Half the Church: Recapturing God's Global Vision for Women
Women comprise at least half the world, and usually more than half the church, but so often Christian teaching to women either fails to move beyond a discussion of roles or assumes a particular economic situation or stage of life. This all but shuts women out from contributing to God’s kingdom as they were designed to do. Furthermore, the plight of women in the Majority World demands a Christian response, a holistic embrace of all that God calls women and men to be in his world. The loudest voices speaking into women’s lives in the twenty-first century thus far come from either fundamentalist Islam or radical feminism. And neither can be allowed to carry the day. The Bible contains the highest possible view of women and invests women’s lives with cosmic significance regardless of their age, stage of life, social status, or culture. Carolyn Custis James unpacks three transformative themes the Bible presents to women that raise the bar for women and calls them to join their brothers in advancing God’s gracious kingdom on earth. These new images of what can be in Christ free women to embrace the life God gives them, no matter what happens. Carolyn encourages readers with a positive, kingdom approach to the changes, challenges, and opportunities facing women throughout the world today.
Top Highlights
“Bible doesn’t blink (even though some Christians may) when Deborah, Esther, Mary of Nazareth, Priscilla, Phoebe, and Junia emerge as strong, courageous leaders. The world is a better place, and God’s kingdom surges forward because of strong godly leaders like these women. What impresses me is how many women exercise courageous kingdom leadership and carry God’s purposes forward beyond the spotlight where their undeniable leadership can easily escape our notice. Naomi, Ruth, Hannah, Tamar, Rahab, and Mary Magdalene are just a few of many striking examples.” (source)
“His brand of leadership doesn’t mean having a following or being popular. Often it means standing alone, feeling isolated and fearful, but doing what is right in God’s sight anyway, regardless of what others think. Kingdom leadership doesn’t mean being first, but being last. It’s not about being the boss, but showing indiscriminate grace to others — even those who wrong us, even when it goes against the natural grain of our hearts. This is how God’s kingdom advances.” (source)
“Yet instead of casting a powerful gospel vision that both validates and mobilizes women, the church’s message for women is mixed at best—guarded, negative, and small at worst.” (source)
“Conflict is in God’s Story and has been from the beginning. And conflict is in our stories. There’s no escaping it. But what is surprising is to see just how God turns the conflict that we think is pulling us to pieces to serve his constructive purposes for his image bearers — to draw us out and shape us into leaders. God uses conflict to shape a leader’s soul, as we are about to see.” (source)
Product Details
- Title : Half the Church: Recapturing God's Global Vision for Women
- Author: James, Carolyn Custis
- Publisher: Zondervan
- Publication Date: 2011
- ISBN: 9780310555872