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We sant you! Kind of: Exploring the experiences of women pastors/leaders in Christian churches

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We sant you! Kind of: Exploring the experiences of women pastors/leaders in Christian churches

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We Want You! Kind of: Exploring the Experiences of Women Pastors/Leaders in Christian
Churches

Nahum Munoz

Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
A dissertation submitted to the faculty
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Education

May 2023

© Copyright by Nahum Munoz 2023
All Rights Reserved

The Committee for Nahum Munoz certifies the approval of this Dissertation

Courtney Malloy
Alison Murazewski, Committee Co-Chair
Kimberly Hirabayashi, Committee Chair

Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
2023

iv

Abstract
Women in Christian Churches have a history of strong devotion and commitment to their faith
yet have continuously faced limitations and obstacles toward becoming pastors/leaders. The
purpose of this qualitative research study is to explore the experiences of women pastors/leaders
while also seeing to bring to light any unique struggles that they may face through their lived
experiences that have led to an underrepresentation of women pastors/leaders in Christian
Churches. Although there is considerable research on Christian denominational beliefs and
debates concerning the role of women in pastoral/leadership roles, little is known about the
experiences of women pastors/leaders, their motivation, and what leads to their retention. This
omission may be related to several factors concerning to church culture created by the
environment, beliefs, and behaviors in congregations that marginalize women, leading to an
underrepresentation of women in pastoral/leadership roles. The interviews conducted sought to
understand what led women to become pastors based on their earliest church experiences,
followed by the experiences of women as they made their decision and commitment to become a
pastor, and lastly their current experiences and aspirations after pastoring for over 5 years.
My research findings concluded that; (a) gender bias toward women continues to exist In
the present-day church (b) women experienced a lack of advocacy in a male-dominated work
environment that led to a lack of self-efficacy and (c) woman pastors’ fulfillment and satisfaction
were strongest when they had a strong sense of God’s calling on their life; they joined a church
that is affirming and supportive of women pastors/ministry leader; and have male pastors/leaders
who champion women in ministry. The findings provide us with a better understanding of the
experiences of women pastors/leaders in Christian churches. Based on my findings I have
included recommendations in Chapter Five that may help address the problem of

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underrepresentation of women pastors/leaders and help create a more equitable and inclusive
space for women in ministry.

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Dedication
To my wife Kayla, you have been my greatest support and encourager throughout the last 14
years together. I love that we get to do life together! We are a great team! Seeing your journey as
a woman pastor and leader inspired me to write this dissertation. You have overcome so much
and inspire so many women and men alike to pursue their God-given purpose. You are an
incredible woman, an incredible wife and mother, an incredible leader, an incredible pastor, and
an incredible friend! Thank you for the many ways you expressed your love and support for me
throughout my doctoral program. At times when I was at my lowest while navigating through so
much change these past 3 years, you were kind, patient, and always loving. Thank you for
ministering to me and picking me up. I love you and honor you! Excited to see what God has for
us and our boys, and I look forward to the many adventures, and fun vacations we will share.

To my children, Judah, and Zion, I love you, and am so proud of you! Everything your mom and
I do is for you! Your hugs and kisses were such an encouragement to me throughout my doctoral
program. Thank you for understanding the moments I had to lock myself away in a room or go to
Starbucks for countless hours. Our random trips to the park, Disneyland, playing tennis, going on
hikes, off-roading, and playing Super Smash Bros on the Nintendo Switch were moments that
made me feel normal. Your mom and I are so proud of the amazing young boys you are, and the
amazing men you are becoming! Dream big boys, seek God in all that you do, and have fun
every step of the way. We believe in you, celebrate you, and will always be cheering you on!

To my wonderful mother Sofia Munoz, your prayers and care throughout my childhood have
been foundational to who I am today! You modeled servant leadership and pastoral care so well

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throughout my upbringing. You care and love so much. Thank you for always cheering me on
and encouraging me to do my best and seek God in all that I do. ¡Te amo mucha mama!

To my father Blas Munoz RIP. I know you are rejoicing in heaven and celebrating me. Thank
you for all the lessons you taught me. Even though I only had you in my life for 15 years your
words of counsel and wisdom have resonated in my heart. You were the greatest motivator for
me to pursue higher education. You always reminded me to trust God, have faith, and do my
very best in school especially when we worked together as labor workers. Thank you for always
believing in me and reminding me to dream big. I did it, Dad!

To God who through Jesus Christ I have found purpose, strength, and joy. Also, to all the
incredible women pastors, women professors, and women teachers who have been instrumental
in shaping me throughout my journey as a man and pastor. Thank you for believing in me and
reminding me of my call and purpose. Grateful for the gift you are to the body of Christ! Don’t
forget that the work you do for the Lord is never in vain!

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Acknowledgements
I want to thank several people who supported me unconditionally in this process and who
were essential to completing this study. First, I thank all the participants in this study for their
openness, transparency, and incredible ministry work. Second, I thank cohort 16 and all the
incredible faculty for the supportive community they created. I learned so much and
accomplished so much because of their support. Thank you for helping me overcome my
impostor syndrome and get this far. Third, I want to thank my committee Dr. Hirabayashi, Dr.
Muraszewski, and Dr. Malloy for their wise and kind guidance. To Dr. Hirabayashi, my
committee chair, thank you for the countless hours you spent helping me improve my work and
setting me up for success. You are amazing! Lastly, I thank all my family and friends for the love
and support they showed me every step of the way! Love you all so much! Fight On!!!

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Table of Contents
Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... iv
Dedication ...................................................................................................................................... vi
Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................... viii
Chapter One: Introduction to the Study .......................................................................................... 1
Context and Background of the Problem ............................................................................ 1
Purpose of the Project and Research Questions .................................................................. 2
Importance of the Study ...................................................................................................... 3
Overview of Theoretical Framework and Methodology .................................................... 3
Organization of the Dissertation ......................................................................................... 4
Chapter Two: Literature Review .................................................................................................... 5
Conceptual Foundation ..................................................................................................... 25
Summary ........................................................................................................................... 27
Chapter Three: Methodology ........................................................................................................ 29
Research Questions ........................................................................................................... 29
Research Design Overview ............................................................................................... 29
Research Setting................................................................................................................ 30
The Researcher.................................................................................................................. 31
Data Sources ..................................................................................................................... 33
Validity and Reliability ..................................................................................................... 36
Research Ethics ................................................................................................................. 37
Chapter Four: Findings ................................................................................................................. 38
Participants ........................................................................................................................ 38
Research Question 1: What Were the Early Experiences of Women in the Church
That Contributed to the Development of Women Becoming Pastors? ............................. 40

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Finding 1: Positive Early Experiences in Church Contributed to the Development
of Women Becoming Pastors............................................................................................ 41
Research Question 2: What Were the Experiences of Women As They Made
Their Decision and Commitment to Become a Pastor? .................................................... 56
Finding 2: Women Faced Environmental Barriers ........................................................... 57
Research Question 3: What Are the Current Experiences and Aspirations of
Women Pastors in Their Churches? .................................................................................. 67
Finding 3: Women Pastors Still Face Limited Opportunities ........................................... 67
Chapter Five: Recommendations .................................................................................................. 83
Discussion of Findings ...................................................................................................... 83
Recommendations for Practice ......................................................................................... 87
Limitations and Delimitations........................................................................................... 92
Recommendations for Future Research ............................................................................ 93
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 94
References ..................................................................................................................................... 96
Appendix A: Recruitment Email ................................................................................................ 107
Appendix B: Interview Protocol ................................................................................................. 109

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Chapter One: Introduction to the Study
This dissertation addresses the underrepresentation of women pastors in Christian
Churches in the United States. According to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau, women are
approximately equal to men in the United States population: 50.8% women, 49.2% men (Bureau,
2020). Yet, the Barna Group reports that only 9% of lead pastors are women in Protestant
churches (Barna, 2017). The Pew Research Center confirms that women are rare in top positions
of religious leadership. Many churches including the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the Southern Baptist Convention, do not allow women to
be ordained or hold top leadership positions in the church (Sandstrom, 2016). Even with recent
studies showing that within the United States 95 % of adults are comfortable with a female CEO,
and 85 % of adults feel comfortable with a female president (Barna 2017) various factions of the
church have significantly lower acceptance of women in pastoral leadership roles. For example,
since Evangelicals tend to practice a more traditional interpretation of the Bible, 61% express
being uncomfortable and unsupportive of ordaining women pastors (Barna, 2017). Further
evidence identifies that, in the United States, major religious organizations that allow women to
be ordained and hold top leadership positions have empowered very few women to function in
those roles (Fowler, 2019). Throughout this study, I will continue to address the significant
growing pains on the journey toward giving women in pastoral leadership equitable opportunities
as pastors.
Context and Background of the Problem
The organizational setting of this research project focused primarily on Christian
denominations. The underrepresentation of women pastors and leaders within Christian churches
in the United States has a historic precedent. In the 19th century, The United Church of Christ
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was one of the few churches who began to ordain women, but it was not until decades after
World War II that many of the larger and more prominent denominations began to allow women
into leadership roles (Masci, 2014). The Assemblies of God (AG) is an example of a Christian
denomination that has been accepting of women becoming ordained ministers, preaching, and
leading in ministry since its founding in 1914. Despite their progressive stance, it would be
another 105 years before their General Council would elect a woman to its executive leadership
team. AG is not alone in this struggle. Other well-known denominations have seen a similar
underrepresentation of women throughout their history despite their proclaimed acceptance and
inclusion of women (Fowler, 2019).
Purpose of the Project and Research Questions
The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the experiences of women pastors/leaders
while also bringing to light any unique struggles that they may face through their lived
experiences that have led to an underrepresentation of women pastors/leaders in Christian
Churches. In doing so I would like to present possible solutions that will lead to women being
given more opportunities to lead and fulfill their call and become successful pastors and leaders
in their churches and denominations. This study will also investigate the data from existing
literature. The following research questions will guide this study:
1. What were the early experiences of women in the church that contributed to the
development of women becoming pastors?
2. What were the experiences of women as they made their decision and commitment to
become a pastor?
3. What are the current experiences and aspirations of women pastors in their churches?
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Importance of the Study
In most Christian churches, more than half of the congregation is made up of women
(Barna, 2017) and women in the United States. self-report a deeper commitment to their faith
than men (Pew, 2015). While women demonstrate a deeper devotion to their faith, women have
experienced constant resistance and rejection in becoming leaders within the church leading to a
significant underrepresentation of women in pastoral leadership. Due to a lack of women in
pastoral leadership roles, 43% of women claim they do not receive any emotional support from
their church, resulting in a significant shift in women abandoning their faith (Barna, 2015).
Recent studies show that millennial women are leaving the church more than ever before since
they don’t fit into the gender roles prescribed by religious groups (Paquette, 2021). If Christian
churches are unable to retain young women, there will be far-reaching consequences that will
lead to a continual decline of Christianity (Kramer & Fahmy, 2018). Churches need a healthy
representation of men and women leaders to move Christianity forward (Kennedy, 2018). This
study addressing the underrepresentation of women pastors and leaders within Christian
churches is timely; It is important to study the ramifications of non-inclusive and inequitable
opportunities for women in the church since I believe an underrepresentation of women in
pastoral leadership will lead to long lasting negative effects, and a decline in Christianity if it is
not resolved (Mitchell, 2020).
Overview of Theoretical Framework and Methodology
The primary theory to explore this problem of practice is social cognitive theory (SCT).
SCT is a learning theory developed by the research of Canadian psychologist, Albert Bandura.
SCT focuses on the joint relationship between the environment, people’s beliefs, and their
behaviors in learning (Bandura, 2005). The influence between the environment, people’s beliefs,
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and behavior are also known as triadic reciprocity which connects a person’s beliefs and mental
processes with their behaviors and the influences within the environment that contribute back to
their beliefs and behaviors. Personal efficacy is a major part of this theory and shows that unless
people believe that they can produce desired change and stop or stall undesired ones by their
actions, they have little motivation to act (Bandura, 2000). SCT is a suitable theory that can help
reveal what possible factors within the environment in Christian churches, people’s beliefs, and
their behaviors have potentially influenced the underrepresentation and inequities that women
face within Christian churches.
The method used in this study will be a qualitative interview with 12 women
pastors/leaders from Christian churches or Christian ministry platforms. Recruitment will be
done through the contacts in our SoCal Assembly of God Network office who have access to
thousands of credentialed ministers throughout Southern California and the United States in
various denominations.
Organization of the Dissertation
In Chapter One of this study, I have identified the problem and the need to address the
underrepresentation of women in pastoral leadership in Christian churches. Chapter Two will
review the research literature and conceptual framework. In Chapter Three, I will address the
methodology, data collection procedures, and data analysis and verify the ethical methods,
validity, and reliability of this study. Chapter Four will present the study’s research questions, as
well as a discussion of the study’s findings. In conclusion, Chapter Five will present the study’s
findings, its limitations, and recommendations for future research.
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Chapter Two: Literature Review
Men and women have served together in the church from before its inception. Yet the
literature identifies that women have faced significant opposition as they seek to use their God-
given gifts to benefit the church. In my review, I will address the history of the
underrepresentation of women in church leadership, barriers for women in ministry, and existing
strategies that contribute to overcoming the underrepresentation of women in pastoral ministry/
leadership.
History of the Underrepresentation of Women in Church Leadership

Historians have observed throughout the early days of most revivals when people are
spiritually passionate, there is often a strong acceptance of pioneering women in ministry
leadership roles. But over time, as young churches become more structured, institutional
concerns are brought forth by the congregation and leadership, leading to the spiritual leadership
of women becoming less accepted resulting in ministry leadership positions becoming
predominantly male (General Presbytery, 2010). The underrepresentation of women in ministry
leadership roles has a historic precedent that began in the early church soon after Christianity’s
birth through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ around 28 A.D.
Underrepresentation in the Early Church
Although Jesus’ acceptance of women’s equal dignity and calling of women to full
discipleship is clear in the gospels, early church practice was too often inconsistent with the
gospel version. It did not take long for cultural beliefs from Greco-Roman, Jewish, and early
Christian societies to overshadow Jesus’ stance towards women as valued equals within the early
church (Conn, 1995). In ancient Greek society, the Romans adopted the identification of women
as domestics with a created perception of women as collectively inferior rather than individuals
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with different abilities (Klingshirn, 1994). Lynch (1992) adds that some aspects of Roman
culture did emphasize the similarities between men and women through the portrayals of
goddesses, elite women, and female worshippers all pursuing the activities and practices
characteristic of men. This brought benefits as it helped to elevate the status of all Roman
women, however, at the same time, Greek misogynistic attitudes permeated Roman society and
contributed to challenges women faced in the early church. It was, after all, the great play writer
Sophocles who said, “Silence is a woman’s glory” (Lynch, 1992, pp. 59–60). Even the epistles
reflect how the Greco-Roman cultural practices of male dominance infringed on the church’s
practices (Conn, 1995). Evidence of this can be found in the Apostle Paul’s epistle to the church
at Corinth Around 50CE,
Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak;
but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law. And if they will
learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak
in the church. (King James Bible, 1 Corinthians 14:34–35)
Early historians and researchers such as Wemple (1981), Wallace (1983), and Chadwick
(1967) emphasize how in the Greco-Roman world, Christianity became a liberating force in the
lives of women due to the early church’s lack of a hierarchical structure, allowing for men and
women to serve equally in the administration of the church. Yet, it was the prominence of
women in the early church that led to the efforts to exclude them from influential roles since
Christians were abnormally sensitive to outside opinion (Chadwick, 1967). Wemple adds that the
1st century apostolic church was receiving harsh criticism from the surrounding community
based on its value of women as prophets and leaders in the church, leading to limitations being
placed on women from positions of authority as the church created a hierarchical structure
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(Wemple, 1981). Wallace mentions how the rise of a hierarchical structure of the church came as
a response to the growing need to establish authority in the face of divergent Christian sects,
doctrinal disputes, Gnosticism, and the desire for acceptance within Roman society (Wallace,
1983). By the late 1st century, the hierarchy had developed into a two-tiered structure of
bishops/presbyters and deacons led primarily by men.
This hierarchy continued to develop, and by the end of the 2nd century, an increasing
power of bishops and other male clergy pushed women to the fringe of the Christian
communities in which women still exercised influential roles in (Wemple, 1981). Additionally,
Klingshirn (1994) mentions how early Christian authors and apologists such as Tertullian (ca.
155 –220 A.D.) believed in the absolute necessity of sexual abstinence, leading him to conclude
that women were sexually dangerous. He commanded women to bow their heads to their
husbands, spend their time at home spinning wool, and dress modestly to appear holy
(Klingshirn 1994). Klingshirn adds that Tertullian argued that women should not speak in
church, teach, baptize, make offering, or hold a priestly office (Klingshirn, 1994). In addition to
the writings of Tertullian, the Apostolic Tradition written by an early 3rd century Roman
presbyter named Hippolytus, also served to marginalize the roles of women, especially that of
widows, in the church, arguing that widows were no longer to be ordained to their office, nor
were they to be given any specific duties (Caesaria, 1960). Caesarea mentions that the
Didascalia Apostolorum was also written in the 3rd century in Syria or Palestine, with the aim to
elevate the status of the bishop, while creating fixed boundaries for the roles of women in the
church. According to the Didascalia, widows were limited to do only what was asked of them by
the bishop and deacons. They were to seek permission to accept donations and fast with, pray
over, or lay hands on anyone. Widows were not allowed to baptize or engage in any sort of
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ministry, and they were expected to be silent and remain at home. At the same time, the
Didascalia recognized the office of deaconess, the duties of which were to assist in female
baptisms, instruct newly baptized women, and visit ill Christian women only (Caesaria, 1960).
Wemple articulates the transformation of women’s roles in the early church:
In the early Christian communities, men and women were subject to the same moral
precepts, and women served as auxiliaries to men in the propagation of the faith, pastoral
care, and the administration of the sacraments. Only in the 4th century, when Christianity
became first a favored and then an exclusive state religion, did the male hierarchy begin
to disqualify women from auxiliary ecclesiastical functions. Particularly in the West,
where the active participation of women in religion came to be associated with heresy,
Eve’s role in the Fall and the ritual impurity of women were used as excuses not only for
excluding women from the diaconate, but also for enforcing celibacy on the ministers of
the altar. (Wemple, 1981, p. 191)
The literature identifies how the many male authorities in the early church who argued against
women in leadership roles, set a foundation of inequality towards women that led to a rapid
downward shift of underrepresentation of women in church leadership roles that reaches
Christianity in America.
Underrepresentation in America
Before diving into the literature that reveals the underrepresentation of women in church
leadership in America, it is important to address the pattern of exclusion repeated in American
religious history textbooks that rarely include sustained discussions of women’s religious ideas,
beliefs, experiences, and leadership while only highlighting men. Brekus (2007) identifies that
despite the thousands of articles and books published about women’s influence in America,
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women’s history has not been fully accepted in the fields of religion. Religion scholar Warne
(2000) also mentions that a two-tiered system has been created in the academic study of religion:
male/mainstream scholarship and feminist scholarship that is set to the margins. Historian
Bennett (1989) adds by stating her concern about the isolation of women’s history as a separate
but not equal part of the historical profession. Therefore, Brekus mentions that one would not
expect textbooks written before the 1970s to include many historical contributions to women in
the church (Brekus, 2007). Additionally, Hargrove et al. (1985) shares that the experiences of
many women of color and women of working-class background in the American church have
nearly been completely erased due to the politics of race. It is important to recognize that
because historians who write survey texts are crucially dependent on the work of others from the
past, there is a clear lack of historical documentation revealing the challenges women in the
American church faced, revealing yet again the ripple effects of underrepresentation of women
throughout church history. In the following paragraph, the most predominant areas identified in
the literature will be addressed.
Fuller (2004) mentions that during the middle of the 19th

