FEATURE: In Conversation with Dr. Wendy Jackson: Breaking Barriers as a Female Pastor at PNG4Christ
18 July 2024 |
Adventist Today spoke to Dr. Wendy Jackson, one of the few female pastors allowed to baptize new converts at the mass baptisms that occurred during the PNG4Christ campaign. She speaks of her role teaching and preaching during the event, and of her hope to inspire other women in ministry.
Hello, Dr. Jackson! Thank you for agreeing to an interview with us! May I ask, what is your current role, and where are you living/practicing professionally?
WJ: I live in Cooranbong in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, where I currently head up the Seminary at Avondale University. In addition to the administration duties of the role, I teach in the areas of Systematic Theology and Christian History.
How did you initially find out about the PNG4Christ campaign?
WJ: I was alerted to the campaign by the South Pacific Division. They were keen to see some of our staff and theology students involved. The timing was less than ideal since it was during a crucial time of semester, so we debated whether or not it was viable. Usually our senior students would do their evangelism externship during the middle-of-the-year break rather than during semester. However, we were able to raise a team of three staff and six students, most of whom were initially assigned to one of the sites in the Omaura district.
Did you help with the Bible Studies or preparation for the event?
WJ: I was assigned to preach at the Omaura School of Ministry (OSOM), where the goal was revival, rather than at the nearby village sites where the goal was baptisms. I preached devotional sermons from the book of John in the morning, and evangelistic sermons in the evening. During some mornings, I was also assigned to teach in the classroom. The chaplain had prepared a number of candidates prior to our arrival. However, it was exciting to see the Holy Spirit at work, even on the OSOM campus, where we had 22 baptisms. The mass baptisms, however, were at the Onaningka site down the road where most candidates were prepared and registered by local churches as ready for baptism.
Were you able to baptize freely, or were you restricted?
WJ: I did not expect to be able to baptize in this context. However, on the first Sabbath, the mission president, Pastor Joanis Fezamo, communicated to the crowd at Onaningka that, as I was a commissioned pastor like their own Agnes Kola (the only female commissioned national pastor in Papua New Guinea (PNG)), I would be allowed to baptize. A murmur of excitement went around the crowd. However, the following day when lists of dates and who would be baptizing at each site were released, my name did not appear on the lists. While I was disappointed, I was not surprised. However, the day before the first baptism at Onaningka, I received word that they did indeed want me involved in the scheduled mass baptisms. I wondered if I would be restricted to baptizing women, but this was not the case. I baptized men, women, and children in five mass baptism events.
How did the other women react to your ministry?
WJ: There was much excitement about a female pastor baptizing. The deaconesses in particular were very excited. One noted that she never thought that she would see the day when a female would be allowed to baptize, and thanked God she had been around to see it. Some of the female theology students at the Omaura school came down to watch the historic event. My hope is that this encouraged my sisters in ministry in PNG, and I pray for the day that they too will have this joy! I feel very privileged to have been part of PNG for Christ, to have this opportunity to serve, but even more so to observe God change the hearts and lives of people. I look forward to seeing God continue to work in PNG as the church now wrestles with massive numbers of new converts, along with many more studying.
View a video of the baptisms below: