Changing one’s mind is a slow process, and I did not come to believe women could be ordained without a lot of prayer and study. Check out the introductory books, and then I recommend regular reading on one or more of the websites listed here. And if you really want to dig into Scripture, be sure and follow Dr. Pierce’s course on the Theology of Gender.
See also my blog post with resources on power and gender.
Start here:
How I Changed My Mind about Women in Leadership offers 21 vignettes from Christians leaders, some quite well-known, sharing their journey towards affirming women’s ordination. Along the way, you will be able to watch them address some of the most common Scriptures and attitudes that tend to stand in the way of women’s ability to fulfill the call of God on our lives. See a detailed review here.
Liberating Tradition provides a great introduction to the the whole topic of the place of women in the church. As a Free Methodist elder, Kristina LaCelle-Peterson covers Free Methodist doctrine in the areas of ministry and marriage. This book should be required reading for any pastor who works in a denomination that ordains women. See a detailed review here.
For male leaders, you can read “9 Ridiculously Practical Ways for Male Leaders to Empower Female Leaders in the Church” by J.R. Briggs
Websites for Regular Reading:
The Junia Project: Covers Scriptural interpretations as well as practical challenges for women pastors.
Marg Mowczko: Slightly more academic, Marg delves into Scripture and church history to support the practice of ordaining women.
Christians for Biblical Equality: The Center for all things egalitarian.
For More Serious Study:
Theology of Gender: Excellent 11-part lectures on gender by Dr. Ronald W. Pierce of Biola University
Also, check out my reviews of Dr. Westfall’s Paul and Gender as well as Rev. St. Clair’s Call and Consequences which has quite a lot of implications for the suffering of women.
Other Good Books:
Ordaining Women by B. T. Roberts, written in 1891 by the founder of Free Methodism.
Daughters of the Church: Women in Ministry from New Testament Times to the Present by Ruth A. Tucker and Walter L. Liefeld
For more suggestions, see the bibliography in Liberating Tradition as well as the resources listed here.