Janette Ok: Taking a Seat at the Table
Women, Leadership, and Finding Your Voice
Today, we’re so excited to share our conversation with Dr. Janette H. Ok. She’s an Associate Professor of New Testament at Fuller Seminary and an ordained pastor at Ekko Church in Anaheim, CA. She earned her MDiv and PhD from Princeton Theological Seminary and is passionate about empowering women as leaders and preachers in their religious communities.
This conversation is a rich exploration about why women’s voices are essential in religious settings and how we can step into those opportunities with intention and authenticity. Janette shares her conviction that when women preach, they bring perspectives, depth, and strengths that can mature an entire congregation. And she explains that this work requires discernment. Stepping into leadership—whether you hold an official title or not—means listening for your unique calling, assessing the power you do have, and showing up faithfully, even, and maybe especially, when it feels uncomfortable.
Our favorite part of this interview is that Janette offers some really practical steps for developing your voice and pulling up a seat to the table. This conversation lit us up—not just for the way it can help individuals find their voices but for the powerful reminder that communities grow when men and women lead together.
We hope Janette’s insights challenge, encourage, and empower you as much as they did for us.
Here are the links to the books we discuss in the episode. Faith Matters is an affiliate of Bookshop.org and will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase, at no added cost to you. Thank you for your support of Faith Matters!
The New Testament in Color, Janette Ok
Making Room For Leadership, Mary Kate Morse
The Wise Leader, Uli Chi
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