of their women ministers. The same is true for many of the ladies who did not return the survey form asking for information about their ministry, so I have only their names to use. I regret this, as I wanted a large representation of the women so our denomination today would have a more complete record of what these dear ones have accomplished in the ministry, while caring for a family, getting an education, working full- or part-time, teaching Sunday school, singing in the choir, and engaging in a host of other activities yet being faithful in the proclamation of the Word of God.

Many of the lady ministers of the Pentecostal Holiness Church are unsung heroines because often they have not received the encouragement or recognition due them simply because they are a woman. Still they have continued to work alongside their husband as his assistant in the pastorate. Few of them have had the privilege to pastor a church on their own.

Others have worked in the field of evangelism, traveling to places far and near to share the gospel. One of my earliest memories as a teenager, recently converted, is of several lady evangelistic teams coming to our church in Hopewell, Virginia to hold revivals. I also can think of several other women who brought truth, enthusiasm, and fire with their preaching. The International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC) owes each of them a great debt of gratitude.

Much of the information in this book is given in the words of the person who wrote the sermon or article. This was done so the reader could experience through them what they were feeling. Letting them speak in their own words was my way of introducing them to the reader. Their words live on.

(Authors note: Chalk all mistakes up to human error.)

Introduction

The purpose of this book is not intended to stir up strife or to dispute scriptural issues some may hold dear about the propriety of allowing women to preach. The debate on this point has existed all too long. Countless books have been written on the subject addressing both sides of the matter. Good folk have expressed their opinions (we all have one), but the argument has not, and probably will not, ever be resolved to the satisfaction of all concerned.

Despite the dissension, history shows us that many faithful, godly women have heard and answered the call of God to proclaim the truth of His Word. The International Pentecostal Holiness Church has recognized and accepted these precious ladies into the pulpits of its churches as pastors and evangelists, but some denominations and individuals have denied women of their true status as ministers of the gospel.

Quoting Harold Paul on this subject, in his book From Printer’s Devil to Bishop, In the Pentecostal Holiness Church, women are not only recognized as members but also admitted to the pulpit, and occasionally pastor churches. They have been elected to positions of official capacity on conference official boards. This is usually the exception to the rule and practiced only because of the lack of suitable men to fill the position. Some women have been outstanding in pulpit ability, and have been often acclaimed as evangelists rather than charged with administrative and judicial responsibilities. This statement speaks volumes about how lady ministers fared during the early part of the twentieth century.

We have but to look at the Bible to readily acknowledge that God has used women successfully to prophesy (foretell) and preach (tell forth). In the Old Testament we read of women like Miriam (Exodus 15:20), Deborah (Judges 4:4), Huldah (2 Kings 22:14), and Isaiah’s wife (Isaiah 8:3) each of whom is referred to as a prophetess. Of course, we know this to be a female prophet: one blessed and called by God to expound His truth. Since the word prophet refers to a person who spoke for God and who communicated God’s message without fear to the nation of Israel, God’s chosen people, then prophetess certainly must apply to women who served in the same office doing similar work. We accept the fact that men like Isaiah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Malachi and the host of others who ministered in Old Testament times were servants of God with a special calling. So, also, we accept the women.

Likewise, in the New Testament, we read about Anna (Luke 2:36-38) and Philip’s four daughters (Acts 21: 8-9) who prophesied. Then we see the women associated with the Apostle Paul and what he had to say about them. In Romans 16, we have record of a number of women servants of the Lord in various churches: Phoebe (v. 1-2), Priscilla (vv. 3-4), Tryphena, Tryphosa, Mary, Junia, and Persis (vv. 6-15) are mentioned as laborers in the Lord. Euodias and Syntyche are referred to in Philippians 4:2 as being leaders of the church at Philippi. According to 1 Corinthians 11:4-5, women prophesied and prayed in church.

