Minter Lane Church of Christ in Abilene, Texas, appointed two female elders one year ago today.
Cynthia Litton Cooke and Rendi Young Hahn, both long-time members, were ordained by the congregation during a December 8, 2019, service in which the preaching minister proclaimed, “the love of God is both masculine and feminine. And I feel like today we are more complete, now we have feminine hands caring for this church alongside the masculine hands. … So we come closer to representing what the church is.”
The service included women and men serving communion together, leading prayer at separate times, and speaking to the congregation, including women conducting the invitation to the offering and charging the elders and the congregation with their responsibilities.
Minter Lane is not the first Church of Christ to open its eldership to women and men.
It is a momentous occasion, though, as the vast majority of Churches of Christ completely prohibit women and girls from speaking, leading, and actively serving in their worship service—including from leading prayer, reading scripture, preaching, leading singing, and serving communion—and prohibit females from serving as elder, deacon, or adult Sunday School teacher.
Only about 2% of all Christianity completely prohibits women and girls as described, and the vast majority of that tiny percentage is the Churches of Christ.
The number of Churches of Christ congregations that have lifted their prohibitions on women and girls remains relatively small, but those that have studied relevant scripture as a congregation and ended such prohibitions are increasing.
With around 150 members, Minter Lane saw a few families depart due to it selecting female elders, but the overwhelming majority supported the decision.
Scripture regarding elders, including the phrase “husband of one wife,” is a focus of congregations considering female elders. The Minter Lane congregation engaged in classroom study, focus-group discussions, and conversations regarding scripture, aided by Bible professors from Abilene Christian University, a school affiliated with the Churches of Christ.
Some families departed prior to this, unwilling to continue participating while women were prohibited from some roles and functions. Families also joined the congregation due to it becoming inclusive.
Among current members, there is a sense of great hope for the future.
A Second Try
Cooke served in a variety of ways at Minter Lane since becoming a member in 1982. She had a 40-year career in higher education, recently retiring from Abilene Christian University. There, she served as Dean of Student Life, Assistant Director of Financial Aid, and Career Development Manager.
Hahn was Children’s Minister at Minter Lane for nearly 8 years and was a teacher and small-group discussion leader for Bible Study Fellowship. She is Assistant Vice President for Campaigns, Research and Technology at ACU. Cooke and Hahn are ACU graduates.
Both were asked over 5 years ago by some Minter Lane members during an elder-selection process to serve as elders, but both independently declined. They explained they had not given any thought to becoming an elder up to that point and felt it was not time, partly because Minter Lane had not had a congregation-wide discussion about women becoming elders.
Women had served in other roles at Minter Lane, including leading prayer in the assembly and serving communion, but they had not yet discussed women preaching or serving as an elder. Several members encouraged Cooke and Hahn to consider serving as elders in the future.
Congregation-Wide Scripture Study and Discussion
Minter Lane later engaged in congregation-wide study, teaching, and discussions about women serving as elders and preachers, with a focus on scripture. Its leadership initiated this effort and sought to talk with every adult member.
Professors from Abilene Christian University who attend Minter Lane helped, including professors from the Bible Studies college, Dr. Christopher Hutson and Dr. Ken Cukrowski, and a professor from its church history department, Dr. Douglas Foster (an elder at Minter Lane as well).
After these efforts, the elders communicated that all members are encouraged to serve in any way, regardless of gender. Minter Lane has had women preach several times since.
The COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing closely followed Cooke and Hahn becoming elders, and they had to adapt almost immediately to a new pastoring and serving paradigm. Minter Lane’s services and elder meetings have been online since mid-March.
Cynthia Litton Cooke
Cynthia Cooke grew up in the Churches of Christ, and much of her extended family is part of it.
On initially saying no 5 years ago, Cooke explained, I was “concerned about how other members would feel. I didn’t want people blindsided. Not that it was wrong for us to serve as elders, it was just the wrong time.”
Cooke was married to a highly respected ACU professor, Dr. Jim Cooke, who passed away in January 2019.
She talked with him about the prospect, and he wholeheartedly supported her serving as an elder. This was very important to her willingness to serve and “meant a lot” to her. She described Dr. Cooke as “half of my functioning” and that it has been a “time of grief.”
Prayers, Children and Grandchildren
Cooke has a heart for service in God’s kingdom.
Cooke’s prayers to God have included asking for the courage to walk through “any door God opens,” and she felt like serving as an elder “was part of God’s answer to my prayers.” This may in part be God’s call to me “to look after some of the other widows” in particular, she said.
Also, “I want my children and grandchildren to grow up to see women publicly involved in the life of the church.”
