Showing posts with label Womanhood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Womanhood. Show all posts
Saturday, October 02, 2010
Gianna Jessen's Challenge
Gianna Jessen survived an abortion as a baby. Because of the attempted abortion, she lives with cerebral palsy today. In this video, she tells her story and issues a challenge to protect the weak among us. (Gianna is speaking in English, but the subtitles are in a language unfamiliar to me.)
"If you falter in times of trouble,
how small is your strength!
Rescue those being led away to death;
hold back those staggering toward slaughter.
If you say, 'But we knew nothing about this,'
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know it?
Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?" (Proverbs 24:10-12, NIV).
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
The Appeal of the New Calvinism
A year ago, TIME Magazine recognized the new Calvinism as one of the top ten ideas shaping the world (www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1884779_1884782_1884760,00.html).
Why are the new Calvinists making such an impact on the world?
1. New Calvinists embrace the view of a powerful God. They understand God to be all-knowing and all-powerful. He is a God who is not surprised. He is a God who is in control. He is a God who can be trusted when one is facing trouble beyond his own control. We may be surprised at a job loss or a diagnosis of cancer, but God is not. We may not be able to handle our problems, but God is. When everything goes wrong in our lives, we can trust the One in control to do the right thing (even when it is the hard thing).
2. New Calvinists embrace the view of a flawed humanity. They understand that people are sinners. They know that people need a Savior, because although we may not be as bad as we could be, we are nowhere near as good as we need to be. We have been tainted with a pride and selfishness that ruins our hopes of being who we know we should be.
3. New Calvinists embrace the reality of sin and its consequences. They understand that they are sinners deserving of hell and undeserving of heaven.
4. New Calvinists embrace the need for God's grace in Christ. They understand that their only hope is in what Jesus Christ did for them on the cross. They know that Christ died in their place, taking on their sins and appeasing the wrath of God, so that they may live in a right relationship with God forever.
5. New Calvinists embrace the Scriptures as God's inerrant word. They understand that the Bible is trustworthy because God is trustworthy. Since the Lord is neither incompetent nor dishonest, they know that they can trust his message to them.
6. New Calvinists embrace the distinctions between men and women. They understand that God created all people in his image, but that he made men and women to complement each other. In an age of gender confusion, they acknowledge that men and women are different and that such differences are good and healthy.
7. New Calvinists embrace the glory of God. They are obsessed with bringing glory to God rather than to themselves.
The new Calvinists are counter-cultural, but culturally engaged; and in many ways, their counter-cultural views make them more appealing in the culture. They offer something solid and stable to a generation without much stability.
Why are the new Calvinists making such an impact on the world?
1. New Calvinists embrace the view of a powerful God. They understand God to be all-knowing and all-powerful. He is a God who is not surprised. He is a God who is in control. He is a God who can be trusted when one is facing trouble beyond his own control. We may be surprised at a job loss or a diagnosis of cancer, but God is not. We may not be able to handle our problems, but God is. When everything goes wrong in our lives, we can trust the One in control to do the right thing (even when it is the hard thing).
2. New Calvinists embrace the view of a flawed humanity. They understand that people are sinners. They know that people need a Savior, because although we may not be as bad as we could be, we are nowhere near as good as we need to be. We have been tainted with a pride and selfishness that ruins our hopes of being who we know we should be.
3. New Calvinists embrace the reality of sin and its consequences. They understand that they are sinners deserving of hell and undeserving of heaven.
4. New Calvinists embrace the need for God's grace in Christ. They understand that their only hope is in what Jesus Christ did for them on the cross. They know that Christ died in their place, taking on their sins and appeasing the wrath of God, so that they may live in a right relationship with God forever.
5. New Calvinists embrace the Scriptures as God's inerrant word. They understand that the Bible is trustworthy because God is trustworthy. Since the Lord is neither incompetent nor dishonest, they know that they can trust his message to them.
6. New Calvinists embrace the distinctions between men and women. They understand that God created all people in his image, but that he made men and women to complement each other. In an age of gender confusion, they acknowledge that men and women are different and that such differences are good and healthy.
7. New Calvinists embrace the glory of God. They are obsessed with bringing glory to God rather than to themselves.
The new Calvinists are counter-cultural, but culturally engaged; and in many ways, their counter-cultural views make them more appealing in the culture. They offer something solid and stable to a generation without much stability.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Worldwide Violence Against Women
Author and filmmaker Carolyn McCulley has an excellent post on her blog concerning worldwide oppression and violence against women and the Christian response to it. The post can be found at http://solofemininity.blogs.com/posts/2009/08/half-the-sky.html.
"Learn to do right!
Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow" (Isaiah 1:18).
"But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream" (Amos 5:24).
"Learn to do right!
Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow" (Isaiah 1:18).
"But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream" (Amos 5:24).
Friday, July 31, 2009
Helping Girls by Helping Boys
I have been thinking about boys and girls in the church this week.
It started when Christopher came home from a weekend with his Grammie. In addition to stories about his train ride and fishing adventures, he told me about his great class at the First Christian Church in Fairland, Oklahoma. He had seen a video in his class in which he saw snakes, guns, and bombs. He loved it! A couple of months ago, when we visited the congregation, he loved participating as a soldier in the re-enactment of Christ's arrest. I thought, Someone in this church really knows how to appeal to little boys.
Later in the week, I read an article in Christianity Today which can be found at www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/august/16.22.html. One paragraph caught my attention:
"The ratio of devoutly Christian young women to men is far from even. Among evangelical churchgoers, there are about three single women for every two single men. This is the elephant in the corner of almost every congregation--a shortage of young Christian men."
It occurred to me that if churches and Christian parents could develop their boys into strong and good Christian young men, they would be doing their girls a huge favor. They would be developing a good pool of potential Christian husbands for their young Christian women.
This could mean some churches will need to change their emphasis (especially in children's classes and youth groups). When teaching about Jesus, they may need to recognize that Christ possesses some often-overlooked rugged personal qualities that appeal to boys (and men). In addition to recognizing Jesus' love and kindness, teachers should recognize his courage, conviction, determination, bluntness, and strength of character. In addition to singing "girly songs" (as Christopher calls them), churches could sing a few songs about God being powerful and Christians being strong in a spiritual battle for the souls of the people we love. Boys and men could be encouraged to be responsible, to take initiative, to protect the weak, and to challenge injustices around them (like bullying or abuse). These types of things have a particular appeal to men and boys, and they are completely Christ-like and biblical.
When churches recognize that boys have different needs than girls, they will be able to attract, retain, and develop boys. They will be able to increase the number of solid, godly men for their young women to marry someday. They will be doing a favor for every girl who would have settled for something less otherwise.
It started when Christopher came home from a weekend with his Grammie. In addition to stories about his train ride and fishing adventures, he told me about his great class at the First Christian Church in Fairland, Oklahoma. He had seen a video in his class in which he saw snakes, guns, and bombs. He loved it! A couple of months ago, when we visited the congregation, he loved participating as a soldier in the re-enactment of Christ's arrest. I thought, Someone in this church really knows how to appeal to little boys.
Later in the week, I read an article in Christianity Today which can be found at www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/august/16.22.html. One paragraph caught my attention:
"The ratio of devoutly Christian young women to men is far from even. Among evangelical churchgoers, there are about three single women for every two single men. This is the elephant in the corner of almost every congregation--a shortage of young Christian men."
It occurred to me that if churches and Christian parents could develop their boys into strong and good Christian young men, they would be doing their girls a huge favor. They would be developing a good pool of potential Christian husbands for their young Christian women.
This could mean some churches will need to change their emphasis (especially in children's classes and youth groups). When teaching about Jesus, they may need to recognize that Christ possesses some often-overlooked rugged personal qualities that appeal to boys (and men). In addition to recognizing Jesus' love and kindness, teachers should recognize his courage, conviction, determination, bluntness, and strength of character. In addition to singing "girly songs" (as Christopher calls them), churches could sing a few songs about God being powerful and Christians being strong in a spiritual battle for the souls of the people we love. Boys and men could be encouraged to be responsible, to take initiative, to protect the weak, and to challenge injustices around them (like bullying or abuse). These types of things have a particular appeal to men and boys, and they are completely Christ-like and biblical.
When churches recognize that boys have different needs than girls, they will be able to attract, retain, and develop boys. They will be able to increase the number of solid, godly men for their young women to marry someday. They will be doing a favor for every girl who would have settled for something less otherwise.
Friday, March 06, 2009
Parenting Advice and Pastoral Care for Adoptive Families
John Piper has written an excellent piece explaining why fathers should not allow their sons to wrestle girls at www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1664_over_my_dead_body_son/. This is important advice because parents are allowing their girls to enroll in wrestling programs. At least two girls were in Christopher's wrestling class last fall (but he did not wrestle them). As John Piper explains, we need to teach our sons that "men don't fight against women. They fight for women." As counter-cultural as this may seem, it's right.
On the same blog, an article appears suggesting 10 ways to pastor adoptive families and those considering adoption. It's at www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1662_10_ways_to_pastor_adoptive_parents_and_those_considering_adoption/.
On the same blog, an article appears suggesting 10 ways to pastor adoptive families and those considering adoption. It's at www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1662_10_ways_to_pastor_adoptive_parents_and_those_considering_adoption/.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
The Contact Church's Girls Choir and True Womanhood
The Girls Choir of the Contact Church of Christ (above)
"Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God" (Titus 2:3-5).