Priscilla, the wife of Aquila, first mentioned in Acts 18:2 merits a closer look. When Paul first arrived in Corinth, he met this wonderful couple. After about eighteen months there, Paul, Priscilla, and Aquila went to Ephesus. Later, a man by the name of Apollos, described in Acts 18:24 as "an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures," came to Ephesus. He was speaking boldly in the synagogue, but it appears from the story recorded in Acts 18:24-26 that his theology was not complete. He knew only about the baptism of John. When the couple heard him speak, they took him aside and explained God’s way to him more accurately. Here, we find Priscilla as a teacher. She was one who had been so well taught of God that she could instruct a man spiritually. In Romans 16:3, Paul called Priscilla and Aquila his fellow workers. By using this term, the Apostle considered this couple official evangelists and teachers.

From early in the first century, women were active as representatives in the cause of Christ. The New Testament tells us of women who were involved in evangelism, hosting churches in their homes, prophesying and speaking in tongues, and serving as deaconesses. Church history confirms that the prominence of women in ministry continued into succeeding generations.

The Bible translator Jerome arrived in Rome in A. D. 392 to attend a church council and stayed in the home of a woman named Marcella. She persuaded him to hold Bible classes for some of Rome’s most distinguished women. He, in turn, convinced the women that they should study Hebrew so they could read the Old Testament in the original language. Much came from this Bible study. Marcella’s home became a center for prayer, study, and Christian charity; she established the first convent for women on the outskirts of the city of Rome; and other women were inspired to dedicate their lives to helping Jerome with his Bible translation.

In 410 A.D., when Rome was invaded by the Goths, Marcella was eighty-five years old. The Goths beat her with whips but finally let her go to the Bascilica of St. Paul, which was used as a refuge for the poor, where she died a few days later. Thus, she became one of a great cloud of witnesses who knew Jesus as her Lord and Savior and made the supreme sacrifice of her life in service for Him.¹ What dedication!

Historically, we know that women founded or reformed the orders that kept Christianity alive through the Middle Ages. During that period of time, women found the outlets for service they needed in the church. The greatest opportunities for women to minister came with the Wesleyan revival in England in the eighteenth century. Unlike the Reformation, which affected women in a negative way, the revivals in England and the Great Awakening in America brought a positive change in people’s attitude about women preaching. John Wesley appointed women as local preachers and itinerant ministers. However, time after time, ground that had been gained was lost, and the same battles had to be fought over again with each new generation.²

During the early years of the nineteenth century, Charles Finney encouraged women to pray and testify in public. History tells that he had to fight for the privilege of conducting meetings that included both men and women and for letting women speak. Because of this man, the door remained open for women to use their gifts in some of the churches that were touched by the revivals of that era.³

Elizabeth Ford Atkinson, Charles Finney’s second wife, held meetings that were so well attended that the ladies filled the room where she spoke and then stood about the door on the outside, as far as they could hear. In December of 1858, the Finneys went to England where Elizabeth had spoken ten years earlier, and once again large crowds attended all her meetings.⁴

Amanda Smith, a black woman who was born a slave, was used of God to break down prejudice on three levels: against blacks, against the doctrine of holiness, and against female evangelists. The holiness denominations that grew out of the revivals of her time (1868) continued to give women opportunities to preach. Many women quoted Joel’s prophecy (2:28), And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, as the basis for women proclaiming God’s Word.⁵

Since this work is not intended to be a rehashing of church history, suffice it to say that through the years, as noted, the issue has been debated, women have gained ground only to lose it again, and, even in our twenty-first century society, some still refuse to let God’s handmaids speak. Why has the modern church neglected its responsibility to allow women, as well as men, to fulfill the Great Commission? As Kari Malcolm wrote in Women at the Crossroads, The call to enter the kingdom through Jesus, the Way, needs to be proclaimed by both men and women. We have a world to win for Jesus Christ. The ship is sinking, and we are standing on the shore arguing about who should go to the rescue – men or women.⁶

(Author’s note: The following will give us a glimpse at what some other folk have had to say about women preachers.)