century traditional religious
groups in America including the Roman Catholic Church, and Protestant Church limited women
to simply attending services. Women were forbidden to speak in church or offer insight into
religious prophecy. As women began to successfully campaign for their rights in the late 19th
century, the women’s movement, also known as the Feminist Movement, was birthed. This
movement preached that women should be treated similarly to men in all areas of opportunity
and should also receive equal respect at home, on the job, and at church (Gallagher, 2003). As
the movement gained ground additional questions emerged about women’s roles in their
families, home, church, and relationship with God (Capitani, 2003). This movement led
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denominations to reconsider their position concerning Women in leadership positions. The
United Church of Christ was one of the few churches that began to ordain women in the 19th
century, but it was not until decades after World War II that many of the larger and more
prominent denominations began to allow women into leadership roles. (Masci, 2014).
Within the Assemblies of God, women had great freedom at the inception of the
denomination in 1914, yet the proportion of women in leadership dropped dramatically
beginning in the early 1920s (General Presbytery, 2010). Fowler (2019) adds that while the
Assemblies of God is an example of a Christian denomination that has been accepting women
preaching and leading in ministry since their founding, despite their progressive stance, it would
be another 105 years before their General Council would elect a Woman to its executive
leadership. Fowler adds that The Assemblies of God is not alone in contributing to the
underrepresentation of women in church leadership. Other well-known denominations have seen
a similar underrepresentation throughout their history (Fowler, 2019). In the Catholic sector,
recent Vatican documents have deemed women unfit for certain roles in the church based on
their tendency toward having tender hearts (Conn,1995). There is an underlying hold in the
Church historically that passively considers women as short in measures of spiritual capacity,
because of assumptions based on tendencies associated with sex (Adams, 2021). Sexist
restrictions in the church are also found amongst Calvary Chapels, one of the strongest church
associations of the most recent decades. It has adamant beliefs against women in church
leadership. According to the Calvary Chapel Association’s philosophy of ministry,
The Bible reveals God as masculine and His people as feminine. Therefore, in the Church
and in the home, God wants our relationships between the sexes to mirror His
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relationship with His people. Like Christ, men should lovingly lead – and like the
Church, women should willingly follow. (Adams, 2021, e.g., p. 1)
Calvary Chapel goes so far as to enforce that a woman is not allowed on a church platform but
only under the authority and oversight of the general male leadership of the church (Guzik,
2016).
According to the stateofwomenclergy.org, in 1960 women were 2.3% of United States.
clergy (stateofwomenclergy.org, 2018). Campbell-reed (2019) also reports that in 1977, the only
denomination where women exceeded 10% of fully credentialed clergy was the Assemblies of
God while all other mainline denominations were almost entirely led by men (Campbell-reed,
2019). Yet after decades of women in the church fighting for equitable rights in the American
church, still, in recent history, Barnas 2017 state of Pastor’s report that 9% of pastors in the
United States are women, revealing a clear underrepresentation of women in pastoral leadership
roles (Barna, 2017).
History reveals that since women in Protestant traditions have not generally been allowed
to join church leadership or hold an official position of religious standing, they have tended to be
active in movements of social justice and activism. While official church leadership may have
seriously lacked the benefits of female leadership, the gender walls have pushed women to
actively participate in caring for the church through parachurch means. Since the early church,
women have been key activists in leading movements of abolition and human rights (Dictionary
of Christian Spirituality, 2011). The literature proves that the underrepresentation of women in
church leadership continues to be a struggle and has created many barriers for women in ministry
and church leadership.

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Barriers That Women in Ministry Face
While literature reveals the uphill battle women have faced throughout church history,
plenty of research also addresses the barriers that women face in pursuing their professional
goals which unfortunately extends to women pursuing ministry leadership roles. The research
highlights some of the barriers that women in ministry face in churches. I will be addressing
Doctrine and Biblical debates concerning women in leadership roles, gender bias, a male-
dominant church environment, and women resisting women.
Biblical Debates Concerning Women in Leadership Roles
Biblical doctrines are fundamental in Christianity and serve as the foundation for the
interpretation of the teachings found throughout Scripture. Biblical scholars such as Machen and
Wells, state that doctrine serves as the theological underpinnings or truths taught to support what
occurred through the ministry of Jesus (Machen, 2009; Wells, 1993). Due to debates amongst
Theologians and evangelical scholars concerning the doctrine of God’s intent for how women
should function in the church, family, and society; barriers for women in ministry have been
created. One popular debate amongst Christian denominations is concerning the inerrancy of
scripture. The inerrancy of Scripture is a theological term that identifies the belief that the Bible
is entirely true and without fault in all that it says (Geisler, 1980). However, Geisler (1980) and
other scholars after him such as (Radmacher & Preus, 1984; Poythress, 2012), discuss that while
Christian denominations agree that the Bible is inerrant, there are many disagreements
concerning the interpretation of Scripture and doctrinal practices amongst Christians. According
to a religious landscape study conducted by Pew Research Center (2014) that surveys over
35,000 Americans from all 50 states, they report that three-quarters of Christians say they believe
13

the Bible is the word of God. Researchers have found that Christians, who make up a majority of
United States adults, 71%, are divided over how to interpret the Bible with four-in-10 Christians,
39%, stating that the Bible’s text is the word of God and should be taken literally, 36% say it
should not be interpreted literally or express another or no opinion, and a separate 18% of
Christians view the Bible as a book written by men, not God (Pew, 2014). To bring some order
and basis for properly interpreting Biblical scripture scholars’ direct people to learn
Hermeneutics. Hermeneutics is the scientific approach to reading the Bible by studying its
written message, meaning, and how it should be applied to one’s life (Hemmings, 2004). Even
though Hermeneutics guides to properly learning how to interpret scripture, Hemmings believed
that the hermeneutical debate over various scriptures relating to women in ministry had been
used as a scapegoat to prevent women from ordination. Hemmings claims that many
denominations have used various scriptures throughout the Bible through their Hermeneutical
interpretation to suppress women who are not knowledgeable of full gender equality according to
the teachings of Jesus and the New Testament (Hemmings, 2004).
Concerning the debate about women in ministry, Fagan (2005) states that due to various
interpretations and disagreements amongst Christian denominations concerning women in
ministry, the disagreement would continue since nobody has a clear understanding of God’s true
intention for either men or women. More recently, Smyth (2015) confirms Fagan’s claims of
women continuing to struggle for pastoral/leadership opportunities within the church. Based on
the testimonies of six currently ordained women, Smyth shares how negative beliefs toward
women in ministry continue to shape church communities in the present. Countless women grow
up in churches without seeing women ministers, and the church community’s view of God grows
smaller by limiting the leadership of the church to 50% of the community and denying women
14

the opportunity to share fully in God’s mission (Smyth, 2015). An example of what contributions
to these limiting beliefs is expanded upon by Biblical scholar Bilezikian (2006) who
demonstrates how different interpretations can arise from the first passage of scripture where a
woman, Eve, is introduced in the creation story found in Genesis 2. Some believe that God
created woman to be a “helper” (Genesis 2) to man in a subordinate capacity, while others claim
that the same Scripture portrayed women as a “helper” (Genesis 2) who is fully competent but
with superior strength to establish oneness and co-rulership with man (Bilezikian, 2006). Yet
others like Piper and Grudem (2006) stand in their belief that there was great significance for the
roles and identities of both male and female.
These contrasting beliefs can also be identified as complementarianism vs.
egalitarianism. Roat, (2019) summarizes complementarianism and egalitarianism as theological
views on the relationship between men and women in ministry and marriage roles.
Complementarianism stresses that although men and women are equal as human beings, they are
created for different roles. Egalitarianism also agrees that men and women are equal as human
beings but holds that there is no gender-based restrictions on the roles that men and women can
serve within the church (Roat, 2019). The research identifies that while most Christians agree
that the Bible is inherent, they disagree on the interpretation of doctrine and Biblical Scripture
concerning women’s roles in the church creating a great divide and a general resistance to
women as leaders within the church.
Gender Bias in the Church
An additional barrier that women in ministry face are gender bias in the church. In a
study surveying 38,426 people across 34 different countries, most people, a median of 94%,
agree that gender equality is important (Pew, 2020) but even with previous years of slow
15

improvements made toward equality for women, research points to how women’s progress
towards equality has stalled (England et al., 2020). According to Reed (2019), Robbins, and
Greene (2018), and Charlton (2000), women in Christian Churches are not exempt from gender
bias. Reed reports from her study that women pastors and leaders experience harassment, and
abuse and feel that they are treated as novel rather than normal, being isolated from support
systems including mentors, dealing with complaints about their appearance and clothing, and
being avoided or dismissed by male clergy. She adds that due to the gender bias that exists,
women in ministry deal with increased levels of stress and disrupt their leadership learning cycle
(Reed, 2019). Additionally, Robbins and Greene (2018) share how women clergy experience
explicit and implicit bias such as pay inequity, verbal attacks and abuse, sexist remarks, hostile
opposition, age, marital status discrimination, and bullying from parishioners (Robins and
Greene, 2018). Charlton (2000) also reveals that glass ceilings still exist for clergywomen many
years after initial research on the first clergywomen in mainline denominations. She concludes
that women will have to continue to learn how to work in a gender-biased environment and deal
with organizational structures that prevent them from moving forward with their goals
successfully (Charlton, 2000).
In addition, a study by sociologist Ridgeway (2009) has argued that gender can shape
both social behavior and organizational structures. Ridgeway calls this Gender framing and is the
established common, cultural knowledge regarding how identity/self is understood contextually.
She addresses how the environment dictates acceptable responses, actions, and expectations that,
in term, become personalized. Furthermore, Ridgeway found that gender framing has often been
utilized to shape organizational policies and social behaviors that favored one gender over
another. Since people are dependent on social connections to fulfill their wants and needs, people
16

