2 thoughts on “H.E.R. | Let her be her, and let her be heard”
Hello Pastor, my sister asked me listen to your two most recent sermons. She just attended Pulpit Rock for the first time last Sunday. She said she cried throughout the entire service. They were happy, healing tears.
We grew up in the church as pastor’s kids. And for the record, I live my adult life without any grudges about such a position. I tell you this to relieve any worries you might have raising your kids in such a delicate and sometimes challenging role. 🙂 It can be done well, and by the sermons I listened to today, it sounds like you are doing it well. Keep up the good work.
My father always preached equality. I never thought I would be limited in any ministry based on my sexual organs. I went to seminary with that mindset. I observed that in most of my seminary classes there were more women than men sitting at those tables. How encouraging I thought. Things are changing.
Then I graduated. And the job offers started coming in… to my husband, who attended seminary alongside me. I was offered a couple jobs in ministry… but the pastors were careful to call my husband first and ask permission before talking to me…
I am currently serving in a paid position in ministry. I still believe in Jesus’ message and even when I believe the church is off course, I still choose to wrestle within it- to not disengage. And I write this with that goal in mind.
The church’s stance on elders needs to progress where Jesus is going. Because where it stands right now, it is missing the mark. Your sermons were so intentional and fair and careful to discuss cultural barriers. It’s time to break a barrier RIGHT NOW. Let me ask you this, do all your elders have beards? Do they all wear sandals? Are they all Jewish? Circumcised? Because the disciples would have had all these characteristics in common… like having a penis. Why only stop at requiring a penis?
I write this with great respect for you. Sermons are the hardest things to write. You speak about God and for God. And in love, I beg you to change your stance about elders only being men.
Thanks for reading. And keep fighting the good fight. I am on your side (& so is God). 🙂
Rachel, Thanks for your kind and challenging words. And thanks for sharing some of your journey. I am excited to see how God continues to use you and other women–sometimes in spite of the constructs we’ve set up. I am proud of some of the ways our church has historically led out in the elevation of women in their giftedness and expression. I don’t know where God will lead us going forward, but knowing this church and her leaders, I am convinced we will continue to push to truly live out the New Command, “Love one another.” We will continue to be driven by that in how we take fresh looks at what the bible says (and doesn’t say). Thanks for your encouragement!
Hello Pastor, my sister asked me listen to your two most recent sermons. She just attended Pulpit Rock for the first time last Sunday. She said she cried throughout the entire service. They were happy, healing tears.
We grew up in the church as pastor’s kids. And for the record, I live my adult life without any grudges about such a position. I tell you this to relieve any worries you might have raising your kids in such a delicate and sometimes challenging role. 🙂 It can be done well, and by the sermons I listened to today, it sounds like you are doing it well. Keep up the good work.
My father always preached equality. I never thought I would be limited in any ministry based on my sexual organs. I went to seminary with that mindset. I observed that in most of my seminary classes there were more women than men sitting at those tables. How encouraging I thought. Things are changing.
Then I graduated. And the job offers started coming in… to my husband, who attended seminary alongside me. I was offered a couple jobs in ministry… but the pastors were careful to call my husband first and ask permission before talking to me…
I am currently serving in a paid position in ministry. I still believe in Jesus’ message and even when I believe the church is off course, I still choose to wrestle within it- to not disengage. And I write this with that goal in mind.
The church’s stance on elders needs to progress where Jesus is going. Because where it stands right now, it is missing the mark. Your sermons were so intentional and fair and careful to discuss cultural barriers. It’s time to break a barrier RIGHT NOW. Let me ask you this, do all your elders have beards? Do they all wear sandals? Are they all Jewish? Circumcised? Because the disciples would have had all these characteristics in common… like having a penis. Why only stop at requiring a penis?
I write this with great respect for you. Sermons are the hardest things to write. You speak about God and for God. And in love, I beg you to change your stance about elders only being men.
Thanks for reading. And keep fighting the good fight. I am on your side (& so is God). 🙂
Rachel, Thanks for your kind and challenging words. And thanks for sharing some of your journey. I am excited to see how God continues to use you and other women–sometimes in spite of the constructs we’ve set up. I am proud of some of the ways our church has historically led out in the elevation of women in their giftedness and expression. I don’t know where God will lead us going forward, but knowing this church and her leaders, I am convinced we will continue to push to truly live out the New Command, “Love one another.” We will continue to be driven by that in how we take fresh looks at what the bible says (and doesn’t say). Thanks for your encouragement!