The Phoebe Ministy in some Churches in Africa

copyright(2016) njoka m dom. Phoebe-ism in the pastoral ministry- pastoral reflections today, unpublished work. The Phoebe Ministry in some Churches in Africa This ministry is informal but a custom in Malawi and Zambia, that pastors when on duty outside the parish, a single woman of means is set aside to accompany and pastor the pastor, euphemistically described as 'washing the feet of the Apostle'.It is derived from mis-presentation(or over- presentation) of the epistle to the Romans, 16: 1ff. Let the reader bear with my prejudice ,if any, in this respect. In the Hebrew culture, the word feet has many meanings, among them being the 'shorter leg'. At first I thought that these Church communities were suffering a native cultural lag, but it later dawned unto me that even in our local set up there are women who are so concerned with pastors and the vicarage welfare. Nobody appoints them but they are always available for volunteer cleaning, washing of clothes, cooking for the Vicar's visitors and other chores. When the Vicar raises the concern that his official residence needs some attention, other women appoint the Phoebe to attend to the situation.. It may take a Vicar several months to know their 'unseen' interests, and when he fails to know, or ignores their advances, then chaos begin. They may be married, single, or widowed but have one thing in common, namely, being very influential in the local secular and Church politics. They can even influence the transfers of the clergy from the backyard. They have very efficient underground networking and experience to cause the desired effects. On the other hand, if the Vicar falls into their designs, the pastoral office suffers a lack of moral authority. The issue is a review of our inherited view of single mothers as women. Whether we admit it or not, women and their generic power of healing individuals and communities, imbue a definitive bearing upon the pastoral ministry and the Church theology. The priest who apparently succeed are those 'swallowed '' up by these Phoebes, but as far as ones spirituality is concerned, they live as women slaves. The way out is to present oneself to the congregation as its spiritual father but not a potential lover. This delicate balancing of spirituality against pastoral risks and hazards, needs a concerted training of the ministerial candidates in the training colleges. Many do not realize, that it as a professional hazard in the ministry, and only realizes the innate power of a woman when the shameful fruit is already in the mouth. Within the whole frame work of the pastoral ministry, God is ever aware about this inevitable entanglements. A synthesis is to act in the 'via media'- the Anglican way . Any conflict between women sexuality and the pastoral seriousness ends up in the individual pastor losing the pastoral grip with the congregation. The moral position is the application of the'' principle of double effect''- it postulates, that among two inevitable evils as the consequence of either of the moral choice, choose the lesser one. Moral integrity is the ideal choice, unless one converts ones divine ministry to social work per se, resulting to what today may be called pastoral secularism. This should be so carefully and prayerfully tailored, so as to hold and avoid losing any soul. After all, a woman is a human being created by God, and a rightful beneficiary of the divine grace. It is indispensable to keep on remembering that a priest is also a human being, set aside(legitimate holiness) to serve God through other human beings, and that he is not necessarily above the flock in righteousness, having been as weak as the flock, and equally called to repentance (spiritual holiness).Strangely enough, the spiritual mean-score of the flock reflects that of the pastor. Thus, the principle is true, that 'prayer, meditation and temptation', is the lifestyle of a pastoral minister, whether or not ordained as a ministerial priest There is no salvation outside the caring of women as women, and this means translating motherhood as the substance of the pastoral ministry. Any other pastoral activity revolves round this 'unseen' fact. Do you know why politicians and community leaders tend to have an exodus of female friends?The pastoral ministry is no different, only that the priest is moderate in mingling with the world, and that there are other stake-holders to cushion him from these professional entanglements. On the other hand, if an individual pastor feels that his ministry cannot escape the feminine traps, and that he desires to hold his conscience, then he better move to other church ministries, such as teaching, chaplaincy, counselling , clerical work etc. targeting the male clients exclusively, as much as this would be functional. Realistically, pastoral ministry has to go the God's way, you cannot avoid ministering women and legitimately claim to be called by God to serve Him. Let infantile spirituality remain shelved for the sake of God and our ministerial vocation. I personally do not support the phoebe ministry in the Malawian way, but this does not stop the congregations from having them. Each case on its own merit, God being our Helper. The author is an AC clergy- contact for feedbacks- email domphilo@yahoo.com 22nd January 2016.