Wife of Hillsong Senior Pastor Bats for Stronger Leadership Roles for Women in Church
World renowned female pastor Bobbie Houston asserted her support to church leadership roles for women, saying the issue is rooted in Biblical principle. The co-founder of Hillsong Church has been a staunch advocate for putting women in various roles in Christian ministry.
In an interview with Faithwire, Houston promoted her latest book "Stay the Path: Navigating the Challenges and Wonder of Life, Love and Leadership" which reveals leadership strategies for women based on her own experience in the ministry for the past 40 years.
Houston believes every Christian, including women, is meant to serve in a leadership role, be it in their spiritual, personal or professional lives. She added that she wanted to see women have a more pronounced role in the Church while convinced that they are ordained to serve in such a capacity.
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"If we go back to the beginnings and origins [of time], God created us male and female in the beginning ... and He spoke of ... both men and women together," she said, adding that this intent of God was distorted by cultural and religious complexities. "In our [church's] experience, [women in leadership] doesn't have to be an issue," she went on to say.
Oddly enough, a recent poll by Barna Research showed that 80 percent of Catholics are open to the concept of female clergy despite the fact that Church dogma is not open to the ordination of women priests. In contrast, only 74 percent of Protestants are comfortable with female pastors even if the religion allows it.
Houston emphasized that her campaign for women empowerment in church and family is grounded on the principle of partnership with the husband. "Our roles are that Brian (her husband) is, you know, senior pastor, and because I'm married to him and connected in heart and soul with him, that I am seen and respected as senior pastor with him also," she said.
