A Oneness Study Story: The Experiences of Elders and Staff in Leading Change for the Inclusion of Women in Public Worship Roles

Authors

Shannon Clarkson Rains, Lubbock Christian UniversityFollow
Jennifer M. Dabbs, Lubbock Christian UniversityFollow
Kaley D. Ihfe, Broadway Church of ChristFollow

Abstract

In 2019, the elders at the historic Broadway Church of Christ in Lubbock, Texas, announced to the congregation that women would have the opportunity to take public roles in worship services. The decision marked a major shift from traditional scriptural interpretations held by many independent Churches of Christ which required active roles in worship to be performed by men. This study seeks to document the experiences of the leadership at Broadway Church of Christ during this significant transition. The elders who made the decision and staff members who enacted the new policy were asked to complete a qualitative survey in which they reflected on the evolution of their beliefs about women’s roles in worship and the process of implementing this major congregational change. A systems theory approach is used to assist in understanding the challenges faced by the leadership as the congregation adapted to the new policy.

Author Bio

Shannon Clarkson Rains (DMin, Abilene Christian University) is the Associate Professor of Children’s Ministry at Lubbock Christian University. Before her appointment, she served in children and family ministry for fifteen years. Her research topics include children's spiritual formation, worship with children, and women's leadership in churches.

Jennifer Dabbs received her BA in sociology from Centenary College of Louisiana in 1986. She received her MA in sociology from the University of Pittsburgh in 1988 and her PhD in sociology from the University of North Texas in 1994. For the past twenty years, she has taught sociology courses in the Department of Social Work and Criminal Justice at Lubbock Christian University.

Kaley Ihfe received her BS in Human Communication in 1998 from Abilene Christian University. She received her MEd in School Counseling in 2002 and her MA in Christian Ministry in 2019, both from Abilene Christian University. She teaches Bible classes and has authored several curriculums for adult Bible classes; she speaks at retreats and is the Director of Lavish Hope Retreats. She currently works at the Volunteer Center of Lubbock as the Leadership Development Manager.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Rains, Shannon Clarkson; Dabbs, Jennifer M.; and Ihfe, Kaley D. (2022) "A Oneness Study Story: The Experiences of Elders and Staff in Leading Change for the Inclusion of Women in Public Worship Roles," Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry: Vol. 8: Iss. 1, Article 3.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/discernment/vol8/iss1/3