Entries in mission (4)
Why Run with Only One Leg? A Review of "Half the Church"
Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 12:04PM 
The winners of the book give-away are, appropriately, two women! Stephanie wins the "clean" promotional copy of "Half the Church" and Adrienne wins my review copy, "dirtied" with pencil marks and notations. Stephanie and Adrienne: please contact me at Ray dot Hollenbach at Gmail dot com with shipping addresses and I'll send you your books!
Christian books for women usually fall into one of two dreadful categories: either a North-American evangelical perspective that sees women as little more than a marketing niche within Christendom, or a feminist-driven perspective that contains a Rosie-the-Riveter “I’ll show you” subtext. Books about the role of women in the church usually fall into a dreary debate between highfalutin words like complimentarianism or egalitarianism. Carolyn Custis James’ Half the Church: Recapturing God’s Global Vision for Women falls into “none of the above.” That’s refreshing.
Christian books for women usually fall into one of two dreadful categories: either a North-American evangelical perspective that sees women as little more than a marketing niche within Christendom, or a feminist-driven perspective that contains a Rosie-the-Riveter “I’ll show you” subtext. Books about the role of women in the church usually fall into a dreary debate between highfalutin words like complimentarianism or egalitarianism. Carolyn Custis James’ Half the Church: Recapturing God’s Global Vision for Women falls into “none of the above.” That’s refreshing.
James invites North American Evangelicals to lift our eyes and see women’s issues in global and Biblical perspectives. “I was determined to find out if God’s message for women was universal,” she writes, “encompassing the full spectrum of every woman’s life regardless of her demographics or circumstances.” In fact, much of our gospel presentation--beyond gender issues--would benefit from James’ perspective. Is the good news good news for everyone? Prosperous or poor, socialist or capitalist, male or female?
Half the Church challenges the comfortable reader to think not only globally, but Biblically as well. While avoiding the tiresome debates over whether the opening chapters of Genesis are meant to be “taken literally,” this book focuses instead on the meaning of the creation account, especially the meaning of how humanity bears God’s image. “[God] gives both male and female the exact same identity--to be his image bearers. He gives both the exact same responsibilities when he entrusts all of creation to his image bearers.”
Even if creation is broken (and it is) God’s purposes and methods remain unchanged, and we would do well to excavate the foundations again. James does so by challenging traditional interpretations of the phrase “suitable helper” found in Genesis. She points out that the problem is not with the Biblical record, but rather the meanings we have attached to these words, applying culturally-bound meanings to what should be culture-changing revelation from God.
James borrows heavily from the work of Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn, creators of the Half the Sky movement. Kristof and Wudunn would never fit into an Evangelical mold yet they are about God’s work, sometimes to the shame of the prosperous North American church: “Like quarreling siblings,” she writes, “we are arguing over how to divide a pie so everyone gets their fair share while the neighbor’s house is on fire.” The fire she describes is the systematic negation of the value and role of women around the world, and the opportunity wasted by Christians, who possess a universal answer. James is aware of the debate over women’s roles in ministry, but refuses to allow herself to be pulled into that swamp: the world of the church is too big for both men and women for us to ignore our missional call while settling matters of doctrine--especially doctrine that is secondary to the mission God has given us. She calls for a “Blessed Alliance” of the sons and daughters of God, who will focus on their creation-mandate instead of culturally-generated arguments.
If there are weaknesses in the book, they are weakness of technical merit, not heart or mind: some illustrations she provides may come across as trite, while others perhaps too emotionally laden. Yet her call to action is unmistakable and the larger vision of the Church is laudable in every respect.
James states her case clearly in the introduction and stays on point throughout the work: “When half the church holds back--whether by choice or because we have no choice--everybody loses and our mission suffers setbacks. Tragically, we are squandering the opportunity to display to an embattled world a gospel that cause both men and women to flourish and unites us in a Blessed Alliance that only the presence of Jesus can explain.” Who could argue with that?
You can earn a chance to win a free copy of Carolyn Custis James’ "Half the Church: Recapturing God’s Global Vision for Women" by leaving a comment below. A winner will be chosen at random on Saturday.
Monday's Meditation: What is "that?"
