“It used to be that even if you were qualified for a top position in the church as a woman you would not be considered at all,” says Daisy Orion, an associate treasurer for the Seventh-day Adventist world church.

Not anymore. Things today are different for women in the Adventist church and have in fact been changing for sometime. In 2005 Orion, along with Dr. Ella Simmons and Dr. Rosa Banks, were elected to the church’s highest levels of administration at its world headquarters. The elections were significant because the Adventist church—much like some other Christian denominations—has very few women in top leadership positions.

Simmons became the world church’s first woman vice president, Banks its first associate secretary and Orion one of very few in the world church’s history to become an associate treasurer. (Three women held the position of treasurer for the early Adventist church during the late 1800s). The three women leaders talked to Adventist News Network about what the past year has been like in their new positions.

“They always told us that the world [church] is not ready for women leaders but I don’t see it,” says Banks. In her new post and worldwide travels, she says she has seen just the opposite.

“I don’t see where the church would not have been ready for women leaders long before last year,” Banks adds.

Indeed it may seem strange to mark the turning of the tide for women leaders in the Adventist church with these elections. Women have long been indispensable to the church’s mission, often working in the background without recognition or hope of professional reward.

One standout was Ellen G. White who worked in the forefront as one of the church’s most well known leaders. She is highly regarded as one of the church’s co-founders and her writings are still central to the church today.

When Orion, Banks and Simmons travel the world today, they are unlike many Adventist women of the past who mainly worked as support staff. Their positions have propelled them to the fore. They are looked to for expert professional advice and spiritual counseling.

Simmons says, “I was braced for resistance and less than warm reception,” but she reports that was not the case in her travels.

“I was told that [the church outside of North America] would have a negative reaction to women leaders but either we have grossly misunderstood the perspectives in the world or there has been a dramatic and powerful change for the positive in support of women in leadership. I believe it is more of the latter,” Simmons, a former senior administrator at La Sierra University, adds.

“The church is headed in the right direction,” says Banks. “I am seeing more women in prominent positions at their churches. It makes me reflect on 20 to 30 years ago when women weren’t treasurers or vice presidents and were doing very little.”

Last year in the wake of the elections Adventist world church president Jan Paulsen stressed welcoming everyone into the church. To an audience of more than 50,000 in St. Louis, Missouri he said, “How could you fail not to notice that we chose a leadership which also included the women in our church? Did you not see this as a signal, as [a] sign of God opening the doors?”

Banks has a long record of opening doors, from being the first female vice president at Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama to being the first female associate secretary and the first female officer of the church in North America.

Orion has worked as vice president of finance of Adventist Health Services/Asia and, prior to this election she was director of planning for global mission.

Before coming to work at the Adventist church’s world headquarters, Simmons served in several leadership positions, including provost at Adventist-owned La Sierra University in California and vice president for academic affairs at Oakwood College. Simmons looks back on these experiences and notes that she was often the only woman in the room.

As they have settled into their new assignments, all agree that there is now a significant amount of international travel and a few more committee meetings to attend.

So what do their jobs entail? Orion explains that she is mainly responsible for a lot of the legal aspects of the church’s corporation. She works closely with the church’s legal office and with the church’s fiscal offices in East-Central Africa and Trans-European regions.

Banks says the majority of her job involves working with the church’s missionaries, who are based all over the world. She also works as the world church’s liaison to the church in East Central and West Africa.

Simmons’ responsibilities, much like those of other senior-level church officials, are multifaceted. She explains that it is a combination of administrative and spiritual leadership.  She chairs the church’s International Board on Education, is an advisor to the Education and Women’s Ministries departments and serves on several committees.

The three explain they have had years of preparation for these positions. For others who may want to work for the church, they recommend more than just educational preparation. Orion suggests preparation of spirit. She explains that it is important to understand that working for the church requires a desire for service.

“My dad was in the military and my mom worked in a hospital so I grew up [in the Philippines] to think of serving,” she says. “If you want to work for the church, don’t think of self. Don’t think of what you can get, but what you can give to the church. It’s not the place to work if you want to gain material goods.”

Simmons adds, “Prepare and do well with what you are doing now. Never let the future obscure the present when doing God’s work. When people get caught up in rising to a certain position they often don’t give due diligence to their [current] position.”

“Stay close to Christ,” Banks concludes. “Make sure your life is reflective of what He wants you to be. I’ve been in a whole lot of jams but He’s always worked them out.”