|
Articles
We (Barbara, Gay and Pat of God's Word to Women) are pleased to be able
to put up Chapter 11 from God's Gals by Gerald McCray. Gerald contacted us a few
years ago asking permission to use our website as a resource, a real complement.
He also wanted to use some of the articles by Kathryn and Richard Riss, so we
put him in contact with Kathryn who wound up editing his book. We are delighted
that he mentions our friendship on his acknowledgments page.
About the Author
Gerald McCray was ordained a deacon in the Baptist church in 1994 following a
five year training program. In 1995, Gerald received his minister's license from
the Baptist church. You can say that he has come full circle. The author spent
his first fifteen years in the Baptist church.
Eight months before his sixteenth Birthday, Gerald had an encounter with the
realization that he needed to come into a right relationship with God. After
coming to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ's death on the cross and having
received Jesus as his personal savior, Gerald's family began exposing him to
other denominations of the Christian faith.
Between his age fifteen conversion and now Gerald has been involved, to varying
degrees, with denominations such as Pentecostal, Fundamental, AME, Deliverance,
Assemblies Of God, Church of God in Christ, and others. The institutional
oppression by religion of the Woman Believer has bothered Gerald for years. He
has engaged in its debate in favor of doing what is right for years. He says
that he always knew in his heart that the practice of excluding the woman from
significant leadership roles in ministry was wrong and now he has the research
to prove it. His research has taken on the form of a book. God's Gals-A Woman's
Place Is In The Ministry-Case Closed! Is the title.
To their credit, the recent appointment of a woman Bishop in the AME
organization is very heartening. However, the denouncement by the Southern
Baptist organization of women as pastors and ministry leaders is proof that this
book is still desperately needed. The woman has suffered and endured heinous
inequities at the hand of the government, politicians, and other male dominated
institutions. The one place on this earth where the woman, and anyone for that
fact, should be able to secure social asylum is in God's house. Sadly, the
church, the final bastion of liberty, has done a great disservice to the woman,
the Woman Believer, and the world by suppressing her God-given gifts.
Gerald is the proud Daddy of three and the husband of one Wife at a time (An
inside joke with my sister Pastor Gwendolyn Grant). The author attributes part
of the motivation for doing this book is the gifts that he sees at work in his
wife Desire’. Gerald also says that in another time his mother may have done
mighty exploits in ministry leadership. The maternal instinct in many ways makes
the woman a natural teacher and pastor of sorts. We need to see leadership
titles such as pastor from the attributes perspective rather than the
stereotypical gender perspective. Gerald says that he believes that everyone has
something inside them that they need to share with the world whether it be a
song, a poem, a book, a random act of kindness, or the like. We just need to
resist the common temptation of lethargic apathy. The names Martin Luther King
Junior, Mozart, or Clara Barton would mean nothing to us if these people had not
shared with the world what was in their hearts.
This book can be purchased from
www.barnesandnoble.com or www.amazon.com
CHAPTER ELEVEN: From GOD'S GALS
by Gerald McCray
THE ARGUMENT FROM COMMON SENSE
"All truth, in the long run, is only common sense clarified." Thomas H.
Huxley.
GOD be praised! Of course Huxley, teacher and biologist as well as the most
fervent disciple of Charles Darwin, was speaking to the issue of evolution. His
statement, however, rings loud and true. I pray that clarifying Paul's intended
instructions regarding women teachers satisfies your God-given common sense.
Sensitive people knew all along, by virtue of common sense and spiritual reason,
that oppression was wrong but were haunted by scriptures that oppressors used to
make their point. On the surface, these scriptures were difficult to deal with
in defending God's right to choose whom He will to accomplish His purpose.[1]
The Church did Satan's work for him by keeping the woman believer underfoot
while he laughed and mocked us for our feeble-mindedness.[2] I wonder what
countless numbers of women remain estranged from God because they see the
oppression and exclusion of their gender in God's house.
How sensible is it to think that the God of Heaven and earth who is no respecter
of persons (Acts 10:34), has new mercies awaiting us each and every morning
(Lamentations 3:22-23), and who keeps covenant and mercy with them that love him
and keep his commandments to a thousand generations (Deuteronomy 7:9) would
sanction the oppression of His child - the woman believer? The compound term
"thousand generations" denotes a completion of time. Forever.
