17 Apr 2026, 09:32Dr Kirk Thomas, South England Conference PresidentWatford, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom
Women in Ministry: Woven Together in Mission
Pastoral Letter, 17 April 2026
Dear Church Family,
Some items in life just cannot exist without each of their individual parts. Any piece of fabric is made up of various strands intertwined. Together, they form a strength no single strand could bear. Together, they can form items that are beautiful to behold. Together, they can form products that make a difference in the world. You may have heard of the term ‘fabric of society’, which refers to the interactions, organisations, values and relationships that should hold society together. Similarly, we can say the fabric of Church life was built as various individuals have come together, past and present and this, from the inception of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, has very much included both men and women. Working side-by-side to share the everlasting gospel, their lives of service were woven together in a uniquely powerful way to form a Church that represents God’s diverse Kingdom. It is this Kingdom for which it is our purpose to prepare the world. As March, women’s history month has just passed, in this final part of a four-part series on women in ministry, I would like to pause to consider a hypothetical thought about what the Church would be like without women and all they have done, so the Church could be where it is today.
What if there were no women in the Seventh-day Adventist Church? We do not need to think too hard about this one because the first historical absence we would come across is that of the church’s most prominent individual and co-founder, Ellen Gould White (1827-1915). Her husband, James White (1821-1881), had, without a doubt, an amazing, inspired leadership and ministry alongside his wife (and Joseph Bates 1792-1872 and John Andrews 1829-1883 as co-founders and organisers of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, for which we can indeed be grateful to God). The couple had different gifts that work together in a beautiful way. We know Ellen White’s gift was prophetic. If she were not around, would James White have had all the necessary vision to carry through the idea of establishing the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the direction and in the way in which we know it today?
How conscious are you of belonging to a church with a female co-founder who was also a prophetess who, by definition, had more authority than the males at all levels of the Church, including Conference officials and Pastors? As a Church member, does that influence the way you view the women around you at all, including those in ministry, not least in terms of respect? As she shared her gift, Sister White faced opposition on certain occasions from people who treated her presence and message as bothersome. At times, there were even hints of envy.
What if James White had tried to nullify his wife’s presence and contribution by hindering her, using his position (which was key) to block things from moving according to the guidance God had given her? God has ways of accomplishing His will, but how could this have affected the progress of the message, and would that have been the will of God? Behaviour towards women in Church spaces often reflects our psychological predispositions. I have personally observed how oppositional reactions to women in ministry: the withholding of due support or even outright opposition, are often based on personalities, our insecurities, unmet dreams and dissatisfaction. If we are not careful, we can have a way of turning these into motivation for certain theology. They are matters we are responsible for addressing rather than taking them out on women in service around us working to serve God and bring good where they are, as best they can.
Men who are comfortable with how and what God is making them to be and are at peace with Him regarding their roles, who do not base their identity as men upon what women are not, won’t ever feel the need to suppress and dominate women to prove their superiority. They will see that when women are allowed to shine without hindrance or interference in the Work of the Holy Spirit, we all win. Those of us in their families, local and wider Church communities, are brought further in the mission as we make gains for God’s Kingdom together.
Thankfully, this wasn’t the case, but if Brother White had been able to dominate his wife, what of the progress of the establishment of our Church? Our worldview and teachings, which she worked with her co-founders to establish under the guidance of God? What of the existence of the prophetic gift in our Church? What of the impact of millions of inspired words she authored? The many souls who have come to Christ? The schools, health institutions, and Publishing House were founded. And the progress of the message? It would have been a very sad situation indeed if Brother White had even tried to control Sister White. We thank God for their unity of purpose in the mission. God was clearly with her, blessing her ministry powerfully, and nothing could stand in her way, but the potential for such spiritual opposition, unnecessary battles, pain, and confusion could make things difficult. Yet this is just the treatment some of our sisters in administration, lay, and indeed pastoral ministry can face from their brothers today. The same goes for other women, too, who can equally be involved in placing stumbling blocks in front of other women as they try to build themselves based on suppressing someone else. I ask that women be treated with the respect due to all members and ministers in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
One thing is sure: without women taking their places in the life of the Church, just like broken strands of material, things would soon fall apart. As with patterned fabrics, in which some strands can seem more prominent than others, we may view a woman as being more prominent to us because of the kind of role she plays and how close her proximity is to us personally. Others may seem to be in the background or not be the most important to you, perhaps because they are not a close relative, but they are certainly important to someone else, not least to God.
The last time, I mentioned others who were actively involved in ministry in the early SDA Church. There are so many that it isn’t possible to mention them here but for example, there is Minnie Sype (1869-1956), pastor and planter of many churches through her evangelism. Anna Knight, who was an African American medical professional and educator, was the first known female missionary to India throughout Christendom. From those times, we have also had other female General Conference Treasurers, licensed and non-licensed ministers, Pastors, Evangelists, missionaries, Editors, Bible Workers, medical personnel, etc. Women in our churches are constantly teaching, preaching the word of God, visiting, empowering, mentoring, training, serving, and leading… The list goes on. Simply put, a Church without women is very difficult to imagine and probably could not be as it is today. There is only one Ellen White, but if we stand in each other’s way and cause discouragement, we never know if we may be responsible for hindering ministry work that would have brought untold good. Let us thank God for our sisters and stand with them at the forefront of ministry in the Seventh-day Adventist church.
