When Women Lead

Much of what men and women both think about women, gender differences, and cultural norms is remarkably under-processed. Without the benefit of intentional conversation about the barriers women face, most women are left to enter the world of leadership with inadequate awareness and resources. The acknowledgement of a woman's right to leadership is only the first step. We have not yet addressed the very common barriers women face when they enter the leadership arena, nor have we explored practical solutions to help them navigate those barriers so they can lead effectively.Women need to know that unrealistic optimism is a recipe for failure. Simply by acknowledging constraints to success, then exploring strategies to enhance leadership skills, we can help women take greater authority over their call to live out of a God-given identity and giftedness.When Women Lead is for men and women who advocate for female leadership within the Church. When women are educated about the challenges they face and are given resources to navigate beyond those challenges, their opportunity for success in ministry increases dramatically. The purpose of this book is to describe those challenges, explore practical solutions, and equip women to lead successfully and hopefully.While it is an excellent resource for women ready to enter leadership with more confidence and authority, it's also perfect for denominational leaders charged with raising up women called to leadership roles, for lay leaders who want to better understand the dynamics at work when the pastor is a woman, and for husbands, parents, and friends who desperately want to support women in their life who are living out what God has given them to do.What if the Kingdom of God is straining toward the day when all God's people are deployed in the work of the Great Commission? Women are already leading powerful movements around the world. The evangelistic explosion being documented in many closed countries is largely due to the leadership of women. Missionaries tell of the critical role of women in introducing the gospel to new groups. This book can help to equip a new generation of women to rise up with tools in hand to welcome and advance God's Kingdom on earth.

'Carolyn Moore, in When Women Lead, has blessed the church by giving us a remarkable and practical road map for effective ministerial leadership as a woman empowered and blessed by God. This book is stunningly honest about the obstacles but equally hopeful about the possibilities when the church empowers all for ministry. I encourage pastors and laypersons alike to read this book, which is an honest story of one woman's journey and also points to a larger pathway which all women called by God for pastoral leadership can joyfully follow.', 'This is the book the church has needed--a book about women leading in the church that has no agenda other than a kingdom-advancing agenda. Carolyn's excellent work confronts our short-sighted, misguided, and confining moves that have kept half of Christ's ambassadors on the sidelines for too long. However, Carolyn's most significant contribution is in leading us in ways that we can take corrective steps so women can flourish as leaders and the kingdom of Christ can advance more fully. Many women will read this book. Every man should read this book.', 'In a carefully written and engaging work, Carolyn Moore invites all Christians of whatever tradition to think through the timely issue of women in ministry in terms of both barriers and the strategies to overcome them. Developing a powerful theological argument by going back to the basics of Genesis 1-3, and thereby grounding the dignity and authority of women in ministry in nothing less than the glorious image of God, Moore is able to rightly connect the universal call to ministry from the Old Testament image of God to the New Testament proclamation of the universality of the gospel itself, especially as it is expressed in terms of Galatians 3:28. Moore's concluding counsel to a discouraged female minister toward the end of the book is poignant, gripping, and full of godly wisdom. I highly recommend this much-needed work.', 'Carolyn Moore captures the blessings and the struggles of being a woman in leadership, especially those who are strong in egalitarian and orthodox theology. She faithfully engages Scripture, her personal experience, cultural norms, and the latest sociological research. She carefully walks through the deficits women face in leadership roles and provides a roadmap for female leadership that is not defensive or tentative. This book challenged me and strengthened my ability to live out my calling to leadership within the church.', 'I want to get this book into the hands of all our women pastors--and all of our men, too! Equipped with research, we all can be better prepared for the unique obstacles that accompany women's opportunities. We will all have realistic expectations so hardships can be faced in a healthy way by everyone involved--the female pastor, her family, her congregation and its leaders, and her supervisors. I highly recommend When Women Lead!'

Carolyn Moore is the founding pastor of Mosaic Church in Evans, Georgia. Previously she has served as an elder and associate pastor at several United Methodist Churches. She has an MDiv and Doctor of Ministry from Asbury Theological Seminary with a focus on church planting. She writes on topics of holiness, healing, and Wesleyan theology at artofholiness.com.