While reading Nancy Leigh DeMoss' True Woman Manifesto (www.truewoman.com/assets/files/TW_Manifesto.pdf), I noticed this goal:
"Live out the mandate of Titus 2--as older women, modeling godliness and training younger women to be pleasing to God in every respect; as younger women, receiving instruction with meekness and humility and aspiring to become mature women of God who in turn will train the next generation."
Then, I read the Logsdon's post about the Contact Church's girls choir, and recognized that the women of the church are fulfilling that goal. See http://urbanlogfamily.blogspot.com/2009/01/choir.html for the story.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
True Womanhood
While reading John Piper's sermon at the True Woman Conference today at www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/ConferenceMessages/ByDate/2008/3296_The_Ultimate_Meaning_of_True_Womanhood/,
I was prompted to think about how my wife Janet exemplifies a godly woman, a woman who trusts in Christ and serves others with a compassionate heart. Normally, I do not think much about what it means to be a woman, since I am a man and I am trying to teach my son to become a godly man someday, too. However, I would like for my son to marry a godly woman in the future, so it is important to think about what true womanhood is.
I thought back to when we were waiting for someone to choose us as adoptive parents for a child. We were leading home Bible studies at an apartment complex through the urban ministry that eventually evolved into the Contact Church of Christ. I was teaching the adults while Janet was teaching the children. After a while, we found out that the mother of one of the boys who was coming to the Bible study was expecting another baby. Due to complications with her pregnancy, she could not leave her apartment except for doctor's appointments. At the same time, the mother of some of the other children who were attending the Bible study was expecting a child, too.
Each Monday evening, an hour before we would start the Bible study, we would take some food to the mother who could not leave her apartment, and enjoy dinner with her. For the most part, I would eat my meal, while Janet and the woman would talk. Then, we would go to the apartment where we would conduct the Bible study, but often Janet would stop and talk to the other woman (who was rumored to be a prostitute) along the way.
Eventually, the children were born. The woman who had been confined to her apartment had a healthy baby girl, but the other woman had a baby boy with Down syndrome. When Janet realized that neither woman had been given a baby shower, she organized a shower for both of them, inviting the women of the Jenks Church to join with her in celebrating the lives of the newborn babies.
Although we continued to wait for the opportunity to become parents, Janet did not become bitter. Instead, she reached out to a couple of mothers who were struggling. She saw that they had no family or friends who could help with their newborn children, so she made sure that they received tons of the essentials needed for the first several months of their lives. Janet did not let her needs prevent her from connecting with others to meet their needs. She displayed Christ-honoring compassion and faith, the marks of a truly good woman.
I hope that my future daughter-in-law will share my wife's character. If she does, Christopher will be a very blessed young man.
I was prompted to think about how my wife Janet exemplifies a godly woman, a woman who trusts in Christ and serves others with a compassionate heart. Normally, I do not think much about what it means to be a woman, since I am a man and I am trying to teach my son to become a godly man someday, too. However, I would like for my son to marry a godly woman in the future, so it is important to think about what true womanhood is.
I thought back to when we were waiting for someone to choose us as adoptive parents for a child. We were leading home Bible studies at an apartment complex through the urban ministry that eventually evolved into the Contact Church of Christ. I was teaching the adults while Janet was teaching the children. After a while, we found out that the mother of one of the boys who was coming to the Bible study was expecting another baby. Due to complications with her pregnancy, she could not leave her apartment except for doctor's appointments. At the same time, the mother of some of the other children who were attending the Bible study was expecting a child, too.
Each Monday evening, an hour before we would start the Bible study, we would take some food to the mother who could not leave her apartment, and enjoy dinner with her. For the most part, I would eat my meal, while Janet and the woman would talk. Then, we would go to the apartment where we would conduct the Bible study, but often Janet would stop and talk to the other woman (who was rumored to be a prostitute) along the way.
Eventually, the children were born. The woman who had been confined to her apartment had a healthy baby girl, but the other woman had a baby boy with Down syndrome. When Janet realized that neither woman had been given a baby shower, she organized a shower for both of them, inviting the women of the Jenks Church to join with her in celebrating the lives of the newborn babies.
Although we continued to wait for the opportunity to become parents, Janet did not become bitter. Instead, she reached out to a couple of mothers who were struggling. She saw that they had no family or friends who could help with their newborn children, so she made sure that they received tons of the essentials needed for the first several months of their lives. Janet did not let her needs prevent her from connecting with others to meet their needs. She displayed Christ-honoring compassion and faith, the marks of a truly good woman.
I hope that my future daughter-in-law will share my wife's character. If she does, Christopher will be a very blessed young man.
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