Several years ago, I heard a pastor say something in his benediction that changed my spiritual life forever. He closed the service by challenging us to be "agents of reconciliation." That phrase is now a part of my daily prayer life. How am I mending cracks? How am I bringing together that which has been torn a part?
I believe that as Christians we are called to be proponents of gender reconciliation. The church, unfortunately, has played a large role in creating a division between the sexes. And although I believe God created men and women differently, He has given them, equally, spiritual gifts in order to praise Him and worship him forever. That goes for preaching, too. Not only do I welcome women to lead in all aspects of spiritual formation, but I expect it. Women should be church elders, deacons, teachers, and pastors.
Our churches should be filled with diversity: culutral, socio-economic, generational, and gender. Congregants gain so much when the Gospel is preached and taught from a variety of perspectives (all under the banner of Christ, of course).
Listen to this quote on women preachers: "Preaching as a voice from the margins gives listeners new ways to listen, new eyes to see, and new possibilities to envision reconciliation between the margins and the center. Preaching from the margins invites listeners to move toward creative new margins, the real center, where the Spirit of God is present and at work, to participate as God’s partners in the transforming work of God.[1] Instead of marginalizing women and other minority groups, the church must recognize that their voice is necessary to understand the fullness of God's kingdom. No one can convince me EVER that the Gospel should only be taught and preached by White Men. To me, this kind of thinking underestimates God's love, the Holy Spirit's ability to infuse us with wisdom and discernment, and Jesus' sacrifice as reconciliation.
lovingly,
the elder
P.S. Ditto on everything Nate said about the "Womb Mother." What made my mom such an effective parent was that she believed that her two boys were flawed characters that desperately needed God's love to make us whole. She gave us that daily. So, why on earth wouldn't we want a mother in the pulpit to be an agent of reconciliation--there are some things I just don't get.
[1] Eunjoo Kim, Women Preaching : Theology and Practice through the Ages (Cleveland, OH: Pilgrim Press, 2004) 7
2 comments:
Some pretty heavy theological statements (i.e. women should be elders and pastors) to not support with Scripture. Cultural issues must always be filtered through the Bible and not the Bible through culture. I’m sure Eunjoo Kim is a great theologian, but consult God's word on this issue and then develop your conviction.
Ross
I'm just catching up on my "floor talk" and I have to say that the issue of reconciliation is a frustrating word for me. I feel like when we begin to make the issue of reconciling other things, rather than getting to know Jesus, then we're not doing what we need to be doing. (Speaking as a woman...) I feel that as we are reconciled through the Love that Jesus has for us, that those other things fall into place. Through your love for Christ, your eyes are opened to Gender, race, age, fill in the political blank.
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