Faith Without Gender: Book Highlights Women’s Unseen Role in Adventism

By Simonique Dietz

A new book is drawing attention to the overlooked role of women in the growth of the Adventist movement, urging the church to confront long-standing inequities in leadership.

In Tired of Waiting: Women in Church and Society, author Hannele Ottschofski documents the vital contributions of women in health care, education and evangelism that have shaped the expansion of Adventism worldwide. Their uncelebrated labor, she argues, laid the foundation for the church’s success, even as women remained barred from positions of leadership.

Jeanne Mogusu, Ph.D., MPPA, M.Div., a pastor and scholar, emphasized the book’s message as central to the current conversation about gender and faith. “By telling the story of how women’s health, teaching and evangelistic efforts have contributed to the success of the spread of Adventism, this book displays the injustice of excluding women from leadership even as their uncelebrated and often unacknowledged efforts form the foundation of this success,” Mogusu said.

The book challenges the church to embrace what Mogusu calls “a non-gendered faith” — one that celebrates contributions equally, regardless of gender. In doing so, it underscores the necessity of dismantling barriers that keep women from fully participating in ministry and decision-making.

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Published in Kindle Edition, Tired of Waiting adds to the growing body of literature on gender equity in faith communities and highlights the tension between historic tradition and the call for justice. For TEAM (Time for Equality in Adventist Ministry), the book resonates as both a scholarly critique and a call to action for inclusive leadership in the Adventist church.

At TEAM, we know that women have always carried a vital, though often unseen, role in Adventism. Faith Without Gender highlights that reality with clarity and conviction. Now, we want to extend that vision into the present.

If you are a woman who feels God’s call to ministry, we invite you to apply for support through TEAM. Whether your path is pastoral leadership, chaplaincy, evangelism, or teaching, we are committed to walking alongside you—providing encouragement, resources, and advocacy as you pursue your calling.

Just as the women before us shaped the faith community with resilience and courage, we believe you are called to shape the church of today and tomorrow. Apply now, and join us in building a future where leadership is rooted in faith, not limited by gender.