**In this series of posts I represent no one's opinion but my own. I also am not trying to convince anyone else to hold my point of view although I will happily discuss it with you. I want to encourage you to simply think about how the issue of gender roles might be negatively impacting the church at large today. Keep your comments respectful please!**
I have always been baffled by one thing in as a woman in ministry leadership.
Why couldn't people within the church have differing opinions on this issue and still act in a loving and respectful manner towards one another? Why the need to "bash" and be disrespectful to women who serve in roles some may not approve of?
I've been insulted by "friends" and total strangers alike who acted as if I, as a woman in ministry, was A) immoral or B) set on taking over the church for my own purposes or C) trying to diminish the manhood of my pastor or husband. None of these is true.
I just want to follow and obey God's calling on my life. I take it VERY seriously.
I promise you I could tell you stories that would made you shudder with horror and disbelief. Church, there must be a better way! I have always appreciated those who just simply took the time to sit down with me and ask me about my views, to understand that it is an intensely personal issue for me, and to respect me enough to know that my desire is to honor and obey God with the totality of my life. I've appreciated that they took the time to truly listen. I've appreciated those who tried to see my heart. It seems to be a hugely emotional issue for people, which I can appreciate. However, I don't think it gives any of us the right to be hateful in the name of Christ. This is an issue that can be construed to be very gray. We must take the time to study the whole of the Bible, the culture of the Biblical times in which words were written and to consider why we hold our points of view. We must have the courage to face our own desires and our own prejudices and to call it for what it is and deal with it. Instead, what I've found is that many people I have encountered have truly never studied this issue. They've never bothered to ask the hard questions. They've never looked at their own hearts and seen the truth about how culture and prejudice and fear can greatly impact any of our views of this matter. And in their ignorance they have deeply wounded many and caused much heartache and division. We fool ourselves if we think this is an easy issue for the church. It is not. And it is an issue we must begin to address.
I've greatly admired those who not only take the time to study, but who can respectully agree to disagree. Craig Blomberg, one of the complementarian authors of "Two Views on Women in Ministry" writes these sobering words:
"All of us who speak and write on gender roles would do well to begin and end every address with the caveats, "I could be wrong" and "I respect the right of fellow evangelicals and evangelical churches to come to different conclusions, and I will cooperate with them rather than combat them for the larger cause of Christ and His kingdom, which so desperately needs such unity."
I am not a complementarian. My views are most closely aligned with those who are egalitarian. But I so agree with Mr. Blomberg's words! It is possible to sit and discuss this respectfully, or to treat others with respect when they disagree. I would never break fellowship with someone because their view on this topic differed from mine. I might set boundaries on a relationship if I felt their words were abusive and as a consumer, I might stop shopping at their store if I felt their corporate actions lacked integrity and love. But person to person, I would not break fellowship. I would hope we could choose to display grace and respect as we address this issue.
I have a blogging friend. His name is Tyler Braun. He is 24 and lives in Portland, Oregon. He's a worship leader like myself. As Tyler studied this issue for himself, he and I came to two different conclusions on where women should and should not serve. On other parts of ths dilemma, we agreed wholeheartedly. But I really admire Tyler because he has treated me with the utmost respect in our relationship despite our differing points of view. That spoke love to me. I urge you to read his thoughts here. It links to his two other posts where he presents the two basic views on this quite well. I urge you to read and to become more informed!
So I ask that as you meet women in ministry and try to form your own views on this topic you act in a loving manner. Remember that to these women this is their life. They have given their life to spread the gospel and to serve the church and their Savior. They deserve the encouragement and respect of their fellow believers.
The church needs to look at this issue with understanding and love, not with prejudice, fear and hate. Name calling, gender bashing, and prejudice are not Christ-like and should not be tolerated - either way. Yet it is tolerated and even done in the name of Christ. So we fight and we argue and we hurt one another.
And while we argue about who should and should not lead the charge to proclaim the gospel, the world Jesus died to save is going to hell all around us.
Which are we more concerned with?
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