Book Review: The Resignation of Eve: ‘What if Adam’s rib is no longer willing to be the church’s backbone?

The role of women in the church is a serious topic. There’s a lot of confusion writes Jim Henderson among both men and women about what the bible does or does not say about the role of women in the church. Women struggle (often in private) trying to determine whether their churches’ position on women’s roles are genuinely ideal or simply a reflection of dogmatic conditioning and cultural bias. Jim Henderson encourages the discussion of these issues without the need to ‘break up’ over every biblical disagreement. Jim believes that this attitude needs to begin with pastors. 


This book documents the stories of women’s responses to how they have been treated by the church. It mostly consists of interviews with or stories of women who have resigned themselves to their church situation, or resigned from church, or have re-signed themselves to a place where they are more valued and are able to use their gifts by engaging, influencing and leading. 


Resigned to their church -  Women who have come to terms with the fact that they are not ‘allowed’ to exercise all the gifts and abilities they’re capable of contributing in the church setting. Some say they are perfectly fine with this reality. 


Resigned from - How would you feel if you were capable of leading, thinking, guiding, shaping, and forming a spiritual community but where denied the opportunity to do so? This experience leads some women to walk away from the church, Christianity and in some cases God. On a side note, whilst agreeing that these limitations can contribute to a women walking away from church, yet if she walks entirely away from God, denying his existence till her death, then I would question whether she really did at first belong to Jesus. For Jesus says, ‘no one can snatch them away from my hands’ and Paul writes that ‘those whom God calls, he will also glorify.’


Re-Signed - This is the decision some women make, knowing the limitations, knowing the risks and knowing that things are not likely to change. Women who ‘re-sign’ don’t quit or accept things as they are; they lead, engage and influence. 


Jim Henderson notes that ‘the percentage of women Hollywood rewards for using their brains correlates closely with the percentage of women the church allows to be senior pastors’ pg 242. He concludes that ‘when you see these same patterns in diverse systems, it makes one wonder if what we are dealing with isn’t a gender issue at all. Maybe its more primal than that. Maybe it’s a power struggle’ pg 242. 


Jim Henderson wants to see equality in the roles offered to men and women in the church. Gender should not be an issue but if a woman has the gift to lead, the Church should not hinder her progress by limiting her role only to children’s church and woman ministries. Jim appeals to Pastor Cho’s example who has the world’s largest church in South Korea. Jim Henderson highlights that Cho’s church growth has largely been due to Cho’s early decision in his ministry to use woman in leadership. Out of 50,000 cell groups in Pastor Cho’s church, 47,00 (94 per cent) are women. A staggering statistic which has transformed (perhaps could be the reason) of the cultural revolution in South Korea in the 70s and 80s. 


Jim Henderson also appeals to Jesus’ choice of appearing first to a woman before he appeared to the disciples. A counter-cultural move and perhaps the church should exemplify this way in how Jesus released women from their bound shackled positions in society.


A book to read for all who are interested in women’s role in the church and it offers real life stories of women who have struggled with this issue. This book does not provide an exegesis or a biblical exposition for women’s role - it simply details and analyses real life experiences and statistics drawn from women whom the author interviewed and engaged with. 


A quick passing comment on the sub-title of the book is ask yourself or your church this question, 'What if all the women in your church decide not to turn up on Sunday. What activities will have to close or what would Sunday church look like?


Purchase the book here: http://www.amazon.com/Resignation-Eve-Willing-Churchs-Backbone/dp/1414337302/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326641929&sr=8-1


K.Oni

My Sleep-out in video, words and pictures

On Friday the 2nd of March a couple of us ventured to sleep outside for the night in order to raise awareness and funding for Crisis Centre Ministries. We did it as a small group and I enjoyed having the opportunity to engage in such a good act.



Some people in the picture above are not part of our small-group and not all in the picture above took part in the sleep-out. There are two people from our small-group missing who took part in the sleep-out.

We stayed at Pip and Jay car pack. There was lots and lots of people there. This is a picture of me and one of the girls in my small-group preparing our bed for the night. Also, the manager of the Crisis Centre Ministries, Alan Goddard, slept outside for 12 nights in different locations raising about £2000 for the charity. You can read about it by clicking here






The picture on the right is of another group who had pitched their cardboard-boxes on the grass. Luckily there was hardly any rain but there was lots of tea, soup and chocolate for everyone who wanted one.


Also, big thanks to St John Ambulance who patrolled the car park all night to ensure our safety and health. I remember waking up at one time in the night and lo, there was a St John Ambulance person walking by with a blanket. I asked her if I could have it for extra warmth and she smiled and gave it to me. The morning soon dawned upon us and we all woke up to a nice sandwich and wished each other good- bye.

Here is a video (below) created by Isabelle Neill (I think she's awesome) which details our experience. You can still sponsor us at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=smallgroupsleepout&isTeam=true


The Bristol Sleep Out from Isabelle Neill on Vimeo.

K.Oni

Which is sweeter to thee?

Youth is the hour when the sun rises 
The time when nature is at its bloom.
A gathering harvest clothes the dry land
Fishes in abundance soak the sea.
My dear the sum of what I see
What shall our business be, before the winter and night falls?
Righteousness or vanity - which is sweeter to thee?


Will righteousness wither our shrubbery
And will vanity enrich our Love?
What we choose shall be all for pleasures' sake!


Which is eternal and which will fade?
Which is innocent and which is culpable to fade our joy?
Which is for you is for me - for joy nurtures at companies bosom!


