A biblical defense of egalitarianism that relies on Scripture to affirm gender equality in the church and in the home. "Biblical womanhood" is the idea that the Bible teaches God-ordained male leadership and female submission in the home and subordination in the church. Some say this hierarchy of authority is sufficiently evidenced by examples of male leadership (and lack of female leadership) in the Bible: the first human was male, Israel's official priests were male, most authors of Scripture were male, Jesus was male and chose twelve male Apostles. God is addressed as Father. Wives are commanded to submit to their husbands. In The Bible vs. Biblical Womanhood, New Testament scholar Philip B. Payne argues that the very Bible passages that are often believed to teach male headship and female subordination actually teach gender equality. He demonstrates that the Bible does not endorse gender hierarchy but instead emphasizes: The Holy Spirit gifting all believers for ministry The oneness of the body of Christ (the church) and the priesthood of all believers Humility, service, and mutual submission required of all believers Freedom and willingness to relinquish freedom in order to spread the gospel These concepts are examined in 14 Bible passages throughout the Old and New Testaments, using careful exploration of Greek and Hebrew word meanings, historical and cultural context, and examples from Scripture. Payne defends his position by providing detailed answers to common objections at the end of each chapter. The Bible vs. Biblical Womanhood is for those struggling to reconcile the Bible's seemingly contradictory teachings about man and woman. Readers will come away with greater confidence in the reliability of Scripture's consistent, harmonious message of gender equality.

As the ruler of the world, God had chosen how to guide His people. He pointed them to two relationships: Jesus's relationship to the Father who sent Him and His relationship to those God gave Him. God controls every breath that we take and every step that one makes. It is God that makes disappointments His appointments. God reminds woman that His delay does not mean denials; it means development. God's provision had already been set for both women of the Bible and women of the twenty-first century. This helped women worship the Giver more than the gift. This is why prayer should not only be focused on God's provision but on His vision. God stirred the spirit, being large and in charge. It was the relationship that women of the twenty-first century and biblical women had with God that opened a mirror into the condition of their heart and women's dependence on Him. God's delay does not mean denials; it means development. Women of today's era are much different than biblical women. The twenty-first century woman is consumed with multiple obligations, duties, and responsibilities on a daily basis, sometimes all at once. Today's women are finally stepping out of their historical role of only mother and housewife. The modern woman has a much different lifestyle with many different choices. Modern women also look, dress, and act much differently than biblical women. Women today have also evolved and continue to evolve as they adapt to change.

An argument for Women Pastors, Elders, and Deacons based solely on the Bible and backed by historical evidence. After discovering a textual variant in early Greek manuscripts, which were supported by early Greek scripture quotations from the early church fathers, the author realized this variant reading provides the important context which reverses how many are currently understanding Paul’s apparent prohibition of women teaching in the pastoral epistles. The discovery of this variant completely changed the authors thinking and prompted a thorough study of the topic. Setting cultural arguments aside and relying solely on the text of Scripture, this book answers the critical question: Do these passages prevent women from being pastors, elders, and/or deacons? After an in-depth study, the author concluded that there is zero biblical evidence based on the original text of Scripture to support prohibiting women from holding leadership positions of pastor, elder, or deacon in the church.

Domestic violence harms congregants and impacts our churches. Abuse affects millions across this nation and around the world including individuals in your own congregation. Informed by research, and verified by experience, this book provides practical guidance for pastors and lay leaders to faithfully address and respond to this crisis. The influence of pastoral care and congregational preparedness from the author's seminary education and community-practice social work lens is clearly evident. The chapters are well-researched, trauma-conscious, and survivor informed. The supplemental, unique, and comprehensive glossary of domestic violence terms crafted specifically for faith-based ministry sets this book apart. Prevention and intervention guidelines, along with valuable recommendations for interacting with victims and survivors, is the instructive content needed to propel faith leaders to action and improve the way domestic violence is handled within churches.

