— Project · Women in Ministry Study
Resilient Woman.
What fuels women ministers to keep serving — amidst misogyny?
Awarded a Louisville Pastoral Study grant in 2024, the project's primary objective is to explore the remarkable resiliency of women ministers, and to understand how this resilience has driven them to pursue unconventional paths in ministry.
Unlike big firms or Anglo male-led studies, this project was led by two women scholar-practitioners who live, preach, and lead from and alongside the margins — listening with both head and heart.
The Process
Phase-01
Take the Survey
A diverse, intergenerational group of women — representing various cultural backgrounds and races — lifts their voices.
Phase-02
Listening Gatherings
A few who complete the survey are invited to go deeper into their story together on Zoom.
Phase-03
In-person Interviews
Seasoned leaders respond to the findings based on their own personal experiences.
Phase-04
Share The Data
Over 600 women in ministry lifted their voices — now we're sharing their truth.
Over 600 women.
One truth.
Women ministers are not struggling because they lack calling, ability, or resilience. They are struggling because many church systems were never designed to support their leadership.
Download the executive summary — then share it widely. Every download helps amplify the voices of women ministers and advances the conversation about justice and equity.
Voices from the study
"Toxic misogyny is more pernicious than toxic racism for women."
“So much of the ministry space is shaped by men, for men, by men. If you’re not in the room when the vision is dreamed up over cigars or in the lounge, you’re already left out.”
"If you don’t formalize structures, they will become patriarchal by default."
In the press: Religion News Service Christian Century Baptist Standard