Women have always been uniquely important in the life of the church, whether or not men want to admit it. It started with Mary. Women were accorded special status during Jesus' ministry; in fact, it was probably women who were major financial supporters of the itinerant rabbi and his friends. Women were the first witnesses to the resurrection. This is not a feminist statement but a factual statement: from the first day to this day, if it were not for the women, there would be no church. It is that simple.

Have there been any women important in your Christian experience? What's that? Foolish question, you say. I guess, but I can think of some. Mom — it was at her urging that I knelt down by my bed one night at the age of seven and asked Jesus to be my Savior. There was Iris — Iris was our …