A recent article featured in Relevant Magazine reflects on a 2011 Barna study revealing that women are leaving the church today in greater numbers than men. This article has already generated a number of comments, many endeavoring to get into issues pertaining to Complementarian vs Egalitarian viewpoints, or even some criticizing that no one should ever leave the church due to feeling “under valued” or “under appreciated.” While there could be many reasons why more women than men are leaving the church these days I found the article particularly relevant in speaking to the expressed feelings of one’s giftedness not being valued as compared to a lack of personal appreciation. I found a paragraph near the end of the article particularly compelling in suggesting that church leaders and male pastors would do well to seek out some of the gifts and expertise from those women in their church that could be offering much to the church on this issue in particular.  After all, who better to ask about why women are leaving the church than women?

To read the article, click here.

Are women leaving your church?  Are you a woman contemplating leaving because your giftedness is poorly received or not accepted?  We’d love to hear your thoughts in our comment section below.

Submitted by Jeff Ondrey
Commission Member

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I must admit that the term “green thumb” does not apply to me. It has gotten so bad that I literally tell people not to give me plants of any kind. However, I deeply love and admire gardens. Flowers are my favorite and those I willingly accept. The growing of nature’s beauty is truly an art. My grandmother was an artist when it came to herbs and flowers. My mother could grow things in a jar and then re-pot them only to grow furiously. I also have one of my uncles who even creates different species of plants, vegetables and fruits. Don’t ask me how? I love the time of harvest at the markets. Fruits when in season are delectable to eat. It is the same with our lives. Planting is hard work. Plowing the soil and getting it ready is tedious. Seeds are not all the same. There are good seeds and mediocre ones.

Soil can also be good, rocky, or unhealthy. However, when you get the right seed, at the right season, in the right soil and work it as a good farmer, the results are amazing.

Today we are faced with many challenges in life. We are living in stressful times. Times filled with drastic changes and uncertainty. We need to take the examples of a good farmer. Work hard and keep planting good seeds in the lives of others. Be patient and harvest will come. When your harvest comes you will be able to enjoy the fruit of your labors. What fruits will you enjoy? What seeds will you have sown? Our attitudes are like seeds and the soil are the people who surround us. My desire is to be fruitful in everything I do. The reality is that some seasons are better than others.

However, my work ethics are the same and I try to maintain an attitude of peace, joy, love, patience and kindness. Those are the keys to being fruitful. Now about the weather…that is another story. I cannot control it and neither can you. What am I saying? There are things in life that you and I cannot predict or change or control. We need to accept and move on. The most gifted farmer or gardener can tell you about losses. So where are you today? Don’t let the circumstances of life get the best of you. Harvest will come. Do everything with a spirit of excellence because that in itself will reveal fruit that is truly good to eat.

Blessings always,
Rev. Gricel Medina
Commission Chair 

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Dave Kersten on the Commission on Biblical Gender Equality

Dave Kersten, former executive minister of the Department of the Ordered Ministry and current dean of North Park Theological Seminary, spoke briefly on the history and current status of the Commission on Biblical Gender Equality at the March 30, 2012 meeting. To hear more from Dave, check out the full version of this video here.

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This post was submitted by Rev. Gricel Medina, CBGE Chairperson

The Covenant’s Commission on Biblical Gender Equality has consistently and diligently provided a strong voice of advocacy for women in every position of leadership within the church including pastoral.  It has brought visibility to an often misunderstood issue within the local church. It continues to make significant forward momentum for women. Women are now being seriously considered in positions traditionally held by men. The Commission on Biblical Gender Equality has seen women strategically succeeding in positions of leadership including Superintendents and executive positions within the denomination. CBGE continues to be a unified and strong advocate voice for all women seeking positions of leadership within the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC).

As chairperson it is my passion to ignite a fresh vision that creates dialogue affirming Biblical Gender Equality in the church, in the home, in the seminary, in the university and in our communities.  Our long-term goals are to continue making people aware of our affirmation of women at every stage of life.  The guiding factors of our mission are to grow collaboratively as men and women in the journey of Biblical Gender Equality.

It is a privilege to come up with creative ways we can continue to nurture an empowering landscape of gender equality throughout our Evangelical Covenant Churches. Our continued prayer is that believers would search the Holy Scriptures and become inspired, convicted and compelled to follow the Biblical model of gender equality.

Recently, we sent approximately 300 pieces of our egalitarian materials to the people of Kenya, Africa. Young women are offered Summer of Wonder at our CHIC events. We are intentionally searching for ways we can create new resources that spread the message. We look forward to the upcoming release of a video of Dr. Rev. Dave Kersten sharing an historical landscape on the journey of women in pastoral ministry entitled “The Journey of a Decade”.  Stay tuned to this blog as we share relevant stories of women in the church, home and community.  Along with these stories we will provide occasional book reviews relevant to biblical gender equality issues as well as offer a host of reference materials and articles already in print in various Covenant publications.  We hope that these offerings and your comments might be inspiring, informative, and helpful for the journey.

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