In Celebration

(from Stacey Midge)

It's not official until all the clerks report the votes of the classes, and the General Synod ratifies it this summer but...word on the street is that we have now reached the requisite number of classis votes (30) to remove the conscience clauses from the BCO.  A disclaimer: the "word on the street" is mostly coming from me, as I've been tracking the votes of each classis for the last several months.  So, I'm not celebrating yet (much), but was inspired to say thank you to some people whose lives have paved the way, regardless of whether the removal has officially passed or not.  

Thank you, women who went to seminary before "people" was declared to include both men and women.  

Thank you, women who came under care without knowing that ordination would ever be a real possibility.  

Thank you, women who were ordained without the certainty that a second call would ever be available to you.

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Confessions of a Former Complementarian

(from Stacey Midge)

This is an essay I wrote some time ago, so some of the references are a bit outdated, but given the current discussions in the RCA, it seemed relevant.

"You keep using that word.  I do not think it means what you think it means."  ~ Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride

I've come across a lot of anti-woman sentiment lately.  Some of the more conservative members of my denomination have a Facebook group that I occasionally look at when I'm in the mood to get good and mad; this week some of them took a break from blasting the evil homosexual agenda to share some of the grief with the evil feminist agenda.  Then I met a random guy at my hangout of choice who, out of nowhere, with no idea that I am a minister, announced that he was against women in church leadership.  He then made a valiant attempt to out-Bible me, which is always fun.  And then there have been a slew of articles like this interview of Mark Driscoll, in which he reveals himself to be arrogant, pushy, and fairly unconcerned with facts, and this article from The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, in which femininity and females are characterized as all manner of negative things, including imbeciles.  Different but equal, eh?

So, I have a confession: I was a complementarian once.  At least, I tried to be, back in the day when the only people I knew who seemed to take Christian faith seriously were a group of quite conservative evangelicals at my college.  I tried very hard for two years.  Really.  I had had one of those dramatic conversation experiences, and I thought their path was the one I needed to follow, too.  They told me a lot of things about what the Bible said.  Among other things, they told me it said that women were supposed to be submissive to men, that husbands were supposed to rule their households, that women were not allowed to teach men or hold any position in the church that might be considered higher than a man.  And I believed it.  I tried very hard to believe it.

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Book Review: Bible, Gender, Sexuality

(from Ben Kappers on the Guest Blog)

In Bible, Gender, Sexuality Dr. James V. Brownson attempts to “reimagine” the Bible’s teaching on homosexual relationships in such a way that we come to the conclusion that the moral logic of the Bible is accepting of committed, monogamous, mature, self-giving, homosexual relationships.  While there is much to consider here, and Dr. Brownson is an articulate and skilled writer, it is my conclusion that his arguments fail to accomplish his purpose.  I think there are multiple reasons for this failure but I will focus my review on just one of them.

Brownson’s Egalitarian Foundation and Dismissal of Sexual Complementarity is Unbiblical

Brownson selects Dr. Robert Gagnon as his principle opponent in this debate.  As I am no expert on Dr. Gagnon’s work I will leave it to someone who is better qualified than I am to defend his positions and to discern whether Brownson has presented those arguments fairly.  To this end I have contacted Dr. Gagnon and asked if he would be willing to defend himself in person during a debate with Dr. Brownson.  Dr. Gagnon expressed an eagerness to defend his positions and I think it is incumbent upon Dr. Brownson to give him that courtesy.  I would be happy to make the arrangements if Dr. Brownson would be so gracious as to accept this invitation.

One of a number of frequently circulated arguments opposed to sexual complementarity states that Adam’s headship over Eve was established after the Fall.  This argument asserts that Adam and Eve lived in an egalitarian relationship before the Fall and the church has a duty to do whatever possible to disestablish Adam’s headship in an attempt to live into the egalitarian ideals of the kingdom of God.  Brownson employs this very argument. “Genesis 3:16 portrays patriarchy not as grounded in creation, but in the conflicted relationship between men and women resulting from the Fall.” (58)

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Complementarianism: What Is It? Why Should I Believe It? Why Should I Delight in It?

(from Ben Kappers on the Guest Blog)

In light of some recent controversies in the Reformed Church pertaining to human sexuality the editors of the Herald Blogs solicited a short submission from me on the topic of complementarianism.  I hope that you will find this concise post both timely and helpful as you consider the teaching of the Scriptures concerning human sexuality.

Let’s start with the basics: What is complementarianism?

