ASSEMBLIES OF GOD
This month I want to focus on the ministry of women within our growing Assemblies of God fellowship, and specifically among our Hispanic Districts and Ethnic Fellowships. As you receive this newsletter, many of us will be in Columbus, Ohio at the biennial General Council gathering. On Wednesday evening, August 2nd at 8:00 p.m., there will be a historic first ever reception gathering for the Ethnic Women in Ministry hosted by the president of our Korean-English Fellowship, Saehee Duran. Crystal Martin, the director of AG Network of Women Ministers, will also be present. I believe it is important for us to recognize when God is elevating women to a place of spiritual and organizational leadership.
In Acts 1, Luke introduces us to this Last Day’s paradigm shift where women are raised up by the Holy Spirit with a call to ministry and to prophesy side-by-side with men. Luke 1:14 says: “These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus and His brothers.” The word “these” in that verse refers to the apostles. It means the apostles, along with the women, were devoting themselves to prayer. So, when the Holy Spirit descended on the day of Pentecost, the women were present and were also filled with the Spirit. How many women were present? We don’t know, but they were counted among the 120 persons present. Luke also quotes an Old Testament prophecy spoken by the prophet Joel, “And it shall be in the last days, God says, ‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughter shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions and your old men will dream dreams; Even on my bondslaves, both men and women, I will pour forth of My Spirit, and they shall prophesy’” (Acts 1:17-18). The Holy Spirit fills and anoints both men and women to speak forth God’s truth and revelations via prophesy. Luke very intentionally highlights the role of women in God’s unfolding plan of redemption more than any of the other three gospel evangelists.
If you pay close attention when reading Luke-Acts, you will see how Luke weaves into many stories the inclusion of both men and women together, two-women together, a group of women, or alternates his stories between men and women. A good example is found when Luke tells the birth narrative and introduces both Zacharias and Elizabeth. He says, “They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord” (Luke 1:6). In the story, Elizabeth is promised a child, (John the Baptist), who would be filled with the Holy Spirit while in his mother’s womb. Elizabeth is also filled with the Holy Spirit the moment she heard Mary’s greeting, who was also expecting a child (baby Jesus). So, we see two women speaking to each other and prophesying in Luke 1:39-56. Zacharias who had become mute, because he failed to believe God’s promise, was also filled with the Holy Spirit when his son was born. In Luke chapter 2:21-38, when Jesus is taken to the temple to be presented to the Lord, we meet Simeon and Anna, who both prophesy about the life and ministry of Jesus. In Luke chapter 4, after Jesus is filled with the Holy Spirit, he was rejected in his hometown of Nazareth. Jesus responded to their unbelief by comparing himself with Elijah who was miraculously fed by the widow of Zarephath and then also healed Naaman the Syrian, both Gentiles. Note the story contains a woman and a man. Again, in Luke 4, when Jesus moved his ministry to Capernaum, he cast a demon out of a man in the synagogue and then immediately heals Peter’s mother-in-law (Luke 4:31-39). Note again the alternating between a man and a woman in Luke chapter 7. Jesus heals a centurion’s slave (Luke 7:1-10), and soon thereafter raises the son of the widow of Nain whose only son was being carried to the cemetery to be buried (Luke 7:11-17). Luke highlights a group of women in Luke 8:1-3, “Soon afterwards, He began going around from one city and village to another, proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God. The twelve were with Him, and also some women who been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from who seven demons had gone out, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means.” In Luke 10:38-42 we see Luke highlighting the characteristically different responses to Jesus by Martha and Mary, the two sisters of Lazarus. Jesus gently rebukes Martha for her distraction and concern, but allows Mary, who was sitting among the men at Jesus’ feet, to remain there, even commending her for her choice.
In Acts 16, Luke tells us the story of the conversion of a businesswoman name Lydia, as well as the deliverance of a demon possessed slave girl. Luke tells us that in Thessalonica Paul had success in ministry, “And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of God-fearing Greeks and a number of leading women” (Acts 17:4). In Athens, Paul had some success, but Luke writes, “But some men joined him and believed, among who also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them” (Acts 17:34). In Acts 18, we are introduced to a ministry couple, Aquila and Priscilla, who are later listed as Priscilla and Aquila. It seems like they shared the responsibility of their ministry.
Let me close by saying, every Pentecostal revival elevates men, women, and youth when they respond to God’s call to serve as leaders. We are grateful for the women who have responded to God’s call to serve in national, district, and fellowship leadership: Donna Barrett, Doris Quiros, Que Nguyen, Saehee Duran, Maricela Hernández, and Silvia Carrizo. I also want to highlight our female Hispanic District Youth Directors: Giselle Flores, Sandra Caballero, Dulce Lopez, Sigmarie Rodriguez, and Letty Garcia. I could not begin to list all the women who have planted and pastor our Hispanic and other ethnic minority churches, but I want to say: Thank you. We honor, pray, and partner with you and recognize your ministry impact in our nation and in the world. May God continue to bless and use your ministry to grow His kingdom!
Dennis Rivera
Director, Hispanic & Ethnic Relations