Monday, November 8, 2010 at 09:52AM Sometimes the smallest word can hold the largest things. In this case, four little letters--just one common word, “that,”-- hold all of our future days on earth, and perhaps beyond. Do you see it?
“Not that I have already obtained [resurrection from death], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” (Philippians 3:12)
Paul understood that Jesus paid the price for his sin and that Jesus had secured a place for him in heaven. But wait, there’s more: Paul understood that Jesus had laid hold of him for some purpose in this life as well. Jesus had a grand mission for this world, and wanted to partner with Paul to achieve that mission. Further, Jesus used a guy named Barnabas to make sure Paul found a home in the church (Acts 11: 22 - 26).
John Wimber, founder of the Vineyard movement, used to teach that there were actually three conversions needed for every Christian: conversions to Christ, to his cause, and to his church. Wimber wasn’t inventing some new doctrine, he was pointing out that our relationship with Jesus begins with the new birth and that the Lord himself has purposes in mind for us. He’s not only saved us from something, he’s also saved us toward something, something so grand it takes a community of believers united under the Lordship of Jesus to accomplish. In our day, if our gospel does not ask the question, “what’s next?” then our gospel is too small.
Here’s a week’s worth of meditation: in my life, what is the that for which Jesus has saved me?
Monday's Meditation: Mickey Mouse or Mission?
Monday, October 26, 2009 at 07:53PM One of my on-line friends took his kids to Disneyland this summer. He’s seriously addicted to Twitter, so with the help of his iPhone the rest of us got to experience the day as well. He spent a ton of money and dove into the whole Mickey Mouse experience. His final Tweet from Anaheim that day: “We have left the park--now what do we do with these mouse ears?”
His experience outside the park was a parable for followers of Jesus. What happens if we are so heavily invested in the church-world that we look ridiculous outside the church? It’s one thing to be a fan of Mickey Mouse inside an exclusive park where everyone is a fan. It’s quite another to represent him out in the real world. And I wonder, are foam ears the best way to do so?
Another question: what if our devotion to Jesus only finds expression in the “safe” environment of the church building? Is it really devotion to Jesus? Jesus created his church, but he did not create houses of worship. [Author’s note: insert the usual disclaimer. “There’s nothing wrong with church buildings. I even like some of them!”] He directed his followers into the world. This should not be surprising, since he created the world and operates from the perspective that the world belongs to him. The church’s venue is all the earth. It’s his, and he wants it back. When all of creation had turned its back on the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the triune God determined to take judgment on himself in order to win back the world. Jesus said it this way: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3: 17)
As students of Jesus, we have the same mission, and the church exists in mission, not buildings.
Monday's Meditation: What's Next?
Monday, July 6, 2009 at 11:42AM Does your gospel ask you questions? Some people turn to Jesus for answers—and we need answers! Heaven or Hell? That requires an answer. Who can forgive me for all the wrong I’ve done? That’s kind of important as well. But after the question of our eternity is settled, after the problem of sin-management is addressed, what more do we have to do with the gospel?
Recently a friend of mind randomly asked people, “Hey, you’re a Christian: do you ever wonder what Jesus has in mind for you next?” Fewer than 25% of those he asked had ever considered that Jesus might have something “next” for them in this life. In other words, three out of four believers couldn’t see the connection between their faith for “salvation” and their everyday life. Their faith pointed them only to heaven.
It’s probably no surprise that the Apostle Paul had a different perspective: “Not that I have already obtained [resurrection from death], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” (Philippians 3:12) In four little letters, just one common word, “that,” all of our future days on earth, all of “what’s next” are contained. Paul understood that Jesus paid the price for his sin and that Jesus had secured a place for him in heaven. But wait, there’s more: Paul understood that Jesus had laid hold of him for some purpose in this life as well. Jesus had a grand mission for this world, and wanted to partner with Paul to achieve that mission. In our day, if our gospel does not ask the question, “what’s next?” then our gospel is too small.
As you look at your “to do” list today, you may want to spend a few moments in prayer and ask the Lord, “how do I fit into your plans to restore all of creation?” Be careful, though: Jesus may actually have something for you to do.