04.14.09
Posted in Rebuttal, Women in Ministry at 4:10 pm by Administrator
Because I home school I receive many curriculum catalogs. I just received a new home school catalog in which is a section that displays curriculum and books by Vision Forum. Out of curiosity I stopped to read the sale copy on one of their books, “Passionate Housewives Desperate for God”. I know – stupid me !! I was quickly confronted by these words “exposing the dangers of white washed feminism”.
I wonder if those who espouse such thinking – dangers of white washed feminism – have ever truly looked at or studied the foundation of the feminist movement — before Margaret Sanger, NOW, and their ilk. Feminism has become a cuss word in their mouths – in doing so they have cussed the many dedicated Christian women who founded this movement in their fight to get children out of the sweat shops and to secure women the right to vote.
I wonder if they know that women whom they laud actually fought for the equality of women – women such as Lottie Moon and Catherine Booth.
It continues to amaze me that the SBC holds a Lottie Moon Missionary fund raisers each year — and never confronts the truth that she wrote many letters crying out for the equality of women in the church. One SBC pastor called the this cover up concerning Lottie Moon “the SBC’s dirty little secret.”
I wonder if they know that Catherine Booth’s son-in-law in his eulogy praised her as a “unfailing, unflinching, uncompromising champion of women’s rights.”
“Exposing the dangers of white washed feminism” — NEVER – let us expose the truth of the women of God who fought bravely for the equality of all under God — let us sing the praises of these women who courageously pioneered the way for us.
I’m proud to be counted among such a great cloud of witnesses named as the “white washed feminists”.
Permalink
04.13.09
Posted in Women in Ministry at 4:41 pm by Administrator
Jesus gives to anyone He wills revelation knowledge.
Matt 11:25-27 At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. 26 “Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. 27 “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.
The great truths Jesus spoke were revealed to babes (the unlearned). These “babes” were anyone to whom the Son willed to give revelation.
Jesus gave revelation knowledge to anyone – male or female. Why would He “shut the mouths” of the women to whom He gave His revelation knowledge.
Jesus did not “shut the mouth” of the Samaritan woman when she received revelation knowledge that He was the Messiah. Jesus did not shut her mouth as she ran to her village and reported/proclaimed she had met the Messiah and for them to come and see.
Jesus did not “shut the mouth” of Mary Magdalene after she received revelation knowledge that He had risen from the dead. NO, indeed He did not! Instead Jesus commanded her to go and tell – to proclaim to the other disciples what had been revealed to her.
The prophetess Anna’s mouth was not shut when she received revelation knowledge that the babe in Mary’s arms was the awaited for Messiah. She went forth proclaiming to all who would listen that the awaited for Messiah had come.
Why would Jesus command the mouths of women filled with His revelation knowledge to be shut just because they step inside a building called a church or because they step behind a stand called a pulpit? He would not!!!
As we look at the example of Jesus we see that He did not / does not shut the mouths of women who are filled with His revelation knowledge.
Permalink
Posted in Women in Ministry at 4:16 pm by Administrator
The word “disciple” means to be a follower of a teacher. I think the fact that the word disciple is usually seen as portraying the male gender has caused women and their contribution to the ministry of Jesus to be overlooked.
Jesus’ disciples were those who sat to listen to his teaching and who followed him as He traveled from city to city.
Mary of Bethany chose the place of a disciple – sitting at his feet to listen and learn from Him – and was not rebuked nor was she removed for doing so.
Mary Magdalene called Jesus Rabboni – Teacher – which named her as His disciple. She went with Him as He traveled from Galilee to Jerusalem. She (and other unnamed women) supported Jesus and His ministry from their personal finances. Jesus instructed Mary (and the women with her) to go and tell his other disciples that He had risen from the dead.
When we read the word disciple we must understand this word represents women as well as men who followed, served, and ministered to Jesus.
Permalink
Posted in Women in Ministry at 3:48 pm by Administrator
As I was pondering the often asked question concerning “why Jesus chose 12 male disciples” the Lord brought several things to my heart.
