Amanda

My previous church (definitely more towards the patriarchal end of the scale) did not allow women to teach other women; the women’s Bible studies were always taught by a male elder. Paradoxically, that church had no problem with women teaching children, who would definitely be more susceptible to any false teaching.

The (perhaps unintended) consequence of that is that, even now, I struggle with seeing myself gifted by God *at all.* When I was interviewed by the elders for membership at my current (complementarian) church I was asked how I thought I could use my gifts in the church. I was totally unable to answer the question and stammered out that I didn’t know where I was gifted.