His love also provides for and promises an unending covenant (contract) (Psalms
105:10). This is a contract that brings freedom, not oppression (Galatians 5:1).
Isn't it irrational to think that God who changes not (Malachi 3:6) would breach
His contract? (Titus 1:2) Let us look at a scripture in which Jesus taught the
disciples how to pray and instructed them to view God's actions through common
sense.
“If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a
stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he
shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how
to give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your Heavenly Father
give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” [3]
When Matthew recounts Jesus' statement here in the seventh chapter of his gospel
he quotes Jesus as having said, "If you then, who are evil, know how to give
good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven
give good things to those who ask him!"[4] Even at the times our children
disobey or display stubbornness through delayed obedience we fathers are looking
for ways to bless them. To give them good things. Isn't it common sense to think
that our Heavenly Father is the blueprint for earthly fathers?[5]
Yes, common sense! This chapter is for those “children” who will hastily rush to
refute any argument that favors woman-led ministry and the findings and precepts
this work has presented. The apostle John refers to followers of God as
"children" eleven times in 1st John, three times in 2nd John, and once in 3rd
John. St. John also refers to the followers of Satan’s ministry to steal, kill,
and destroy (John 10:10) as his “children” in 1ST John 3:10. Whose children are
so anxious to rule over the other's children? Whose children are we?
The preceding arguments supporting the validity of woman-led ministry (Teacher
is a position of authority) have been academic, scriptural, and have involved a
call for spiritual maturity. This chapter, however, will make an argument that
appeals to reason. A few of the definitions of reason according to The American
Heritage Dictionary are:
1) The capacity for logical, rational, and analytic thought; intelligence
2) Good judgment; sound sense
3) A normal mental state; sanity.
You will need to exercise these characteristics in order to negotiate the
logic behind my argument.
When I first began the research for this work, which I initially assumed would
take the form of a lengthy essay, my approach was going to take an objective
look at the arguments from both sides. I proposed to share the pros and cons of
each position and allow the essay to lead each reader to his/her own well
informed conclusion. Mind you, I felt all along in my heart of hearts that the
traditional train of thought and scripture interpretation used to assert that
God doesn't approve of women's leadership, in ministry or otherwise, was wrong.
Still, I wanted to be fair, balanced, and objective. The more I researched this
subject the research was not only helping to form the essay but gave voice to
that knowing I had in my heart that my Heavenly Father wouldn't sanction the
ungodly treatment the woman believer has endured in the name of religion. The
controversy finally made sense to me once I understood the root of the issue.
Now, I will share with you my theology regarding the partially redeemed woman.
The fact that a work of this nature is necessary deeply saddens me. My position
regarding the partially redeemed woman is based on simple theology. The term
"theology" in its technical nomenclature means [Theo] “God” [ology] “study.” The
study of God. Professional students of God have come to be known as theologians
-- people who think deeply about God pondering His existence, personality, and
intentions. Synonyms for the word "theology" include divinity, religion, faith,
belief, scripture, dogma, belief system, convictions, and creed according to the
New American Heritage Dictionary.
In a loose sense, all people think about God and have there own "picture" of
Him, what He is to them and what they mean to Him, and thus are theologians.
Some people think of God as a jerk who is unhappy with anything we do and will
make us suffer at His whim.[6] Some people think of God as some fickle sovereign
who has the power to do us good but picks and chooses His favorites to bless and
others to test.[7] Approaching God with an if-you-will or if-it-be-your-will
request teaches us that. It also speaks of how little we invest in getting to
know our Heavenly Father. It goes without saying that we are timid in regard to
God because we don't really know Him. Because of how we "see" Him. Therefore,
when I say “my theology” or “your theology,” I am simply referring to the
particular way you or I see God and how we think He sees us.
First, let's take a look at God from a scriptural viewpoint and compare that to
the practice of oppressing women in God's house. God says of those who belong to
Him through the covenant of faith, "I will remember their sins and iniquities no
more."[8] Isn't this a curious statement by God of Himself? God will not hold
our sins against us. But why? How? Because Jesus agreed to pay the price to give
all of us a peaceful and confident relationship with the Heavenly Father.
