Is your shepherd male or female? The most common answer would have been male. As a society we were not used to seeing women in the clergy. If you haven't noticed that women are starting to change the roles of the clergy by joining. It's great that women are coming together and changing the vision of the church. It's something you should support and appreciate. It shows how the Church has evolved and accepts all those who are willing to take on the responsibility of pastoral ministry. Being a woman should not be the reason why you cannot be a priest, minister, pastor or rabbi, in fact they should not even be a reason why women should not enter the clergy. “God has given all believers the ministry of Reconciliation, let us use it. Many reasons why women don't join are due to how they see themselves in society. What they should remember is that God does not care whether you are male or female, it is even mentioned in the Bible: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh." : and your daughters will prophesy,...” - Book of Acts chapter 2 verse 17. People are used to seeing men taking on responsibilities in the church, but if more women joined then it would not seem uncommon to see women having important roles in the church. the church. What most women do is show their dedication to the church to prove that they can join the clergy. As Betty Barnes says: “The focus on women in the clergy should not be a debate about whether or not we believe women should be in the clergy. What we should pay more attention to is that what they are doing is making a difference in someone's life." It's a great thing that women want to join and have a higher position in the church and do it for themselves and to help spread the Gospel...... middle of paper... son). Fortunately, there are now many groups that help encourage women to enter the clergy. Movements have also arisen that show people the injustice of discrimination because of their gender. Hopefully this shows that people approve of women joining and supporting the clergy. Website cited: "Church of the Nazarene - Clergy Resources." Church of the Nazarene - Resources for the clergy. Network. May 21, 2014. Website: "SHOULD WOMEN BE IN THE CLERGY?" HubPages. Betty Barnseb. Network. May 21, 2014. Website: "Wesleyan/Honity Women Clergy." Wesleyan/Holiness Female Clergy. Rebecca Laird. Network. 21 May 2014 Website: "Ordination of women as priests, pastors, ministers, rabbis, etc." Ordination of women as priests, pastors, ministers, rabbis, etc. Bruce A. Robinson, October 10, 2012. Web. May 21, 2014. Interview: Zavala, Elizabeth. Women should be in the clergy. May 8th 2014.