therefore conform to gender framing. This study connects to Whitehead’s (2013) research stating
that churches are male-gendered due to their writings, hierarchies, and social stance. Churches
never claim to be gender-neutral organizations since women are barred from senior positions due
to the male-gendered orientation of churches. The study also reveals that due to gender bias
clergywomen cannot speak freely concerning issues, and it takes them longer to find a job as a
leader in the church, and those jobs are limited in number and rank (Whitehead, 2013).
A Dominant Male-Led Church Environment
Christian churches throughout the United States are overwhelmingly led by male pastors.
According to the Religious Leadership and Diversity Project, 90% of head clergy are male
(Edwards, 2019). This male-dominated church environment has created an additional barrier for
women in ministry leadership. According to five individual case studies, together with grounded
theory data collection and analysis conducted by the SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, reports
that women in male-dominated occupations face unique challenges and use distinct coping
strategies affecting their motivation and retention in these occupations. The study shows that
many women who choose male-dominated careers soon change in favor of more female-
dominated or gender-balanced career paths due to multiple barriers. Specifically, male-
dominated environments created barriers such as inadequate resources, biased infrastructure, and
policies, spillover of stereotypical gender roles and expectations that relate to women, lack of
real transformation because of male resistance and prejudices, physical and health-related
difficulties, negative work-identity perceptions, and more difficulties to maintain a work-life
balance (Martin & Barnard, 2013). Since the church is a male dominated work environment
Wilde and Al-Faham (2018) and Lutz and Eagle (2019) agree that women in a male dominated
field such as church have an incongruous identity. Wilde and Al-Faham mention that women in a
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male dominated church environment experience a lack of both emotional and mentorship support
to help with identity conflict (Wilde & Al-Faham, 2018). Additionally, Lutz and Eagle mention
that this identity conflict prevents women clergy from sharing their emotional needs with one
another, further isolating them from social networks and support systems, creating yet another
barrier towards reaching their ministry goals (Lutz & Eagle, 2019).
Additional researchers such as Shehan et al. (1999), Schleifer and Miller (2017) and
LeGrand et al. (2013), agree that women experience extreme pressures and a lack of support in a
male dominated church environment that limits their success. Shehan et al. points out through
their research that as women attempt to fit in the church as leaders, clergywomen often sense that
they must prove themselves to be accepted in a male-dominated setting and experienced pressure
to perform better to prove their worth to the church. Schleifer and Miller expand upon these
issues through their study which reports that even when women are hired to be a lead pastor or a
primary leader in the church, clergywomen face negative pressures if they have a family which
often leads to a financial penalty while male clergy receive financial incentives for having a
family. Their research also indicates that the increase of women in an occupation creates a
devaluation of the occupation and pay scale and affects women more than men in the occupation.
This has led clergywomen to be more prone to work in part-time positions or in settings outside
of a church such as chaplaincy to fill the financial gaps. They also report that Clergywomen who
are married typically do not receive the financial and social support that male pastors receive in
having a pastor’s wife. The pastor’s husband is not considered to be a benefit to a church leading
to additional negative pressures that only women pastors and leaders face in the church
(Schleifer & Miller, 2017). Additional research by LeGrands et al. also shares that clergy women
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tended to put the needs of others ahead of their own personal needs and have higher levels of
loneliness due to a lack of peers and support (LeGrands et al., 2013).
Previous research by Lehman (1981) identifies that male-dominated church environments
fear that people will leave the church if a woman is called to be the pastor and therefore create
glass ceilings for women to advance. Lehman also adds that churches that are growing are more
opposed to women clergy than churches that are in decline due to fear of people leaving the
church due to a woman being a pastor or leader in ministry. More current research by Gatrell and
Peyton (2019) also address the glass ceilings that continue to exist for women clergy in the
United Kingdom or as Bagiholea (2006) describes the experiences of pioneer women priests in
the Church of England as coming up against an impenetrable lead roof. They report that since
clergy remain outside U.K. equality and employment legislation, this has led to continual
opposition for women clergy in leadership roles within the church promoting a male dominant
environment. They share that there is still lots of work towards cultivating and achieving gender
parity in the leadership of the English national Church, itself challenged by secularism and
cultural diversity. Additional researchers Adams (2007) and Sullins (2000) report that a lack of
clarity for women in ministry in churches in a male dominated environment leads to confusion.
They state that male church leaders and Christian denominations overall create a ceiling that is
not clear and indicates that churches are open to displaying their prejudice against women and
prevent women from rising to high positions of leadership in the church while providing men
with a glass escalator straight to the top (Adams, 2007). Sullens adds that the status of women in
ministry declines over the years as opposed to men, whose tenure increases their job success.
Congregations are constantly hesitant to hire clergywomen due to the perceived threat that
congregational conflict will arise from the hiring decision (Sullins, 2000). The research presented
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addresses how a dominant male led church environment creates barriers for women in pastoral
leadership roles.
Women Resisting Women
Women have also been found to resist other women in pastoral leadership positions. In a
recent study from The Barna Research Group where 603 Christian women were surveyed found
that most women considered themselves to be servants in the church rather than leaders. Twenty
two percent of these women believe that the Bible prohibits women from being leaders in the
church and 63% of these women don’t believe that their church would have more effective
ministry if women were given more opportunities to lead (Barna, 2012). Thurrott (2019), adds to
Barnas findings by addressing that due to women being restricted from access to classrooms,
pulpits, platforms, and lecterns for much of history often, women struggle in accepting women in
leadership roles they don’t envision for themselves.
The barriers that women in ministry face are substantial and extend beyond the research
provided. Doctrine and Biblical debates concerning women in leadership roles, gender bias, a
male dominant church environment, and women resisting women all contribute to the major
barrier’s women must overcome to become pastors and leaders within the church. The following
section focuses on the existing strategies that have helped overcome the underrepresentation of
women in church leadership.
Existing Strategies to Overcome the Underrepresentation of Women in Church Leadership
The previous literature reviewed has identified the history of the underrepresentation of
women in church leadership as well as the barriers that still exist for women pursuing leadership
ministry roles. The literature has revealed that while women have been working in ministry since
the birth of Christianity, women face great challenges being able to rise to positions of leadership
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in church ministry. This section will review literature that addresses the existing strategies that
can continue to help women receive equitable opportunities to lead as pastors and ministry
leaders such as: Legislative and organizational changes, workplace culture and mentoring.
Legislative and Organizational Changes
American history reveals that strategies to fight for gender equality began when women
were denied the right to vote in the 19th century and lasted over 100 years. It was not until
August 18, 1920, that American women won full voting rights (National Women’s History
Museum, 2021). The women’s suffrage movement launched the beginning of a national
women’s movement that has been fighting for the equal rights of women for decades. The
women’s suffrage movement led to the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
These pieces of legislation were intended to help end gender discrimination in the workplace.
They made it illegal to hire or compensate differently based on ethnicity or gender. The Equal
Pay Act states:
No employer having employees subject to any provisions of this section shall
discriminate, within any establishment in which such employees are employed, between
employees on the basis of sex by paying wages to employees in such establishment at a
rate less than the rate at which he pays wages to employees of the opposite sex in such
establishment for equal work on jobs the performance of which requires equal skill,
effort, and responsibility, and which are performed under similar working conditions.
(U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 1963)
Legislation changes also contributed to strategies that led to changes in the organizational
structure of churches. The cultural movement driving the changes in legislation plus religious
documents such as Documents of Vatican II called to the end of discrimination by reason of sex
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and awakened in women a new conscious of their potential (Carroll, 1975). Further strategies
were embraced by denominations such as the Assemblies of God SoCal Network where their
bylaws were rewritten to include women and underrepresented groups in their executive
presbytery. Their Bylaws state:
The Executive Presbytery shall consist of the District Superintendent, the executive
officers, twelve (12) ordained ministers, one of whom shall be chosen from each of
twelve (12) regions. Additional members shall consist of one ordained Female, one
ordained Minister under the age of 40, one Intercultural representative identified in the
General Council Ethnic group category of Asian/Pacific Islander, one identified in the
General Council Ethnic group category of Black , one identified in the General Council
Ethnic group category of Hispanic, one at large Intercultural presbyter from any General
Council Ethnic code other than Anglo, and one at large Intercultural Executive Presbyter
from any General Council Ethnic group category except ethnic code Anglo nominated by
the Intercultural Committee. (Southern California Executive Presbytery, 2021, e.g., p. 18)
Legislative and Organizational changes have served their purpose as strategies for overcoming
the underrepresentation of women in church leadership.
Mentoring
While there is a lack of studies related to the benefit of mentoring strategies for women in
ministry leadership specifically, there are studies that have found mentoring to be an
overwhelmingly positive learning experience for both mentors and mentees alike (Hansford et
al., 2002). Ehrich et al., (2004) reviewed over 300 mentoring evaluations and discovered that
over 35% of programs had only positive outcomes, such as networking, sharing ideas with
colleagues, personal satisfaction, and growth. Out of all the mentoring programs they reviewed, a
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mere 2.5% reported exclusively negative outcomes such as a lack of time or personality
mismatches.
In a mentoring component of the Leadership Development for Women program at the
University of Western Australia, De Vries (2005) reported that the women who were mentored
expressed benefits such as encouragement, networking, and increased self-confidence as well as
benefits for their mentors. An additional empirical analysis of mentoring outcomes of women in
academia directed by Gardiner and colleagues (2007) attempted to increase the number of female
academic staff in senior positions at a medium-sized research-intensive university. They initiated
a mentoring scheme in 1998 that specifically targeted early-career female researchers. Of the 22
mentees who began the scheme in 1998, three had left the university by 2004 (14%), compared
with 15 of the 46 controls (33%). This indicated that those women who received mentoring were
more likely to stay at the university. The study also revealed that out of the 22 mentees, 68% had
been promoted at least once by 2004. In contrast, only 43% of the controls had received at least
one promotion. The women being mentored confirmed the idea that the scheme had a positive
effect on applying for promotions such as achieving promotion to Senior Lecturer as a direct
result of working with their mentor. They also reported that the mentoring program helped them
look into the future with a greater sense of self-worth and self-confidence. Additionally, the
average mentee earned $41,896 in external grants over the 6-year period while the controls
received on average $14,647 in external grants over the same period. This amounted to an annual
grant income of $6983 for mentees and only $2441 for those not receiving mentoring. Based
upon the literature, mentoring has proven to be an effective strategy to help women advance in
their goals and careers while increasing their confidence and earning potential (Gardiner et al.,
2007).
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Pursuing the Call of God Through Higher Education
An additional existing strategy for overcoming the underrepresentation of women in
church leadership is for women to continue to pursue their God given call through higher
education. For decades women have responded to invitations by pastors, evangelists, and other
church leaders to commit their lives to full time Christian service. Women have responded to this
invitation with conviction and are convinced that by making such a commitment to Christian
ministry they are responding to the call of God. Honeycutt (1984) reports that as churches began
to invite women to commit their lives to full time Christian service, it led women in the late
1980’s to begin to apply to seminaries for further preparation for Christian ministry. As evidence
of this, in the fall semester of 1987 of the 10,456 students enrolled in the six Southern Baptist
seminaries, 2059 or 20% were women (Honeycutt, 1984). Campbell-Reed (2019) adds that by
1998, 30 of every 100 MDiv students in the United States, and 33 out of 100 students in all
seminary programs were women. Her report also shows that from the late 1990s to the present,
women in the largest Mainline seminaries have remained nearly half of the overall student
population (44–49%) and half or more of the students enrolled in MDiv programs (46–52%).
(Campbell-Reed, 2019). A study by Shaw and her colleagues (2021) revealed that while women
have faced constant barriers to hold ministry leadership positions, education has served as a
strategy to help women fulfill their ministry goals despite the opposition. In the study Shaw
interviewed 29 of the 36 women who were enrolled in a PhD program from 1982 to 1992 at the
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and re-interviewed 17 of these women in 2016. Her
findings discovered that many women had left the Southern Baptist denomination due to their
resistance towards women in ministry leadership positions. However, these women left their
denomination for successful leadership roles in other churches, denominations, educational
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institutions, and organizations (Shaw, 2021). Additional supportive evidence of the effectiveness
and empowerment that education can bring to women is expanded by Kahn (2020) who reports
that women with access to higher education changed America for the better. She reports that the
accessibility of higher-education institutions for women helped train teachers and fueled a
revolution in gender roles and the progressive movements of the late 19th and early 20th
centuries. Since women even after college did not have many career paths open to them, they
invented new public roles for themselves. Khan adds that young, college-educated women
founded settlement houses that offered educational services in urban immigrant communities and
early public-health projects such as Lillian Wald’s Visiting Nurses Association. Khan reports
that American women are more likely to enroll in and complete college than men. In 2015,
72.5% of female recent high school graduates were enrolled, compared to 65.8% of recent male
graduates. In 2017, women made up about 56% of students on college campuses. By age 31,
women are more likely than men to have earned a college degree in every ethnic and racial group
in the country (Kahn, 2020).
Women pastors and leaders also demonstrate a higher commitment to their faith and
profession by pursuing education and instruction more than men. According to a study from the
Barna Group nearly 80% of Women pastors have a seminary degree while less than two-thirds
(63%) of male pastors can make that same claim (Barna, 2009). Women have not only shown
devotion in their Theological and leadership studies but also through their overall devotion to
their faith. According to Pew Research Center (2015), women in the United States are more
religious than men and prove it by participating much more frequently in their private devotional
habits such as prayer, and Bible reading. American women also are more likely than American
men to say they pray daily (64% vs. 47%) and attend religious services at least once a week
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(40% vs. 32%). An additional study shows that women also have a greater commitment to their
overall belief in God and their understanding of the Bible. Roughly 80% of Christian women say
they are certain God exists and that the Bible is the word of God, compared with about 70% of
men who say this (Fahmy, 2020). The research shows how women are more passionate about
their faith than men and are more passionate about pursuing higher education so that they can
minister more effectively and pursue their God given call and ministry goals amid opposition.
Higher education clearly serves as a strong strategy for overcoming the underrepresentation of
women in church leadership.
Conceptual Foundation
Beginning with social cognitive theory (SCT) as the overarching foundation, this study
seeks to explore the experiences of women who are pastors or leaders in Christian churches and
address how the environment, people’s beliefs and their behaviors may create obstacles for
women to advance in positions of authority. SCT is a learning theory developed by the research
of Canadian psychologist, Albert Bandura. SCT focuses on the joint relationship between the
environment, people’s beliefs, and their behaviors in learning (Bandura, 2005). The influence
between the environment, people’s beliefs and behavior is also known as triadic reciprocity
which connects a person’s beliefs and mental processes with their behaviors and the influences
within the environment that contribute back to their beliefs and behaviors.
Personal efficacy is a major part of this theory and shows that unless people believe that
they can produce desired change and stop or stall undesired ones by their actions, they have little
motivation to act (Bandura, 2000). Self-efficacy is concerned with people’s beliefs in their
ability to influence events that affect their lives (Bandura, 1999). A person’s belief in themselves
is the foundation of human motivation, performance accomplishments, and emotional well-being
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(Bandura, 1997, 2004). Self-efficacy beliefs regulate human functioning through cognitive,
motivational, affective, and decisional processes (Benight, 2004). Benight adds that self-efficacy
beliefs affect whether individuals think in self-enhancing or self-debilitating ways; how well
individuals motivate themselves and persevere in the face of difficulties; the quality of one’s
emotional life and vulnerability to stress and depression; resilience to adversity; and the choices
made at important decisional points, setting life courses (Benight, 2004). Using SCT for this
study will direct the research to observe how the environment, beliefs and behaviors impact
women pursuing leadership roles in pastoral ministry. The key concepts brought out from the
literature concerning the underrepresentation of women pastors within Christian churches in the
United States are negative influences of hierarchical structures in the church, impact of cultural
beliefs, misogynistic attitudes, male leaders verbally and systemically opposing women in
ministry, sexist restrictions in the church, gender bias, opposing Biblical beliefs, gender framing,
impacts of a male dominated environments, lack of self-efficacy, the impact of social, legislative,
organizational changes and lack of mentoring programs.
SCT is an appropriate lens by which to examine this problem of practice because the
influence between the environment, people’s beliefs and behaviors in Christian churches has
contributed to the underrepresentation of women in pastoral leadership roles. SCT provides a
framework to explore the challenges that women in Christian churches face due to the triadic
reciprocity that occurs not only within White Male church leaders, but also amongst the
congregation that is full of men and women of various ages. SCT can help us explore why
Christian churches that claim that they do want to give women opportunities to lead and pastor
still show resistance through their actions by forming boundaries and obstacles in their
environment, beliefs and behaviors demonstrated through their teachings and representation.
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SCT can also help us explore the possible negative effects that the environment, beliefs, and
behaviors in a church has on a woman’s personal efficacy who desire to lead in the church.
Overall, SCT is a suitable theory that can help reveal what factors within Christian churches,
people’s beliefs and their behaviors all have influenced the underrepresentation and inequities
that women face within Christian churches. The method used in this study will be a qualitative
interview with 10 women from various Christian churches within the United States.
Summary
The literature reviewed throughout this chapter identifies the unique experiences women
pastors/leaders have faced that has contributed to the underrepresentation of women in church
leadership. The literature revealed the various limitations and struggles women in church
leadership have faced throughout the history of the church particularly as it became more
structured. While literature reveals the uphill battle women have faced throughout church
history, plenty of research also addresses the current barriers that women face in becoming
pastors/leaders in the church. Some of the predominant barriers have been Doctrine and Biblical
debates concerning women in leadership roles, gender bias, and a fixed mindset concerning
gender roles, a male dominant church environment, and women resisting women. Additionally,
this chapter reviewed literature that revealed the existing strategies that can continue to help
women receive equitable opportunities to lead as pastors/leaders such as: Legislative and
organizational changes, workplace culture, and mentoring.
In summary, this literature review synthesizes the research surrounding women
pastors/leaders experience in the church. The literature offers a valuable insight into the
components of self-efficacy related to women pastors/leaders. Furthermore, the review of
28

literature points to areas that can help provide more awareness to the experiences that motivate
or discourage women in ministry leadership roles. The constructs presented will be used to
inform the development of the qualitative interviews and research hypotheses regarding the
experiences of women pastors.

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Chapter Three: Methodology
The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the experiences of women pastors/leaders
while also bringing to light any unique struggles that they may face through their lived
experiences that have led to an underrepresentation of women pastors/leaders in Christian
Churches. This chapter provides a detailed methodology for the study. The section begins with
an outline of the research questions guiding the study. The chapter highlights the overview of the
design, the position of the researcher, the selection of participants, survey sampling criteria,
strategy, and rationale. Also included is the proposed data collection, instrumentation, and data
analysis procedures. The chapter concludes with reliability and validity aspects of the study as
well as ethical considerations and study limitations.
Research Questions
The following research questions are posed to understand the experiences women pastors
and leaders face.
1. What were the early experiences of women in the church that contributed to the
development of women becoming pastors?
2. What were the experiences of women as they made their decision and commitment to
become a pastor?
3. What are the current experiences and aspirations of women pastors in their churches?
Research Design Overview
The design of this study is qualitative. The paradigm of inquiry that is framing my
problem is constructivism. A constructivism worldview is a research framework that centers on
the different worldview of others and the way individuals develop subjective meanings of their
experiences directed toward certain objects or things (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). Through a
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constructivist worldview I plan on using qualitative methods that rely as much as possible on the
participants’ views of the underrepresentation of women pastors and leaders within Christian
churches. Qualitative research is most suitable for exploratory research such as this and is used to
better understand the individual experiences, opinions, thoughts, and trends to identify the
problem and dig into understanding the extent of the problem at hand (Arghode, 2012). Since I
will be seeking to understand more about the experiences of women pastors and leaders through
interviews, a qualitative research type is most suitable. A quantitative study based on surveys
could be carried out, however this type of study would only give a general view of the issues
while missing the nuances behind the issues that need to be tackled. By undertaking qualitative
research, I aim to identify and understand the situation at hand in-depth. I will be interviewing 12
women pastors/leaders who are currently working as pastors/leaders in a church or Christian
ministry platform.
Research Setting
The participants for this study have been selected through purposeful sampling.
Purposeful sampling is used in qualitative research to purposefully select participants or sites that
will best help the researcher understand the problem and the research question (Creswell &
Creswell, 2018). There were 12 participants in my study. This study follows a qualitative
research design based on interviews. This approach was chosen to gain insight from the lived
experiences of the participants (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Prior to the interviews, a list of 11
predetermined questions, along with probes, was developed so that each interviewee would
respond to a similar series of questions based on the three research questions. The questions are
open-ended to elicit as much detail and meaning from the interviewee as possible. The
interviews will take place over a two-month period (April 2022–May 2022). All interviews
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lasted between 45-60 minutes. The Zoom platform was chosen over face-to-face interviews
because of distance. The Zoom platform allowed for the sessions to be recorded and transcribed.
The data collected through interviews were compared against observations and interpretations
and cross-checked against existing literature. The number of participants sampled, and the
purposeful sampling will increase validity/credibility by ensuring that the women who are
chosen are women who have been involved in pastoral church leadership positions.
The Researcher
My relationship to this topic has lots to do with my personal history especially since I
have been connected to Christian Churches all my life and currently serve as an executive pastor
in a multi campus church. Throughout the years in church settings, I have personally witnessed
and experienced inequitable and unjust actions towards my parents, wife, friends, and myself.
The power structures that intersect my intersectional identities are racism, language bias, sexism,
and ageism.
My positioning relative to my topic helps me understand the problem because as a
second-generation Hispanic millennial male I have experienced life in a unique way where I see
myself positioned to understand different viewpoints. An example of this is that Spanish was my
first language since my parents raised me in a Spanish speaking home, however, English was
quickly introduced to me in preschool, and I grew up in a multi-lingual and multicultural
environment. I saw and experienced the challenges and benefits of my diversity and can now
connect the dots between certain privileges that some people have versus inequities that are
evident in immigrant families. My experience as one of the youngest ordained ministers in our
primarily older, White, and male dominated denomination has also placed me in a position to see
the underrepresentation of minorities, younger generations, and women in church settings. Since
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I am a lighter skinned Hispanic, I also recognize that I have certain privileges that I received in
contrast with other darker skinned minorities who have not been treated equitably. My desire is
that through my positionality I can help bridge certain gaps and help promote equity and justice
throughout Christian churches.
As a researcher, I recognize that my own bias and lived experiences working as a pastor
can affect the research. I approached this study knowing my own limitations to be transparent in
the research process. Constant reflective practices throughout the research process raise
awareness of the influence on the researcher’s interpretation of the data collected (Merriam &
Tisdell, 2016). To engage in self-reflective practices, I requested help from classmates,
professors, and committee chairs for their feedback during the entire process to limit any source
of bias. Throughout this study I gave women pastors a platform to express the journey towards
their success by also discussing any obstacles created by various environments in and outside of
the church, while dealing with people’s beliefs, and behaviors towards women in pastoral
leadership roles that they had to overcome. In doing so, my goal and heart’s desire is for women
who have experienced rejection from their church and are discouraged to pursue pastoral
leadership would be motivated to go after their ministry goals and pursue God’s call over their
life. Whether the findings confirm my own beliefs or against my beliefs, the results will be
presented as intended by the respondents. Interviews are recorded and presented along with
papers so the readers can understand and see if there is any bias in the reporting and ensure the
report’s reliability.
The themes in my findings also resonate with my personal transformative worldview. My
personal critical transformative reflection involves a critique of the presuppositions of the beliefs
related to women pastors that have existed and continue to manifest in church environments. As I
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present my findings in the upcoming chapters I prompt the reader to consider the themes that
reveal a new or revised interpretation of the meaning of the way women have been treated within
the church throughout their past and present experiences.
Data Sources
The source of data come from the semi-structured interviews of women pastors or leaders
in Christian churches or Christian ministry platforms. Based on the qualitative methodology for
research that has been identified to be the most suitable for the research, the next step would be
to identify the tools that would be used in the collection of data. Qualitative analysis allows for
different tools that could be used in gaining the required data. A semi-structured interview was
the most suitable option. This allowed for the respondents of the interview to provide detailed
stories and information on their views of the topic and provide their own experiences as
examples in getting answers to the research questions.
Participants
The criteria for selection were women pastors or leaders in Christian churches or
Christian ministry platforms. The research was carried out by interviews in which participation
of women pastors/leaders in Christian churches or Christian ministry platforms were requested to
participate. Recruitment was done through the contacts in our SoCal Assembly of God Network
office who have access to thousands of credentialed ministers throughout Southern California in
various denominations. The list of these participants is through the contacts in our SoCal
Assembly of God Network office who have access to many credentialed women ministers
throughout Southern California in various denominations. This study utilized a direct email
approach to recruiting women pastors/leaders in churches throughout Southern California. The
initial email was sent to women pastors who have served in pastoral/leadership ministry roles for
34