God’s blessings and be Inspired for Mission!
Dear Church Family,
Some items in life just cannot exist without each of their individual parts. Any piece of fabric is made up of various strands intertwined. Together, they form a strength no single strand could bear. Together, they can form items that are beautiful to behold. Together, they can form products that make a difference in the world. You may have heard of the term ‘fabric of society’, which refers to the interactions, organisations, values and relationships that should hold society together. Similarly, we can say the fabric of Church life was built as various individuals have come together, past and present and this, from the inception of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, has very much included both men and women. Working side-by-side to share the everlasting gospel, their lives of service were woven together in a uniquely powerful way to form a Church that represents God’s diverse Kingdom. It is this Kingdom for which it is our purpose to prepare the world. As March, women’s history month has just passed, in this final part of a four-part series on women in ministry, I would like to pause to consider a hypothetical thought about what the Church would be like without women and all they have done, so the Church could be where it is today.
What if there were no women in the Seventh-day Adventist Church? We do not need to think too hard about this one because the first historical absence we would come across is that of the church’s most prominent individual and co-founder, Ellen Gould White (1827-1915). Her husband, James White (1821-1881), had, without a doubt, an amazing, inspired leadership and ministry alongside his wife (and Joseph Bates 1792-1872 and John Andrews 1829-1883 as co-founders and organisers of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, for which we can indeed be grateful to God). The couple had different gifts that work together in a beautiful way. We know Ellen White’s gift was prophetic. If she were not around, would James White have had all the necessary vision to carry through the idea of establishing the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the direction and in the way in which we know it today?
How conscious are you of belonging to a church with a female co-founder who was also a prophetess who, by definition, had more authority than the males at all levels of the Church, including Conference officials and Pastors? As a Church member, does that influence the way you view the women around you at all, including those in ministry, not least in terms of respect? As she shared her gift, Sister White faced opposition on certain occasions from people who treated her presence and message as bothersome. At times, there were even hints of envy.
What if James White had tried to nullify his wife’s presence and contribution by hindering her, using his position (which was key) to block things from moving according to the guidance God had given her? God has ways of accomplishing His will, but how could this have affected the progress of the message, and would that have been the will of God? Behaviour towards women in Church spaces often reflects our psychological predispositions. I have personally observed how oppositional reactions to women in ministry: the withholding of due support or even outright opposition, are often based on personalities, our insecurities, unmet dreams and dissatisfaction. If we are not careful, we can have a way of turning these into motivation for certain theology. They are matters we are responsible for addressing rather than taking them out on women in service around us working to serve God and bring good where they are, as best they can.
Men who are comfortable with how and what God is making them to be and are at peace with Him regarding their roles, who do not base their identity as men upon what women are not, won’t ever feel the need to suppress and dominate women to prove their superiority. They will see that when women are allowed to shine without hindrance or interference in the Work of the Holy Spirit, we all win. Those of us in their families, local and wider Church communities, are brought further in the mission as we make gains for God’s Kingdom together.
Thankfully, this wasn’t the case, but if Brother White had been able to dominate his wife, what of the progress of the establishment of our Church? Our worldview and teachings, which she worked with her co-founders to establish under the guidance of God? What of the existence of the prophetic gift in our Church? What of the impact of millions of inspired words she authored? The many souls who have come to Christ? The schools, health institutions, and Publishing House were founded. And the progress of the message? It would have been a very sad situation indeed if Brother White had even tried to control Sister White. We thank God for their unity of purpose in the mission. God was clearly with her, blessing her ministry powerfully, and nothing could stand in her way, but the potential for such spiritual opposition, unnecessary battles, pain, and confusion could make things difficult. Yet this is just the treatment some of our sisters in administration, lay, and indeed pastoral ministry can face from their brothers today. The same goes for other women, too, who can equally be involved in placing stumbling blocks in front of other women as they try to build themselves based on suppressing someone else. I ask that women be treated with the respect due to all members and ministers in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
One thing is sure: without women taking their places in the life of the Church, just like broken strands of material, things would soon fall apart. As with patterned fabrics, in which some strands can seem more prominent than others, we may view a woman as being more prominent to us because of the kind of role she plays and how close her proximity is to us personally. Others may seem to be in the background or not be the most important to you, perhaps because they are not a close relative, but they are certainly important to someone else, not least to God.
The last time, I mentioned others who were actively involved in ministry in the early SDA Church. There are so many that it isn’t possible to mention them here but for example, there is Minnie Sype (1869-1956), pastor and planter of many churches through her evangelism. Anna Knight, who was an African American medical professional and educator, was the first known female missionary to India throughout Christendom. From those times, we have also had other female General Conference Treasurers, licensed and non-licensed ministers, Pastors, Evangelists, missionaries, Editors, Bible Workers, medical personnel, etc. Women in our churches are constantly teaching, preaching the word of God, visiting, empowering, mentoring, training, serving, and leading… The list goes on. Simply put, a Church without women is very difficult to imagine and probably could not be as it is today. There is only one Ellen White, but if we stand in each other’s way and cause discouragement, we never know if we may be responsible for hindering ministry work that would have brought untold good. Let us thank God for our sisters and stand with them at the forefront of ministry in the Seventh-day Adventist church.
God’s blessings and be Inspired for Mission!
