harbarger theory: God is STILL calling women and men to share life together.I just read Mark Driscoll's blog about "Complementarianism." Mark is the pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle. Mark has done a great job growing a church in a town that's tough to be a Christian in. He also did an EXCELLENT job in the Nightline Debate about whether Satan exists. Watch it here.
But, Mark and I don't agree on the role of women in life and in the church. While I agree that Mark's view is not as extreme as some who would relegate women to very minimal roles in the church, I'm not sure how he deals with the Apostle Paul (as opposed to my buddy Paul) having Lydia and Priscilla/Prisca lead churches. Those don't seem like complementarian roles. I'm not sure how he deals with Deborah being a Judge way back in the pre-monarchical days of the Hebrew people. I'm not sure how he deals with the Acts passage that quotes the Joel passage about young men and young women will prophesy. Those don't seem like complementarian passages.
New Calvinism (or even Old Calvinism) aside, these are not Calvinist/Arminian arguments. These are ways that we see the freedom of God's Spirit to call people as the Spirit will. Why, oh why, would God not allow women to do the job that God has called all of us to do? If women are not fit to carry the gospel to men, then why, oh why, did the angel tell the WOMEN at the tomb to tell the MEN about the resurrection? The very, very FIRST preachers of the gospel of the resurrection were ... wait for it ... women. Sure, the men dismissed them as being silly women ... but the gospel was STILL TRUE!!!
Mark, I pray for you. I support you in your work. But, let God be God. Let the Holy Spirit go and move and call whoever the Holy Spirit will call. God will call who God will call.
Therefore, I stand here. God calls men to do great things. God calls women to do great things. I am honored to stand beside my colleagues and partners in ministry and will do my part and will do what I can to support my colleagues in their ministry, regardless of their sex.
harbarger theory: God is STILL calling women and men to share life together.
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4 comments:
Here we go again...very good post. :)
As a woman coming out of a church where women were not permitted to have ANY kind of role in the church, I very much appreciated this post.
I want to share with you an experience I had with a young lady in that church. She made the comment, "I'm so glad we don't believe in women preachers, because I would be so scared to get up and talk to people." My response to this kind of question? Sounds to me like maybe the Lord was working... If you were to truly believe that women preachers are wrong, than you wouldn't believe that women are called at all...regardless of what denomination. So then, it shouldn't matter if the church believed it or not...but rather if it's Biblical.
I have heard many women preachers, and the Lord's annointing is there just as it is for a man. I believe God calls women...but He wouldn't call them if were indeed against His word.
Anyway...I 100 percent agree with this post. Thank you for sharing.
heathen
Naomi: You're slipping, girl. I think you've agreed with my blogs a few times now (as long as I don't get too sloppy!!!). Thanks for your support and friendship!
Paul: um ... maybe ... !?!?
Joel...ah man, you're right! Post something a little more controversial next time. Ha. ;)
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