at least 5 years. The SoCal Assembly of God Network has an estimated group of 100 women
pastors who are credentialed ministers. The participant email will help ensure participants from
diverse backgrounds and from different areas throughout Southern California. The criteria for
selection were women who have served in pastoral/leadership roles. Only those candidates were
requested to be a part of the research. The selection of women pastors/leaders is critical for the
researcher since the focus of the study is based around understanding the nature of their
experiences, their motivation to enter and continue within the ministry and learning about what
resources or supports have been influential to the retention of female pastors within the ministry.
Instrumentation
Qualitative analysis allows for different tools to be used in gaining the required data. A
semi-structured interview would be the most suitable option. This allowed for the respondents of
the interview to provide detailed stories and information on their views of the topic and provide
their own experiences as examples in getting answers to the research questions. Interview
questions were designed from the three research questions. These questions focus on the
experience that women pastors go through as well as the environmental/social/cultural barriers
and facilitators to increasing women to become pastors. Following the semi-structured
guidelines, twelve sequential questions were developed, along with probing questions to address
this study’s conceptual framework (see Appendix A). Two mock interviews were conducted
using the interview questions. Following the mock interviews, questions were arranged in
sequential order and reworded for clarity.
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Data Collection Procedures
A qualitative research method relies on the researcher as the instrument for data
collection and employs multiple data collection methods based on participants’ meanings
(Creswell & Creswell, 2018). The researcher sent an initial email to interview participants with
an overview of the study. Following the initial email, additional correspondence with chosen
participants were made to schedule the interviews. The researcher conducted semi-structured
interviews of 12 participants. Each interview too approximately 45–60 minutes using the Zoom
platform. Zoom allows recording, participant consent, and transcriptions of the interviews. All
interviews were guided by 12 questions. The interview began by providing time for developing
rapport with each participant and then shifting the conversation to how the participants began
their work in pastoral/leadership ministry.
Data Analysis
After the collection of data utilizing interview videos, I began to analyze and interpret the
participants’ responses. Since I used semi-structured interviews as the design of inquiry for this
study, it allowed me to use the coding process to generate a description of the participants and
categories or inductive themes for analysis (Creswell & Creswell, 2018; Merriam & Tisdell,
2016). The interview data was coded and categorized based on their relevance to the three
research questions. Interview transcripts were analyzed to identify themes for each open-ended
question and analyzed separately to identify comments and important points to provide answers
to the research questions.
Analytic memos were written after each interview and each observation. I documented
thoughts, concerns, and initial conclusions about the data in relation to the conceptual framework
and research questions. Interviews were transcribed and coded. In the first phase of analysis,
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open coding was utilized, looking for empirical codes from the conceptual framework. The
second phase of analysis was conducted where empirical and prior codes were aggregated into
analytic codes. The third phase of data analysis included the identification of patterns and themes
that emerge in relation to the conceptual framework and research questions.
Interview transcriptions, observations of non-verbal reactions, and interpretations of the
participants’ narratives were analyzed. The data was coded and categorized based on their
relevance to the three research questions. (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The codes were
independently analyzed and combined into themes emerging from the data.
Validity and Reliability
Establishing validity and reliability is first done by acknowledging my own reasons for
the interview and what the interview would be used for will be explained to the respondents to
ensure trustworthiness and credibility (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The information that the
respondents do not mind sharing as a part of the research will be validated and checked for
inconsistencies by any reader or participants to establish credibility. I will also provide the
participants with data on the interpretation to clarify or change anything they feel is being
misinterpreted. Confirmability will occur by using the participants’ responses and avoiding my
own potential biases acknowledged. Dependability, or the extent that the study could be repeated
by other researchers and that the findings would be consistent. If another person wants to
replicate the study, they should have enough information from the report to do so and obtain
similar findings, to establish dependability.
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Research Ethics
The research for this study was conducted in ethical ways to protect all participants. The
research was carried out based on the ethical guidelines that have been established and followed
as per the research guidelines. After receiving approval from the institutional review board
(IRB), the researcher obtained a list of the credentialed women ministers within the network
through the online minister’s portal on the SoCal Networks website. Once the researcher
received permission, the participants were contacted by email and were requested to participate
in the research. The participants were informed ahead of time of the topic and what topics, or
questions would be explored in brief and the time required. They were not forced in any manner
to be a part of the study. The participants’ names and organizational information will be kept
confidential if requested by the participants. The data that could be used for the research was
used in the results and findings. All interviews were conducted over Zoom, and the online
contact was kept to a minimum to ensure that the participants didn’t feel pushed or disturbed.
Furthermore, I followed these guidelines and only included the open and willing participants to
provide answers to the research questions.
This research serves the interest of women in Christian churches who are or may one day
be a lead pastor/staff pastor or key ministry leader within their church or denomination. The
primary goal of this study is to elevate the voices of women who have been underrepresented in
the church yet have overcome obstacles and are now incredibly successful in their ministry. This
study will address any specific struggles and barriers that women had to overcome and will
challenge any obstacles that limit opportunities for women within the church.
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Chapter Four: Findings
This qualitative phenomenological study explored the experiences of women in their
journey as pastors. This chapter presents the main findings within three research questions. The
research questions focus on the experiences of women as they made their decisions to become
pastors, their experiences as they began pastoral ministry, and their experiences today.
Participants
This study involved 12 women pastors who hold ministry credentials with a Christian
denomination and have served in a Christian pastoral ministry role in churches throughout
Southern California for at least 5 years. The age range of the participants was from 30 to 70
years of age and the pastoral ministry experience range is from 5 years to 40 years. This study
includes interviews with two lead pastors and 10 staff pastors who have served in various
pastoral ministry roles. All participants have been credentialed by their church or denomination
as pastors. Below is a brief bio of each participant using their pseudonym.
Deborah: A Latina woman between the ages of 30–40. She has over 15 years of pastoral
ministry experience. She has functioned as a staff pastor throughout her ministry for three
different churches working in the areas of worship and student ministries. She currently holds a
master’s degree. She is married and has children.
Esther: A single Latina woman between the ages of 45–55. She has over 25 years of
pastoral ministry experience. She functioned as a staff pastor for two different churches before
she planted a church where she continues to minister today. She currently holds a master’s
degree.
Hagar: A woman of color between the ages of 40–50. She has over 5 years of pastoral
ministry experience. She has functioned as a staff pastor throughout her ministry working
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primarily with children and families. She is less than a year away from earning her bachelor’s
degree. She is married and has children.
Hannah: A Latina woman between the ages of 35–45. She has over 10 years of pastoral
ministry experience. She has functioned as a staff pastor throughout her ministry for one church
working in student ministries. She currently holds a master’s degree. She is married and has a
child.
Jael: A Latina woman between the ages of 35–45. She is a credentialed minister and has
over 15 years of pastoral ministry experience. She has functioned as a staff pastor and leader in a
missionary organization throughout her ministry. She is an author and currently holds a
bachelor’s degree. She is married and has a child.
Lydia: A White woman between the ages of 35–45. She is an Ordained minister and has
over 15 years of pastoral ministry experience. She has functioned as a staff pastor throughout her
ministry for two churches working in many ministry areas throughout the church, as well as in
denominational leadership, and currently as an executive pastor at a church. She currently holds
a master’s degree. She is married and has children.
Mirriam: A White woman over 60 years of age. She has over 35 years of pastoral
ministry experience. She has functioned as a staff pastor throughout her ministry for various
churches working primarily in ministry areas of counseling and marriage. She is married and has
children.
Phoebe: A White woman between the ages of 25–35. She is a credentialed minister and
has over 5 years of pastoral ministry experience. She has functioned as a staff pastor throughout
her ministry for one church working in many ministry areas throughout the church. She currently
holds a Seminary degree. She is married and has a child.
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Rachel: A White woman over 50 years of age. She is an Ordained minister and has over
30 years of pastoral ministry experience. She has functioned as a staff pastor, lead pastor, and
denominational leader throughout her ministry. She currently holds a bachelor’s degree. She is
married and has children.
Dr. Rebekah: A Latina woman between the ages of 40–50. She is an Ordained minister
and has over 15 years of pastoral ministry experience. She has functioned as a staff pastor
throughout her ministry working in many ministry areas throughout the church. She currently
leads her nonprofit organization providing counseling and support to church members and staff.
She currently holds an EdD. She is married and has children.
Ruth: A single Black woman between the ages of 50–60. She is a credentialed minister
and has over 30 years of pastoral ministry experience. She has functioned as a staff pastor in a
church, as a Christian University professor, and in many volunteer ministry areas throughout the
churches, she has been a part of. She currently holds a master’s degree.
Sarah: A White woman between the ages of 45–55. She is an Ordained minister and has
over 20 years of pastoral ministry experience. She has functioned as a staff pastor throughout her
ministry as well as a director in a missionary organization. She currently holds a master’s degree.
She is married and has children.
Research Question 1: What Were the Early Experiences of Women in the Church That
Contributed to the Development of Women Becoming Pastors?
While all the participants had unique family lives and were introduced to the church
through various circumstances, most had similar early experiences in the church. Their early
experiences in the church can help us understand some of the motivators that led the participants
to pursue pastoral ministry later in their life. My findings for my first research question revealed
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one main theme: Positive early experiences in church contributed to the development of women
becoming pastors. This finding emerged from the participants’ stories based on their early
experiences in the church. Within this finding, there are three sub-themes that I will further expand
upon in this section.
Before expanding upon my findings, it is important to note that all women mentioned
negative early experiences in the church as well. I took note of these negative experiences
because all participants mentioned that as they pursued ministry, they were aware of the negative
things they saw in the church and were motivated not to create those negative experiences in the
church for those they pastored. Some of the most predominant negative early church experiences
mentioned by 11 of the 12 participants were legalism. While legalism is not mentioned in the
Bible, it is a term Christians use to describe a doctrinal position emphasizing a system of rules
and regulations for achieving both salvation and spiritual growth. Legalists believe in and
demand strict literal adherence to rules and regulations putting law above gospel by establishing
requirements for salvation beyond repentance and faith in Jesus Christ and expecting God to
bless those who have proven themselves worthy (Yinger, 2008). All participants experienced
moments in the church that they interpreted as legalistic when it came to what they were allowed
to wear, say or do as Christian women. However, all participants expressed that the early positive
experiences at church outweighed the negative ones.
Finding 1: Positive Early Experiences in Church Contributed to the Development of
Women Becoming Pastors
Throughout the interviews, all participants recalled many of their early experiences in the
church, and all 12 participants shared stories that revealed how positive early experiences within
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the church contributed to their development as pastors. Ten of the 12 women interviewed
attended church as children, while Hagar and Rebekah did not begin to attend church until they
were adults. They all shared positive memories from their early experiences in the church that
motivated them to consider becoming pastors. To show how positive early experiences in the
church contributed to the development of women pastors, I have broken this finding into three
dominant influences: (a) a loving community and friendship; (b) spiritual encounters, and (c)
empowering role models that were greatly influential to the development of women becoming
pastors.
They Found a Loving Community and Friendships
Finding a loving community and friendships within the church was a major positive early
church experience for all the participants. Ten of the participants experienced these positive early
church experiences as children while the other two developed these positive early church
experiences as adults. All participants revealed specific moments when they felt accepted in a
loving community and built friendships in the church. Hannah, who developed some of her early
church experiences when she began attending church as a teenager stated, “Whenever the pastor
would preach, I felt like God loved me. That’s what I was looking for. And it really helped that I
had friends there as well.” Hannah described her family as broken due to the separation of her
parents. She was raised by a single mother and began attending church at the age of 12. While
not fully understand the Biblical teachings as a child she did connect to the community and to the
friendships there which later led her to be baptized in the church and dedicate her life to God and
serving people.
Similarly, Miriam mentioned that she had a very difficult family life growing up however
she found community and friendship in the church. While facing abuse from family members at
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home it was Sunday school teachers that encouraged her, “I had some wonderful Sunday school
teachers. They said some amazing things to me that just kept giving me hope. I was hearing, I
wouldn’t amount to anything at home, but they were saying the opposite.” Miriam expressed
how her childhood years were extremely traumatizing due to the abuse that was taking place at
home, however, the women leading the children’s ministry and youth ministry as she grew up
attending church were voices of courage and strength that she credits for shaping God’s plan for
her life as a pastor to help many people who have faced domestic violence and abuse.
Additionally, Phoebe who also began attending church as a child stated, “I grew up in a
family where serving God was a high priority. I think about all the experiences I’ve had from
camps, youth groups, and friendships. I loved it! It has shaped me to who I am today.” Phoebe
credits her positive childhood experiences in church as the main contributors to what led her to
pursue becoming a pastor. She also mentioned that growing up in a small church created an
environment that she described as relational, personable, and welcoming which also contributed
to having many positive early church experiences that led her to pursue pastoral ministry as a
young adult.
I mentioned before that only two of the 12 participants developed their positive early
church experiences as adults. Hagar is one of those participants who began attending church as
an adult with her family. She also expressed how a positive early church experience where she
found community and friendship led her to pursue pastoral ministry later in her life. Hagar
specifically mentioned the influence that pastors who befriended her had on her life, “I felt so
welcomed. A lot of the pastors that were in the church became my friends. I got to have a circle
of friends that were all experienced in ministry as I began to attend church.” Hagar reflects on
how finding a welcoming community at church and friendships with pastors expedited her desire
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to become a Christian and serve in ministry which later led her to pursue education to prepare
her to become a pastor. She also mentioned that her husband and children found community and
friendships as well which led their whole family to start getting involved in ministry.
While all participants found a loving community and friendships within the church, 11 of
the 12 participants mentioned at least one ministry leader such as a pastor, children’s ministry
worker, or youth ministry worker who was influential in helping them experience a loving
community at church and develop friendships. Four of these 11 also mentioned how their parents
or extended family were a part of their positive early church experience growing up and helped
shape their desire to connect with others and serve in ministry. Four other participants shared
how their parents or family members only attended church casually and were not connected to
the community while they did their best to attend. Nevertheless, they chose to stay and pursue
community within the church which contributed to their development of becoming pastors. One
example of this is shared by Sarah who had a rough family life growing up that led her to find a
family within the church community. She states, “My mom married three times before I turned
18. I would go to church with my family but then they stopped going. I still went by myself as a
teenager and wanted to stay connected with my church friends.” While Sarah expressed many
challenges in her family life growing up, she reflected on how staying in church as a teenager
really set her up to choose to follow God as a young adult in college and seek to become a
pastor.
The stories from Hannah, Miriam, Phoebe, Hagar, and Sarah point to the impact that a
loving community and friendships in the church had their desire for pursuing pastoral ministry
later in their life. The additional seven participants that I did not quote also shared many stories
45

in their interviews that pointed to how finding a loving community and friendships in the church
were major positive early experiences that led them to later pursue becoming pastors.
Spiritual Encounter
In addition to finding a loving community and friendships within the church as a positive
early church experience, most participants also mentioned having a spiritual encounter that they
determined influential toward their decision to become pastors. While all 12 participants referred
to having a spiritual encounter at one point in their life that led them towards becoming pastors;
only nine of the 12 participants mentioned positive spiritual encounters that took place during
their early experiences in church as the other three experienced a spiritual encounter later in their
life. All participants described their spiritual encounter as their call into pastoral ministry or
confirmation to become a pastor. Several participants that grew up in church as children shared
moments where they remember experiencing spiritual encounters that began to shape their desire
to become a pastor. Phoebe expressed,
As a kid. I think about all the experiences I’ve had from camps, youth groups,
friendships, and just things that I’ve been a part of. I remember, being about 4 years old,
going up to the altar, with a great passion for ministry, not because it was modeled, it was
just like inside of me, I knew I wanted to do that. There was a season for 2.5 years, that I
was kind of running, not necessarily from the Lord, but from my call. I was never
satisfied. And so I went to school, I was majoring in special education. I cried out to God,
and I just said, if you still have plans for me, after trying everything my way and hitting
rock bottom, I just said, if you have plans for me, I need you to open those doors in a way
only you can open. And he called me to go on this mission trip which, prior to that
prayer, you couldn’t have paid me to go on a mission’s trip because this one specifically
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we were with an unreached tribe for six weeks, no shower, no running water, you’re
roughing it, you know, and I wasn’t that type of girl. But I knew God was there. So many
open doors and ways that he spoke to me. And it was through that trip that I learned
about the love of Jesus in a way that I didn’t have to earn it or serve for it. It was just
unconditional.
Phoebe further shares that due to spiritual encounters with God at church and in her private times
in prayer that she was affirmed of the call of God over her life. She shares that while not
knowing what that meant for her growing up, she had a deep sense that she would serve in some
form of ministry platform one day which soon developed after her missions trip.
Similarly, Jael attended church as a child and shares several spiritual encounters that led
her towards pursuing pastoral ministry as an adult. “I have experienced many amazing moments
where I encountered God in special ways. At my baptism, on missions’ trips, and throughout my
years in the church. I experienced the power of the Holy Spirit in my life”. Jael recalls moments
in prayer throughout her time in church and missions trips where she began to discover some of
her spiritual gifts. As a young adult, she wanted to understand more of the Bible and what some
of her spiritual encounters meant which led her to pursue pastoral ministry.
Several participants also expressed that their spiritual encounter gave them an awareness
of God in their life guiding them. Deborah reflected on how she became aware that God was real
as she explains that she felt the presence of God throughout her years in the church. She states, “I
became aware that God is everywhere. And so, I think that was probably one of my greatest
experiences as a child, experiencing the presence of God at such a young age.” Deborah also
shared how growing up in an environment where she experienced the presence of God helped
her find direction for her life and says, “Those moments with God shaped me, and molded me to
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be sensitive, to know when, where how I should live.” These experiences allowed Deborah to
begin to see a path in her life that led her toward pastoral ministry. Deborah mentioned that she
made many mistakes throughout her teenage years that included alcohol and drug abuse, yet in a
moment of desperation her senior year, fearing overdosing from crystal meth she prayed to God
asking for Help, “I cried out to God, ‘please help me break away from my addiction. If you save
me from this, I promise to serve you, and give you my life.’” Deborah describes this crucial
moment as a turning point in her life because from that day forward her cravings for drugs and
alcohol vanished. Her spiritual encounter with God led her to experience a miracle. Soon after
that moment, she began attending a Christian University where she felt the call of God over her
life and was fully convinced that God was real. Deborah shares,
I was at a Christian University, and I attended a conference with some friends. I think for
the first moment at 18, I felt, and knew that God was real, not the God of my parents, but
the God that I encountered myself as an adult. From that moment I was passionate about
pursuing the call of God over my life which later led me to change my major from music
to theology.
Deborah’s experience at the conference was so impactful that she began to see her faith in a very
different light. She shares that from that moment on she began to pursue her call into pastoral
ministry.
Similar responses from the nine participants who shared having a spiritual encounter at
an early age address moments in prayer, at the church altar, or even in private where they felt a
connection to God that led them to desire to pursue pastoral ministry as they grew older. As I
mentioned earlier, all participants experienced several spiritual encounters at several points
throughout their time in church or as they sought to learn more about their faith. It is important to
48