Linger not my Love, this hour will soon pass,
A path awaits our supple limbs!
Herald the cry! two extremes anticipate our march
One as the joy which summer yields and the other
As the woe which winter brings. 


K.Oni

Do you belong to Jesus

It is true that those that have nothing of the Spirit of Christ in them are not his. That is that they do not belong to Christ, they have no part in his inheritance; and to put it bluntly they are not sons or daughters of God because they have not received Christ. John 1:12-13 says  ‘But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.’

Those that do not have the Spirit of Christ in them are not born of God, they are still in their flesh and possess nothing of that sweet Spirit for it is written (John 3:6)  ‘That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.’ Man is naturally from birth born of the flesh possessing nothing, not even an ounce of the Spirit for it is yet to be born of the Spirit or of God. Those that do possess the Spirit are those that Christ claim to be his, for it is also written 1 John 3:24 ‘And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us’ and also Rom 8:9-10 ‘You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.’

 Those that belong to Christ posses his Spirit in them and if it is by this that we know that we belong to Christ then surely everybody who claim they belong to Christ must have this Spirit in them. And this Spirit is Holy for it is written (Eph 1:13)  ‘In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.’ This Spirit which indwells those who belong to Christ yields fruit in them as prescribed in Galatians 5:22-23 ‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.’ And Christ himself said of the necessity of bearing fruit in his final discourse to his friends before his crucifixion (Joh 15:2)  ‘Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.’ And also (Joh 15:16)  ‘You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.’

Dear reader, sinner or saint; ask yourself the solemn question, ‘Do I have the Spirit of Christ in me? Have I produced fruit? By fruit it could be one or many for some yielded a hundredfold, some sixty and some thirty. This question should cause us to wail if we are found not to have the Spirit of Christ in us but we should be glad because it is not yet too late. We, like the tax collector should beat our breast and cry to the Almighty Loving God ‘have mercy on me a sinner, cause my heart to be born again.’ And if we are found to possess that sweet Holy Spirit which seals our belonging to Christ then let us rejoice and be glad, going from glory to glory and be of our daily task in living all for his glory and labouring in ways in which we can bring miserable sinners to Christ, so that they can join in our happy feast when this world and all of its vanities will be swallowed up in eternity.

K.Oni

Runaway love

My dear it may seem strange that all at once our communion suddenly turned sour like that bitter lemon which mamas give their sons when bad. Our friendship I held so dear and high as the sky - I loved it as the watchmen loved the morning. You may wonder why did I jump upon the first wagon which now has spoilt our road taking me far away from you. It is all to do with me for your seed has now grown so strong in my heart yielding sweet fruits intended  for princesses tables. I must run my dear, I must run and distance will begin to rot and wither these vines which have long nourished upon your sunshine. Your words watered them and your presence caused its growth. Forgive me my dear if this sudden news will produce a melancholy desire in you and should your tears be of love and longing then I beg that you seek reconciliation in the master of all Comfort; seek guidance from the best of counsellors and seek life in the best of givers. I am sure you know of whom I speak Father Spirit and Son. 


K.Oni

The Fox who stole his shoes

On a starless night, there was a group of different people all gathered in a car park for a good cause. Each person brought a mat or cardboard box or a bed to lay on the floor, so that their body may have a comfortable foundation to sleep on.

The night drifted on and the chatter began to drift too. In one corner slept a man all by himself and he was the first to kiss the night good night. In another corner was a couple, dressed in red and they both wore a funny hat were the next to kiss the evening good night. Beside the couple were a group of friends whose energy and laughter was almost drained. They each hugged and cuddled before wishing the night good night. Then in the middle lay a guy and three girls. They were the last to fall asleep but before they did, they shared chocolates and sipped the last of their hot soup. The girls were the first to fall asleep each kissing the night goodnight. The guy before he went to bed put his shoes by the bottom of his feet but forgot to kiss the night goodnight.


While they all slept, suddenly a fox crept in and did some foxly things. Everyone that kissed and wished the night goodnight were all left in peace. Except for the guy who was among the three girls, the fox quickly and gently grabbed his shoes and hid them in a foxly place.


The morning came with a light birdly song, chirping all to wake to see and hear of the guy who lost his shoes. The guy asked and asked - he wondered and pondered but none confess to this unfortunate crime. He asked the girls and suspected them well but they denied such a cause. He asked the group of friends they each replied with ‘it was none of us.’ Then he asked the couple and man, the trio paid no attention to none of his charge. In perplexity he stood and thought they all played an awful prank, which did make the guy very sad and had to walk home without his shoes.


Dear Reader I believe you and I know the truth of why the boy lost his shoes. Next time you and I desire to sleep remember to kiss the evening goodnight. 

K.Oni

On the Summer hill

Another battle lost on the summer hill, where days before, the general did give a reassuring speech of sure victory. For long before the battle became a must, the enemy a she, was a tender friend - holding hands and touching cheeks, having conversations until midnight dreams. All the while, between us there was another. I never saw him a threat but a threat he came to be. Slowly our affections shared, till it was clear that ours were fading, but all for him grew. Never I knew such jealousy in me dwelt, till at last, I saw them mouth to mouth. All this I saw as a declaration of war, so I decreed a war on the summer hill, where my men all fought till the last, and she plunged the last bow into my broken heart. What love has brought three nations to try because of jealousy and lust availing in me.  

K.Oni