…How then can we be saved? All of us have become like one who is unclean, and
all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and
like the wind our sins sweep us away. No one calls on your name or strives to
lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and made us waste away
because of our sins. [9]
Our sin nature separated us from God. His holy nature automatically destroys sin
so God kept a safe distance from us not because He wanted to but to keep us
alive until a bridge could be built across the canyon that kept us away from
each other. God's own son through the unimaginably abject violence He suffered
during His passion built that bridge. The beating, abuse, torment, the brutality
of the cross, and finally punishment in Hell satisfied the requirements of God's
holy nature. The Heavenly Father judged His son so He would not have to judge
us. If He judged us, the least we would get is an eternal punishment in Hell's
fiery flames.[10] Jesus not only died our deaths on the cross but suffered our
eternal punishment of Hell in a weekend's time.[11]
In the Levitical ceremonies of sin sacrifice the person who sinned presented to
the High Priest a substitute for his trespass or violation of God's rules. The
animal would be killed in place of the one who sinned to satisfy the
requirement. The High Priest only inspected the sacrifice not the presenter. The
substitute had to meet the requirements of purity to be accepted. If the
substitute is accepted, then sinner was declared righteous. Only until the next
violation. The scriptures tell us in the book of Hebrews that the use of animals
was temporary because their blood could only cover sin but not eradicate it
completely.
A permanent substitute was needed. A blood sacrifice that would more than cover
sin. Jesus, as the Lamb of God, is the perfect, pure, sinless substitute who
willingly gave Himself up for a sin substitute for the sins of the whole world.
And now, for those who accept what Jesus did to not cover our sins but to erase
our sin nature and the want to or will to sin, God doesn't have to look at us
when we approach Him. He looks at Jesus, the substitute, sitting at His right
hand and declares us righteous. Finally, we have peace with God. Being in His
presence is no longer dangerous to us because of the eternal nature of our
sacrifice's blood. Jesus' eternal blood cleanses eternally. Our sin nature can
be replaced once and for all if we allow the substitute into our lives.
Otherwise, we will have to face God on the basis of our own goodness which is,
at best, is like putting a thousand dollar garment on a pig covered in fresh
mud.
Please understand that God still has to judge some of us. Those who decide to
reject what Jesus did for them leading to the cross, dying viciously on the
cross, and enduring an eternal punishment all to erase our sin nature will have
to meet God without the benefit of Jesus standing between them and God. They
will have to rely on their own righteousness or goodness. The sad truth, as
communicated in the 64th chapter of Isaiah, is our very best of goodness and
righteous deeds at best are nothing more than filthy rags.[12] Why you ask?
Because the rags only cover the stench of sin which has not been washed away by
accepting Jesus' work of atonement. Deeds are religion. Righteousness is a
relationship of peace.
I will remember their sins no more? That is a powerful and comforting promise.
According the its context, “they” refers to those with whom God has made His
covenant; specifically, “each one” and “all.” Does “all” mean “all,” or only
“those who aren’t female”? Did Jesus suffer all He did for us to discriminate
and exclude? Does God mean that He will forget the sins of the man, including
his many sins against women, but will remember the sins of the woman and hold
them against her? Why else would she be shackled and restrained when it comes to
exercising her Ministry Gifts? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the same
yesterday, today, and forever. The God who is no respecter of persons would not
sanction these oppressive things that religion has done to the woman in His
name, would He?
Scriptural theology says of God's forgiveness in the 103rd division of Psalms,
"As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our [sin] from us."
(Verse 12) "Us" means all of us, including Woman -- the Man with the Womb. When
God first created their spirits, the Word of God says that the Lord called their
name Adam (Genesis 5:2). There is a whole new direction theology could take with
that statement, but the point is their equality. They were equally human, in
equal relationship with God, and fell from grace equally. It stands to
theological reason that the redemption of the Man is equal to the redemption of
the Woman. If the Man were redeemed to the point of Ministry Freedom, wouldn't
this no-respecter-of-persons God have redeemed the Woman equally? Wouldn't He? I
think He is especially compassionate enough to have done so. Psalms 78:38,
86:16, 111:4, 112:4, and 145:8 each attest that our God is "full of compassion."