note that there were unique experiences that each participant had that have become personal
pillars in their spiritual journey. Miriam who has been in pastoral ministry for over 40 years
expressed the impact the spiritual encounters had on her longevity in ministry. Since her
childhood, she experienced spiritual encounters that encouraged her to continue in ministry
despite the many life obstacles. She states,
Because I had not healed from the abuse I experienced as a child, I didn’t see how I could
ever be a pastor because I was convinced that if people knew my story, they would not
want me in a place in ministry. So, I kept it under wraps. And then we went through a
very difficult ministry situation after we started leading as lay pastors in the church, we
didn’t have our credentials yet. And the kids were little. And we went through such a
difficult situation. But a divine thing happened when we visited a church in Phoenix.
Before we had gone, the Lord spoke to my heart, I journaled it. And he said, you’ve been
in quite a winter season, but I’m bringing a spring season to you. So anyway, we were in
the very back row hiding. We had our hands raised, and we had our eyes closed, and then
suddenly, we heard the pastor’s voice right in front of us. And we opened our eyes. And
he had his eyes closed, and he took our hands where they were raised, and he took our
hands. And he said, Father, I do not know who this couple is. But you pointed them out to
me. They were sitting way in the back, you pointed out to me, and here they are, and I
don’t know how I’m supposed to help them. But I know I am. From that moment he
hugged us and connected us to their church leadership school. It’s a miracle that I’m in
ministry and it’s a miracle that my husband and I are still married. We have experienced
the power of God in our lives, and we know he can do it in others too.
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Miriam mentioned many challenges that she faced throughout her childhood years that
continued into her marriage and ministry but is amazed at how the many spiritual encounters she
had throughout her life have reinforced her faith. Those moments that she describes as powerful
moments in God’s presence, have led her to dedicate her life to pastor people through their most
difficult seasons in life. She believes that if God could do it for her, He can do it for anyone else.
Two participants also expressed having spiritual encounters where they heard a voice. Ruth
shared a unique moment where she heard God speak to her regarding her calling as a pastor. She
recalls, “Between sleeping and waking, where the Lord speaks to me. I heard him call me Pastor.
It’s not my credentials or because I’m working as a pastor. I am a pastor, teacher because the
Lord has called me pastor-teacher.” Ruth mentioned that through this experience of hearing God
call her pastor, she realized that all her experiences with God growing up in the church were part
of His preparation for her life. Similarly, Jael remembers hearing God’s voice while serving on a
mission trip and shares,
Then I heard God for the first time in Guatemala, and then that’s when he called me to
full-time ministry. So, what changed everything was His voice. It made the Bible make
more sense. It made Christianity make more sense if it’s that personal. Not a mob crowd,
kind of experience. It was a personal intimate relationship with Jesus that took me to
other levels.
Jael shares how she was looking for something real as she went on this mission trip to
Guatemala. This spiritual encounter of hearing God’s voice helped her develop a view of God as
a close friend and not just a religious being. Due to this new intimate relationship with God that
was birthed from this experience, Jael was propelled toward pastoral ministry.
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While several other participants expressed unique spiritual encounters that propelled
them towards pursuing pastoral ministry, five of the 12 expressed that their spiritual experiences
were progressive. These five participants did not experience a specific radical moment, however,
there were many occurrences that led them toward their pastoral ministry. Lydia expressed the
progressive nature of her spiritual encounters by saying,
It was all kinds of experiences with God throughout my life, a series of events. I don’t
remember, like this mountaintop experience where I just knew I was called. When I look
back, I see all the little steps that I was taking that were preparing me for full time
ministry. I feel like I’ve always had a desire, a God-given desire, and a God-given
propensity towards leadership.
Lydia identifies how various spiritual and life experiences led to her pursuing her God-given gift
to pastor and lead. The additional four participants who did not experience a specific radical
moment also shared many occurrences that led them toward becoming pastors.
According to the statements shared by Phoebe, Jael, Deborah, Miriam, Ruth, and Lydia
positive early spiritual encounters impacted their decision to pursue pastoral ministry later in
their life. Spiritual encounters became a major part of what created a positive early church
experience for all the participants. While the spiritual encounters for each participant were
unique to everyone, all participants including those who I did not quote in this section shared
very similar experiences to those I quoted.
Empowering Role Models Were Greatly Influential to the Development of Women
Becoming Pastors
In continuation to unpacking how positive early experiences in the church contributed to
the development of women pastors, the second finding reveals that all participants expressed
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having positive early experiences with at least one role model in the church. The interviewees
expressed how empowering role models were a major part of their positive early experiences in
the church that contributed to the development of becoming pastors. Ten of the 12 participants
identified male role models as the most influential in their early church experience while two
participants (Hannah and Phoebe) identified a female role model as most influential. Five
additional participants (Hagar, Miriam, Ruth, Jael, and Lydia) also identified at least one key
female role model that influenced them greatly in their early church experiences, especially as
children or teens. I share this distinction only to bring to light that both men and women were
influential role models even though church leadership is predominantly male.
Deborah reflected on how male pastors were the most influential role models that
encouraged her to pursue pastoral ministry. She states,
Most of the people that affirmed me and empowered me to get involved in ministry were
men. My first pastoral job was offered to me by a male executive pastor that convinced
the lead pastor to bring me on board.
She adds that while she doubted her ability to become a pastor, many male role models affirmed
her gifts and calling and began to empower her which led her to her first pastoral ministry
position in a church:
The foundation of my husband believing in me, my executive pastor believing me and
my senior pastor hiring me and affirming me was a big deal for me. When men affirmed
me in this it helped me start believing in myself. I was always surrounded by male
pastors and didn’t see women in the church as pastors or leaders.
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Deborah recalls that even though she didn’t see it in herself, male role models began to share
their belief in her ministry strengths and her ability to become a pastor which increased her
confidence to pursue her ministry credentials and later pursue graduate school.
Hagar began attending church as an adult and soon converted to Christianity. While connecting
with her church community and friends she began volunteering in church ministry. At one point
she approached her pastor about her desire to possibly become a pastor. She shares,
And so, I went to my senior pastor, and I said, I feel that God wants me to pursue
becoming a pastor, but I don’t want to be an embarrassment to the church. Is this even
possible? I’m such a sinner. I did horrible things in my past.’ And he said, ‘Do you think
anybody else is going through the same things that you’ve gone through in your life in
the church? Yes, there is. You can minister to them in ways I won’t be able to.’ His
words made me feel supported. That gave me the confidence to move forward and to go
to school of ministry and begin pursuing my ministry credentials.
The moment her pastoral role model listened to her and encouraged her to follow God’s
prompting on her life was the moment she felt that being a pastor was something she could one
day become. Hagar soon began to attend school of ministry and within 2 years she was given the
opportunity to join the team at her church as a pastor on staff.
Rebekah shares how she was empowered by a male role model to enter the ministry as a
pastor even without her ministry credentials and shares, “My pastor said, ‘I want you to be a
pastor on our team.’ I didn’t have a credential, but I became the pastor of student ministries.
People started to call me Pastor, and I was like, this is crazy.” She recalls that her pastor’s
empowerment began to give her confidence. He was the first one to call her pastor even without
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a ministry credential. From that moment she began her preaching and teaching ministry as a
pastor.
Like Rebekah’s experience, Sarah mentions how it was male role models who called out
her giftings and empowered her and directed her toward her current ministry path. She shares,
“He said, ‘You should think about doing this. I see these strengths in you.’ He didn’t just give
me the usual side work that women were given, but I was overseeing major ministry
responsibilities.” Sarah shares that due to the empowerment that this male ministry pastor gave
her, she began to develop more confidence in her abilities and calling toward pastoral ministry.
From that moment on she was motivated to apply for an internship program that later led her to
pursue her ministry credentials and continue her pastoral ministry.
Hannah shared that she was most impacted by a female role model growing up in the church and
stated, “My youth leader was a woman. She was my greatest mentor growing up and helped me
start my journey towards becoming a pastor.” One of the most impactful characteristics of her
role model was that she was a strong leader in the church. While her role model did not hold
credentials as a pastor her influence over her life modeled pastoral care and leadership.
She was my greatest mentor, who helped me on my journey towards becoming a pastor.
She was a strong leader that I still consider her my mentor today. She has really taught
me so much and had one on one conversations with me that really made me think outside
the box.
Hannah mentioned that she considered her role model her mentor and learned so much from her
in one-on-one conversations that helped her think outside the box as a female pastor. These
conversations were what encouraged her to not give up on her ministry while working on her
ministry credentials. Similarly, Phoebe was impacted most by female role models as a part of her
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positive early church experiences. She shares the impact three distinct women pastors and
leaders impacted her life growing up. The first female role model she mentioned was her Sunday
School teacher who gave her the very first opportunity to preach a short message in a children’s
church. “I was in the third grade when my Sunday school teacher asked me to speak. I always
look back and think she was the first person who gave me a chance, even as a young girl.”
Phoebe expressed how impactful it was for her Sunday school teacher to allow her to share a
short message. She doesn’t remember much of what she shared but she recalls talking about the
story of Gideon and the importance of trusting in God. Right after she shared her short sermon,
her Sunday school teacher came up to her in tears and began to tell her how much that touched
her heart. The feedback and support that her childhood role model gave her made her feel very
special and capable and has remained a special and important memory for Phoebe. She also
remembers the moment her childhood pastor who was an older man in his 70s transitioned his
pastoral role to a female evangelist who led the church as the lead pastor. Even though that
female pastor only led for about 2 years, her time as her lead pastor impacted her positively. “I
loved her style of leadership, how bold she was as a woman leading this church after a man led it
for so many years, and she did it well. I still call her and ask for spiritual advice.” Phoebe
described this female pastor role model as a major pillar in her life. This role model’s example
sparked a vision within her that has continued to fuel her today through their present-day
relationship. Lastly, Phoebe acknowledged the immense influence that her mother had as a
female in ministry leadership roles even though she was not a pastor in the church. “My mom
modeled servant leadership my entire life and was just someone who pushed the boundaries in a
good way for women. She knew that God called her and didn’t let any limitations hold her
back.” Phoebe values her mother’s example as a female volunteer leader in the church that didn’t
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allow church limitations to stop her from doing what she felt God wanted her to do. Due to the
mentorship and support from these three role models in her life, Phoebe recognized how
important these relationships were to her becoming a pastor.
It is important to note that five of the 12 participants did not mention a female role model
due to female pastoral leadership being very minimal or nonexistent in their churches. All five of
these participants were women who experienced church as children or teens. Deborah expressed
how lacking female role models were in her early church experiences. “I don’t recall seeing a lot
of women pastors or even women in leadership around me growing up in the church. I don’t
think I knew of any until I was a young adult.” Deborah added how women in her church
growing up were usually in charge of food making, childcare, or singing on the worship team.
She mentioned that her early experiences in ministry participation were in those three areas as
well. Similarly, Esther who has been a lead pastor at a church that she planted for many years
now addresses the lack of female role models throughout her life. The lack of female role models
in pastoral roles created limitations in her mind as to what she thought she could do in ministry.
She states:
I never thought that I was going to be a lead pastor. I left my home, answering a call to be
what I thought was going to be an evangelist. I was going to travel the world. I was going
to preach because that is what I saw other women do. I only saw women missionaries and
evangelists coming to our church. There wasn’t a female pastor, there weren’t many
female leaders. There were traditional roles in the church that were given to women. So,
pastoring my church wasn’t even a possibility in my mind growing up.
While Esther expressed how a lack of female role models serving as pastors and leaders created
limitations as to what she believed she could do in ministry, it was her extended family who
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encouraged her to pursue higher education at a Bible college. From there school professors and
male role models encouraged her to pursue pastoral ministry which later led her to start her
church.
The effect that empowering role models had on Deborah, Hagar, Rebekah, Sarah,
Hannah, Phoebe, and Esther was greatly influential to the development of them becoming
pastors. Likewise, the additional participants expressed very similar influences from their male
and female role models. The stories shared by the participants point to the value and importance
that empowering role models can have on a female towards becoming a pastor.
In the next section, I will address my second research question that searches to learn about the
experiences of women as they made their decision and commitment to become a pastor. My
findings revealed two main themes that emerged from the stories:
1. Women faced environmental barriers as they made their decision and commitment to
become a pastor.
2. Women displayed resilience.
Research Question 2: What Were the Experiences of Women As They Made Their
Decision and Commitment to Become a Pastor?
The findings as a part of the first research question revealed how positive early
experiences in the church contributed to the development of women becoming pastors. Finding a
loving community and friendship, having a spiritual encounter, and being empowered by role
models were greatly Influential to the development of women becoming pastors. The second
research question focuses on the experience of women as they stepped into their first pastoral
ministry roles within a church. One primary finding emerged from the participants’ stories
regarding their first pastoral ministry experiences: Women faced environmental barriers as they
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made their decision and commitment to become a pastor. In addition, I also address how women
displayed resilience while facing barriers.
Finding 2: Women Faced Environmental Barriers
As the participants decided to become pastors, the participants described facing
environmental barriers in the church. All 12 participants described scenarios in a church
environment where they faced limitations and inequitable opportunities as they began their
pastoral ministry. Esther expressed how since her first pastoral ministry position, she has faced
opposition in the church setting and states,
In my first pastoral position as an evangelism pastor, our pastor’s wife had cancer. And
we walked through this together as a church for 2 years. And so, when she passed away,
my pastor at that time, married shortly after, and the church didn’t take that well. And so,
he left for a sabbatical at that time, and he entrusted me with the church. I became the
pastor in His absence. Shortly I was accused by his family members, my pastor’s family
members of trying to take the church away from him. That was very hard for me because
what I was really trying to do was honor Him and do the best that I could in a situation
where a church was hurting, and wounded, and just needed comfort. After I left that
position, I was hired at another church by a pastor that wanted to diversify his church and
staff. It was a church with nearly all Anglo church members. When I was hired. A good
number of families left the church. And so that was difficult for me because I just wanted
to do well. But at the same time, I thank God, for the pastor who was willing to take the
hits, recognizing that change is not easy. Diversity is not easy unity, and diversity is very
difficult. That was another hard experience for me as a woman, knowing that people
could not accept my call. Also, my first year as a church planter, there were two men who
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came into the church, both of them had been pastors before, and I would basically say
they tried to overthrow me and defame me. So, people would leave because I was
woman, people left because I was single, whether that’s for theological reasons, whether
that’s for cultural reasons, whether that’s for experiential reasons, whatever it may be, I
felt that people needed to come in and evaluate me in their minds before deciding if they
would stay or leave. I wasn’t simply accepted. And so, I think those are probably some of
the greatest challenges I faced.
Esther’s reflection on her journey points to the severe scrutiny women can face as pastors. While
becoming a credentialed minister, holding a master’s degree in pastoral ministry, and having a
very successful reputation as a pastor hired on by multiple male pastors, Esther still faced
massive barriers every step of the way.
Another participant expressed experiencing inequitable treatment, that even while
obtaining her ministry credential and serving as a youth minister for the church she was not
affirmed as a pastor by her lead pastor even though her husband was. Hannah shares,
My pastor refers to my husband as a pastor, however, I’m referred to as a sister even
though I am also a credentialed minister and lead our youth. And that’s where I start to
question myself. Am I really a pastor?
She shares how due to the lack of support and affirmation by her lead pastor she is often asked
by members of the congregation if she is a pastor. This constant lack of support has led her to
doubt whether she should continue serving at her church or begin her own ministry to fulfill
God’s call over her life as a pastor.
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Similarly, another participant mentions how she was not given equitable treatment as her
fellow male ministry coworkers yet is overworked and pressured in many ways that her male
coworkers do not face. Jael shares,
Even though I have more ministry and leadership experience than most of the pastors I’m
called a director instead of a pastor. I’m also watched far more than the male pastors. I
feel that I’m under unnecessary pressure and called out for minor things. And because of
my charismatic inclination, and as a teacher, and as a person who has their ministry for
20 years, as someone who has a team that supports me, they’re smearing my reputation
without even knowing they’re smearing my reputation, because they don’t think a woman
has a reputation. They don’t understand that because I wasn’t raised in their church, I’m
very outside of their usual. Yet they keep me busy. It’s just not a safe environment for
women in ministry.
Jael expressed that she feels underappreciated and used. She mentions how the pastors ask her to
utilize her leadership giftings when it’s beneficial for them, but whenever she wants to lead, she
is restricted or given very limited opportunities.
As the participants began their pastoral ministry journeys, many of them expressed the
differences in their experiences as single women in pastoral ministry versus as married women in
pastoral ministry. Ten of the 12 participants are currently married; however, six of the 12
participants (Esther, Sarah, Lydia, Phoebe, Ruth, and Jael) began their pastoral ministry in their
denomination as single women. All six of those participants expressed that while being single,
they faced significant barriers such as a lack of advocacy and support. Of these six, four later
married and started a family while continuing their ministry and the other two remained single
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throughout their ministry. Sarah was working in pastoral ministry unmarried for over 10 years
and shares the unique challenges she faced during those years of pastoral ministry and states:
When I would go to pastor meetings as a single woman, I would always get mistaken for
a male pastor’s wife. I experienced many awkward moments. Many male pastors would
say things to me and my male ministry coworker next to me ‘this must be your spouse’. I
would say, ‘No, actually, I’m just a minister on my own’. Things have changed over the
years. But, the first 10–15 years, it was rough to be a single woman pastor. It wasn’t until
I was married, even though my spouse wasn’t involved in ministry with me, that pastors
just related to me differently because I wasn’t a single female. Instead, I was a married
female with many years of pastoral ministry.
Sarah expressed many moments while serving in pastoral ministry as a single woman that
created significant barriers and limitations. She identifies that until she married and built a
positive reputation with male pastors, she felt much more accepted.
Lydia also began serving in ministry leadership as a single woman and observed that she
was treated differently than other males in ministry even after getting married. She states, “I
would see men get hired without their ministry credentials and be called pastors. I was denied
that opportunity for 11 years. That was discouraging.” She shared how she was called a director
or coordinator of ministries for all those years even though she was leading many ministries. She
adds that while being a single woman in ministry and even later as a married woman, she sensed
that unspoken rules that were incorporated in churches limited the amount of support and
mentoring that she could receive. All 12 participants expressed similar experiences working in a
male dominant church environment which created major barriers as they began serving in
pastoral ministry. Lydia adds:
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The Billy Graham rule was that he would never meet or be alone with a female without
his wife alone. So, like in a car, in a restaurant anywhere, and so there are many pastors
that because of that, they have adopted that as their model. And so, you think about how
many times men may go to lunch or coffee with their lead pastor or supervisor over the
years. Women don’t have that same opportunity. I never went to lunch with my pastors, I
never had coffee with them. The natural mentoring moments that happen over a cup of
coffee or lunch, women are not given those opportunities.
Lydia reflects on a major environmental barrier women face as pastors due to the fears male
pastors have of falling or being accused of a moral failure. While Lydia can understand the
wisdom behind those boundaries for male and female pastoral relationships she points to the
limited opportunities for mentorship and support that females face in contrast to their male
counterparts. Another participant shared similar experiences as Lydia. As Phoebe began her
pastoral ministry she felt extremely supported and empowered by her pastor; however, what has
been challenging is having that personal mentorship relationship with him and other male
pastors. That has created barriers to receiving mentorship as a female pastor and states,
Since my pastor is male, and our staff is primarily male, it’s challenging being one of the
few females. You can’t just go get coffee together. Or when you’re having a hard time
just go and meet somewhere and talk.
Phoebe expressed how challenging it is to be in a male dominant staff where she is unable to
have a close relationship with male pastors like other male pastors share with each other. An
exclusive environment has created a major barrier for her to feel supported and receive additional
support as a pastor.
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Earlier I shared that ten of the 12 participants are currently married, however, six of the
participants began their pastoral ministry while being married. Five of the six participants who
were married as they began pastoral ministry also shared similar moments of experiencing
barriers of connection and mentorship with their male lead pastors and pastoral coworkers. Five
of the six women who are married shared that they would experience inequitable treatment in
comparison to their husbands. Hagar shares how her experience as a pastor alongside her
husband has been very difficult due to inequitable treatment. She mentions,
It feels like I’m in my husband’s shadow even though I work and lead just as much as
him. Some people will not even call me pastor or recognize me as a pastor because they
don’t believe in women pastors.
Hagar describes her struggles as a female pastor while working with her husband who is a staff
pastor as well. She mentions that from the beginning she has sensed that she was not valued or
given as many opportunities as her husband in the church staff she is a part of. Within her
church, she has also sensed resistance from the congregation towards women in leadership
positions.
All 10 of the participants who are currently married expressed how their husbands
continuously supported them in their ministry journey. One participant expressed how she
worked so closely in partnership with her husband that she did not experience major barriers as a
women pastor because she and her husband were lead pastors that formed a culture that was
accepting of women pastors and leaders. Rachel shares how her pastoral ministry journey has
been in partnership with her husband, and she is proud of the work they have done together and
for creating a positive church culture towards women. She states,
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When we became pastors, we were not at somebody else’s mercy. Because of that, we
got to make and set the culture that was very accepting of women in pastoral leadership
roles. My husband also endorsed me so much. He had my back and made room for me
and other women pastors. I still experienced moments where people wouldn’t accept me
preaching because I was a woman, however we kept shaping the culture of our church
regardless of those who would oppose it.
Rachel addressed that while facing opposition from congregants in her church, her support and
partnership in pastoring with her husband allowed her to function as a pastor without limitations.
While most of her experiences as a lead pastor were very positive due to her pastoral relationship
with her husband, she did mention various moments where barriers were created by church
members resisting her role as a pastor.
In summary, the stories from Esther, Hannah, Jael, Sarah, Lydia, Phoebe, Hagar, and
Rachel reveal some of the environmental barriers women face as they make their decision and
commitment to become pastors. The additional four participants that I did not quote also shared
many stories in their interviews that revealed similar barriers that they faced. The barriers that
arose for all the participants as they began pastoral ministry were substantial, however, all
participants chose to stay the course and not give up. The following finding reveals the incredible
resilience all participants demonstrated as pastors faced barriers, limitations, and opposition in a
church environment.
Women Displayed Resilience
While all participants faced many environmental barriers as they began their pastoral
ministry, all 12 participants displayed resilience especially as they began their pastoral ministry.
Amid opposition, limitations, and inequitable treatment in their churches all participants chose to
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not give up and follow their passion and call. Ten of the 12 participants also shared how getting
married and starting a family while dealing with church barriers contributed to significant stress
and challenges. Regardless of the immense struggles they faced wearing multiple hats, they
chose not to quit and are proud and happy that they persevered. Miriam expresses some of her
thoughts concerning the struggles throughout her time as a pastor and says,
There were many times when discouragement hit me, when I was hurt, when I didn’t feel
motivated, when I was tired of the kids, my husband, and the church, and people criticize
me for different things. Just a variety of things that we as women in ministry can kind of
deal with. And you may feel like quitting, but just don’t quit.
With over 40 years of pastoral ministry experience, Miriam reflects on the challenges of her
earlier years in ministry. She acknowledges that women in ministry continue to face these
challenges today yet finding the courage and resilience to trust God’s plan is key. She adds that
today she tells young women in ministry who feel like quitting not to because she truly believes
that God is preparing an amazing situation and ministry opportunity for them to step into.
Following Miriam’s statements, Phoebe expresses how her trust in God gave her the ability to
not quit and said,
My ministry career has been laid upon trusting the Lord with all my heart and leaning not
on my own understanding. I have leaned on God, and he has opened every door. I didn’t
give up because I trusted God.
Phoebe expresses her belief that God knows what’s best for her and will open and close
opportunities in the right time. Trusting in God has been her peace and encouragement
throughout her ministry journey. She adds,
There’s always going to be 1000 reasons why you can quit. But going back to you calling
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and knowing what His Word says. Knowing that we’re living for a greater purpose. That
this world’s not our home, that’s enough for me.
Phoebe recognizes that her faith in the Bible and her belief in God’s call and promises over her
life are enough to motivate her to continue to minister as a pastor regardless of the reasons to quit
or better opportunities outside the pastoral ministry.
Ruth shared very significant struggles throughout her pastoral ministry journey, but she
expresses her willingness to endure no matter what. “No matter the struggle I’m not going to
give up my calling. Wherever the Lord opens the door. That’s where I’m going to walk through.”
Ruth expressed her confidence in who God had called her to be. She addressed that no matter the
circumstances of the past or the present she will remain faithful to the call of God upon her life
to be a pastor and a teacher of God’s word.
Rachel recalls the moments she and her husband almost left their pastoral ministry in the
early years of their ministry. They had experienced some challenges at their first church where
they served as youth pastors and had to resign. At that time, they considered leaving pastoral
ministry entirely however they decided to endure. “We almost left the ministry entirely because
there was nothing going on for us. Very frustrating moments. We were poor. We had two kids.
But we stuck with it through those painful moments.” She shares how soon after that moment
they accepted an opportunity to become lead pastors at a church. However, she continued to face
challenges that often made her feel like she was in this all alone. In those difficult moments, she
mentions that she sought out support from counselors, friends, and most importantly from God in
prayer. “I worked things out sometimes with a Christian counselor but most of the time it was at
the altar in prayer because I had to be the woman of God that God called me to be.” She
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mentions that while dealing with hurts she felt that God was bringing her healing while she was
ministering and leading.
Lydia also reflected on her earlier years in ministry and shared, “I’m really proud of
navigating, surviving, the season while having young children and I didn’t give up ministry
while working full time.” Lydia acknowledges that she would consider moments of quitting
especially due the additional responsibility of raising children.
I’d say it’s been more the family dynamics that’s caused me to weigh whether I should
remain a pastor, you know, there’s a lot that you sacrifice as a family. And I’ve always
told my husband, I said, at any point that you need me to step down, I will. And because
he was a pastor’s kid, missionary kid, and I always wanted him to know that I was always
submissive to what’s best for us and for our family. Fortunately, he’s never called on that.
But a couple of times where I think he was close. Now that our kids are older and in
school that makes such a big difference. It’s a little more flexible with being a parent.
That was one of the other challenges besides being a female, I was also one of the only
ones with children. And so there just wasn’t a culture of having to deal with kids, you
know, people would give up their weekend’s weeknights without any schedule or
concern. And that was just not the phase of life I was in when my kids were two and four
when I began working with my denomination. My kids were in a demanding age. So, I’d
say that was another skill I’ve had to develop throughout my ministry.
Her husband was not in full-time ministry with her, and she often felt that attending to the needs
of the ministry would pull her away from her family. Fortunately, she endured and navigated the
difficult seasons in her life and ministry and is proud to continue leading as a pastor today.
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All participants faced significant challenges in their ministry especially throughout their
first years however they were resilient and continue to lead as pastors today. The stories shared
by Miriam, Phoebe, Ruth, Rachel, and Lydia all represent the impact their faith and trust in God
had upon their willingness to continue in ministry. In the next section, I will address my third
research question which addresses the current experiences women continue to face in their
present ministries.
Research Question 3: What Are the Current Experiences and Aspirations of Women
Pastors in Their Churches?
Since all the participants have been credentialed ministers serving in pastoral ministry
roles for at least 5 years, their current experiences shed light on what pastoral ministry looks like
for women who continue to serve in ministry long term. This section not only focuses on their
current experiences in pastoral ministry but also their aspirations and goals for their future. My
findings revealed four main themes that emerged from the participants’ stories regarding their
current experiences and aspirations for the future:
1. Women pastors still face limited opportunities.
2. Longevity and networking lead to better opportunities.
3. Women pastors are seeking affirming church environments.
4. Women pastors are willing to pursue para-church ministry options to impact the most
people.
Finding 3: Women Pastors Still Face Limited Opportunities
While all women overcame barriers as they began their pastoral ministry, nine of the 12
participants expressed that after many years of pastoral ministry they still face limited
opportunities. The participants expressed experiences where their current church environment
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was very biased toward female pastors. Deborah expressed this by saying, “Even now I notice
that people in the church think about only males in pastoral leadership roles. Even after over
years of full-time ministry I feel limited and not fully accepted as a pastor at times.” Deborah
mentions how she still observes attitudes and behaviors of congregants and leaders in the church
that limit opportunities for women in pastoral ministry. While she remains a pastor on staff, she
claims to constantly face resistance from people within the church which leads her to feel
unaccepted and unappreciated as a woman pastor. Additionally, Hagar expresses how the limited
opportunities she has in ministry today make her feel like she is at the mercy of the congregation
and male leaders as to what she can and can’t do. She states, “As a woman pastor, I feel that my
life is pretty much in everybody else’s hands. There are not many places I can go to the pastor.”
Hagar expressed her frustration in feeling confined to certain pastoral ministry opportunities that
are determined by the leadership and congregation of her church. She adds that unless she begins
her own ministry or plants her own church, she will only have opportunities in women or
children’s ministry which is not where she feels called to lead in.
Hannah expresses that even after being a credentialed minister and leading in pastoral
ministry for many years at her church she has yet to be offered a paid job opportunity while men
have. “I would love the opportunity to be a paid pastoral staff member. Unfortunately, I feel like
sprinkles on top of the ice cream. Men get hired for positions I have led but I’m expected to be
their volunteer assistant.” Hannah shares how painful it has been for her to sense the limitations
that have been placed on her in her church. She longs to lead freely with the support of her pastor
and church yet the lack of opportunities for her to excel in her church leaves her feeling used and
not empowered.
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Sarah who besides serving at her church in pastoral ministry is a pastor for a mission’s
organization shares that even after nearly two decades of faithful service and earning a graduate
degree, she has not been given the opportunity to become a district representative while other
less qualified male candidates have. “My experience and background make me more than
capable of leading, but I have never been considered. If you look across the district reps across
the United States, I don’t believe there are any that are women.” Sarah expresses her concern that
no women are represented or given the opportunity to lead as district reps for this mission’s
organization. While her pastoral reputation has been superb, and she is an ordained minister in
her denomination holding a master’s degree from a Christian University, she continues to face
significantly limited opportunities.
Ruth recently faced a very difficult exit from her church where she served as a staff
pastor for several years. She shares that she faced a very difficult relationship with her pastor due
to how he felt threatened by her. He would verbalize and show his insecurities in his leadership
towards her which recently resulted in her resigning and leaving the church. “He was always
saying, even in meetings, Well, she’s a better preacher than I am.” She points out that even while
having opportunities to teach and preach in her church, she faced remarks from her lead pastor
that created tensions and began to limit the opportunities she was given to minister. She shares a
moment when her pastor was prompting her to resign from the church suddenly using finances as
an excuse. “He asked over text, ‘when are you stepping down?’ I didn’t know that was on the
table. We must talk about these things because we’re out of money.” Ruth met with her pastor
three times trying to justify what she described as “The pittance that they were paying me” which
led her to give in to what he was wanting her to do which was to resign. She mentioned that what
was most difficult to hear was that as her pastor announced her resignation, he said to the church
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that the reasons for her resignation were not about money. She adds, “You don’t pair a strong
woman with a weak man. It never works.” Her statement comes from her observation that even
while serving the church well and having the congregation support her ministry the pastor was
insecure and unwilling to respect her strengths as a woman in pastoral ministry which led him to
find a way to push her out. Unfortunately, Ruth was left unemployed and has been searching for
new ministry opportunities. She adds that even in her job search she has faced incredible
challenges and limitations. There was a posting for a young adult pastor position that she
recently applied to where the posted salary and requirements were clear in the job post, and she
built a case in her cover letter for the strengths of hiring a more mature person to walk with
young people. When she spoke with them, she was met with unclear descriptions of the job.
“Can you give me a more accurate picture of the position? They were silent and unhelpful.
Honestly, I think it was because I was female.” Ruth holds a master’s degree, has been a college
professor, and has led in multiple pastoral positions in churches yet continues to find herself
struggling to find opportunities to lead as a pastor.
Similarly, Jael who has built a substantial resume in pastoral ministry, leading missions
work, preaching and teaching, writing a book, and much more still faces limiting opportunities in
her current church. “I feel like I’m losing just because I’m a woman in ministry. They don’t
consider that I’m a speaker, author, that I have a website, go on podcasts. They’re not even
taking me seriously just because I’m a woman.” Jael recent experiences in the church have led
her to consider leaving her church and beginning her own ministry.
The experiences shared by Deborah, Hagar, Hannah, Sarah, Ruth, and Jael paint a picture of the
limited opportunities women are experiencing today even after many years of successful pastoral
ministry experience. While only stories from six participants were shared in this section the
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additional three whose specific stories were not shared in this section were very similar to the
stories mentioned. The findings point to the unfair limitations placed upon women in ministry
regardless of their successful reputations and perseverance.
While this section focused on the limited opportunities women in pastoral ministry still
face in their current experiences, the following section addresses the success that four women
have found due to their longevity in pastoral ministry and successful networking.
Longevity and Networking Lead to Better Opportunities
While most of the women (nine of the 12) have expressed that they currently still face
limited opportunities as women pastors, the other three participants have expressed that they are
currently in pastoral ministry roles that they have dreamed of or even better. All three of these
participants have served in pastoral ministry for over 15 years and have networked with other
pastors and their denominational events faithfully throughout the earlier years. They all
expressed that faithfully serving in their ministry roles while being willing to connect with male
pastors amid limitations and challenges throughout their earlier years of their ministry positioned
them to where they are today. All three of these participants are Ordained ministers in their
denomination and have experienced higher levels of autonomy and a sense of mastery in their
ministry work. Lydia expresses the fulfillment she has found after many years of faithfully
serving in various ministry roles and finally becoming an executive pastor. “Leading as an
executive pastor was what I was meant to do. It was a defining moment to be one of the very few
women that get to be called an executive pastor, especially at a large church.” Lydia recalls her
journey in pastoral ministry as she filled various roles at the church and made herself available to
the pastoral team to use her gifts and abilities to give that to the church. She recalls a moment
when she was working as the church receptionist when her executive pastor allowed her to attend
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a denominational event at 23 years old and covered the cost for her to participate. “I was wide
eyed, how cool is this. This is what all the pastors get to come and do. I started to believe that I
could one day become a pastor.” She shares that from that day forward she started to begin to
connect with more pastors, kept serving in any area of ministry that she could use her gifts and
talents in and continued to participate in pastoral ministry events and denominational events as
she pursued her ministry credentials. After many years of service, she was offered the
opportunity to lead as an executive pastor. After serving her church faithfully and successfully
for many years she was later invited to join the pastoral leadership team at her denomination
working with the student ministries represented across their network of over 400 churches
throughout Southern California. After that, she was invited to become the executive pastor for
another very large church. Lydia reflects on how her longevity in ministry and taking a servant
leadership approach to ministry while also being willing to network with other pastors has
opened the doors for her to be able to lead in the areas that she believes God has equipped her
for. She recalls a moment she simply asked to be invited into a prayer meeting that was entirely
occupied by male pastors,
I remember they used to do a Tuesday morning prayer group. And it was like a 6 a.m.
prayer meeting. I asked my executive pastor if I could come and be a part of it,77 and he
said, sure, you can come, and I came and I was the only female there. Historically it has
only been all men. And so, I was like the first female who started showing up consistently
to that. More women got added from there, but it was historically the spouses of the male
pastors and board members. That was it. It was very male, pastoral dominated when I
first started attending there.
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Lydia expressed her willingness to serve in church ministry while also being willing to ask to
participate in male-dominated activities began to help her make connections throughout her
ministry. As a result of her faithfulness and great reputation, she was given more opportunities to
lead as a pastor.
Rachel noticed that male pastors would not accept her at first, however she remained
faithful in serving alongside her husband as a pastor and pursued her ministry credential. As she
persevered more opportunities became available to her. “Those pastors asked me for help with
leading a large event. These are pastors that didn’t believe in women in ministry, but they had to
face the fact that I was a licensed minister, and it opened doors.” Rachel expresses that through
the longevity of her ministry she was recognized by her denomination as a minister which
opened doors for her to be accepted by other ministers even outside her denomination. Rachel
also mentioned that she never focused on a title or position but on making her gifts and abilities
available to anyone to help reach people for Christ.
I’ve noticed that a lot of women try to prove themselves and show that they’re doing the
work. I don’t care who sees it or knows it. God knows it. He’s opened the door for me,
I’m in partnership with my husband. I’m doing the work. So, to some extent, that has
never been a factor for me. Like I must be recognized or endorsed in some way because I
know who I am and who God has called me to be.
Rachel expresses that she had no interest in trying to earn a role. She was confident in who she
was and worked well with her husband in ministry. While doing this she would connect with
pastors and opportunities later began to arise. She is currently leading on a national level within
her denomination and continues to help other women find their place in the church.
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Esther has chosen to remain single throughout her many years of ministry and recognizes
that was the right decision for her life and ministry. She reflects on her current ministry success
and relates it to her longevity in faithful service to God and people plus immense support from a
network of male pastors she considers mentors and friends. Esther shares that her current success
as a pastor of her church began because of the support of a male pastor who chose to endorse her
and support her even after she rejected an offer to become his executive pastor. She states,
When I chose to church plant, I told the pastor who offered me the executive pastor
position no, but he knew my heart. He said, ‘Let us help you then. Let us keep you as a
part-time associate and we will pay you part-time to church plant for a year.’ That was
very impactful for me because I never had to be bi-vocational. I was able to stay in
ministry, even as I began the church, and that was because of the love of one man who
believed in me as did his church. Having that kind of support, you know, from somebody
who believed in me, made a huge difference as a church planter and the journey and the
experience that I’ve had up till now.
Esther received support from this pastor but also a network of people throughout her
denomination. She shares how due to her participation and longevity with her denomination she
has had many opportunities to preach at churches, lead major events, and has been recognized at
a national level within her denomination.
All three of these participants have had similar experiences throughout their ministry
pathways, and they all recognize the positive impact serving faithfully throughout all their years
of ministry and networking has contributed to their current success. The following section
focuses on how women pastors are seeking an affirming church environment.
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Women Pastors Are Seeking Affirming Church Environments
All 12 participants expressed that one of their greatest aspirations was to be a part of an
affirming church environment that allowed them to minister as pastors according to their call and
passion. All 12 participants also expressed the importance a male pastor plays in creating an
affirming church environment. Deborah expressed her desire to see men help create a more
affirming church environment.
I think we need more men to set the stage for women. Male pastors preach from the
pulpit, ‘be what God has called you to be, do what God has called you to do’ and yet
there’s no place for the women to step in.
Deborah reflects on what she has often heard male pastors preach concerning God’s call and
purpose over everyone. She notes that those statements often don’t reflect what male pastors
have been willing to do to help women step into the call they sense from God.
Another participant similarly shares her desire to see more male pastors truly encourage
and empower women and others to fulfill their passions and ministry calling. Rebekah states,
The best thing pastors can do for women is helping them identify their giftings and
encourage them to fulfill it to the fullest, even if it means they leave their church. Help
them find their passion and fan their flame.
Rebekah shares her belief that more male pastors should be more aware and willing to support
women in their church to discover God’s call over their life, resource them and release them to
do what they are called to do. Additionally, Lydia expresses her desire to see a more affirming
church environment created by male pastors and shares,
The most valuable support would be for more men to invite women into leadership roles
and pastoral roles. I think there’s a difference when a woman tells a woman, you should
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get your ministry credential. That may not be as powerful as a male, successful lead
pastor, telling a female she should get your credential. More men must take a more active
role in encouraging and mentoring women.
Lydia acknowledges the power that influential men can have on a woman pastor. While she does
not diminish the influence, she has on another woman due to her current influence as a pastor she
does recognize that some of the most impactful moments for her were when successful male
pastors affirmed her, resourced her, and positioned her to succeed in her calling.
Esther expands on this topic by addressing the need to educate male pastors of how they
should empower women to fulfill their God-given purpose and says, “There is a need to create an
awareness and educate male pastors on the ways that they tend to be exclusive of women in their
language, and in the opportunities that they create in their own churches.” Esther reflects on her
observation of male pastors and their lack of awareness of the un-affirming environments they
create in the church for women who have the desire to pastor. She addresses the need for male
pastors to be educated to create an awareness of how certain language used or behaviors can be
exclusive and diminish women in ministry. If a denomination credential and ordains women,
male denominational leadership and male pastors who are overwhelmingly dominant in
leadership roles must consider ways to create a more female-affirming church environment. She
shares how constantly using masculine pronouns in sermons or meetings from the platform, or in
church denominational documents has all played a role in creating a culture that perpetuates a
mindset that does not affirm women in pastoral ministry roles. She also believes that an
affirming church environment should include mentorship and coaching to younger women to be
able to hear stories of successful women in ministry.
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Jael shares how while having some support from male pastors and leaders throughout her
years in ministry she still longs for greater affirmation and mentorship. She states,
It’s important for male pastors to know how to invest in women. But the truth is that
I’ve never been mentored by a man. Some men helped me get through the door but did
not know how to mentor me.
Jael expresses her desire to be affirmed and mentored by male pastors and leaders. She
recognizes that a few men have helped her have opportunities in pastoral ministry however
beyond that she has not received any support as a preacher, teacher, or evangelist from any male
pastor. Considering the lack of affirmation she received from male pastors in church
environments, Jael shares her desire to help future women pastors receive affirmation and
support to move the next generation to a better place. “The next generation must be stronger than
the last one. I want the women after me to be stronger in their pastoral ministry giftings. I want
to continue to invest in the next generation of pastors.” Jael emphasizes her desire to invest in
future generations of women and create an affirming environment that will mentor women on
ways to preach, teach, and influence churches and Christianity worldwide.
All 12 participants shared that as they are seeking church environments that affirm them
as pastors, they recognize that they can play a role in creating that for future women pastors as
well. All participants expressed a desire for more networking and support to take place among
women pastors. Esther expressed her desire to help create spaces within churches and her
denomination for women to affirm each other but also network together. “I would love to see
platforms where women pastors, whether they’re single or married, just sit together on a
quarterly basis, and share their stories, share their challenges and success, and become friends.”
Esther believes that if women had a safe place to gather and discuss ministry needs women
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would be better equipped to lead as pastors. She believes that a safe space for women pastors is
needed for them to remain encouraged throughout the ministry and see an increase in the
recruitment and retention of women in pastoral ministry roles. She adds, “When I speak to my
denominational leadership, they don’t even have a list of these women. In part, I’m like, this is a
sad story. Because we don’t even know who these women are.” Esther expresses her desire to
give women spaces to openly share their struggles and their victories in a safe space that will
continue to encourage women to move forward towards their ministry goals. Additionally, she is
expressing her concern regarding the lack of intentionality in her denomination for creating
spaces for women to grow and connect. It’s as if women pastors are forgotten or lost within the
mix of a male dominated church environment.
Sarah shares how she desires to mentor other women because she struggled in finding
support as a young single female pastor. She found support from women pastors outside of her
denomination. “I have a mentor who is a retired pastor that I meet with monthly. She was a part
of another denomination, but she was extremely helpful to me. I want to be like that for other
women pastors too.” This pastor expressed how simply having another woman pastor to talk to
and mentor her allowed her to find affirmation, encouragement, and support. The time she spent
with her mentor created an affirming space that motivated her to continue pursuing her ministry
goals.
Ruth expands on this finding by mentioning that women already know what they are up
against in the church, yet if they feel such a strong pull towards ministry, male pastors shouldn’t
ignore their willingness to serve despite the opposition they will face. “So, if a woman is saying I
really do believe and know, the Lord is calling me to pastor. You better believe she’s not just
talking. Because she knows that there will be many things stacked up against her.” Ruth states
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her logic that women are not signing up for church ministry because things are easy and perfect.
They are trying to be obedient to a call on their life knowing well that the church environment is
not affirming and is filled with barriers for women. She hopes that male pastors would become
more conscious of the reality women face in pastoral ministry and not ignore what God is
prompting women to do, and begin to affirm, advocate, and promote women to fulfill God’s plan
for their life.
All participants expressed the need for affirming church environments while reflecting on
their past and current pastoral ministry experiences. Deborah, Rebekah, Lydia, Esther, Jael, and
Sarah specifically mentioned how they desire male pastors in leadership roles to begin to
spearhead creating more affirming church environments for women in ministry. The additional
participants shared similar stories that addressed the immense need for current women and
upcoming women in ministry to receive affirmation and support from their church leadership.
They all expressed a desire to be a part of the solution and champion future women pastors by
creating safe spaces and mentorship opportunities for them. While all participants expressed the
need for affirming church environments, most participants expressed how un-affirming church
environments push women to often pursue ministry options outside the church.
Women Pastors Are Willing to Pursue Parachurch Ministry Options to Impact the Most
People
All participants expressed that a major part of their pastoral ministry is driven by their
deep desire to help people in need and lead them to a relationship with Jesus. Eight of the 12
participants expressed that due to limited opportunities in their churches they have considered
parachurch ministry options by joining or starting a ministry outside of the church. Parachurch
organizations are Christian faith-based organizations that work through outreach platforms
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across denominations to engage in evangelism and social welfare ministry. Parachurch ministry
seeks to come alongside churches across various Christian denominations and specialize in
things that individual churches may not be able to specialize in by themselves (Bloom, 2022).
Rebekah shares a moment she offered to help in areas of pastoral counseling to a group of
leaders of a denomination but had a negative experience that later led her to begin her own
practice.
I felt minimized by them. Even though I offered to help and informed them that I was
working on my Doctorate in counseling they would only want me to help with
paperwork. They never embraced me and my skill sets.
Rebekah shares that while most pastors in churches have given her opportunities to lead, there
have been moments where she felt leaders were threatened and denied her opportunities to lead.
She shares that when those moments happened, they decided to leave the church and find a place
to lead and serve according to how God was leading her to do so. Fortunately, Rebekah had a
supportive pastor that encouraged her to pursue God’s call on her life to provide pastoral
counseling beyond what a church would be able to allow her to do. Since then, she has begun her
own ministry outside the church to provide counseling services to churches and pastors. “I want
to continue building my counseling ministry. My goal is to make it a full organization, to
develop the nonprofit, and get grants and work on all the community things that we want to do.”
Rebekah recently earned her Doctorate in Counseling and Community Care and has recognized
that while being an ordained minister and having a wonderful history in church pastoral ministry,
her full potential would only be found in beginning her own ministry outside of the church. She
remains very involved in her church and functions in pastoral ministry roles while still leading
her own ministry outside the church.
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Jael expresses how she will always see the church as her home but has experienced so
many obstacles within the church which has led her to do ministry outside the church to help
people and share the gospel message. She shares, “I can leave a pastoral role, no big deal. But I
can’t leave the ministry. God is way too good and there are too many people that need him.” Jael
shares how her passion for God and people is what matters most beyond a title or position in a
church. She simply wants to serve God and care for people well. She continues by sharing how
while serving in pastoral ministry roles at her church, she is constantly facing limitations and
barriers in ministering the way she senses God has called her to. She recounts her journey as a
young female pastor serving in ministry and has concluded that she will not allow anyone to stop
her from pursuing her ministry calling today. “Throughout my 20’s, and early 30’s, I was
insecure trying to prove myself over and over again. Not anymore. I’m not letting anyone tie me
into a knot just because some people can’t handle that I’m a female.” Jael shares how her current
pastoral ministry role in her church has been extremely difficult and has led her to consider
leaving it and pursuing parachurch ministry opportunities full-time.
Like Rebekah and Jael, five additional participants expressed future goals in ministry
opportunities outside of the church. Some mentioned starting pastoral coaching ministries,
nonprofits, and businesses pursuing missions-related work due to a lack of opportunities,
support, and affirmation in their current churches.
Throughout this chapter, I have addressed the three research questions that explore the
experiences of women that led them to become pastors, their experience at the initiation of their
pastoral ministry, and their current experiences by sharing their stories. All participants shared
their journeys in ministry and made us more aware of what women in pastoral ministry must
endure. Their stories reveal the inequities that presently exist in Christian churches. The next
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chapter will address my findings, communicate my recommendations for change, and
suggestions for further research.

