UNION BIBLICAL SEMINARY: PUNE

Course : Feminist Theology (BTW14)

Topic : Ministerial Space of Women in the Zomi Baptist Church of Mizoram
Submitted to : Rev. Dr Viju Wilson
Submitted by : S. Chin Khan Tuang
Submitted on: 30 March 2023
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Content:
Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………
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1. An Overview of Women in the Zomi Society ……………………………….…………..
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1.1 Women in the Family
1.2 Women in Society
1.3 Women in the Religious Practice of Mizoram
2. Space of Women in the ministry of Zomi Baptist Church of Mizoram ……….………
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2.1 In Mission
2.2 In Sunday School
2.3 In Prayer Cell
2.4 In-Church Worship
2.5 In Handfuls of Rice
2.6 In worship place
2.7 In Women’s Wing
2.8 In Extended Ministry
3. Lack of Women’s space in the Church …………………………….……….……………
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3.1 Role of decision making
3.2 Women Ordination
3.3 Regular employment of Pastor’s Wives
4. Reflection on Women’s Space in the Church …………………………………..……….
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Conclusion …...………………………………………………………...……….…………… 6

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Introduction
Gender exists all over the world with different effects in different regions. These differences
are primarily due to cultural legacies, historical development, geographic location, and the
religious norms which predominate in society. Religion plays a vital role in the cultural life of
different spaces. This paper will be dealing with ministerial opportunities for women in the
church in religious practice. This paper is also bringing out some of the theological responses
on women’s ministerial space.

1. An Overview of Women in the Zomi Society

1.1 Women in Family
Zomi society is a communitarian nature where men and women mix together freely. Zomi
society is also a patrilineal society. Women did not have any legal claim on the family
property. Zomi women in traditional society had no freedom to choose their partner in
marriage. Mizo women are workers in the family, but recognition is not given for their hard
labour. Mizo women today continue to be the main workforce and economic source in
various capacities.

1.2 Women in Society

According to Zomi customary law, women are not entitled to any inheritance of family
property. Zomi women are excluded from all decision-making bodies. In politics, the
member of the Local Council, Legislative Assembly and Member of Parliament women were
given fewer opportunities. Mizoram male literacy is 90.69% and female literacy was 86.13%.
Zomi women started theological education in 1968. Although the status of Zomi women has
improved significantly it has a long way to go to reach a stage of gender equality.

1.3 Women in the Religious Practice

According to the Zomi traditional religious practice, women had no part in the religious
ceremonies. The kinds of sacrifices subjected towards family women and children were
normally excluded to share the sacrificial meat. One of the Zomi proverb says, “Numei leh

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aisa in biakna nei lo” (Women and Crabs has no religion) which means women have no
share in any kinds of religious sacrifices they were treated as equal as one of the tolls in
family.

2. Participation of Women in the Zomi Baptist Church of Mizoram

Zomi Baptist Church (ZBC) of Mizoram is a Christian denomination that is predominantly
found in 1982 in the northeastern region of India, particularly in Mizoram and Meghalaya.
The headquarter of ZBC is located in Champhai. In Mizoram, there is a small ethnic tribe
called the Zomi. They were open to the Christian message, and many of them became
believers. The ZBC has primarily concentrated on evangelism, education, and social service.
Early on in its development, the Zomi Baptist Church saw rapid expansion as numerous new
churches were started in the area. With about 10,000 members now, the group still has a big
impact on Zomi social and religious lives in Mizoram.

2.1 In Mission
Most of the missionaries who have been commissioned from Zomi Baptist Church (ZBC) are
devoted women but in there is no women commission in the local mission. Though the
women contributed to the ground level of service they were given less participation in the
mission committees.

2.2 In Sunday School

Sunday school functions for children from beginners to the intermediate level every Sunday
morning. Of the Sunday school teachers, around 70% are women. All Sunday school teachers
are serving voluntarily. Vacation Bible Schools comes once a year during summer vacation
for school children and the duration would be normally one or two weeks. The volunteers
will be mostly women rather than men. They work hard in their homes as well as in the
church to conduct this program.

2.3 In Prayer Cell

Almost every prayer cell will function under the leadership of women in their respective
areas. These prayer cells will have women in attendance more. Prayer meetings have been
conducted every morning at the church, majorities of the attendants are women. Weekly once
there will be a fasting prayer conducted in the church by women’s fellowship, men are rarely

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attended. Women’s fellowship usually conducted house-to-house prayer fellowship from time
to time.

