WOMEN IN MINISTRY, VOLUME TWENTY-ONE

The Indispensable Female Leadership in the Ministry of Paul

I was elected to serve on the elite crossing guard unit when I was in the 5th grade. Karl Semecki wanted the position, but for some reason unbeknownst to me, I got it. Karl didn’t like me much after that. He wanted to fight me on the school playground. I remember being scared (Karl was […]

women in ministry

WOMEN IN MINISTRY, VOLUME TWENTY

The Place of Women in Paul's Greco-Roman World

Less than a year into my marriage I was invited to preach at a church in Houston. It was a small Pentecostal congregation in a lower-income neighborhood. The worship experience was like entering a time machine headed for the 1950s. Priscilla and I felt obligated to stay for a church-wide lunch. That’s when the time […]

women in ministry

WOMEN IN MINISTRY, VOLUME NINETEEN

Interpreting the Complex and Often Misunderstood Paul

Have you ever put your foot in your mouth? Our words can betray us, and don’t always reflect who we are. Based on his own words, the Apostle Paul, at times, has been labeled a misogynist and an antisemite. Two labels he doesn’t deserve, but also a reminder of how easy it is for us […]

paul's letters

WOMEN IN MINISTRY, VOLUME EIGHTEEN

Jesus, His Most Loyal Disciples, and the Witnesses to the Resurrection

The thing I love about Jesus is that he treated everyone with equal respect and value, and didn’t see any of the limitations society places on certain groups. He came to set us free from the chains that keep us in our assigned boxes. As a father and grandfather to some beautiful and brilliant young […]

Women in ministry

WOMEN IN MINISTRY, VOLUME FIFTEEN

The Plight of Women in the Era of the New Testament

The role of women in American society changed dramatically in the 1960s. In 1963, the President’s Commission on the Status of Women issued a report entitled American Women, which recommended that women be granted equality in employment and educational opportunities, as well as wages. In the same year, Congress passed the Equal Pay Act, the […]

women in ministry

WOMEN IN MINISTRY, VOLUME FOURTEEN

Is She a Prophet or Teacher, and Why Does It Matter?

My wife teaches ESL at a local Junior High School. Her official role is to teach English to students who speak another language, but she always teaches so much more than just English. She teaches etiquette and ethics and critical thinking and … well … the list could go on. She is sometimes a teacher, […]

teacher or preacher?

WOMEN IN MINISTRY, VOLUME TWELVE

Introducing the Amazing Women of the Old Testament

In the late 1800s, Charlotte Digges “Lottie” Moon was a Southern Baptist missionary who spent nearly 40 years living and working in China. She’s a legend in Southern Baptist life because she preached the Gospel in places most Americans refused to go. Our theology, it seems, is somewhat tied to geography. The Amazing Women of […]

women in the old testament

WOMEN IN MINISTRY, VOLUME EIGHT

Who's the Boss?: The Serpent, the Woman, and the Man

My Dad always tried to teach me to take responsibility for my actions. He never enabled me by making excuses for my bad behavior. I have, at times, struggled to be as good as my Dad in this area. I draw some consolation in the fact that I am not alone. None other than Adam, […]

Women in Ministry

WOMEN IN MINISTRY, VOLUME FIVE

The Chicken, the Egg, and Who Came First

I’m the eldest among my siblings. I’m not sure what that means. My sister is the most driven. My youngest brother is the smartest. My other brother (his twin), who is mentally challenged, is the kindest and wisest. I guess that just leaves me the oldest. I’m living proof that coming out “first” means absolutely […]

the chicken and the egg

WOMEN IN MINISTRY, VOLUME FOUR

The Serpent, the Tree, and the Male-Female Relationship

My granddaughter told me that her Barbie dollhouse has a place to park a vehicle and that her Barbie needs a vehicle. I didn’t catch the hint because I was distracted by the fact that at the age of six, she used the word, “vehicle,” instead of “car.” She’s growing up and I don’t like […]

serpent