The brother-sister metaphor is used in the New Testament to describe the relationship among Christians. It is a picture of equal status and equal responsibility. So, how are we doing with that in practical terms in the church today? How would our ministries benefit if we sought out the wisdom, knowledge, and experience of the other gender?
I had the opportunity to attend The Marcella Summit last weekend. The theme for the weekend was “Men and Women: Making the New Normal Together.” We heard Dr. Jackie Roese (author, preacher, and founder of the Marcella Project), Dr. Stephen Boyd (professor of religion at Wake Forest University) and Dr. Sue Russell (associate professor of mission and contextual studies at Asbury Theological Seminary). Each of them challenged our thinking about how we could be fulfilling Christ’s vision for the church in more productive ways if we would ennoble one another as men and women. After all, we are all image bearers of the God who created us to share dominion of the earth and to co-lead with Christ in the kingdom of God.
(L to R:) Laura, Dr. Jackie Roese, and my friend Becky Wright at The Marcella Summit.
Their teachings were thought provoking and encouraging. I was also reminded of the partnership of Priscilla and Aquila who were a married couple and were co-workers with Paul. Every time the couple’s names are mentioned in scripture, they are together. And half the time Priscilla’s name is first, which some scholars believe indicate their mutual leadership positions. Name order in scripture is purposeful, so we can assume they were true co-leaders and partners in the gospel with one another and with Paul.
One of the stories we have about Priscilla and Aquila is their efforts to teach a traveling preacher named Apollos more details of the gospel story (See Acts 18:24-28). I don’t about you, but I did not grow up with a Bible story picture showing Priscilla and Aquila teaching Apollos the scriptures. I wonder, Why not?
What are we teaching girls and boys about leadership in the kingdom of God by what we are not showing and demonstrating for them?
Let me know your thoughts.
So how do we enoble each other? We’re there recommendations?
Great question, Carol! Yes, several specific things were mentioned:
1. Don’t let others speak negatively about your brother or sister. Stop the stereotyping of negative traits of either gender.
2. Find ways to encourage the use of one another’s gifts. The spiritual gifts are not gendered.
3. Consider the idea that in the early church, they viewed their possessions communally–everything belonged to everybody–and they used them accordingly because they needed to. Dr. Sue Russell reminded us that in tribal or communal societies (as opposed to our individualistic thinking in the West), the accomplishments of the one are the accomplishments of all. To illustrate, she asked how many of us in the room had doctoral degrees–there were 11 represented. She said in a communal society, everyone in the community would consider that “they” had 11 doctorates and would work together to see what they could do with “their” doctorates. So, in the church, we could work toward acknowledging our gifts as belonging to and useful to the “whole” church.
Here’s a Christianity Today article that voices the need to help people understand that intelligence is not more “masculine” than “feminine.”
http://www.christianitytoday.com/women/2017/april/how-brainy-women-benefit-church.html
Women have been the majority of college students since 1979 . . . I’m pretty sure that’s an indication that intelligence does NOT have a gender!
Keep learning!