Yes, There’s Room for Women in Missions

If you spend any time in Christian missions, you’ll almost certainly notice more women serving than men. That’s what I’ve observed wherever I’ve traveled overseas, and the statistics bear this out. For over a century, women have made up the majority of the evangelical missionary workforce.

Some might see this as a problem. It certainly suggests we could use more men to take up the missionary mantle. But the inverse isn’t necessarily true: we don’t need fewer women serving cross-culturally. Endless opportunities remain for women to be gospel ambassadors.

I recently spoke with a handful of women serving in various capacities as missionaries. What’s clear from their stories is that the harvest remains plentiful and the places for women to work are many.

Various Callings

Stacey Hare has lived in Cameroon, Africa, for nearly a decade. She acknowledges that “single women have made up the bulk of missionaries.” But she doesn’t see that as a problem, because she knows women serving as linguists and translators among various people groups in Cameroon. In fact, it’s common in pioneer missionary settings for women to play a crucial role in Bible translation. Hare herself is actively involved in that same work among the Kwakum people.

The mission field provides a wide variety of opportunities for women to serve. I know those who live in rural and urban settings. They’re reaching Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, and animists, as well as working among nominal Christians and Catholics. Some are married; others are single. In addition to the core missionary tasks of evangelism, discipleship, and church planting, these women contribute to all sorts of vital ministry.

The harvest remains plentiful, and the places for women to work are many.

For example, Michelle serves in Central America doing mercy ministry in a local clinic and serving in a home for teen moms, among other activities. Abigail, along with her husband, has cared for orphans in South Asia and established a training school for indigenous missionaries. Kelley works among a tribal people group in Southeast Asia and has helped with Bible translation, even developing an orthography for a previously unwritten language. Cheryl serves as an education consultant for her mission board after previously working in an international school and teaching English in Europe.

Unique Sacrifices

While it’s true there are numerous pathways for women to serve, that doesn’t mean it’s easy for them. They often take risks men don’t, living in places that are particularly dangerous for women. In some contexts, they give up many personal freedoms. They may not be able to eat in certain restaurants, go to certain events, or shop at the market alone.

I know for my wife, missions was more than a full-time job. She lived under the stress of constant expectations, whether self-imposed or from our sending organization. And there was always more work to be done. She had to learn language, do evangelism, juggle relationships, and fulfill ministry responsibilities—not to mention trying to satisfy the neighbor women who constantly scrutinized her housekeeping and parenting.

Of course, there are other challenges common to both men and women. We all know the stereotypical missionary who makes great material sacrifices and lives in a mud hut without consistent electricity or running water. And certainly, that’s still the case for some. But many missionaries now live in megacities, where human trafficking, crime, and pollution can be greater concerns. For women, and especially mothers, these can be significant burdens to bear.

But missionary women are called to sacrifice in small and hidden ways as well. Quinn McGarvey serves as a single woman on a church planting team in Japan. She notes how the Japanese culture expects a certain formality and elegance for women—even if you’re just running errands or relaxing at the park—that can be constraining and limiting. Meanwhile, as a woman living in Honduras, Michelle Cain says she’s had to learn how to serve in “a very misogynistic culture,” where women aren’t valued in a healthy or biblical way, sometimes even among Christians.

Place for Women

Despite these challenges and constraints, we shouldn’t assume women necessarily have limited opportunities for ministry overseas. They may have more than men. In many traditional, tribal, or Muslim contexts, the social divide between men and women can be significant, which provides increased opportunities for women to serve. Kelley Housley, a missionary for 20 years in Papua New Guinea, explains: “As a woman, we can get into the places where no men are allowed: the birthing huts, the coming-of-age ceremonies, the new married women’s talks. These are the places the gospel must have its effect as well.”

We shouldn’t assume women necessarily have limited opportunities for ministry overseas. They may have more than men.

As Abigail Moser shares from her experience living in a South Asian village, “Local women and children are often curious to hear what I have to say; they’re very receptive to my testimony and teaching.” Similarly, Stacey Hare has seen her marriage relationship have a profound effect on their family’s ministry. When locals see the way she and her husband relate to one another, it provides “an open door for gospel ministry that’s huge.”

Holly Weaver first served in Central Asia while single, then returned as a married woman and now a mother. For her, the conservative Muslim culture has been constraining at times. Local women are often controlled by their husbands or fathers. But this makes women-to-women ministry even more important. She’s seen God work through her simply “listening, crying with others, making a meal for families, entertaining children, showing compassion, and encouraging with Scripture.” She also trains women in their church to study and teach the Bible on their own. According to her, the ways women can serve are “seemingly endless.”

Room for More

As Housley sees it, “In any given church, women make up at least half of the congregation.” Which means “there’s a huge need for discipleship by women.” That’s why she and her husband are constantly encouraging other women to join the ministry. Hare agrees. If you’re a woman who’s called and qualified for missions, “pursue the field now,” she says. You won’t run out of work to do.

Speaking from my experience, there were times I was jealous of my wife’s opportunities for relationships and evangelism. She had far more people inviting her into their lives and homes than I did. And since, in our context, the majority of those interested in the gospel were women, her presence was vital to our outreach and discipleship ministry.

Cheryl Winget admits that when she moved to Budapest nearly three decades ago, she had no idea about all the ways God would use her. Over the years, she’s consistently “watched God open doors and lead in directions” she never would have imagined. I suspect that’s the case for many women like her. We simply don’t know what God might do with women who are willing to go. So even if they continue to outnumber men, there’s still room for more.