Good Book?interrogates how white evangelical Christians in the US make the Bible the "Good Book." An inanimate object with a contested table of contents ripe for multiple meanings and uses, the Bible cannot be a moral agent on its own. People must make it so, as indeed they have. As prevailing social norms change, evangelical Christians confront intellectual and interpretive challenges as they quest to make an ancient book newly relevant and ever benevolent, especially for historically oppressed populations. While histories show us that white Christians in the US have frequently appealed to their Bibles in support of issues now judged to be on the wrong side of history, including racism, sexism, and colonialism, contemporary white evangelical figures have in recent years worked steadfastly to defend the Bible against charges of complicity in harm. This is especially the case when it comes to patriarchy and the place of women, as evangelicals conscript the Bible into arguments for and against patriarchal normativity in response to changing conceptions of what is good. The Bible's historical origins in the hierarchical, patriarchal contexts of the ancient world create challenges for any Christian seeking to interpret their Bible as fundamentally liberative.?Good Book?shows the creative negotiations that Bible-benevolence projects demand, as evangelicals wrestle both Jesus and Paul into advocates for women. The quest to maintain the Bible's goodness is ultimately a respectability project for evangelical Christians in the US who seek to maintain moral authority in an increasingly diverse religious landscape. Whether they rebrand patriarchy or seek to untangle the Bible from sexism, white evangelical Bible-benevolence projects perpetuate misogyny.

A practical tool for women who are called to leadership roles in any area of life, Entrusted to Lead offers biblical insight and real-life encouragement for how to navigate their leadership journey. In Entrusted to Lead, Pastor Donna Pisani draws on over four decades of experience to offer a biblical perspective of women in leadership that considers their role an entrusted assignment rather than just an entitled position. Women who wrestle with God’s call to lead, or who don’t have anyone supporting their call, will discover how to: Embrace their God-given, unique leadership gifts Become alert to the internal lies that make them hesitant to pursue their calling Answer Jesus’ mandate to women to “go tell”—even when no one seems to be listening Understand how Paul empowered both genders to lead and serve together Lean into Jesus’ strength when facing leadership challenges Generations of confusion keep women from answering God’s call to lead, depriving God’s kingdom of crucial gifts and abilities. Entrusted to Lead shows women what it looks like to lead with confidence in the workplace and in ministry—and why Jesus always wanted women to have a seat at the table.

A concise, updated summary of top Bible scholars on male/female leadership, focusing on facts rather than theories and leaving conclusions to the reader. Includes a fascinating look at ancient texts, Bible translations through the centuries, and early church actions on women leaders. Academically sound but written for the average reader. A quick read of about three hours, backed up with references to more than 100 leading scholars.

This book offers a detailed study of how the practices and notions of the Basel Mission regarding women and gender were received, conceptualised and negotiated in local terms in pre and early colonial Ghanaian societies, 1843-1885.

Have you ever wondered what God truly expects of women? Is there really a prescription for biblical womanhood? Does the Bible's idea of womanhood have a place in modern Christianity? New York Times bestselling author Rachel Held Evans embarks on a year-long study of what it means to live by the standards of biblical womanhood. Strong-willed and independent, Evans couldn't sew a button on a blouse before she embarked on a radical life experiment--a year of biblical womanhood. Intrigued by the traditionalist resurgence that led many of her friends to abandon their careers to assume traditional gender roles in the home, Evans decided to try it for herself, vowing to take all of the Bible's instructions for women as literally as possible for a full year. Along the way, Evans explores the rich heritage of scriptural heroines, models of grace, and all-around women of valor that we come to know in the Bible. She consults with women who practice these ancient biblical mandates in their own lives--from an Orthodox Jewish woman who changed the way Evans reads the Bible to an Amish community that taught her the true meaning of modesty. In A Year of Biblical Womanhood, Evans shares her courageous and often humorous journey of: exploring what a "woman's place" is according to the Scriptures applying the Bible's teachings to day-to-day life, sometimes to literal extremes focusing on virtues like domesticity, obedience, beauty, submission, and grace developing a "Biblical Woman's Ten Commandments" to serve as a guide for daily living Join Evans as she dives deep into the lives of the women we meet in Scripture and redefines what it means to live biblically.

The 21st Century has brought a new urgency for Christian women to search for meaningful relationships whee they can live out their faith. This is due in part to our increasingly secular lifestyle and the radical changes in marriage and family life that have isolated and discouraged many women. Women Mentoring Women offers the solution to a chronic weakness in churches: the lack of involvement of wives, sisters, mothers, and daughters in vital women's ministries.