Women Preaching

by

Rev. R. B. Hayes

"Women preaching seems to be the talk of today, so let’s see what the Bible has to say about them preaching, or prophesying. These two words are synonymous.

"We notice back in Exodus 15:20, ‘And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.’ In Judges 4:4-5 we read, ‘And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah, between Ramah and Bethel in Mount Ephraim, and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.’ Then in Psalm 68:11-13, ‘The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those (women) that published it. Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil. Though ye have lain among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.’ Again in Joel 2:28-30, ‘And it shall come to pass afterwards that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My Spirit.’

"We come now to the New Testament. Luke 2:36-38 states: ‘And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser; she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity. And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years; which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of Him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem."

"Again, in Luke 24:10, 11, and John 20:17, 18, where a woman preached the first sermon after Jesus rose from the dead. In Acts 2:16-19 we see where Peter on the Day of Pentecost quoted Joel 2:28-30. In Acts 21:8, 9 we read these words: ‘And the next day we that were of Paul’s company departed and came unto Cesarea, and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, and abode with him: and the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.’ Also in Romans 16, we find twelve women preachers and workers in this chapter, and the first one Paul commends is ‘Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is in Cenchrea, and that ye receive her in the Lord as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you. For she hath been a succorer of many, and of myself also.’ And we see a servant in the church is a pastor of a church.

"We learn by all the above Scriptures that there have been women preachers throughout Bible history, and we notice in every holiness movement that women preachers were in the crowd. We are living in the Holy Ghost dispensation, when Joel said God’s Spirit would fall upon all flesh, and your sons and daughters shall preach, or prophesy, which means to preach; and then when the Spirit fell on the day of Pentecost, Peter said, ‘But this is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel, And it shall come to pass in the last days, said God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy [or preach], and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams.’ He did not stop there, but he says, ‘And on My Servants and on My handmaidens will I pour out in those days of My Spirit, and they shall prophesy [or preach].’ Thank God, it takes in the colored women too.

"Then we notice when Jesus preached to the woman at the well, when she got saved she left her water pot and went into the city, and many of the Samaritans of that city believed on Him for the saying of the woman which testified, ‘He told me all that ever I did’ (John 4:39). So we see the Bible is full all along with women preachers and helpers and workers for God. We notice in every great holiness movement when the saints are red hot for God and the burden of the lost is upon them, they lose sight of churchanity, sectarianism, the world, and the only burden of their hearts is to get souls saved and sanctified and filled with the Holy Ghost.

There always were women preachers and helpers on hand then, but when we get our eyes on churches, creeds, and slack up, we elbow the women preachers off. Why do we do this? Because we cooled down. Women have been on the scene in every great movement for God. She was last at the cross and first at the sepulcher, preached the first resurrection sermon, for preaching is glad tidings, and that was what the woman told after Jesus had risen from the dead. Let her preach! God says they shall. Glory to our God and the Lamb forever. She has lain among the pots long enough. As a Pentecostal church let’s turn her loose and give her the freedom and liberty that God gives her. Your brother in Jesus, saved, sanctified, baptized with the Holy Ghost, looking for Jesus to come and take us home, body healed, glory, glory, glory!⁷

In his book Questions and Answers on the Scriptures and Related Subjects, Dr. Paul F. Beacham, President of Holmes Bible College, addresses this issue with his answers to three questions.

#460. Should a woman preach? Yes, if God calls a woman to preach she should do so just the same as anyone else. I think that the following Scriptures quite well show this: Acts 2:17, 18; 21:9; I Corinthians 11:5."

#461. What did Paul mean by, Let your women keep silence in the church? From the connection in which the statement in question appears, it seems that some of the women were asking for explanations of certain things which were said in the public services, and caused unnecessary interruption. Paul further shows that they could wait and ask about these things at home.

