Esther across Cultures: Indigenous Leadership Roles for Women

Abstract

Women have unique qualities that allow them to work effectively in Christian ministry among their own people and cross-culturally. Catherine Booth and Mary Slessor are historical models. Today women throughout the world continue to model resourceful ministry roles. Evelyn Quema, an evangelist and church planter in the Philippines, is an example, as are So Yan Pui who, before her recent death, was involved in writing and parachurch work in Hong Kong, and Ayako Miura, a Japanese novelist. For these women, who are often better educated than their peers, opportunities for ministry are plentiful, but there are also outreach opportunities for oppressed women, and they too are serving as models in ministry.