Very true, Esther.
People need to learn not only the biblical accounts of women ministers but our own Pentecostal history, which saw many women missionaries start works throughout the world that have continued to this day. The following is an excerpt from a book I read, which I found on the web:
Therefore, in appearing first to Mary Magdalene, Jesus was making a very important statement to His followers. It was a statement, perhaps, that they could not have grasped and retained by a mere lecture. This statement was further clarified and enhanced by the words which Jesus spoke to her on this occasion.
When Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene He gave her certain, specific instructions. Matthew 28:10 records His words to Mary: "Go and tell my brethren...." In other words, He sent her on a specific mission defined by the words, "Go and tell." Interestingly, the New Testament word apostle literally means "one who is sent" or "a sent one." Mary, therefore, was a "sent one" and as such received the first apostolic commission from the Risen Lord.
[I]In verses 3-5 of the same chapter, Paul refers to Priscilla and Aquila and the church that is in their house.
Priscilla and Aquila are always mentioned together in Scripture which indicates that they worked and ministered together as a husband and wife team. This is confirmed by Acts 18:26 where both Priscilla and Aquila took Apollos aside and both explained to him the way of God more accurately. Many commentators feel that because, in the Greek, Priscilla is always mentioned first, that she was the spiritually gifted one and probably the pastor of the church that was in their home. Priscilla knew that she was called to "Go and Tell."
In verse 7 of the same chapter,
Paul sends greetings to Andronicus and Junia who are of note among the apostles. Junia is a feminine name and so we have here a woman who is recognized by Paul as an apostle. We thus see that in the New Testament church, women as well as men functioned as apostles.
Junia, as "a sent one" had, like Mary, been commissioned by the Lord to "Go and Tell." In Philippians 4:3, Paul urges the church at Philippi to help those women [Euodia and Syntyche] who labored with me in the gospel. The word "labor," which Paul uses here, refers to the exertion and effort that is required in preaching and teaching. This reminds us of the admonition of Jesus in
Matthew 9:38 for His disciples to pray that the Lord of the harvest would send out laborers into His harvest. Also note that Paul says that these women labored "with" him, not under him./I]
Go and Tell! God's Word to Women in the 21st Century
by Eddie L. Hyatt, D.Min., M.Div., M.A.
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