Cooke’s older daughter, Jennifer McMillen, majored in Bible at ACU and became a youth minister and served at a Church of Christ before moving on to join the staff at Northpoint Community Church, outside Atlanta, where well-known minister Andy Stanley is the senior pastor. She has served in several roles there, including as the director of middle school groups and singles ministry groups.
Cooke explained that she is glad that her daughter overcame teaching from the Churches of Christ world that discourages females from dedicating themselves to public ministry.
Big Questions
Cooke recently spoke at a session of “Big Questions,” sponsored by Kaufman Church of Christ, where she engages in a wide-ranging and insightful discussion with its senior minister, Doug Page, about grief, faith and living with gratitude in the midst of loss. She quotes from Psalm 121, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord. … [H]e will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”
“Serve However I Can”
The Churches of Christ is one of the most, if not the most, restrictive Christian groups of size relative to women and girls serving in the church.
When asked about female elders being controversial within its congregations, Cooke said, “I don’t want to be a poster child for the Churches of Christ. I just want to be where I am and serve however I can.”
Minter Lane has a “shepherd’s prayer,” one led by an elder, every Sunday, and Cooke has received much positive feedback on having a feminine voice lead prayer while addressing coronavirus-related struggles.
She noted that she “didn’t get to go to the prayer and service training classes my brothers went to,” so she has had some trepidation about leading prayer, but she gets up and “just prays, more conversational than theological” and “hearing a mother’s heart, a grandmother’s heart,” has been appreciated by women and men.
Rendi Young Hahn
When Rendi Hahn joined Minter Lane over 25 years ago, women were already reading scripture from the pulpit. Later, women began leading prayer and singing and serving communion.
“One of my sweetest memories is of my husband, our two daughters, and I serving communion together. It gave me great hope for my daughters.”
Many in her extended family, both her own and her husband’s, were and are part of the Churches of Christ. Both of her grandfathers and her dad served as elders in Churches of Christ congregations.
Support, Blessings, and Hope
She worried about how some family members might react or that it might cause people within the Churches of Christ to treat her family members differently. But conversations with her extended family have gone well, and she has had support and help from her mom and dad, which she appreciates.
Her congregation has been supportive. “The Minter Lane congregation reacted very positively to Cynthia and my selection as elders, with great love, joy, and support.”
On worship assemblies at Minter Lane, Hahn says, “it is a great blessing to see the door open for all Christians to use their gifts for the body of Christ. Worship time has been richer, due to the variety of people participating. Women often pray and preach differently than men might.”
“A missionary from China recently preached at Minter Lane, discussing the experience of motherhood in her sermon in a way that a man couldn’t. For both women and men, girls and boys, to hear that was wonderful. It gave me great hope for our congregation.”
Worry, Then Peace
“I worried about the possibility of causing division, of causing problems for people. It’s a lot to hang on a person, that they are the one who might cause problems for a church or church members, people you love, when all that person wants to do is serve God and others in the way God is calling them. I had to wrestle with that.”
“I studied scripture and spoke to several elders, men and women. There came a point at which I finally felt at peace with it.”
Hahn found Galatians 3 and Genesis in its description of life before the curse particularly encouraging. Also, Revelation 22:3 states that “No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.” She decided that is what she would aspire to.
God Calls and Provides
Hahn has been “amazed at the opportunities to come alongside both single and married women in their time of need as an elder. Those opportunities increase and change from those of a very active member, particularly relating to spiritual guidance and aid.”
Women have expressed great appreciation for having female elders with whom they feel more comfortable discussing their struggles, single women in particular.
“It wasn’t like there weren’t already women in the congregation to talk with, but there is something to having someone identified as an elder, as a shepherd, someone with whom you can relate in your particular struggles, to walk beside you.”
“If you would have asked me as a 20-year old if something like this, a female elder in a Church of Christ, would have ever taken place, I would have said you are crazy. It wasn’t even in the realm of possibility.”
“I am very humbled by it. As always, God calls and God provides.”
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For a discussion regarding scripture relative to female elders, including “husband one wife,” see Steve Gardner, “10 Churches of Christ Where Women Speak in the Assembly: Female Elders (Part 2),” Authentic Theology (April 3, 2019).
For a discussion regarding scripture on women serving in the assembly, see Steve Gardner, “20 Passages Asking Women to Speak, Teach, Lead, and Have Authority Over Men, In the Assembly and Elsewhere,” Authentic Theology (September 3, 2018).
For a discussion regarding harm to young girls by congregations prohibiting women from leadership roles in the church, see Steve Gardner, “Church of Christ Practice Harms Girls Long-Term, Suggests 2018 Study,” Authentic Theology (November 28, 2018).