2.4 In-Church Worship

The main service of the church is generally conducted by the church worship committee. A
message will be delivered by pastors and elder in the church worship; no women were given
for delivering a message except on women’s Sunday. Women are normally given for the
opening prayer and offertory prayer. Women were given their own worship time on Sunday
evenings every week. In women’s worship, all the responsibilities and participations are from
women.

2.5 In Handfuls of Rice collection

One of the main sources of the church in finance is the handful of rice. Handfuls of rice are
collected from every household of the church members, the collectors are mainly women and
girls. The collection of their handfuls of rice is converted according to the money which is
used for the missions and charitable funds.

2.6 In worship place

In every worship place in the church, the majorities of the attendants are women. In every
ground activity like social work in the church building and its surroundings, women are more
active in participation. Without women’s participation worship service in the church is not
motivated.

2.7 In Women’s Wing

Women wing functioning in every church in the name of Zomi Baptist Women’s Society
(ZBWS). They have their leaders of the office bearers and the committee members. The
constitution allotted every Sunday evening for ZBWS worship time. The women’s leader will
lead Bible study and other activities. They will get the privilege once a year to conduct
Women’s Sunday.

2.8 In Extended Ministry

This is a common space and role where the women will voluntarily serve in any unattended
jobs in the church. This has no credit or validity. The women’s wing actively serves in social
works like charity ministry inside and outside the church. They used to collect shirts, clothes,

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and home utensils and even raise charitable funds. Whatever was collected were distributed
to the needy persons’ family and even send outside.

3. Lack of Women’s Space in the Church

3.1 Role of decision making
Women’s active participation in the church is very much appreciated in the church. Where
there is no women’s involvement in the ministry the programme looks incomplete. Rather
women’s leadership is partially appreciated in the church but in the role of decision-making,
women are not given preference. Women deaconess is discouraged while men’s deacon
license is encouraged.

3.2 Women Ordination

Women’s ordination is not well encouraged in the church though there is no restriction
between gender to become ordained ministers. There is no encouragement from the church
pastorate committee or by the believers to train or send women theologians. Women’s
ordination was put up in the general council agenda, which is the highest authority in the
church administration but it was rejected.

3.3 Regular employment of Pastor’s Wives

The majority of churches in Mizoram forbade the pastor’s wives from regularly working for
the government or a semi-government outside of the church. For instance, it has been
forbidden for the pastor’s wives and spouses of missionaries of the Baptist Church of
Mizoram to work regularly since 2000. The pastor’s wives have been forbidden by the
Mizoram Presbyterian Church since 2006 from working any type of regular employment.
Similar to other churches, the Zomi Baptist Church forbade pastors' wives from working on a
regular basis outside of the church's ministry.

4. Reflection on the participation of Women in the church

When we look at the scriptures, God created humanity in the divine image of God male and
female. There are a number of feminine languages describing God found in the Scriptures.
There are a number of women involved in the ministry and social service for others in
Biblical history. In response, Paul proclaims gender equality set by Christ there is neither
male nor female. Jesus trusted the Samaritan woman to bring a living water to Sykhar village.
In the writing of Paul’s writings show that he worked closely with a number of women

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leaders in the early church. Biblical historians have found evidence that Priscilla was literate
in both Greek and Latin, Paul worked closely with them and respects their leadership in the
church. The Gospels of Mark, Luke and John record that women were the first to receive the
Good News of the Risen Christ.
As leaders of church we must give awareness about the space of women in the
ministry for the betterment of church and society. Lack of opportunity can have significant
consequences for limiting women’s ability to use their gifts and talents to serve the Church.
However, there are women influential leaders, who share their experiences and advocate for
change that will pave the way for future generations and help to create a more inclusive and
equitable Church for all. Christian leaders need to ensure that women have equal
opportunities to serve and lead in the ministry. Recognizing the unique gifts of women, and
creating more opportunities for women in the church will create a more vibrant, diverse, and
dynamic Church that truly reflects the fullness of God’s vision for his people.

Conclusion
The Scriptures affirm about the God-given equal authority of men and women is inevitable.
The Bible teaches both men and women to exercise authority humbly as the Spirit leads and
as Christ commands. Biblical evidence for the equal standing of men and women in the life
of the church is inescapable. It is not just the passages explicitly about women considered
above. It pervades every passage and virtually every command and encouragement in the
scriptures for its assertions and stories are for all of us. God wants us to live into them
passionately and without replacement not out of fear of crossing a human-made gender role
boundary that is alien to the Biblical teaching.