For Women- Change is Coming
God continues to use OUR institutions and organizations for GOOD, in spite of our failings and shortcomings. The Evangelical Church movement has done a lot of good and continues to grow. The Holy Spirit continues to teach people from the Word, changing what we believe, as a universal church, His Church, so that it becomes more and more in line with His Pure Truth.
Right now, there is a Great Movement, worldwide, for a clearer understanding of His Design for Women... women in relation to the church and women in relation to their marriage. In his book, Why Not Women: A Biblical Study of Women in Missions, Ministry and Leadership, Loren Cunningham, (founder of YWAM), includes an excellent history lesson to show us WHY there is a misunderstanding of the roles women and men. The in-depth, exhaustive study from the Bible makes those seemingly confusing passages about women crystal clear.
I believe the Feminist Movement was on the right track, although too much of a pendulum swing and perhaps even misdirected in many ways. I believe that because it was a secular movement, it caused the church to move even further into mysogyny. This grave sin of the church is being uncovered on a grand scale. And I'm excited! I feel a great amount of compassion for women who grew up in a church culture that taught damaging 'facts'.
Lies are catastrophic and incapacitate the church to experience the freedom Jesus purchased for us on the cross and incapacitate the church to be an effective force on the earth.
Rooting out lies is such an important part of our lives while on this earth, because the Enemy continues to repackage them, especially in tiny, devious ways, wrapped in truth so we swallow them whole.
The good news is that the lies are being exposed! I'm seeing the same messages in many different places, being shouted from many different rooftops!
If you have not been raised in a destructive evangelical culture that has abused and misrepresented scripture to teach control over women by men that has lead to physical, sexual, emotional and spiritual abuse literally sanctioned by the church teachings, I plead with you to ARM YOURSELF with the weapons of TRUTH so you can speak the MESSAGE OF LIFE from the Bible accurately that will LOOSE those who are BOUND in unbiblical chains.
Recommended Resources
The Untwisting Scriptures series is a great place to start! Rebecca Davis has written 5 (as of 2024), with more on the way. Her blog, www.heresthejoy.com, is a valuable resource for truth.
www.baremarriage.com www.thrivingforward.blog
The Great Sex Rescue, by Sheila Wary Gregoire and Rebecca Gregoire Lindenbach, sheds light on the lies we were taught. It rakes many top-selling Christian books over the coals, and rightly so. I listened to the authors on a podcast and wept.
Shannon Keys has written amazing stories of hope, healing and redemption with a beautiful portrayal of what Biblical love and marriage looks like in her stories. www.storythreads.life
"Thank you, God, for being so powerful. More powerful than the Liar. For being so loving that you continue to Shepherd your people to your Truth. Your love for us is so vast, we will never come to the end of it."
What good things are you seeing in our time, right now, that you could share? Things that will encourage all of us women, as we walk forward in this exciting time!
