Articles

I have some pieces in other places:

“Redeeming the Stories We Tell” at Mutuality Magazine

“Stories have power. Whether we know it or not, stories form us, both as individuals and as a culture. When it comes to gender, I believe that the stories embedded in American culture, and in the Christian subculture in particular, too often do more harm than good. They conspire to keep us from articulating a vision for flourishing and reconciled inter-gender partnerships, and they keep us from advancing God’s mission in the world. The good news is that we can learn, tell, and live better stories.”

“Laying Down Male Privilege for Joy” at The Junia Project

Most of us, men in particular, see losing power as a negative thing, but what if the exact opposite is true? What if instead it’s life-giving? Freeing? Even joyful? I’m convinced it can be. I’m convinced it will be. I’m convinced it is already. Now, to figure out how to help my kids share their Twix bars…

“5 Reasons Not to Use Gender-Based Jokes in the Pulpit” at The Junia Project

“In the end, we need to be creating meaningful venues where congregations can talk constructively about male/female relationships and partnerships. Maybe a place to start would be the content of this post. Agree? Disagree? Either way, it would be great to host a conversation in your church about it. The bottom line is that until we figure out ways to take gender seriously in the church, the joke will be on us.”

“When a Man Loves a Woman–He Will Be An Advocate” at jessicafick.com

“Over the years, it has been my joy to advocate for women around me, both in my life and in my ministry context. Indeed, using the power, privilege and access that culture gives me because of my gender to advocate for women has been a transformational experience, both for me and the women around me.”

“Staying Humble as it Gets Personal” at The Women’s Liberty Bell Blog

“Sometimes, you can’t own a value until it gets personal. At least that’s the story of my journey regarding gender equality. Along the way, I’ve gone from someone who holds a value but has little conviction to someone who is a determined advocate.”

“Fully Empowered: Imagine Women Completely Empowered” at Release the A.P.E.

“I love the idea of releasing A.P.E.s into the world. I also love the idea of releasing she-A.P.E.s into the world. In fact, I love most the thought of empowering apostles, prophets and evangelists of both genders to partner side-by-side in advancing God’s mission in the word. And make no mistake about it, that’s the Biblical model for ministry. In spite of the overwhelming patriarchy embedded in the Biblical context, the Scriptures make clear that both men and women are suited for A.P.E. ministry tasks.”

Something is wrong with how we are (or aren’t) partnering together in our communities of faith across gender lines. And, without question, truly equal partnership has been a struggle in the church for centuries.

No one, not even the most ardent and earnest complementarian scholar, interprets 1 Timothy 2:8-15 literally. No one. And don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. A church marked by these four things is surely a church you’d want to avoid!

The Gaps Between Us at InterVarsity’s national blog

“Even though this value for healthy and thriving mixed gender partnerships is embedded in InterVarsity’s DNA, it has proven to be a value that needs constant reinforcement and attention. Sadly, this is also true both in the church and in the culture at large. What can keep us from building solid, thriving ministry partnerships between women and men? I will identify three gaps that we must bridge.”

Balancing Power at InterVarsity’s national blog

Our kingdom mission will advance in greater measure as power gets balanced between the genders. We must do better. Men, join me in choosing to move through these six stages to become someone who empowers women in your context. May God help us to balance power for the sake of God’s kingdom!