According to a veteran-Christian radio producer, the specific audience that his station targets and has been proven over time to pull along all other demographics of listeners is ‘the middle-aged woman.’ Paraphrasing him this producer said, “if you target women, they will always bring along and influence the male listeners.”

How interesting, I thought. One can glean much from that observation. Mostly, however, if one looks throughout Scripture, they will read the many places where women were also a target audience, and brought others to faith in Christ; the woman at the well, Mary and Martha, Anna the prophetess, and the women with Jesus at the empty tomb-just to name a few.

We the Church would make no stark claims that women are somehow better than men in receiving the Gospel. The ‘Church’s Target Audience’ as the title indicates, is truly ‘All Nations,’ -men and women alike. However, if this radio producer, in his experience and wisdom regarding our culture is correct, then it is interesting how people come to faith in the way information is transmitted among the sexes. If I may make an assertion based on this information, then I believe our church body is off to a great start with the flourishing Deaconess Program here at Concordia Theological Seminary. An office whose purpose is to reach the lost and needy and point them to ‘The Office’ of the Holy Ministry, is exactly what Jesus bids us do.

But let’s face it. In a crippled economy, strains on Christendom for woman and homosexual ordination, we can’t pretend that a deaconess’ tasks or livelihood is easy (nevermind a pastor’s!). Our women are trained to embrace a broken world with the tenants of our faith. Further, they understand that this brokenness comes in the ever present and culturally familiar forms of single parent homes, abused children, pre-marital sex, homosexuality, and the list goes on. Pastors face these same issues, but it would appear that our culture needs discipline and love–some theological parenting, if you will–that comes from what God gives in Jesus Christ. Theologically trained and caring pastors and deaconesses serve with a delight in these very things of God, namely Word, Sacrament, and through that-koinonia, for His people.

It is my opinion that the radio producer is contextually correct. Seizing the opportunity to employ women as deaconesses and embrace the good services of the LWML and all learned female laypeople, strives for the nurture and betterment of our Church today. This in NO WAY diminishes or detracts from men’s purposes as pastors and heads of households. Any notion towards that idea is ludicrous and antithetical to Scripture. In obedience to God, Men need to be exactly that: heads. However, in all of our gendered weaknesses, let us take comfort that our ultimate Head, Jesus Christ, makes sure that His Church is given all that it needs to support our bodies and lives, now and forevermore and for the mutual consolation of our souls in life eternal. Thanks be to God!

He is the archer, and we are His target.