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Chapter Five: Recommendations
The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the experiences of women pastors/leaders
throughout their ministry journey. In this study, my research questions specifically focused on
addressing the experiences of women that led them to become pastors, their experience at the
initiation of their pastoral ministry, and their current experiences in ministry today while also
bringing to light any unique struggles that they may face through their lived experiences that
have led to an underrepresentation of women pastors/leaders in Christian Churches. This study
was important to conduct because while many women are devoted to their faith and encouraged
to pursue ministry involvement in churches most have experienced significant barriers that have
limited them to fulfill their ministry goals as pastors. Having a better understanding of the
participants’ experiences may help reduce and hopefully eliminate any future practices that may
limit and undermine the leadership of women pastors. Possible solutions presented in this study
may help provide a path for denominational leadership, church boards, and male pastors, to
consider providing women more opportunities to lead as pastors and be set up to thrive and
succeed in their churches and denominations. The answers to the research questions were
obtained via qualitative methodology, by interviewing 12 women pastors to collect and analyze
data. This chapter first includes a discussion of the findings, linked back to current literature and
the conceptual framework. Following are the study’s limitations, recommendations for practice,
as well as recommendations for future research. Finally, this chapter will close with the study’s
conclusions.
Discussion of Findings
This section discusses the study findings elicited during the data analysis process. From
the eight findings that emerged from the three research questions in the study, three themes were
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found that directly supported the literature review. All three of these findings reveal how church
and denominational leadership have chosen to remain in the status quo by keeping qualified
women in administrative or lower-level staff positions while claiming to support women in
ministry whole heartedly. According to National Congregations Survey from Duke University,
only 3% of evangelical congregations have a female senior pastor or head clergy. Black
Protestants have 16% and Mainline congregations have 30% (Chaves et al., 2020). In addition to
this, the Barna Institute reports that clergy women are more educated than their male
counterparts, with 77% holding master’s degrees from faith-based higher education institutions
(Barna, 2009). Although women clergy are more educated, they are paid less than their male
counterparts and are given far less opportunities to lead in the highest levels (Campbell-Reed,
2019). While denominations and churches have claimed to accept women as pastors their
actions of withholding women from the highest positions in the church show otherwise. The
findings of the present study indicate systemic issues that must be addressed for women pastors
to experience an inclusive and equitable environment within their churches and denominations.
The following three findings point to the specific areas that continue to negatively impact women
pastors today.
The first finding revealed that gender bias towards women continues to exist in the
present-day church. All participants shared experiences from their inception into pastoral
ministry where they faced inequitable treatment and limited opportunities while also dealing with
unique pressures that male pastors do not have to face. Research confirms my findings and
mentions that (a) Women continue to be confronted by gender barriers and a lack of acceptance
as clergy; (b) Women clergy still lag in holding senior pastorate positions (c) Women pastors are
treated as novel rather than normal, being isolated from support systems to include mentors, and
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are avoided or dismissed by male clergy; (d) Gender bias increases stress and disrupts the
leadership learning cycle for women (Campbell-Reed, 2019). Campbell-Reed’s research
strongly connects with my findings since most participants expressed many specific moments
where they felt a lack of acceptance as pastors. Only two participants out of the 12 held lead
pastor positions, they felt isolated from support systems, and they experienced significant stress
in church environments. While facing gender bias and resistance, women clergy experienced
pressure to perform better to prove their worth to the church. Additional research also reinforces
my finding by proving that gender bias leads to women pastors experiencing higher levels of
loneliness due to a lack of peers and support (LeGrand et al., 2013). Most of the participants
shared several moments throughout their ministry where they felt that they had to prove their
worth to church leadership and congregants to be accepted as a pastor. While all participants
demonstrated amazing resilience and perseverance throughout their ministry, they expressed that
they felt that they had no one to openly talk to about their specific challenges as women pastors.
Participants expressed that mentoring and support were not easily accessible to them due to
stronger gender biases that remain in the church. Women pastors expressed how gender bias led
to a lack of consideration of their experience and expertise which can also be known as
mansplaining. Mansplaining exhibits a gender bias against women assuming them to be
inexperienced in a field regardless of their expertise. Mansplaining harms young women by
silencing scholarship and calling (Imperatori-Lee, 2015). Gender bias continues to diminish the
value and purpose of women in pastoral ministry.
The second finding revealed that women experienced a lack of advocacy in a male-
dominated work environment which led to a lack of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is portrayed as a
type of self-reflection regarding determining one’s capabilities. It develops, as individuals
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observe environmental constraints, examine their achievements, and consider their psychological
states and self-perceptions (Bandura, 1977). Perceived self-efficacy affects managing intense
stressors and how well people cope with them (Benight & Bandura, 2004). The major influences
on self-efficacy are mastery-building opportunities, vicarious experiences, intrinsic
motivation/emotional arousal toward bettering performance, and verbal persuasion or
encouragement from others (Bandura, 1997). Most participants expressed moments where they
didn’t believe they could be pastors before they committed to becoming pastors due to a lack of
female pastoral role models. The majority also expressed that they committed to pastoral
ministry due to the encouragement of primarily male pastors however once they accepted a
pastoral ministry position, they faced so many challenges and obstacles in a male-dominated
church environment leading them to question their leadership and lack self-efficacy. Researchers
state that success for women in male-dominated fields is based upon a strong sense of self and
purpose (Spinelli-de-Sá et al., 2017). While all participants have been able to continue in pastoral
ministry due to a strong self and purpose in relation to their faith in God, all experienced
moments where they had self-doubt about their capabilities to continue as a pastor. While
experiencing self-doubt most participants expressed how they did not have support or advocates
within their work environment to help them improve and feel confident in their abilities towards
accomplishing their pastoral ministry goals. All participants hold professional degrees and hold
all the proper education to qualify within their organization as credentialed ministers, yet they
face a lack of advocacy within a male-dominated field.
The third finding revealed that woman pastors’ fulfillment and satisfaction was strongest
when (a) they had a strong sense of God’s calling on their life; (b) they joined a church that is
affirming and supportive of women pastors/ministry leader; and (c) have male pastors/leaders
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who champion women in ministry. Research shows that a sense of autonomy decreased
vulnerability to burnout for clergy and that a sense of competence and accomplishment in the job
led to higher levels of job satisfaction and lower levels of burnout (Miner et al, 2010). The
participants that expressed the most satisfaction with their present pastoral ministry experienced
higher levels of autonomy and a sense of mastery in their ministry work. They also expressed a
strong sense of call, felt support and acceptance from their church, and had male pastors that
empowered them and gave them the freedom to lead as they felt called to. The other participants
that did not feel as satisfied with their current pastoral ministry experience desired to follow their
call outside of the church.
Recommendations for Practice
This section includes recommendations based on the study’s findings and the literature to
address areas that can help create equitable church environments for women pastors thus
increasing the representation and opportunities for women pastors. These recommendations can
be directed toward a variety of individuals such as denominational leadership, church boards,
male lead pastors, and women pastors in positions of authority within churches. The first two
recommendations can be implemented in any church organization and fulfilled by any person in
position of authority to implement within their church organization. The third recommendation
can be implemented by anyone passionate about helping create a safe place where women
pastors can find support and network outside of their church or denomination. The implications
are drawn from the study’s findings highlight areas for consideration to help guide future efforts
toward creating a more equitable environment and support for women pastors.
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Recommendation 1: Increase the Number of Women in the Highest Levels of Leadership.
My first recommendation calls for a systemic change to take place in denominations and
churches by placing qualified women in the highest levels of leadership. Several participants
expressed the significant challenge it has been for them to excel towards higher levels of
leadership within their churches. According to National Congregations Survey from Duke
University, only 3% of evangelical congregations have a female senior pastor or head clergy.
Black Protestants have 16% and Mainline congregations have 30% (Chaves et al., 2020). Since
there is a clear underrepresentation of women pastors in the highest levels of leadership,
denominations and churches must make a systemic change. They can begin by making sure that
all documentations, bylaws, and resources that state how pastors can become lead pastors or
denominational leaders should have inclusive language for both male and female pastors. Many
participants in my study shared how language in documents or language used from senior
leadership only addressed male pastors while leaving out female pastors. All language used
throughout denominations and churches should be inclusive towards women pastors to make it
clear that women pastors also can become lead pastors or lead in the highest positions within a
denomination.
Additionally, denominations and churches should offer an equal number of female
candidates as male candidates for denominational leadership positions and senior pastor
positions. If a denomination or church needs to choose a new leader for a position both women
and men should be given the opportunity to not only apply but be given equal access to interview
and speak to the congregation and board members. Several participants expressed how they
remained faithful in serving their churches and denominations for over a decade while becoming
more educated, yet they were never given an opportunity to enter higher levels of leadership
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within their church or denomination. Other participants expressed a desire to become a staff
pastor in other areas within their church but were not given permission to move beyond certain
roles that have been labeled as more appropriate for a female pastor such as children’s ministry.
This recommendation calls for a systemic change in churches and denominations that will create
more equitable opportunities for women pastors to enter the highest levels of leadership in
churches and denominations.
Recommendation 2: Create and Provide DEI Education and Training to Denominational
Leadership, Pastors, Church Boards, and Congregations.
The second recommendation from this study is to provide diversity, equity, and inclusion
(DEI) education and training for denominational leaders, pastors, church boards, and
congregations. The findings revealed the persistent existence of gender bias and a lack of
advocacy from male leadership in churches continues to create an unwelcoming environment for
women pastors. It is thought that courses on diversity, inclusion and equity taught at faith-based
institutes for higher learning will address gender and race bias and move churches towards
inclusivity (Lyons, 2013). Participants expressed how derogatory language and unfair treatment
primarily by male leaders in church environments made them feel less than and created barriers
to them reaching their ministry goals. Church leaders need to recognize that diversity, equity,
and inclusion is more than just being nice to someone. It also isn’t simply giving someone an
opportunity. It requires a leader to get to know people, their ideas, and what they need, and listen
to their experiences so you can support them, value them, and advocate for them. Inclusion is
valuing, supporting, and connecting with people with their own beliefs, experiences, identities,
ideas, opinions, and styles. Valuing, supporting, and connecting with others takes work. It
requires intentional behaviors, mindfulness, and consideration. Kindness is not inclusion or
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equity (Cabral, 2020). My recommendation is a challenge for all leaders in church environments
to evaluate their ministry approach and consider that the experiences of many women pastors
within their organizations are not positive. To help bring this form of training and education I
would like to develop a church DEI evaluation test and research/Bible-based curriculum that
teaches leaders in Christian churches about the experiences of women in ministry to create a
safer and more equitable environment for women pastors.
Recommendation 3: Christian Universities and Denominational Leadership Should Create
Intentional Mentorship and Networking Options for Women Pastors
The third recommendation from this study is for Christian Universities, and
denominational leadership to create mentorship and support options for women who are
interested in pursuing pastoral ministry and women who are currently pastors. Barna reports that
Clergywomen are more educated than their male counterparts, with 77% holding master’s
degrees from faith-based higher education (Barna, 2009). My study also reveals that most of the
participants held degrees and higher education was a major part of their development. I
recommend that Christian Universities and Denominational leadership should create mentorship
and networking platforms for women pastors. Since a ministry credentialing process through a
Christian Denomination requires some form of theological/church leadership education,
Denominational leadership and Christian Universities should provide women in ministry with
additional support toward finding great mentorship opportunities. The research addresses how
gender bias in male-dominated fields leads to women not having the opportunities for leadership
that they should but how mentoring provides support and inclusivity that helps women as leaders
thrive (Barnes, 2017). Since mentoring has been proven to help women as leaders, I believe that
Christian Universities and denominational leadership should create safe mentoring spaces where
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women are mentored by successful male and female leaders/pastors. In this study, most women
shared how their most influential ministry role model was a male pastor, yet most also shared
that they hardly saw any women in pastoral ministry roles and therefore they didn’t have many if
any female role models in pastoral ministry. To create well-rounded mentorship support for
women, Christian Universities and Denominational leadership could work together and resource
women with male and female pastors as mentors. These male and female mentors should be
people with experience in church leadership, and church culture and with an understanding of the
challenges, women face in ministry to begin to provide women pastors, with support, resources,
and networking opportunities. Research shows that mentors help to provide the support that
women in ministry need to survive and thrive (Lyons, 2013).
Recommendation 4: Create a Nonprofit Support Center Apart From the Church for
Women Pastors.
The fourth recommendation from this study is to implement a nonprofit support center
for women pastors. Women in ministry experience a lack of support during training and women
pastors reported higher levels of stress (Rolph et al, 2011). Participants in my study shared
similar experiences and shared that they felt that there weren’t safe places for them to seek help
in a male-dominated work environment. Since denominational structures and churches provide
little support to help the mental and emotional health of clergy (Charlton et al, 2009), I would
like to create a support center for women pastors apart and outside of a church or denomination
where women pastors can find the support and resources they need especially when dealing with
inequitable situations within their church environments. This support center would have a call
center where women pastors can share their ministry struggles confidentially and be resourced
and supported spiritually through prayer, but also with resources to help them succeed in their
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ministry. This support center will partner with Christian Universities, various Christian
denominations, and successful men and women pastors to help women navigate through the
unique challenges they may face in ministry. Additionally, this support center would provide
counseling, financial support for education, and family resources.
Limitations and Delimitations
According to Creswell and Creswell (2018), limitations are conditions or influences that
cannot be controlled by the researcher. A limitation of this strategy is that the study’s findings
may not be generalizable to the greater church network population and, therefore, may be limited
to the context of the study sample. First, as a white Hispanic male conducting the interviews, the
responses of women may be affected. Interviewees may have not felt comfortable because of my
age, experience, or because I am a male. Second, the lack of previous research concerning the
underrepresentation of women pastors/leaders in church ministry creates a limitation to the
research. Thirdly, the sample size of only interviewing 12 women pastors. Fourthly, within my
study, I only interviewed two lead pastors while the rest were involved as staff pastors at a
church. Fifth, the geographical boundaries set for the study are set to be within Southern
California and will lead me to conduct interviews via Zoom.
Delimitations are the boundaries based on the researcher’s decision on what to include
and exclude to make the study more relevant to the problem of practice (Creswell & Creswell,
2018). Since this study examines the nature of the experiences of women pastors/leaders, Using
Bandura’s social cognitive theory as the conceptual framework is also a delimitation since my
research questions and interview questions will be based on this theory.
93

