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Fall 2002
No culture or religion in the world gives the kind of stature and freedom to women that Christianity does. The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that women were a curse, less
valuable than men, or to be avoided. Even the early Jews bought into this philosophy, so when Jesus preached that men and women are equals and both are very precious to Him it was a radical
departure from the culture.
"Whether Jesus was dealing with a crippled woman in the synagogue, or giving the most important messages of Christianity to individual women such as
Martha and the Samaritan woman at the well, He was restoring God's original perspective of women. He was showing they were not an embarrassment, not objects of lust, nor creatures to be
looked down on. He simply related to them as persons created in the image of God, capable of doing things considered extraordinary in their day. He sent the woman at the well to evangelize
her whole village. He even had women traveling and ministering alongside Him and the twelve male disciples...He endorsed them as they spoke to God on behalf of the people in prayer, and spoke
to the people on behalf of God in prophecy....In fact, he made provision for the education of women-a radical departure from all the cultures of the New Testament world."
Sadly,
the church and Christianity in general have strayed from the high standards set in Scripture. If we are to fulfill the Great Commission-reaching everyone with the opportunity to be reconciled
to God-women must be involved. "It is time for us to rethink some of our oldest beliefs and traditions. It is time for us to repent for whatever ways we have hindered God's work and
misread His Word. It is time for us to release women to be all that God has called them to be."
"If you are a woman called by God, decide that you will obey the
Lord....Obedience is the bottom line...If we are committed to obeying God, nothing can stand in our way. However, we must guard our hearts against bitterness. We cannot do God's will the
devil's way. We must maintain a servant's heart, responding in the opposite spirit to criticism....Obey God and let Him take care of the results. It will eventually become clear to everyone
that God has His hand on you....You will be one of the host of women proclaiming the Good News."
Used with permission. Excerpts from "Why Not Women, A Biblical Study of Women
in Missions, Ministry and Leadership" by Loren Cunningham and David J. Hamilton.
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