The 103rd Chapter of Psalms goes on to say of The One True and Living God, "Like
as a father [is especially compassionate to] his children, so the Lord [is
especially compassionate to] them that [reverence] him." (verse 13) Do you think
that would make Him compassionate enough to build up His child rather than tear
down, tear apart, degrade, humiliate, and subjugate her, as the Man's theology
of the partially redeemed Woman has done?
For the 17th verse to say, "…the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to
everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's
children…" in concert with the previous verses draws a picture of God that is
completely contrary to the one you get from believing that He would sanction the
oppression of His beloved child -- the Woman Believer. Also, when I think of how
God says of HIMSELF in Malachi 3:6, "…I am the Lord, I change not," and how
Galatians 5:1 admonishes us to, " Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith
Christ hath made us free," I must conclude that the oppression of the woman
believer in excluding her from significant leadership roles is not an act of
God! What's bothered me so much about this issue over the years is the point
that I hope this chapter has made thus far. With all we know about God,
- His Goodness
(Exodus 18:19, 34:6, Psalms 21:3, 23:6, 27:13, 33:5, 52:1, 107:8, Romans
2:4)
- His Compassion
(II Kings 13:23, II Chronicles 30:9, Psalms 86:15, 145:8, Micah 7:19,
Matthew 14:14, Romans 9:15)
- His Mercy
(Romans 4:8, Zechariah 3:9, Jeremiah 31:34, Psalms 32:5, 130:4, Acts 5:31,
26:18, John 3:16-17)
- His Justice
(II Chronicles 19:7, Psalms 103:6, Proverbs 16:11, Isaiah 45:21, Zephaniah
3:5, Romans 2:2)
where in HELL did this theology of the partially redeemed Woman come from?
Maybe the answer is in the question. The answer is also in the scriptures. In
Zechariah 3:1, the prophet Zechariah tells of a vision from God where he sees
Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing
at his right hand to resist him. Now, there is an interesting theology twist.
The mere fact that Satan has audience with God at the same time that a believer
does is a daunting thought. Just as in Jesus' parable of the wheat and the
tares, Zechariah's vision brings home the fact that evil is present practically
everywhere even in God's presence. The word that was translated "resist" is
actually spelled s-a-t-a-n. The Accuser no doubt initiated the evil that
resulted in the Woman Believer being oppressed and spiritually shackled. Why did
the Church agree to do Satan's work for him? Well, NO MORE!
Remember that Satan's destruction foretold in the Genesis 3:15 by God involves
two instruments that He plans to use to care it out. The Woman and Her Seed.
Every since Eden there has been a campaign to keep the woman under thumb and
subservient but not by God. Satan so feared God's promise to use the woman to
destroy him that he convinced the man, governments, religious hierarchy, and the
like to suppress her. Revelation 12:12 cries woes and warns the inhabitants of
the earth that Satan will come with great wrath because he knows his time is
short. In verse 13 it tells why his time is short. The woman has given birth…
Pastors, Catechizers, Professors, Seminaries, we have to finally release our
women to give birth to Satan's destruction
WOMAN, BE SET FREE!
NOTES________________________
[1] Exodus 33:19 And he said, "I will make all my goodness pass before you, and
will proclaim before you my name `The LORD'; and I will be gracious to whom I
will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.
Romans 9:15-16 For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." So it depends not upon
man's will or exertion, but upon God's mercy. RSV
[2] Eph 4:17-20 So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk
no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being
darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the
ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they,
having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice
of every kind of impurity with greediness. 20 But you did not learn Christ in
this way, NASU
[3] Luke 11:11-13 KJV
[4] Matthew 7:11 RSV
[5] Hebrews 12:9-10 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers to discipline us
and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of
spirits and live? RSV
[6] John 9:2 And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his
parents, that he was born blind?" RSV
[7] Matthew 8:2 and behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying,
"Lord, if you will, you can make me clean." RSV
[8] Hebrews 8:12, 10:17
[9] Isaiah 64:5-7 NIV
[10] 2nd Thess. 1:7-8 …the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His
mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know
God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. NASU
[11] Acts 2:25, 27 David speaks concerning …the Lord …thou wilt not leave my
soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. KJV
[12] Isaiah 64:6
|