#462. Where does the Bible give authority for ordaining women as preachers? The prophecy that Your daughters shall prophesy, might be understood to give authority to recognize them as preachers. If women are called and anointed by the Spirit to preach, there could not be any objection to their having the proper recognition of the Church in doing the work. However, a distinction may be recognized in speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, and preaching as an ordained minister of the Gospel. Women had a large and important place in the work and ministry of the early church, but it can hardly be shown from the Scriptures that they were ordained as preachers, even though they must have served as deaconesses (Rom. 16:1; I Tim. 3:11). The reference in Timothy means literally, Even so women in like manner must be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. That is, a woman who is to be recognized as a deaconess must have this qualification.⁸

Lois Tripp wrote an article for The Helping Hand, January/February 1988 issue titled "WOMEN – Liberated to Minister in which she states, Women today are enjoying a liberty like no other time in history to proclaim the Word and to be leaders in their communities." She goes on to say that women are recognizing their gifts and area of ministry and are responding to God’s call on their lives. She thinks that perhaps the right-to-vote, offered to women in 1920, laid the foundation for the acceptance of women’s ordination.

The Pentecostal Holiness Church, she writes, has given women a prominent place within its ranks. Women here have been a vital part of our growth, from the home to the community to the church and even to the pulpit. Denominationally, we rank high in giving women an opportunity for ordination and ministry.

Lois believes that while many denominations are struggling with the place of women in the ministry, charismatic and Pentecostal congregations are increasingly welcoming their ministry with open arms. Women are being sought out to teach Bible studies, minister healing and deliverance, and share from the Scriptures to the entire congregation, as well as to women’s groups. Pastors are recognizing women’s innate sensitivities and are encouraging them to express what they are sensing in the Spirit.

She concludes by saying, As Christian women today, let us seek to achieve our highest potential under God and express it in ministry to people. We are marching, and will continue to march, across the close of this century proclaiming the good news of the Word through fulfilling the calls of ministry on our lives to people of all walks of life in the church, community, home, and the world.⁹

Some women, according to Shirley Spengler Rohde in an article she wrote for Woman’s Touch, September/October 1987 and reprinted in The Helping Hand, January/February 1988, feel that freedom came to them in the feminist movement. What we need to keep in mind as we consider what all this means for women in ministry is that we are beginning to understand something that has been in effect for many centuries. Jesus was the liberating force for women, rather than the liberation movement.

For centuries women have exerted efforts to initiate some sort of a feminist crusade. The first wave, which was about suffrage or the right to vote, began in the eighteenth century and continued until the twentieth century. The second stage of this movement began in the early 1960s and continued through the late 1980s. What triggered this second emphasis was a book written by Betty Friedan and published in 1963, The Feminine Mystique. This book was the beginning of the modern era’s women’s lib which sought to give women an equal standing with men in most every way.¹⁰

Again, what we have failed to see is that Jesus set women free and honored them during His ministry. He picked them for many responsibilities that elevated their status and placed them in key positions, which have already been discussed earlier in the Introduction.

An article titled Some Leaders Are Born Women that appeared in the Issachar File, March 1999, Dean Ridings, communications manager for Christian Camping International/USA, wrote about an event that occurred in the life of Susie Stanley, when a friend shared about her upcoming wedding. Susie, who was in seminary at the time, thought it would be a joy to perform the ceremony. However, Susie’s friend asked if she could recommend a male pastor to conduct the wedding because she and her fiancé did not believe in women preachers. Stanley was quite shaken by the comment.

Because of this, Susie’s passion has been to help women thrive in leadership positions. She has been able to do that as a professor of historical theology at Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania, and through Wesleyan/Holiness Women Clergy International of which she is founder and executive director.

Mr. Ridings continues, Certainly men and women do have their differences. However, when it comes to leadership, women leaders emphasize that they have more in common with their male counterparts than some might think.

He uses information from five women in his remaining comments to demonstrate how God uses women in leadership and offers practical ways that Christian leaders can encourage them to follow God’s leading.

