For the next few minutes, I am asking you to hear my voice. Really hear my voice. My words will make me vulnerable. In fact, I feel exposed simply typing these first few sentences in anticipation of what’s to come, but I’m asking you to invite me into your space and hear my voice.

Our faith tradition is one that has long struggled with the conversation of women’s roles. It is a conversation that has ranged from heavily uncomfortable to outright contentious. It is a conversation impacted by tradition, culture, and interpretation. And it is a conversation that undoubtedly sparks tremendous emotions.

Yet amidst those emotions exists a group of people who feel like they are not being heard. Not being listened to. Not being welcomed into the kingdom of God in the way God intended.

I will be completely honest. I am one of those people, and because of that, I am asking you to please hear my voice.

Over the years, I have had differing levels of conversation regarding women’s roles with many men serving in church leadership. Without fail, these are men I respect and admire, and men who clearly love the Lord. Invariably, though, the phrase “I understand” has entered into almost all of the conversations. And when I hear those two words, I want to respectfully say, “You don’t understand, but I know how we can change that.”

Please hear my voice.

Many of you have not had to exist in a world where a simple demographical characteristic determines how you can and cannot live out your faith. Where the fact that you are female means your voice will be diminished and limited. And where it is all done in the name of Christianity.

While it’s hard to imagine a world where you can truly understand how deep the wounds resulting from this gender divide go, I can imagine a heart of openness in you that will allow you to hear and reflect on these words, to receive this message with all of the love that is intended through it, and to acknowledge and push back against the ever-present reality of where we have allowed ourselves to remain planted.

Please hear my voice.

None of this is easy for me to express, and I daresay that much of it is difficult to receive, but God calls us to these hard conversations.

And so, what I need for you to hear first is that this is painful—physically, spiritually, and emotionally painful. It is painful, because we still exist in a time where this even has to be a discussion at all. It is painful, because even though we see the example of Jesus time and time again and clearly know the right thing to do, we are still not able to do it. It is painful, because there is a harshness inherent in the existing dynamic that communicates a person’s value to this faith community.

Second, I need you to hear the frustration that is felt on the part of myself and so many women. It is frustrating, because even when given the platform to speak, our words are often viewed through the lens of self-glorification. Our motives are likely questioned, and our experiences are minimized. From the perspective of a woman, it often feels like our voices are welcome, but only if those voices do not seek to counter the status quo.

Please hear my voice.

The God of Scripture calls us to be fully inclusive. Our historical culture does not. And yet, we allow ourselves to remain rooted in culture over God.

The totality of the imago Dei affirms the value in all voices. Our incomplete hermeneutics do not. And yet, we default to dominant-culture interpretations time and time again.

“On earth as it is in heaven.” It is easy to speak those words, but can we actually live them out? Can we live into a faith that proclaims the value of both male and female voices in their entirety? Because when a voice is missing, the message is incomplete. The fullness of God is not visible.

Please hear my voice.

To continue on as we are is not okay, and I see many churches that believe that, too. However, to move to a place where we simply exclude less is also not okay, because excluding less is not the same thing as inclusion. It still limits the message of God. It still impacts kingdom work. And it still clearly communicates a dynamic that was not the intention of God as creator and sustainer.

Hear my voice. Please reflect on the words that I have so prayerfully asked the Holy Spirit to pour out of me. If we are going to be transformed into the image of Christ, we must be willing to enter into the difficult conversations without fear and willingly inhabit a place of tension. And we must seek to understand the greater message of God—the message that allows the fullness of God to be seen.

And I ask you to lean into that difficult space where empathy and understanding converge so that one day, hopefully soon, all people can participate fully in the work of the Lord to glorify God.

Please hear my voice.