One of the greatest joys of my life is being a mother (and more recently, a Nana ten times over). I've always seen my role in my sons' lives as very important and extremely rewarding. Still, I'm bothered by the double standard to which many churches adhere. Why are marriage and parenting considered a "high calling" for women, but not for men? I've articulated some thoughts on this subject in a guest post for CBE International. Click this link to read the article: https://www.cbeinternational.org/resource/why-mothers-matter-as-much-as-fathers/ By the way, the audio version of Continue Reading
4 Ways to Filter Prophetic Words and Stay on Mission
It's an election year. Predictions and emotions abound in terms of what November's outcome will be. Although a plethora of predictive prophetic messages can be found regarding the election, such messages don’t interest me much. Here are three reasons why: The main purpose of the gift of prophecy is to strengthen, encourage, and comfort Christians as they face trials and difficulties together (1 Cor. 14:3). The main job description of a prophet is to equip followers of Jesus for ministry and help them unite and mature (Eph. 4:11). Predictions of the future are not a main theme Continue Reading
What Does “Prophet” Mean in the New Testament? – Part 1
Many people claim to be prophets these days, yet misuse and abuse of this title abounds. What does the Bible say about those called to this responsibility? Paul encourages the entire congregation at Corinth to prophesy (1 Cor. 12:31; 14:1-3,5, 39). In his exhortation to evaluate prophesies in 1 Cor. 14:29, “prophets” seems to mean anyone who has received a revelation and has prophesied, or who can prophesy.[i] While all may prophesy, Paul seemed to make a distinction between people who regularly demonstrated an ability to accurately prophesy and others who simply prophesied Continue Reading
Does the Apostle Paul Tell Women to be Silent in Church?
There's a puzzling passage of Scripture in 1 Corinthians 14:33b-36 which may have caught your attention and raised some questions. Right after instructions regarding the use of spiritual gifts in church gatherings, the text says: “Like in all the churches of God’s people, the women should be quiet during the meeting. They are not allowed to talk. Instead, they need to get under control, just as the law says. If they want to learn something, they should ask their husbands at home. It is disgraceful for a woman to talk during the meeting.”[i] What does Paul mean by this sudden Continue Reading