Ridings quotes Christina Accornero, director of advancement and recruitment at Indiana’s Anderson University School of Theology, as saying I don’t think I bring anything special [to the ministry] because I’m a woman. I have unique personality traits and God-given gifts and talents. Apparently, she meant using those gifts and talents in ministry.

ReeAnne Hyde, associate pastor for community life at Bresee Church of the Nazarene in Pasadena, California states, I know what it feels like to be overlooked, resented, and condescended, so I work hard at inclusion.

In answer to Ridings’ question How can pastors encourage women in their congregations to consider leadership opportunities and respond to a call of leadership? Hyde responds, When a woman is drawn to leadership, help her see there are many ways God elects for women to demonstrate His kingdom purposes. Don’t limit them.

Sherry Conway, senior pastor of Okemos Church of the Nazarene in Okemos, Michigan, says, Pastors and church leaders should encourage women they sense are called to preach.

Lucia Delamarter, senior pastor of Everett Free Methodist Church in Everett, Washington, responds this way: Pastors shouldn’t be afraid of the challenge. If a gifted woman is part of your congregation, bring her into ministry. Releasing her to do what the Holy Spirit has gifted her for will release your church to receive what the Spirit has for it.

Lastly, Ridings cites Accornero’s response: We must get away from this gender thing and find the best, most equipped, most talented leaders who are called by God to move our churches into the next century.¹¹

Lest these responses appear too one-sided, because they are all from a female point of view, Bishop Leggett wrote an article in the same issue of Issachar File, titled Affirming Women in Ministry. He stated, "In highlighting women in ministry, Paul challenges the church to recognize the vital part women have in the work of the kingdom. He is full of praise for their diligent labors. Women did ‘great work for the Lord’ in the first century. They held leading roles in shaping the church. The history of the church cannot be written without their names.

Though the Pentecostal Holiness Church has always encouraged women in ministry, the numbers of women in ministry today do not reflect this. The church must be more open to women in every phase of leadership. Women helped launch the church in the first century. Their ministry is crucial to an effective church in the 21st century.¹²

Apparently, the admission of neglect in properly recognizing women in ministry led to the confession stated in the Sin of Male Domination at the Solemn Assembly held in Fayetteville, North Carolina, August 23-24, 1996: Gender differences are never to become a platform for discrimination and division, but rather are attributes to enhance and complete Christ’s body. We recognize the sin of male domination and acknowledge that we have withheld from women places of honor in the church. We have not affirmed the ministries of qualified women by releasing them to serve in places of leadership. The prayer of repentance states, Create in us a new sensitivity to the God-given gifts of the women of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, that there may be unity and greater power in our worldwide ministry.

The affirmation in part reads, We affirm that we are equal partners in the work of Your kingdom and commit ourselves to recognize Your gifts in all members of the body of Christ without regard to gender. We acknowledge that You have called women to definite ministries and gifted some for leadership roles in Your Church. We affirm them in their spiritual gifts and callings and will compensate them accordingly.

(Author’s note: This material from the Solemn Assembly has no copyright.)

Thank God, this is a giant step forward in recognizing those godly women who have struggled for so many years in the background. Hopefully, the spirit of this confession will be fully accepted and implemented throughout the denomination.

¹Kari Malcolm, Women at the Crossroads, pp. 97-99.

²Malcolm., pp. 111, 113.

³Malcolm, p. 121.

⁴Malcolm, p. 123.

⁵Malcolm, pp. 124-25.

⁶Malcolm, p. 132.

⁷Rev. R. B. Hayes, Women Preaching, The Advocate, July 11, 1918. (The official organ of the IPHC had several different names through the years, but The Advocate is used throughout this book for consistency.)

⁸Paul F. Beacham, D.D., Questions and Answers On the Scriptures and Related Subjects, pp. 527-28.

