The Barna Group released the results of a three-year study which interviewed more than 10,000 pastors, and some of the results are surprising. 

The study looked at a wide range of topics to help give a picture of the "state of pastors" in the modern age. One of the most surprising to many is the rise of women in ministry. The study found that one out of every 11 pastors is a female. That's three times more than 25 years ago.

Melvina Guiboche says that stat is one that brings joy to her. She's a third generation female pastor, and she looks back at the obstacles her grandmother had to overcome with gratitude. "She paved the way," Guiboche says. "It was difficult for her when she was younger . . . and my mother and aunties continued to pave that way."

Guiboche knows that her grandmother didn't have an easy time as a woman in ministry at first. "It was difficult and she faced challenges, but she was anointed and was a powerful woman of God - she kept going forward in the things of God."

While Guiboche has been involved in some ways in ministry over the years, she's a new associate pastor at Encounter Life in Winnipeg. For her own experience, she says it's been very different than the opposition previous generations faced. "Like I said, others before us have paved the way for (women) to be able to stand on this platform and glorify the King."

The study says that for the most part, the rise of female pastors is in Mainline Protestant churches.