What is a First Lady of the Church?

Are you wondering what is a first lady of the Church? First, stop and think about this question for a moment. Consider who the first lady is in political terms. What would be the "church" equivalent of the first lady? Try to take a guess, and then we will tell you the answer.

Did you guess the pastor's or preacher's wife? If you did, you are correct! It does logically seem to follow that the pastor's wife would be the first lady of the church. Of course, you are not going to find "first ladies" in the Roman Catholic tradition, since priests cannot get married in that religion. You might find some "first ladies" as far as deacons go however, as a deacon is allowed to marry. Yet a first lady of the church generally specifically refers to being the preacher's wife.

Being a Pastor's Wife

If you are familiar with the hit television series 7th Heaven, you could turn to that program for some hints into what it might be like to be a preacher's wife. Mrs. Camden is married to Reverend Eric Camden in that show.

As with any job, there are going to be both benefits and drawbacks for the person married to that individual. Certainly preachers' wives have to deal with the fact that their husbands might be gone for long periods of time to attend to certain business. Perhaps they get called for emergencies during odd hours of the night or weekend. Sometimes preachers have to move around frequently, and that might be another by product of the preacher's job.

However, think about the great perks associated with being a preacher's wife. God is a central component of that relationship which may create a stronger relationship. Of course, this might pose a problem if the preacher and his wife are of two extremely different religions. Additionally, the relationship might have some trials and tribulations if the wife is say an atheist or agnostic. That is a problem that individual couples have to work through themselves.

The couple will have such a strong foundation for prayer and raising children in the Christian tradition. Furthermore, the wife will have great opportunities to interact with the church community, and perhaps even lead some programs of her own. As they say, the family that prays together stays together.

Where Will I Find First Ladies of the Church?

Now that you know the answer to what is a first lady of the church, perhaps you are wondering where you can find such ladies. As aforementioned, you will not find them in the Roman Catholic tradition, unless we are talking about the wife of a deacon, since their priests and pastors cannot get married. Here are some denominations of Christianity where the preacher or minister can marry.

• Eastern Catholic (must be married before ordination)
• Eastern Orthodox (must be married before ordination)
• Some Anglican and Episcopallian priests
• Protestant ministers, pastors and preachers