Toward a model for empowering twenty-first century Adventist women in Nigeria as mission mobilizers

Abstract

Mission is the very foundation of God’s nature, as He empowers men and women to fulfill the Great Commission. Christ and Apostle Paul also empowered and provided opportunities for men and women to become mission mobilizers. Though there is a significant shift from ministry as a responsibility for only ordained men to ministry as a responsibility for all, ordained and non-ordained, and most Churches in Nigeria empower ministers and church workers for ministerial and gospel work through theological training, however, only a few women, especially among Adventists, benefit from such training. As a result, there are few qualified Adventist women mission mobilizers in Nigeria, which affects their ability to contribute wholistically to theological discourse. Thus, this study was conducted to design a model for empowering 21st-century Adventist women in Nigeria as mission mobilizers. This study employed a mixed-method approach, which combined a 44-question quantitative survey with a semi-structured qualitative interview. The result showed that Adventist women in Nigeria face challenges in recognition and opportunities to become mission mobilizers due to a lack of theological training and job opportunities. Participants affirmed that empowering women as mission mobilizers has great benefits for women and greater benefits for the church and its mission at large. When opportunities are provided for women, it increases their participation rate in mission/ministry, helps shape their lives in handling issues challenging them and the global world, and builds up a partnership ministry of men and women. Therefore, to empower women, theological training that provides equal recognition and opportunities for women in mission/ministry leadership is encouraged. A practical model based on a biblical model that stresses the Holy Spirit empowering all believers was developed for empowering women as mission mobilizers in the 21st century.