⁹Lois Tripp, "WOMEN – Liberated to Minister," The Helping Hand, January/February 1988, p. 3.

¹⁰ Shirley Spengler Rohde, Woman’s Touch, reprinted in The Helping Hand, January/February 1988, pp.6-7.

¹¹Dean Ridings, Some Leaders Are Born Women, Issachar File, March 1999, pp. 1, 3-4.

¹²Bishop James Leggett, Affirming Women in Ministry. Issachar File, March 1999, p. 2.

CHAPTER 1

Women in Society

Women have been an integral part of society since the dawn of creation. True, the Triune Godhead purposed to make man to inhabit the creation They had spoken into existence, so God said: Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness… (Genesis 1:26-NKJV). The Genesis story later informs us And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden and there He put the man whom He had formed (Genesis 2:7, 8-NKJV). However, we soon learn that the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him’ (Genesis 2:18-NKJV).

God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air and gave them to Adam for him to name. The Bible tells us that Adam did indeed give names to the cattle, the birds, and the beasts, but no helper comparable to him was found (Genesis 2:19, 20). So God caused a deep sleep to come upon Adam, and He took one of Adam’s ribs, and closed up the flesh. From that rib the Lord of all creation made a woman and presented her to Adam (Genesis 2:21-22).

Since that time, women have worn many hats. They have been wives, mothers, sisters, friends, doctors, nurses, educators, astronauts, pilots, truck drivers, police officers, military personnel, and the list can go on and on ad infinitum. Volumes have been written about their accomplishments in the field of literature, science, medicine, and engineering, among others. However, very little has been published to sing their praises as ministers of the gospel throughout the countries of the world.

This book, then, is an effort to put into words some of the accomplishments of the women ministers of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church and record for posterity that these ladies have served their God, their denomination, their families, their churches, and their communities as bright, shining lights of the Truth of our wonderful Lord.

They preached in tents, brush arbors, cottage prayer meetings, banquet halls, auditoriums, and churches. They served as evangelists and pastors leaving a mark on untold thousands who, in turn, have also become ministers, missionaries, Sunday school teachers, youth workers, and Women’s Ministries leaders; they have carried the gospel to the ends of the earth. This movement has been something that the devil has not been able to stop. Along with their male counterparts, they have faced adversity and hardship, sometimes with very little financial support, but they have refused to give in or give up. Their voices still speak to us, although some have been silenced by death. Their words of wisdom and spiritual insight sound a clarion call for us today to run this race with patience and be faithful to the end.

Lord, let your handmaids continue to speak!

(Author’s note: Agnes Robinson wrote an article that was printed in The Helping Hand for May/June 1986 about the influence women can have. Mrs. Robinson was a minister and a minister’s wife, who knew first hand about the many roles a woman plays. The following is a reprint of that article.)

"Women Can Make a Difference

In their Worlds"

"Throughout the pages of God’s Word, there are great women whose lives shine with a radiance undimmed by the passing centuries. They are individuals whose characters were untarnished by the wickedness and moral decay of their own generation.

"Some are outstanding because of their faith, others their courage; still others are known for their unselfishness, their willingness to sacrifice.

"In Rebekah, it was her faith as she made her decision to leave her home and family and make that long trek across the burning desert wastes to become the bride of a man she had never seen. Through this act of faith, she became the mother of Jacob, who was in the lineage of faith.

"In Jochebed, the mother of Moses, we see an outstanding example of resourcefulness as she dared to defy the laws of Pharaoh. Fashioning a little ark of bulrushes, making it waterproof so that her little boy would be safe, she placed the ark in the flags by the river’s bank and set her little girl, Miriam, to watch over it.

"Her faith was rewarded, for soon she had her son returned to her and she could care for him in her own home and teach him the ways of God. How well she must have done her job, for when he was of age, he became the mighty emancipator of his people, the great lawgiver – all because a little woman dared to do the impossible.