Complementarianism is a belief based on two core truths:

1. God created Adam and Eve, man and woman, equally in his own image.
It cannot be emphasized enough that complementarians believe strongly and unequivocally that men and women are of equal value, dignity, and worth in the sight of our loving Lord.

2. Men and women are given different and equally joyful and significant roles in marriage and the church.  These unique roles work together (they complement one another) in such a way that achieves God’s purposes for his people.  The complementarian believes the Bible is clear that men are given the weighty responsibility to lead in the home and the church while women are given the joyful duty of submitting to and helping their husbands and male elders as they lead.

So, why should you believe that men and women are created with complementary roles instead of identical or interchangeable roles? 

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What Do I Miss?

(from Thomas Johnson)

As a RCA missionary on home assignment, I’m always pleased when I can do Q & A at a church after my regular presentation.  It’s useful to know what aspects of my work resonated with the members and what parts of missionary life pique their curiosity.  Inevitably—usually as one of the last questions—someone will ask, “What do you miss most while living in Niger?”

I do understand the “why” behind that inquiry.  Niger is a harsh place to live and work, with few amenities or Western goods—and it’s a long ways from home.  People are probably asking themselves “Could I do that?” in terms of coping with life in a non-Western world when they pose that question. Also, they're naturally curious as to what a missionary may be nostalgic for while overseas.

I usually respond that with cell phones and the internet, we can keep in close contact with family and friends these days.  After 10 years on the mission field, I’m pretty well-versed in how to navigate life in Niger and its limitations.  However, I admit that when given the chance to receive a Western item, I usually ask for boxed pepperoni, as it isn’t available, it’s relatively cheap and easy to transport and all the family loves that treat.   This usually generates smiles and nodding heads in the audience.

If I’m particularly feeling reflective, though, I might respond about how I miss interacting with Americans who are particularly talented and knowledgeable in their field and who can help me learn something new or deal with a problem that’s beyond my competency. In comparison, life is pretty simple in the African bush and most of the people I encounter have very little training or education, though they typically have other gifts and skills.

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Time Out

(from Leon Fikse)

In the strangest places and in the twinkling of an eye, God does show to us his truths and encourages us with his insights. I had one of those “Aha” moments just last week. It happened on the basketball court. There was a timeout called by one of the coaches. I held the ball on the out-of-bounds line under the basket. When the time out would conclude in 30 seconds, the game would resume from that point. As I stood there, several of the home town cheerleaders gathered to perform a stunt—they would toss one girl way up in the air and catch her. It was successful as she “flew” high and landed without any glitch.

Several of the cheerleaders who were not involved in that stunt were seated together in the stands, about a dozen of them. The girl closest to the floor and the returning cheerleaders stood to her feet, raised her hand in triumph, and screamed her approval of what had just occurred. Then I saw it—a one second look into human nature. As the girl sat down she quickly sneaked a look at all of the other cheerleaders seated behind her. It was only a quick glance, but in her eyes it was so obvious that she was seeing if those around her approved of her actions. There was a moment in her mind and heart where she doubted if her raucous scream was appropriate and wanted desperately to know that those around her supported her. It only took a moment and having received the nods of acceptance, she sat again with assurance that she was still included.

I witnessed a microcosm of human behavior. This girl, in looking back, showed something that is part of all of us. We all want and need acceptance. It is our basic human makeup which drives us to seek the approval of others. And God quickly showed me that truth while no one else even noticed. I felt alone with God during that little time out.

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"Mom and Pop Shops" on the Mission Field

(from Thomas Johnson)

I spent the third week of January in Scottsdale, AZ for an RCA Mission Summit in which the General Secretary, RCA Global Missions supervisors and local RCA church leaders with mission responsibilities came together to talk about how each, respectively, does missions.  It was a thoughtful time of sharing and learning from each other.

Dr. Chuck Van Engen of Fuller Seminary’s School of Intercultural Studies (and former RCA missionary in Mexico) began the summit with an overview of mission trends.  In his presentation he introduced us to the term “Mom and Pop Shops” on the mission field.  Unlike denominational missions, faith-based mission organizations, thematic missions (with a specific target population or region for outreach) and the international charities that provide services, the “mom and pops” are often comprised of just a few key individuals working in one specific area/location with almost no association with a body larger than a local church or the organization’s board of directors.  Fifty years ago, they barely existed, but now they’re quite common.

