Women in ministry describe journey together

Posted: 10/19/07

Women in ministry describe journey together

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

ABILENE—Dorisanne Cooper’s story isn’t simply her own. It’s the story of a Sunday school teacher, a mentor, classmates and church members, as well.

And it’s much like that for the more than 220 people—including students from Baylor University, Hardin-Simmons University, Baptist University of the Americas, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Wayland Baptist University, Howard Payne University and Dallas Baptist University—who participated in the Baptist General Convention of Texas’ first conference specifically for women in ministry. The gathering was a cooperative effort with Logsdon Seminary.

Participants said multiple people helped them identify and clarify God’s calling upon their respective lives. For Cooper, those people included a Sunday school teacher, seminary classmates, a pastor who served as a mentor and the church members she currently serves as pastor of Lakeshore Baptist Church in Waco.

Julie O’Teter, BGCT associate coordinator of strategic leadership training and planning, said the body of Christ works together to nurture a person’s faith and help people fulfill God’s calling upon their lives.

“It’s true for everyone—men, too,” she said. “It’s really representative of all the influential people in their lives.”

That’s exactly as it should be, BGCT Executive Director Charles Wade said. Texas Baptist churches already certify women for ministerial programs, making them eligible for ministerial scholarships through the convention. They also need to be open to hiring them, as well, he said.

A congregation “should invite all its children—girls and boys—to answer God’s calling. (Churches) should not only invite them to do so, but encourage them in it and be open to the opportunity and to their responsibility for them to serve.”

Cooper testified that growing up, she always believed women could fulfill God’s calling upon their lives in any position, but she only truly applied that to herself after seeing a woman serve as youth and children’s minister at her church.

In seminary, “the Bible came alive” to Cooper “in whole new ways,” invigorating her Christianity and reinforcing her call to ministry. A statement to a professor one day clinched her calling for her.

“If I were Presbyterian, I would definitely be going into the church,” she recalled saying, believing there would be more job opportunities for her in that denomination than in Baptist life. Shortly after, she came to understand if God was calling her into a church staff position, God could make that position in a Baptist church.

After graduating from seminary, Cooper served at a Baptist church, and gradually received opportunities to preach. When the pastor took a six-month sabbatical, Cooper handled the administrative duties and preached once a month. Shortly after, Cooper was called to become pastor of Lakeshore Baptist Church.

When she arrived, she was the second Baptist female senior pastor in the city. Julie Pennington-Russell, who was greeted by protestors on her first Sunday at Calvary Baptist Church in Waco, sent flowers welcoming Cooper. Some members greeted her warmly.

A few members of the congregation left because they didn’t want a female pastor or did not like her leadership style. Some came back and even became close friends of Cooper.

Lakeshore members continue to encourage Cooper. Together, Cooper said, she and her congregation are on a journey.

“My story isn’t over,” she said. “And it’s still not just my own.”