Recommendations for Future Research
My research focused on the experiences of women that led them to become pastors, their
experiences as they began to pastor, and their current experiences as pastors. Within my study, I
only interviewed 2 lead pastors while the rest were involved as staff pastors at a church. One lead
pastor was single while the other lead pastor was a pastor of a church with her husband and they
co-pastored together. To expand on the research that has already been conducted, future studies
related to the underrepresentation of women pastors and their experiences could examine the
specific experiences of women who are single lead pastors, and the experiences of married
women lead pastors who co-pastor with their husbands and how they manage their relationships
and staff. This future study would focus on lead woman pastors in comparison to my study that
included staff woman pastors as well. I believe this would be great future research because there
are not many studies on the specific experiences of single woman pastors nor on women who co-
pastor with their husbands. It would be interesting to learn more about how single women pastors
navigate the day-to-day of church ministry, lead their staff, and board, and work within their
denomination in a very male-dominated environment and in a field where marriage is usually
expected for a pastor. I would also recommend for future studies to consider a qualitative study
researching how to help young women in churches develop strong self-efficacy. Future research
could employ and compare the experiences of women pastors in this study to determine what can
promote self-efficacy at a younger age for women considering pastoral ministry. Lastly, I
recommend a study that analyzes churches that have happy and successful women pastors on
their staff. It would be great for this future study to focus on what successful pastors and
churches are doing right to create a culture accepting of women pastors. It would be interesting
to learn about the history of what led the church to become accepting of women pastors.
94