The first is that there were both male and female disciples of Jesus and the twelve were chosen out of the midst of His disciples and named as His apostles. I think the fact that the word disciple is usually seen as portraying the male gender has caused women and their contribution to the ministry of Jesus to be overlooked.
The other thing the Lord brought to my heart as I considered the 12 male apostles question was the fact that only ONE tribe – the Levites – could serve in the house of God(2 Chr 29:11). In Jesus’ choosing of 12 apostles who represented the 12 tribes of Israel I saw God showing a new day manifested in Christ – all twelve tribes through Jesus able to freely serve in God’s house. No longer would only one tribe have access to God’s service but in Christ all would have access to serving Him.
I saw in the 12 apostles God showing a new way established through Jesus. I saw God showing forth Jesus as the high priest in a new temple made up of living stones and with a priesthood of all believers. I saw a new and living way being exampled before Israel and established through the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Permalink
Posted in Submission at 3:46 pm by Administrator
We miss so much truth because we lack understanding of the culture and the Jewish religious system to which Jesus spoke. I want to share an example of this in connection with the patriarchal system.
Jesus came to bring liberty to all who are held captive — this liberty included all who were held captive under the patriarchal system.
Jesus demonstrated the liberty He brought from the domination of the patriarchal system as He spoke to one of his disciples in Matthew 8.
In Matt 8:18-19 Jesus gives orders to go to the other side. This command “to leave this side and to go with Jesus to the other side” gives us the context of a discussion which takes place between Jesus and an unnamed disciple.
Mat 8:21 Another of the disciples said to Him, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.”
Mat 8:22 But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead.”
Under the patriarchal system this disciple was bound under the authority of the father until the father’s death. This disciple was simply asking to preform what the religious system of the day required – obedience and service to the father until he had performed the last service of his father’s burial. This system did not allow this disciple to freely get in the boat and go to the other side with Jesus – under the patriarchal system this disciple was restrained from following until he had buried his father.
Jesus’ words broke the bonds of the patriarchal system which held this unnamed disciple captive – Jesus’ words set him free to get in the boat and go with Jesus to the other side. Jesus set him free to freely and without restraint to follow Him. This unnamed disciple was free from the system which held him bond until the day he had buried his father. He was free to choose for himself and order His own life.
Indeed, we have missed so much truth because we fail to understand the impact of Jesus’ words of “let the dead bury their own dead” in that day and to that culture. We have missed the liberty Jesus’ words brought to those who were held captive under the extremes of a system instituted by man in the name of God.
Permalink
04.09.09
Posted in Women in Ministry at 10:38 am by Administrator
An Associate Pastor of our church did something in a Youth/Children sermon which made an excellent point concerning the “plain language” argument we often hear as we discuss Scriptures and their application to women and their role in the church.
Pastor Bill told us all – youth/children/adults – that he had hidden a one hundred dollar bill somewhere in the church. Well, we all took off and scrambled in search of this one hundred dollar bill — all of us were excitedly searching for a one hundred dollar bill to spend or use as we wished.
Finally, an envelope was found taped to the bottom of a pew. The one hundred dollar bill was found !! Sam excitedly tore open the envelope and burst into laughter. This is what Sam found —- a BILL for one hundred dollars payable to Pastor Bill for preaching the sermon.
Plain language is not as plain as some claim it to be !!!! A plain language interpretation of the word “bill” told us searchers that we would find money – $100. That is what Pastor Bill’s word meant to us – that is how we understood his use of the word “bill”. BUT our understanding of his use of the word “bill” was not HOW it was used or WHAT was meant by its usage.
Simple things used to drive important and valuable points home. I won’t ever forget what I learned through this simple lesson. Thanks Pastor Billy!!
Permalink
04.08.09
Posted in egal humor at 12:58 pm by Administrator
My 17 year old son asked me this question, “In churches where men and women are separated why do the men get to sit on the right and the women are seated to the left?”
Just off the top of my head this reply came flooding out of me — “Men are seated to the right in these churches because men are thought to have all the God given rights of authority and dominion. Men are seated to the right because they are considered as having the right to make all decisions. Women are seated to the left because they are considered to be just plain old left out.”
My answer made us all laugh — and then have a good discussion of gender equality in the church.
Permalink
