A Dorm: Giving Honor to the Mothers of the Church!
During the time the Meserete Kristos Church was forced to operate in a secret “underground” mode (1982-91), women played crucial leadership roles in the cell church movement. They served as leaders in the home cell groups; provided hospitality in their homes; led Bible studies; led in fasting and prayer activities; did pastoral work in preaching, teaching, and discipling new believers, in comforting and encouraging those who suffered illness, persecution, temptation, discouragement, or physical need; did neighborhood evangelism through visitation, hosting or attending coffee ceremonies; attended and assisted in funeral and wedding ceremonies, etc. Most of these sisters did all of these ministry services without the benefit of much higher education.
During that dark decade, men were watched by the secret police for any sign of possible “subversive activity”, so had to keep a low profile. Women were assumed by the Marxixt government to be less of a threat, and could move about incurring less suspicion. But, with the fall of the Derg regime and the restoration of religious freedom, men emerged out of the “woodwork” and assumed most of the public leadership roles. Yet, females continued as respected leaders in the less conspicuous helping roles. Today, the Church officially recognizes no gender barrier to any leadership position or role, but the Ethiopian culture still impacts the practice of the Church. Very few females hold key positions, and almost none of the delegates sent to the annual General Assembly are female. And the overwhelming preponderance of male students in our College only perpetuates and accentuates that gap.
However, most male Church leaders recognize that there is much potential talent and gifting lying dormant and unrealized in women who constitute at least 50% of the Church’s 275,000 members. Most of these women are less educated, and have been entrusted with less opportunities to exercise and develop their gifts. So there is genuine interest in equipping and encouraging the use of those gifts in the various ministries of the Church. Hence, the Church has included three females, all of whom have masters degrees, among the twelve full time teaching faculty. Also, the Church has provided special scholarships for young women and approved the building of a dormitory that will accommodate up to 258 women, a belated honor to the “Mothers of the Church”! — By Carl E. Hansen