Last week a prominent theologian was asked to offer a two word opinion of the preacher Beth Moore. And in response, he said “Go Home.” This is enough to get me a bit worked up. But Moore responded with compassion and grace, saying her calling is not to man, but to God.
We here at First Christian recognize that biblically speaking, God pours the Spirit out, as we see in Acts 2, upon all of God’s people, and people are empowered with gifts, regardless of who they are. That as it says in Galatians 3:28 “there is neither male or female, for all are one in Christ Jesus. And that really, the first preachers of the gospel we see in the New Testament were women who went and shared of the resurrection of Christ. Theologian Jurgen Moltmann said “Without women preachers we would have no knowledge of the resurrection.” I’m glad they didn’t just “go home.”
I read research that says that “Girls who have had a direct example of clergy-women in childhood grow up with higher self-esteem, better employment records, and more education than girls who did not.” They see that the love and the calling of God is shared with all of God’s people, including girls. I for one am grateful, for my daughter, and all of our sons and daughters here, that we are in a church that honors the gifts of all of God’s people, women included. If that’s not what you’re looking for, you can find that around.
But praise God, for the gifts and calling of the women among us with the bravery to preach, the willingness to serve in ministry, and all those women who answer God’s calling and serve in all kinds of roles including as pastors, deacons and elders among us. Thank you for not going home.