About Jessica
Dr. Jessica Fleck is a scholar and practitioner dedicated to cultivating diverse leadership in the church, with particular focus on women and girls. She believes that expanding leadership opportunities is vital for biblically equitable communities of faith. She earned her Doctor of Ministry in Leadership and Preaching, graduating with honors from Asbury Theological Seminary. She also achieved a Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies from Wheaton College Graduate School, where she studied the cultural contexts of women, children, and youth. Dr. Fleck teaches for Olivet Nazarene University and her denomination’s scholastic leadership program, developing courses on women, children, youth, diversity, and intercultural studies. Beyond her academic work, she treasures being an aunt, and enjoys swimming, studying, preaching, and her friendships. Jessica’s scholarship and ministry are grounded in biblical visions of equity and shaped by egalitarian theologies.
Education
Asbury Theological Seminary
D.Min Leadership and Preaching
Wheaton College Graduate School
M.A. Intercultural Studies
Research Interests
Women, Girls, Youth, Leadership, Egalitarianism
Publications
Tears on the Altar: The Controversy over the Clergywoman’s Ministry in Biblical Perspective
CBE International Book Review; Feb. 18, 2025
At its heart, the book is written with the Ugandan church in mind which, according to the author, has been both the seed of women’s ordination and the agony of its female leaders. The author frequently states that the church in her country of origin ordains women but also propagates teachings against the spiritual leadership of women in the church. She also expresses her gratefulness for the Ugandan church’s biblical stance in its ordination of women. In her mind, however, these women have “courageously endured resentment from the very church that recruited them for ordination” (Acknowledgements). Erema hopes her work will encourage her own church to change its rhetoric. https://www.cbeinternational.org/resource/book-review-tears-on-the-altar-erema/
Safe Church: How to Guard against Sexism and Abuse in Christian Communities
CBE International Book Review; Jan. 21, 2025
Safe Church ends with excellent ways for congregants and leaders to heal and create a restorative church. While some of these suggestions lack support, many of the tools presented, such as developing healthy policies and procedures, increasing diversity in leadership, and preventative abuse training, were very practical and helpful (148–151). Some of these take the form of elements that were revealed in his research, such as telling one’s story, finding allies, or keeping the authority that has been given (145–147). Other helps take the form of common sense, such as taking time for healing (138–141). https://www.cbeinternational.org/resource/book-review-safe-church/
Bestowing Biblical Egalitarianism: Naomi, Ruth, and the Young Women of Generation Z
Association of Youth Ministry Educators; 2024
Leading the next generation of young women in leadership is imperative from a biblical standpoint. In this article, the transmission of how women’s leadership was bestowed from Naomi to Ruth is discussed. Application will be made regarding how this biblical model can assist in bringing biblical egalitarianism to the next generations, including elements from current research. https://www.aymeducators.org/wp-content/uploads/Jessica-Fleck-Bestowing-Biblical-Egalitarianism.docx
Team Leadership: Core Competencies in Children’s Ministries
Asbury Theological Seminary; ProQuest Publishing; 2020
The purpose of this dissertation was to discover valued core competencies of TLs in children’s ministries through biblical, theological, and pragmatic understandings, as well as from the perspectives of Directors of Children’s Ministries (DCMs) and their volunteers. A survey (volunteer survey) was used to determine the perspectives of volunteers. The viewpoints of DCMs were discovered through Director Focus Group discussions (DFGs). Churches from the Ohio Valley District (OVD) of the Christian & Missionary Alliance (C&MA) denomination participated. Eleven DCMs each joined one of four DFGs, and 100 unpaid children’s ministry workers from these 11 churches participated in the volunteer survey. https://place.asburyseminary.edu/ecommonsatsdissertations/1451/
Fuller Seminary hosts these profiles as a courtesy to our doctoral students. Their views are their own and do not necessary reflect the views of the seminary.