Jarrasic Church

I am part of a group of church leaders that is currently studying, "Women's Role in the Church" with the focus on Worship.  I try hard not to bring my "pre-conceived  thoughts" to the discussion but that does not work at all. I have been reading about this "issue" :) a long time from such books as Scott McKnight's "Blue Parakeet", President Jimmy Carter, "Call to Action (Women, Religion, Violence, and Power)" and  Blogs such as Experimental Theology and Half The Church.

I sense something positive will come from this.

In the midst of my studies I ventured last week to my Mother's House and there on the table lay the current issue of "The Spiritual Sword" The new issue is titled "God's Plan For Women".  They editorialize at the beginning that several churches of Christ have strayed into Apostacy (naming several Texas and Tennessee churches and speaking against Abilene Christian, Pepperdine and  Lipscomb University as the Leaders into the "worldliness in the Church".


 Most of the "learned" articles from old men were about the importance of "Women keeping silent"

but they did say positive things about what women can do. In one article, "What Women Can Do" it takes the stand that speaking of women: " She can bear and nurture children in a way that is instinctively hers. She does naturally with a baby what a man must learn and about which he is usually clumsy." 

AND

"She is endowed with innate skills in the art of homemaking."

And in Church:

"She can teach  Titus plainly says that in one circumstance an older woman is uniquely qualified to do so." (Teach younger women).

So in summary: Barefoot and Pregnant!

I read all these articles in the hopes of something new but the are still in 1950.

I find it interesting that they can quote a scripture that says that "men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger and quarreling" and then say: "Clearly, God wanted males to take the lead in prayer and worship."  Hey what about lifting hands?  You guys don't do that!

If you have seen the movie "Yentl" or know anything about culture, Jews did not teach women and did not treat them much different than Muslims today. Jesus, however, saw women in a different light
and a red for all and used all to spread his message.

I have come a long way in my beliefs. It is my hope that the Church would want to move farther.

We won't change our current culture over night but we should start.  Our Congregation is already ahead of most Church of Christ FELLOWSHIPS. We have had scriptures read, announcements made, classes taught and solos and really we have deacons (we just call them ministry leaders) and we have had a female minister!  What's next?