A popular post at<a title="Sharon Hodde Miller" href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/7ya3xT/blog.christianitytoday.com/women/2011/10/why_its_your_job_to_break_the.html" target="_blank"> Her.meneutics</a>, <em>Why it’s Your Job to Break the Women’s Ministry Stereotype</em> by Sharon Hodde Miller, reminded me of something I wrote earlier this year.  You must read her blog <a title="She Worships" href="http://sheworships.com" target="_blank">She Worships</a>.  She is one of the more wise and intelligent female voices of my generation.
<h2>I just want to know what you think.</h2>
For seven years I attended Women’s Bible studies offered at my church.  I learned a lot and my love for scripture grew deeper.   Over the years, as I refined my ability to study scripture for myself I began to notice an odd trend.  These women who taught with clear outward self-assurance were basically parroting the commentary and words of other (usually male) authors.   I found myself counting the times in a lecture they would say “So and so says ... in such and such commentary.”  <strong><em>I longed to hear what these wise women thought and more importantly what God was saying to them as they studied scripture.</em>   </strong>I believe these women were essentially shuffled to the side of the church “to teach women.”  Noticeably they had not received coaching comparable to the “teaching team” (of men) who taught Sunday mornings.  <em>Subsequently these women lacked the confidence and training to speak with authority. </em>

<strong>By writing this essay I am not saying that there is no place for women’s ministry in the church, but after all these years <em>I know it is not for me.  Here's why.</em></strong>
<h2>My life is incredibly diverse and I'll do everything I can to keep it that way.</h2>
I guess the saying is true, “People of a feather flock together.”

A good friend who is a leader at church told me that <em>people ask for groupings</em> when they come to church.  They <em>want</em> to be with those that are <em>like them</em> – whether it is women or men, youth or college-aged, young marrieds with or without kids, or singles gathering together.  I understand that this is what we are used and more comfortable with but does that mean it is <em>good</em>?

<strong><em>I have deep concerns with that when it comes to separating men and women.</em></strong><strong> </strong>

First of all, fundamentally it comes out of this notion that men and women are <em>so very different.  </em> We certainly have our differences, but that sort of thinking is divisive and unproductive. It hurts us more than helps as we try to work out our faith together.  Separation of men and women in the church might have begun when women were for the most part at-home and looking for things to do.  That is no longer the case, as people today divide up their lives and work and time very differently.  And today the church is full of the divorced, single parents,  men at home and women working in the marketplace, as well as more and more single men and women who are choosing to remain so longer, not to mention the younger retired boomers who make up the church.

<strong>S<em>cripture isn’t </em>"for women" or "for men.” </strong>

We don’t need to separate to study the Word.  When we split up it only perpetuates gender stereotypes.  Ah, the stereotypes, women want to be treated like princesses and men are all tough guys.  Women love to talk and are more emotional.  Men are stone and are afraid of being vulnerable and all have pornography problems.  Next thing you know, when women get together we are all making crafts and men are playing basketball.

I think we benefit as we<strong> </strong>mix generations and genders, hipsters and bikers and soccer moms, boomers, silent gen, teens, single and married with those with higher education or not.  We need to cross all those cultural barriers and learn together.  We are strengthened as people and as a community when we do.  We lose out when we don’t.  There is so much that we don't learn when we divide into groups by our comfortable similarities.
<h2>What about Tribes?</h2>
One of my husband tribes is <strong>Musical Geeks</strong> and they cross many apparent differences, women and men, young and old, it matters not at all, as long as you want to "geek out" about all sorts of really boring musical minutia. (That is not my tribe, clearly.)  Not my <em>need, </em>but <em>he needs and loves to be with those people because they have like interests</em>!

This is important.  We feel connection, solidarity and even strength when we connect from time to time with our tribe.  One must find a balance.

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;">What about in the Church?</span>

<strong><em>It feels like there are a million obstacles to women experiencing true equity within the Christian evangelical church and separating ourselves by gender simply perpetuates the stereotypes and encourages a lack of creativity when it comes to the gifts and talents that people have.</em></strong>

I know that I am not your typical evangelical Christian woman nor married to the typical man.  We divide our household chores by talents and interests, as well as what brings us joy.  For example, you will not find my husband outside on the weekend mowing the lawn or in the yard at all.  I do it because I love being outside, love the physical effort and I care about our yard.  He can typically be found inside either cleaning or down in his studio working on music.   When we got married, rather than fall into the typical gender stereotypes we just thought about it pragmatically.  Why can’t we do that in the Church?

I believe that men and women should be using their skills and abilities and spiritual gifts in the whole Church.  They were given to us by Yahweh.  I believe he chose my skills, abilities and spiritual gifts.  God is the one that <em>made me this way. I should be serving.  I should be using the abilities and talents that He gave me. It would be wrong for me to sit back and not use them. </em>

<strong>This is complicated when you haven't had your abilities affirmed in the church.  But some day, women will come to know themselves capable.  I think it is time for us to begin again, to rethink women and men’s ministry and know that we are the body of Christ, at is says in 1 Corinthians 12</strong>.
<blockquote> <strong><sup>4</sup></strong> There are <em>different kinds</em> of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. <strong><sup>5</sup></strong> There are <em>different kinds</em> of service, but the same Lord. <strong><sup>6</sup></strong> There are <em>different kinds</em> of working, but in all of them and <strong><em>in everyone</em></strong> it is the same God at work.

<strong><sup>7</sup></strong> Now <em>to each one</em> the manifestation of the Spirit is given <strong><em>for the common good.</em></strong> <strong><sup>8</sup></strong> To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, <strong><sup>9</sup></strong> to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, <strong><sup>10</sup></strong> to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,<strong><sup>[<a title="See footnote a" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+12&amp;version=NIV#fen-NIV-28645a">a</a>]</sup></strong> and to still another the interpretation of tongues.<strong><sup>[<a title="See footnote b" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+12&amp;version=NIV#fen-NIV-28645b">b</a>]</sup></strong> <strong><sup>11</sup></strong> All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them <strong><em>to each one</em></strong>, just as he determines. (NIV, <strong><em>emphasis mine</em></strong>.)</blockquote>
I am so encouraged reading those verses, which were written to us, yes each one, yes <em>to everyone,</em> in the Church.

<a title="Mimi Haddad" href="http://www.cbeinternational.org/?q=content/leadership#dr-mimi-haddad" target="_blank">Mimi Haddad</a> puts it so well:
<blockquote>“<strong>…</strong> Women need to learn the power and validity of their voices. Women have been given voices as instruments that God intends for them to use—not in anger, but with the grace and dignity with which Jesus spoke. When I look through the pages of Scripture, I see that the words of women and men throughout history have been beautiful gifts from God. It is time we remember that our voices carry weight, that we hold truth from God on our tongues. The world needs to hear from us.”</blockquote>
<strong><em>I believe God is calling women to come forth and speak to the Church not just to women.</em></strong>