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Sources & Notes
The picture is a screen shot from a video of Cooke’s and Hahn’s ordination service provided by Dr. Larry Bradshaw. Rendi Hahn is on the left, and Cynthia Cooke is on the right.
Christopher R Hutson wrote the Paideia commentary on 1&2 Timothy and Titus.
https://www.christianbook.com/first-and-second-timothy-titus/christopher-hutson/9780801031939/pd/031931
Hi Neil,
Thank you for your comment.
I have not yet read Dr. Hutson’s commentary on 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus. I have heard that it is very good.
I read the key parts and I approve. I see the restorationist perspective foundation. Thumbs-up.
This is false doctrine to the core. 1 Timothy 3.1-8
Hi Mike,
Thank you for your comment.
Having female elders is not, however, false doctrine.
Here, in this linked article, are 7 scriptural reasons for female shepherds (aka overseers or elders) and why “husband of one wife,” read in context, does not mean that women are prohibited from being a shepherd, with any one of the 7 sufficient to indicate female elders are scriptural:
https://authentictheology.com/2019/04/03/10-churches-of-christ-where-women-speak-in-the-assembly-female-elders-part-2/
I invite you to read and consider these 7 and the other parts of the above-linked article on the topic.
Thank you.
If female elders are allowed, why is the description and requirements to be an elder or a deacon for a man? How can a woman be the husband of one wife? In order to make true what you want the bible to say, you need to change the biblical requirements for the qualification of elder and deacon…the bible is very clear and the requirements and personal character is an extremely high bar. The listed requirements to be an elder or a deacon is way more extensive than the requirements to be President of the US, and there’s a good reason for it. The elders and deacons are the gate keepers to a sound church. The bottom line, the description to be an elder or a deacon is a description for a man not a woman. I know it’s a hard pill for many to swallow in today’s world, it’s not my moral authority who made these requirements (I didn’t write the book), it’s not your moral authority who made these requirements (you didn’t write the book), but it’s God’s moral authority. You may not like it in today’s world, but it is what it is. You either accept it or you don’t, and we all await our own individual judgement.
Hi Randy, Thank you, but it appears you did not read the prior comments.
You ask “why is the description and requirements to be an elder or a deacon for a man?”
That’s easy: They aren’t. The description and requirements to be an elder or deacon aren’t for a man. In fact, females are more often mentioned as elders or deacons than males in the New Testament.
Elders and deacons are discussed in some detail by those terms only 4 times in the New Testament, and females are likely discussed explicitly 3 out of those 4 and are implied in the 4th. Males are discussed in only 3.
In Greek, it is well recognized that a masculine plural term that refers to people means and can include either all males or both males and females, depending on context.
4 references to elders and deacons:
1) Romans 16:1-2 (female deacon identified by name, Phoebe)
2) 1 Tim 3 (elders and deacons, males discussed explicitly, females included implicitly, and females discussed explicitly in v 11)
3) Titus (male elders discussed in 1:5-9, and likely including female elders in v. 5, as the masculine of Greek terms was used to refer to males and females together, and, in addition, female elders (2:2-3) are possibly discussed explicitly, same Greek term used in both 1:5-9 and 2:2-3, masculine in former and feminine in latter)
4) 1 Peter 5 (male elder Peter exhorting elders, using masculine plural but masculine plurals in Greek used to indicate both male and female persons, possibly both here and in Titus 1:5)
You also asked “How can a woman be the husband of one wife?” Many understand “husband of one wife” to be an idiom for “faithful to your spouse.”
And whether “husband of one wife” refers to men or not does not prohibit female elders anyway, as, for example,
(a) female elders and deacons are explicitly referred to in 1 Tim 3:11 and Romans 16:1-2) and
(b) people recognize that “husband of one wife” is a “prohibition qualification,” not a “requirement qualification”—- that is, “husband of one wife” prohibits polygamy and is not a requirement that an elder be married (or male). This was recognized by the earlier church fathers, who recognized one did not have to be married to be an elder (see single priests, for example). Basically, it means that if one is a polygamist, one can’t be an elder.
These and other reasons it is a sin to prohibit women from serving as an elder are discussed here:
https://authentictheology.com/2019/04/03/10-churches-of-christ-where-women-speak-in-the-assembly-female-elders-part-2/
1 Timothy 3:11 is talking about their wives…not qualifications to be a female elder or a deacon.
11 Their wives likewise[a] must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things.
Yes, Romans 16 1-2 does talk about a female deaconess (servant), but it doesn’t indicate that she held a position of authority over a man within the church…many people within the church are considered servants. If churches were commanded to appoint women deacons, where is the record of it, either in the New Testament or in the custom of the historical church? When women deacons are appointed, they are appointed without divine authority and with no adequate list of qualifications to serve as guidelines for their appointment. Do we just make their qualification up and tear out the masculine leadership roles set aside by God for mankind? Do we get our pronouns correct? Do we remove the hierarchy that God put in place with Christ- Man- Wife- Children in order to show that we are politically correct in a world full of dysfunction, chaos, and evil?
