The 8th March is International Women’s Day so this week I want to highlight a few brilliant women who have inspired me, in the hope that they inspire you too. I want to note that none of these women are perfect - how could they be? But God has done incredible things in their lives, and that is worth celebrating.
Heidi Baker: Heidi is the co-founder of Iris International, a charity dedicated to being God’s love to the poorest in the world. She spends her time in Mozambique, but also shares God stories at conferences across the globe. Stories of God’s protection from an ambush, God’s provision of food, God’s healing power, and even God raising people from the dead. I used to hear Heidi speak about once a year, and the combination of her deep love for the forgotten and her intimacy with Jesus was captivating and deeply inspiring.
Florence Randolph: One of the first African Methodist Episcopal pastors in the United States, Florence Randolph was a remarkable woman. I came across her while writing an essay on prophetic preaching. In 1941, she delivered a sermon titled ‘If I were white’, in which she boldly proclaimed:
“If I were white and believed in God, in His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Bible, I would speak in no uncertain words against race prejudice, hate, oppression, and injustice.”
(Randolph, F. in Collier-Thomas B., Daughters of Thunder, p. 129)
A black female pastor preaching God’s truth in 1940s America - what an example of courage and faithfulness.
Pandita Ramabai: Pandita Ramabai established Mukti Mission, a charity that provided education, vocational training, and Christian discipleship, transforming the lives of thousands of women in India. As a side note, she also translated the Bible from Greek and Hebrew into Marathi, making Scripture accessible to more Indian people. Becoming a Christian came at a cost - she was ostracized by much of Indian society - but her faith and dedication never wavered.
Teresa of Avila: This one is a classic. Teresa was a Carmelite nun who reformed her order. I have been lost in her ‘rooms within rooms’ as I listen to her audiobook, often chuckling at the way she reveals the patriarchal world she inhabited. She calls Jesus her beloved and invites her readers into deep intimacy with God. I have found a home in her mystical visions, comfort in her love for Jesus, and a shared heart for reform.
What is remarkable about all these women is their intimacy with Jesus and their love for the forgotten. There is room for the kind and gentle, the strong and powerful, and everything in between. These are just a few of the incredible women who have loved God, followed the Spirit’s call, and helped others discover Jesus for themselves.
In my own life, so many women have helped keep me on track. Wendy Middleton, a fellow vicar whose gentleness and unwavering love for Jesus and for the people she serves has been humbling and inspiring. Cathy Ross at CMS, who fiercely defends women, cares for all who stumble into her path and is a strong voice in mission academia. Liz Hoares and Jenny Williams, who stepped in at the right moment to help me train at Wycliffe Hall, and whose teaching has shaped me. Then there are the constants, our close friends and family - who laugh, cry, pray, and share a glass of wine with us. These women quietly live out their discipleship day in and day out, impacting the world through their friendship, kindness, honesty, forgiveness, encouragement, bravery, and love. Thank you.
Who have been the inspiring Christian women in your life?
There are so many Christian women who have been written out of our church history, and no doubt, they deserve more than just a paragraph. For too long, the Church has hidden faithful women. We can make reasonable historical guesses about what Priscilla, Phoebe, or Lydia were like, and Paula Gooder has done brilliant work exploring this in her books Phoebe and Lydia. Yet so much of what we know must be pieced together.
Unfortunately, this pattern continues today, particularly in the pioneering mission world here in the UK. We operate in networks often run by or filled with men. We continue to quote mostly white men in our books and academic work (this is a work in progress for me too). The charities that support us are typically led by men or have male-dominated trustee boards. I do not believe this is always intentional - my male colleagues are wonderful, faithful men - but we must acknowledge that the underrepresentation of women in pioneering missional leadership remains a significant issue.
Let’s not stay where we are, repeating history. Let’s be noticing our inherited patterns, challenging them, and creating new ways to be so that the lives and stories of Christian women are no longer hidden, but an encouragement to us all.
Jo Allen
Director South West
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