Formats Archives: Aside

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Are you digging wells or building fences? The women in ministry sermon series

Yay! The new sermon about women in ministry is up, and you can listen by clicking here. Here’s what Pastor Darrell has to say about this message: This week we start our sermon series “Called and Gifted – In It Together” by looking at John 4:1-42.  The story of Jesus talking to the Samaritan woman […]

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Women in Ministry Sermon Series: The 1 Timothy 2:12 “Silence” Passage

My church, Mission Covenant Church, has just started a six-week sermon series on women in ministry titled “Called and Gifted.” For the next month and a half, we will be digging into the Bible to see what it says about women (and men!) working together for the kingdom, taking the whole council of scripture into […]

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Opposed to women preaching, or just unexposed?

By Rebecca Worl The elderly woman caught my attention as I was exiting the church. She gave me a smile and waved me over. Her eyes glistened a bit as she grabbed my hands and put them between her own. “Hello dear, I just wanted to tell you, that I was so moved by your… […]

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Loneliness, Community, and Loving the Common Enemy

I've been reading The Connecting Church by Randy Frazee for one of my classes. It talks about the epidemic of loneliness in the United States, the impact individualism has had on the American psyche, and how strong, cohesive groups, from the Crips to the Amish, the military to the Benedictines, create a sense of true […]

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Going to Jesus Outside the Camp

This post was originally published in March 2009. I'm not a big fan of taking Bible verses (or chapters or books for that matter) out of context, but every once in a while I come across a snippet of scripture that just steals my breath away. Today's was from Hebrews 13:13, in the New Century […]

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Winds of Change: Speaking Up for Women in Ministry

One of the things I love about my denomination, the Evangelical Covenant Church, is their strong support of women in ministry. Change can be slow, however, and women called to pastoral ministry often find themselves walking a long, difficult path, even in denominations that support them. That's why the ECC's Commission on Biblical Gender Equality […]

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Love Should Never Include Disclaimers: Why Christians Need to Stop Trying to “Fix” People

There was a time when I thought it was my Christian duty to point out anything I thought someone was doing wrong. I called out teachers for being too hard on other kids. If the pastor said something I disagreed with in a sermon, I informed him of it afterward. I made sure people on […]

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Where is the Hope? In Which I am “Peddling Pop Pollyanna Ecclesiology,” and Refuse to Back Down

So, my last post about Christian unity. Most people seemed to like it, but a few took issue with it. This is nothing new. I try to be diplomatic in my writing, and people typically respond with grace. Still, there are always a few detractors, and oftentimes they have good reasons for saying the things […]

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The Gospel is Never at Stake. A Few Words on Orthodoxy, Christian Unity, and Not Being a Big Jerk

I saw a quote from a Christian leader yesterday, one who I respect despite disagreeing with some of his doctrine. It contained the words “At stake is the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Whoa, hold up. I’m not a scholar or a theologian, but I can tell you one thing: The gospel of Jesus Christ is […]

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The Best Way to Protect your Daughter is to Teach Her to Protect Herself

The best way to protect your daughter is to teach her to protect herself. I feel like most people know this; that the majority of parents work hard to raise strong, confident daughters who are ready to face whatever life throws at them. And girls, as a result, are thriving. I’ll be honest: there are […]

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Why We Need to #BanBossy. For Real.

Have you heard about the #BanBossy campaign? BanBossy.com states that “When a little boy asserts himself, he's called a 'leader.' Yet when a little girl does the same, she risks being branded 'bossy.' Words like bossy send a message: don't raise your hand or speak up. By middle school, girls are less interested in leading […]

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Reclaiming Eve: How the gospel restores women

Suzanne Burden is a heart sister, a gentle woman who wants to see women thrive, set free to work in God’s kingdom alongside their brothers. I’m thrilled to be posting this short description and Q&A about her new book, Reclaiming Eve. About Reclaiming Eve What started as a ladies’ Bible study in their church led […]

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Mary Magdalene, the Apostle to the Apostles

What does the gospel make possible for women? Do we have to stay hidden away in the shadow of the curse, as if our silence and subservience could atone for the sin of the first woman’s fall, or are we called to live in the light of the resurrection? I am so excited about my […]

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I am Unikitty, hear me roar! Insights from the Lego Movie

So, Aaron and I took the kids to see the Lego Movie the other day. It was a cute film, full of giggles, snickers, and inside jokes for anyone who has ever played with Legos. But my favorite moment had to be when Princess Unikitty, the precious pink regent of Cloud Cuckoo Land, snapped during […]

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Women, Girls, and the Words Used in Online Dating

So, I clicked on this really intriguing infographic on Facebook, about how the words people use in their online dating profiles impact how many people contact them. While the article attached to this infographic was slightly horrible, the difference between the use of the terms “woman” and “girl” intrigued me. Apparently, men who use the […]

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