Navigating the Male-Dominated Church World

​Hi, Ladies! This is session 8 and boy, it is a doozy! Navigating the Male-Dominated Church World is an interesting chapter and a topic that’s been a source of contention within Christendom.

I never intended to write a theological position on women leading in the church; however, I wanted to present different leadership experiences that women have had in churches. But for today, I want to focus on page 183 of chapter 8, on the following two paragraphs about how women view themselves.

“I researched a few top songs of 2013: Pitbull’s, Timber, Lady Gaga’s, Do What You Want, and Justin Timberlake’s, Suit and Tie. After reading the lyrics, women are portrayed as sexual objects. Is it any wonder women often see themselves as sexual objects instead of women afforded all the honor, dignity and esteem of a daughter of the King. Here is an idea you won’t find in the lyrics of pop culture: 1Timothy 5:2 we read “Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters.” (NLT)

For the woman coming through the doors of a life-giving church for the first time, she needs her mind transformed by the living Word of God, His love and grace. She needs to know that Jesus was the ADVOCATE for women, affording them honor, dignity, and significance. She needs to know that God’s Holy Spirit is for men and women as the Bible says in Joel 2:28-29 “Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants—men and women alike.” (NLT) She needs the opportunity to serve and worship in life-giving churches where she can be fully equipped to do the works of the ministry in all the fullness that God has for her. This is Life-Giving Leadership!
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Questions: Who or what helped you to form how you view yourself as a woman? As a leader? How can we help our daughters as well as the women we influence to value themselves?

​Prayer: Father, help us as women who love You and follow You, to represent You well in every area of our lives. Help us to steward wisely the opportunities to lead within the local church, our work, our families and our communities. We love You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

http://www.juliamateer.org/

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