No Longer Silent

However, religious tradition and Jewish custom have been
relentless in their suppression of women. Even those extraordinary
women who have overcome female subjugation and have launched out and
done exploits in Christ’s name have had little recorded about their
triumphs of faith.

Most of the world today represses female initiative,
restricting women to one level or another of servitude, subordination
or outright female bondage. From Moslem nations in which women must
cover their faces and bodies with long flowing robes, to uncultured
tribes in which tradition relegates them to a status little above
animals, the role of women is one of subservience and inferiority, and
it should not be.

In the Christian church worldwide, traditional theology
has extracted two statements by the apostle Paul out of their context
and used them to establish a doctrinal absolute that consistently
restricts women to silence in the church and prohibits them from
initiative and leadership (see 1 Cor. 14:34; 1 Tim. 2:11-12). But God
never intended for women to sit on the sidelines while men did all the
work of the ministry. He wants every woman to know that she is His
special child, equal to anyone else in the world and designed by Him
with unlimited potential.

My husband, T.L. Osborn, and I have spent more than five
decades proclaiming the gospel to millions, face to face, in more than
70 nations. As a woman, my role has been unlimited, and yours can be,
too.

It has been my privilege to organize crusades, meet heads
of state and other government officials, secure permits, arrange for
contracts for stadiums and grounds, install equipment, negotiate with
businesses for tons of literature and purchase thousands of
evangelistic tracts. I have organized the cooperating pastors, set up
workers’ institutes and convert schools, and presided over the
crusades. While the crusades are taking place, I alternate with my
husband, teaching and preaching daily in the meetings.

In addition to all of that, as corporate president of
Osborn Foundation, or OSFO, International world headquarters, I oversee
all our international offices, with our enormous worldwide missionary
outreaches.

Being a woman does not alter my status as a believer, a
disciple of Jesus Christ, His follower, His servant. What He said to
all believers, He says to me—and to you also. His Great Commission
applies to women in the same way it applies to men, and the power of
the Holy Spirit in a woman’s life to accomplish it is no different than
it is in a man’s life.

Biblical Examples

Eve, the first woman God created, has inspired many a
discourse that has resulted in the institution of ironclad church
doctrines that put women “in their place,” silent and nonassertive in
God’s No. 1 job. But if a woman’s disobedience resulted in the fall of
the human race, let’s not forget it was a woman’s obedience that
resulted in the redemption of humankind.

God chose a woman as His channel for redemption,
forgiveness and eternal salvation. A woman was used to bring joy,
peace, love, comfort and fulfillment to the human race.

And don’t forget these other biblical facts related to women:

• Women were active in the ministry of Jesus (see Luke 8:1-3).

• The last person at the cross was a woman (see Mark 15:47).

• The first person at the tomb was a woman (see John 20:1).

• The first person to proclaim the message of the resurrection was a woman (see Matt. 28:8).

• The first preacher to the Jews was a woman (see Luke 2:37).

• Women were at the historic prayer meeting following Christ’s ascension (see Acts 1:14).

• Women were in the Upper Room on the day of Pentecost
and were given power to be witnesses of Christ, the same as the men
(see Acts 2:4; 1:8).

• The first people to greet the Christian missionaries Paul and Silas in Europe were women (see (Acts 16:13).

• The first European convert was a woman (see Acts 16:14).

Are these facts important? Do they have a message for us? Do they relate to women today? I believe they do.

There is no better example for us than Mary of Magdala, a
demon-possessed business woman who came to Jesus, was delivered by Him,
became His follower and supporter, assisted in the business
arrangements, was at the cross, helped prepare His body for burial, was
there when Jesus arose and was visited by Him, received His message,
delivered it to the apostles, was filled with the Holy Spirit on the
Day of Pentecost, and was an anointed messenger and witness of Jesus
Christ in the early church.

Mary had seven demons. But Jesus cast those demons from
her so that she could have life, real life, eternal and abundant life.
She was completely delivered.

Jesus took the good in Mary—her God-given ability—and
made her a useful, successful person. She became a minister to human
needs.

According to respected Bible commentaries, Mary was on
Jesus’ team as He went from village to village (see Luke 8:1-3). Her
experience proves that Jesus came to redeem women and to use them as
His co-workers, disciples, messengers and representatives just as He
came to redeem and use men.

Since Jewish religion traditionally suppressed women,
writers of the Scriptures dared not make much mention of their acts of
faith, but a close study of women in New Testament history clearly
shows them in places of great influence and action, carrying out the
new role of the redeemed woman in the church of Jesus Christ. When
Jesus becomes Master of your life, you as a woman can do anything God
puts in your heart to do.