The particular church in question on this thread has female elders…where are the qualifications for female elders? The job description is for a man…just no way around it. I know, it’s a very hard pill to swallow, tuff living in this world with these biblical views. By today’s standards the bible is very masculine, sexist, and homophobic. It wasn’t written by me, it wasn’t written by you. I didn’t make this moral authority, you didn’t make this moral authority. I didn’t create mankind, you didn’t create mankind. It wasn’t me that created the Earth and the order and designs in it. Wasn’t you either. God is not the God of confusion. God’s moral authority isn’t like man’s moral authority of shifting sands. I think you gotta be pretty arrogant to assume a position of authority without ever been given that authority in the first place…all in the name of political correctness. Again, I wish you well on your judgements.
Hi Randy, Thank you for your comment.
Your comment is far off Biblically, though, and suggests you simply wish to defend the practice of discriminating against women in the church.
A
You say “1 Timothy 3:11 is talking about their wives…not qualifications to be a female elder or a deacon.” But that is plainly false.
In the KJV, translated 400 years ago, 1 Tim 3:11 says “… their wives ….” However, the word “their” does not appear in the original Greek. The translators stuck it in there when it is not there.
This is well known and not disputable. A first-year Bible student knows this.
And the word the KJV translators translated as “wives” can mean “wives” if the context indicates it is the more specific “wives” instead of “women” generally or the word can mean “women” generally. And there is zero context for 3:11 that indicates it means “wives” specifically instead of “women” generally.
You quoted from the ESV translation, which the translators publicly indicated was intentionally written to favor excluding women from ordained roles in the church. Intentional. (You can see this, for example, here: https://twitter.com/socofthesacred/status/1382431381519618049/photo/1). But you even ignored the [a] footnote that is right there. Right there. But you ignored it. In that footnote, even the ESV recognizes that the verse might instead mean just “Women likewise …” (instead of “wives”).
Indeed, 1 Tim 2:12 uses the same Greek word when it says “I do not permit a woman ….” If 1 Tim 3:11 means “wives” then so does 1 Tim 2:12 mean “wives,” indicating 2:12 just means Paul asks wives not to do something relative to their husbands.
You can’t have it both ways. Either both 2:12 and 3:11 mean woman / women or both mean wife / wives.
So, when you say “1 Timothy 3:11 is talking about their wives…not qualifications to be a female elder or a deacon,” what you say is plainly false.
Instead, 1 Tim 3:11 almost certainly refers to women in general, then referring to their “likewise” qualifications as elders and deacons.
B
Throughout your comment, you contradict the Apostle Paul and Jesus.
1
The Apostle Paul calls Phoebe a deacon, a diakonon, and tells men and women in the church in Rome to “assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you.” (Rom 16:1-2)
But you resist calling hear a deacon and say she had “no authority.”
2
The Apostle Paul says she’s a deacon in the Bible and 1 Tim 3:11 gives qualifications for female deacons and elders.
But you say “where is the record of” female deacons?
3
The Apostle Paul says “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae.”
But you say “when women deacons are appointed, they are appointed without divine authority ….”
4
The Apostle Paul says, in 1 Tim 3:1 if “anyone” or “whoever” or “someone” wishes to be overseer (the word man and he does not appear there, some translations use those terms generically, as in human or as a pronoun that can mean male or female). 1 Tim 3:11 refers to “women” as overseers and deacons. Romans 16:1 refers to a female deacon by name. And articles linked above plainly lay out where the qualifications for female elders are present in the Bible.
But you say “where are the qualifications for female elders?”
5
The Bible describes women doing every single one of the items in the job description for elder (teaching, sober, faithful to their spouse, managing their home, etc.).
But you say “The job description is for a man…just no way around it.”
6
Jesus says go ye therefore and teach all nations — tells women and men to teach everyone.
Jesus tells Mary Magdalene to go proclaim the good news to assembled men and to tell the assembled men what the Word revealed to her and what the Word wants those men to do. (John 1; 20:10, 16-19; Matt 28:9-10)
But you say the opposite of what Jesus said. You say “tuff,” don’t go proclaim the good news to assembled men.
C
Prohibiting women and girls from speaking, preaching, serving, etc., is a sin, harms girls and women, and harms the body of Christ. Please stop. Thank you.