|
The
Assemblies of God elected its first woman to the
Executive Presbytery during its biennial meeting on
Wednesday.
“It’s a wonderful moment for the church to recognize God
lays his hand on women and say they bring something to
the table,” the Rev. Beth Grant, who was elected on the
second electoral ballot, told The Ledger.
Thousands of ministers and delegates at the 53rd General
Council in Orlando, Florida, greeted Grant’s election
with a standing ovation.
Grant, a missionary and coordinator of the Women in
Ministry Network, addressed the crowd saying, “We as a
movement are who we are because women went to the ends
of the earth with nothing more than the call of God. We
are here today and we in this vote are saying thank you
God for the women in our Movement.”
Two years ago, the General Council of the nearly 3
million-member Pentecostal denomination approved a
resolution to add two executive presbyter positions for
an ordained woman and an ordained pastor under the age
of 40.
Although women have been allowed to serve in pastoral
roles for decades, female ministers have never taken a
seat in the denomination’s top leadership.
Even before being elected to the second highest
policy-making body, Grant made some history at the
previous General Council in 2007 when she advanced to
the final rounds of balloting for assistant general
superintendent.
She told The Ledger that the executive leadership of the
Assemblies of God really believes women in leadership is
biblical.
“The call of God is not a gender issue, it’s an
obedience issue,” she told the Lakeland, Fla.,
newspaper. “Being female is not excuse for not
fulfilling God’s purpose for your life.”
In her brief address at the General Council, Grant
declared it time for men and women together to say “Yes,
God, we are going to work together for the glory of God
and for His mission in our world.”
She asked for prayers, noting her new role is
unchartered territory.
In other business, R. Bryan Jarrett, pastor of North
Place Church in Sachse, Texas, was elected the under 40
years old executive presbyter. George O. Wood was
re-elected as general superintendent.
“God has a great future for this Church until Jesus
comes. I’m just exceedingly blessed beyond measure to
have this opportunity to serve you,” Wood said.
|