Conclusion
The findings in my study are important because they reveal common themes that most
and in some cases all women pastors experienced in a church environment. Most importantly it
sheds light on the major obstacles women pastors still face in churches. The inequities that exist
have stunted women pastors from reaching some of their goals and dreams in ministry and what
may take a few years for men to reach has for some women taken decades to reach in a male-
dominated church environment. My study elevates the voices of very accomplished women
pastors and allows readers to understand more about how different the experience of a woman
pastor is vs the experience of a man. Denominations that have chosen to credential/ordain
women as pastors should recognize that giving women an opportunity or title isn’t enough.
Women pastors continue to work hard towards their theological education, serving countless
hours as quality volunteers and leaders because male pastors continue to say, “We Want You!”
yet, women pastors are limited in how far they can advance as leaders and pastors in the church.
About 10% of pastors are women and far fewer serve as lead pastors. My study aims to remind
denominations that have chosen to ordain women to step up their support for women if they truly
believe that God has called them to minister as ordained ministers of the Gospel.
Lastly and most importantly, this study is important because I want women pastors to
know how much they have influenced, taught, encouraged, and motivated men like me to
continue to seek God, and pursue the call He has placed on my life. Your voice and ministry do
matter! I hope that the findings in this study remind you that the call of God that you experienced
isn’t false. All the women pastors in my study sensed a unique desire to pastor and even though
they have faced many obstacles they have persevered, and thousands of people have been
impacted by their ministry. For women who have considered becoming a pastor but have been
95

fearful of the obstacles they may face, I hope that my study and findings will give your insight
into what has helped women pastors persevere and accomplish extraordinary things.

96

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107

Appendix A: Recruitment Email
To Whom It May Concern:
My Name is Nahum Munoz, and I am a Doctoral student at the USC Rossier School of
Education under the supervision of Dr. Hirabayashi. I am conducting a research project to share
and elevate the experiences of women in their journey as pastors. While sharing their stories I
would also like to bring to light any unique struggles that they may have faced through their
lived experiences that have led to an underrepresentation of women pastors/leaders in Christian
churches. I would also like to learn more about possible solutions that will lead to women being
given more opportunities to lead and fulfill their call and become successful pastors and leaders
in their churches and denominations. An objective in this study is to inspire more women to
become ministers and leaders in Christian churches. You are invited to participate in the study if
you meet the following criteria:
• are over the age of 18
• are a female pastor/ministry leader currently working in a Christian church or
Christian ministry platform
• have been a pastor or ministry leader for at least 5 years
If you are interested or know anyone who meets the eligibility requirements and may be
interested in participating in this study, please give them a copy of this information. If you agree
to participate in the interview or have any further questions, please feel free to contact me at
nahummun@usc.edu.
Thank you in advance for your participation.

Nahum Munoz
108

Doctoral Candidate, Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California

Appendix B: Interview Protocol
Interview questions Potential probes RQ addressed
1. Tell me a little about your background. How long have you been a pastor/leader in a
church? What pastoral/leadership roles have you
been a part of?
Rapport
2. Tell me about what led you to becoming a pastor
and leader in the church?
Did anyone encourage you to pursue ministry? RQ1
3. In what ways has your church given you or other
women opportunities to lead in pastoral/leadership
ministry?
RQ2
4. What have been some of your most impactful
experiences as a women pastor/leader?
Can you walk me through a specific example?
What specific things or people have contributed
to these experiences?
RQ1
5. What have been some of the most difficult
experiences you have faced as a woman
pastor/leader?
Can you walk me through a specific example?
What specific things or people have contributed to
these experiences?

RQ1
6. What is the feedback you have received from
pastors/leaders or congregants since you began in
your ministry?
Has this feedback impacted you? RQ2
7. What factors outside of your ministry impacted you,
positively or negatively, as a women pastor/leader?
How has that affected your motivation to remain a
pastor?
RQ1
8. Has there ever been a time you wanted to quit
ministry?

What you walk me through a specific example?
What influenced your decision at the time?
RQ2

RQ3
108

Interview questions Potential probes RQ addressed
9. What are your future goals as a pastor/leader in
ministry?
10. What supports have been most helpful to you as a
woman pastor/leader?

What resources or support might be the most
helpful for you as you continue to pursue your
ministry goals?
RQ2

11. What do you believe can help equip and retain more
women pastor/leaders in the church?
RQ3

109

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Creator Munoz, Nahum (author)

Core Title We sant you! Kind of: Exploring the experiences of women pastors/leaders in Christian churches

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Organizational Change and Leadership (On Line)

Degree Conferral Date 2023-05

Publication Date 02/24/2023

Defense Date 12/13/2022

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag Christian,Churches,experiences,leaders,Ministry,OAI-PMH Harvest,Pastors,Women,women in ministry,women leaders,women pastors

Format theses (aat)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Hirabayashi, Kimberly (committee chair), Malloy, Courtney (committee member), Murazewski, Alison (committee member)

Creator Email nahummun@usc.edu,nahummunoz1989@gmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-oUC112755719

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Type texts

Source 20230228-usctheses-batch-1008 (batch), University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the author, as the original true and official version of the work, but does not grant the reader permission to use the work if the desired use is covered by copyright. It is the author, as rights holder, who must provide use permission if such use is covered by copyright. The original signature page accompanying the original submission of the work to the USC Libraries is retained by the USC Libraries and a copy of it may be obtained by authorized requesters contacting the repository e-mail address given.

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA

Repository Email cisadmin@lib.usc.edu