C3 Conference celebrates role of women in ministry

By Darrell Brown and Sierra Boudreaux, Wildcats Media

Louisiana Christian University’s annual C3 Conference held Tuesday night tackled the topic of the role of women in today’s church.

“This topic is at the forefront of our Christian culture and our secular American culture,” said Dr. Marvin Jones, Assistant Professor of Church History and Theology and Coordinator of C3 Conferences. “What is the role of women in society? What role do women have in our churches? What ministry does God ask them to fulfill? How should a woman pursue that calling?”

Jones said he chose this topic because it’s important for young women considering going into the ministry today.

“All these questions are designed to continue a dialogue that women are a part of. I think it is needed for our churches and our students. We want them (women) to do it from a biblical platform.  We want to challenge them to think of what that might be and come to an understanding of that issue.”

Jones said he believes women deserve a voice in not only ministry, but also in society, as well.

This year’s speakers were Victoria Dixon, Jess Archer and Dr. Amanda Walker, who shed great light on being women in ministry.

Archer, who works in children’s and youth missions for the Louisiana Baptist Convention, spoke on her journey. She said she became a Christian her freshman year in college.

“I want to help women come to know Christ in a deeper way,” she said.  “In the scripture we see many women in the Old Testament and the New Testament who have served the Lord with gladness.  I take those examples. I take the example of Jesus and how he gifted all believers with spiritual gifts.”

Archer said Jesus ministered to many women in the New Testament; He loved them and gave them all a role to fill in the kingdom.

Walker, an LCU alumna, has been in ministry since she graduated 20 years ago. She has been involved with teaching women theological truths for their personal growth. She spoke on the biblical role of women in ministry.

“If you have a theology that prevents you from listening to and respecting women as leaders then you have a faulty theology,” Walker said. “And if you have a theology that prevents you from listening to and respecting men as spiritual leaders then you have a faulty theology.”

Both men and women have a role to play in the church and the spread of the Gospel, and both are equally important.

Walker completed her doctor of educational ministry degree at Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary in Women’s Studies. Her dissertation was “Developing a Training Curriculum to Prepare Women Lay Leaders to Teach Biblical Theology of Womanhood in the Church.” Her book Discovering God’s Design: A Journey to Restore Biblical Womanhood resulted from her research.

All speakers have had different journeys in life whether it be as a mother, student or a woman ministering in a male-dominated field. All spoke to God’s guidance in leading them to where they are and looking forward to where they will end up.

Dixon, a recent graduate of LCU, is pursuing a master’s of divinity at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. She spoke on the unique challenges of serving God as a young woman in todays’ culture.

“You have to find a support group of ladies that are in the same season as you,” Dixon said.

She stressed the importance of making lifelong friends with the women in your support group.

Several hundred students attended the conference.

“I wasn’t really sure what it was going to tell about going in,” said SGA Vice President Lillian Berry. “I felt like a woman’s role is whatever she is called to do.”

Berry said the speakers presented biblical doctrine about the roles women should assume in the church.

The 3C seminar is an annual event begun by President Rick Brewer to provide the campus community opportunity to discuss the great issues of today through the lens of biblical truth.

“The intersection of our Faith with an ever-changing culture,” Brewer said, “underscores the College’s Vision for Preparing Graduates and Transforming Lives as Christian thinkers equipped to ‘contend for the Faith’ in the marketplace of ideas.”