"Deborah is outstanding because of her courage. At a time when all Israel was oppressed by the Canaanites, she obeyed God’s instructions to go out against the mighty hosts of Sisera in battle. The battle won, Deborah tuned her harp and sang a song of victory, won by faith and obedience to God’s command.

"We all look with admiration upon Ruth, the little Moabitish widow, who so willingly left her home and kin to go with her mother-in-law into the land unknown to her. She gladly assumed the support of Naomi and labored unselfishly in the fields to supply their needs. The purity of her devotion and her eager acceptance of her mother-in-law’s God led her to become the bride of the wealthy Boaz, and ultimately the grandmother of King David, through whose lineage Jesus Christ was born on earth.

"On and on we could go – from Genesis to Revelation – naming one after another: Miriam, Abigail, Esther, Hannah, the Shulamite woman, the widow of Zarephath, Anna, Mary, the mother of Jesus; Elisabeth, Mary and Martha, Lydia, Priscilla, Eunice, Lois, and countless other women whom Paul called ‘helpers in the Gospel.’ They were women who excelled, women who served, women who were faithful, women who were courageous, women who dared to do what was right when all was against them.

"How it thrills our hearts to read of their courage and faithfulness. It inspires us to strive to reach greater heights of achievement, to go to deeper depths with God and to widen our paths of service.

"Radical changes are taking place in our world today in every area of life; changes that stagger the minds of even the experts. Materialism, humanism, and the desire for instant gratification have undermined basic views and morals of [today’s] generation.

"The inroads made upon the youth of our land by the drug cultures [are] surpassed only by the merciless effects of alcohol to which many are turning. With more than nine million know alcoholics in the United States, the average age of alcoholics has now dropped to include Junior Hi’s and even grade school children.

"Illicit sex, illegitimate births, abortions, homosexuality, pornography are all being more readily accepted in today’s society. The crime rate continues to spiral with thefts, rapes, kidnappings, murder, terrorism, mass murders, and senseless bombings by activists.

"We could go on painting a dark picture and hopeless picture of the multitude of problems that hover like a black cloud over all mankind. But we who know Christ know the solution. We know He is the answer to every problem of life, and that He came that man ‘might have life and have it more abundantly.’

"How can we as Christian women relate to today’s problems? Should we be concerned with the physical needs as well as spiritual needs of the world? Do we have a responsibility to help alleviate the pain of the lonely, the sick, those in hopeless poverty, those who have found the burdens of life too hard to bear? What is our responsibility to our youth who have lost direction in life? What is our civic duty as a Christian to help right the wrongs in our world?

"Sometimes in our church circles and in Christian homes we tend to live in a little secluded world of our own where many of these tragic problems are not evident. But we must wake to the needs around us as well as the problems of our nation and our world. Awareness of this world’s needs also means awareness of the world’s pain, starvation, poverty, hopelessness, and ignorance. To visit in some nations, and even in some of our major cities, is to see the terror, the hunger, the animal existence so many people experience.

"Awareness also means insight into the meaningless lives of many of today’s people. With all of our progress, prosperity, and advanced technology, people still have a thirst for meaning in life. This is the frontier of greatest demand for every woman to become involved in witnessing to this world. The other part of involvement is to have a compassion for others – to truly care. You will find yourself searching for those you can lift. You will reach out with your heart to others, yearning to lend a helping hand, longing to ease their burden, praying that you might bring them to know Christ as the solution for their need.

"We listen to today’s newscast with dismay and wonder what the future holds for our world. But you and I know the remedy for much of the heartache and suffering – we know our wonderful, compassionate [Savior].

Will we remain aloof, or will we become involved in sharing our Christ with others?"¹

Some of the things that jump out in this article are words like service, faith, resourcefulness, courage, obedience, unselfishness, purity, and devotion. These are the characteristics of the lady ministers who have stepped to the front to make our world a better place in which to live. Mrs. Robinson also poses a number of questions. These questions have been a part of the challenge to