On the positive side, these “mom and pops” may identify an unreached or an underserved field and quickly begin a needed ministry. A common scenario is that these missionaries got their call after going on a short-term mission trip or after having lived overseas and believing that God wanted them to serve there.  I personally know of a former missionary (not in the RCA) who was frustrated because her denominational supervisor wasn’t supportive of her ideas (the local believers were, though) and after several attempts trying to work through the denominational hierarchy, she finally left.  She organized a non-profit that’s doing all the things that she once assumed the denomination was committed to doing—and drawing her support from her denomination’s local churches!

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Back in the U.S.: First thoughts

(from Thomas Johnson)

I'm back in the United States after 2 1/2 years in Niger with no break.  Unlike other times, I didn't even leave the country during this period to attend a meeting or a workshop.  My three girls and I had (thankfully) uneventful flights in mid-December from 90 F Niger to 20 F Iowa, where we'll stay for the next 10 months while I'm on a six-month sabbatical combined with 3 months of home assignment and vacation.  My wife had to stay behind to finish her surgical and maternity rotations in medical school in Niamey, so I'll get to experience single parenthood for much of this time.

Although it's only been two weeks, let me share a couple of thoughts about returning to American culture after spending over two years in the African bush:

1) As soon as we entered our first U.S. airport in Chicago, I noticed that almost every person was staring into a hand-held electronic device.  There was literally no visual/facial contact made by anyone.  What surprised me was the extent of this: nearly everyone.  Coming from Africa where you're expected to greet everyone in the room--including perfect strangers, I found this quite jarring.  One goes home to see friendly faces.  Can one find any in the U.S.  (at least among the traveling public)?

2) The inanity of television commercials.  Could television commercials actually get dumber since my last visit in 2010?  From two weeks of watching local and cable TV, my answer is yes, especially all those urging you to call 1-800-something to place your order now.  They're worse then I remember and leave me feeling insulted. And mercifully, I missed the entire 2012 political campaign, which my Facebook friends complained about as being the worse ever.

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Does God cause suffering?

(from Angie Mabry-Nauta)

Streets are flooded under the Manhattan Bridge in the Dumbo section of Brooklyn, N.Y. Photo: AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews (The Telegraph, October 30, 2012)

"Come on," tweeted one of my Twitter friends on the day that Hurricane Sandy began to pummel the U.S. East Coast. "I'm still waiting for a televangelist to tell me who is under God's judgment. We have a right to know!"

Almost serendipitously (maybe?), right on cue, Twitter notifies me that there are new Tweets waiting. Voila! My friend's answer appeared. Drum roll please...

Chaplain John McTernan joined the unoriginal foray of Christian preachers and evangelists who proclaim (often at the worst possible times) that God is "systematically destroying America right before our eyes" because of "the gays" and the Obama Administration's "gay agenda". He wrote this on his blog on October 29. That post has since been removed, and followed up on October 30 with a lengthy post that clarifies his position.

Really?? God sent Hurricane Sandy??

Please stay with me now...I'm not going to go off on a tangent about Mr. McTernan, his theology, or even President Obama's positions and actions that relate to homosexual Americans. These are topics for other posts.

I posted on Tuesday about suffering, and whether it is necessary for spiritual growth. Franciscan Priest Richard Rohr suggests that it is. Based on my own experience, I agree with Fr. Rohr.

Writing this got me to thinking about suffering itself.

What do I mean by suffering? Do I believe that God causes suffering?

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Pregnancy and pregnancy loss in the pulpit: Is there room?

(from Angie Mabry-Nauta)

This post originally appeared on Christian author Ed Cyzweski's website, In.a.mirror.dimly, as part of his Women in Ministry Series.

 I was a pastoral intern when God graced my husband and I with our first pregnancy. The congregation I was blessed to serve celebrated with us.

Weeks later joy morphed into pain when I miscarried. The pastor graciously gave me several weeks off.

When I returned to church I was greeted with hugs, love, and strong support. And yet, people didn’t know what to say. The congregation seemed not to know what to do with me or the situation. How often are churches faced with a pastor who is grieving pregnancy loss? I recall feeling as if I was given only a few short weeks to grieve, and then I was expected to return to my congregational duties.

Time to move on, Pastor. The Word of God needs to be preached, and people need visiting. And besides, the joy of the Lord is our strength.

But it wasn’t that simple. My husband and I lost our baby. I needed time to sit in that cloudy emotional place but was denied that.

Skip ahead two years.

I was the mother of a beautiful infant daughter. Sophia was born during the spring semester of my senior year in seminary. During my interview with the church that eventually called me, I brought up the topic of maternity leave.

Crickets.

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