Commission on Biblical Gender Equality

Abby Jones is the pastor of the Evangelical Covenant Church in Stromsburg, NE. She earned an MDiv from North Park Theological Seminary in 2012. Abby is mom to Stella, Lucy, Mabel and Harper. Read more of Abby’s writing at http://sustainabletheology.com

It was the end of August 2012, and I was seven months pregnant. My husband, two daughters and I loaded up a U-haul truck and watched Chicago disappear in the rearview mirror. We drove west 700 miles until we hit Nebraska. We were on a grand adventure to serve my first call, a solo pastor position of a rural congregation.

I still remember the Skype interview with five members of the Executive Board. The whole day leading up to the interview I was filled with anxiety about knowing the appropriate time in the interview to let the cat out of the bag. They would have to know I was pregnant, and I was convinced it would be a deal breaker.

Fast-forward to a little over a year into the call, when I discovered God was surprising us with a fourth baby. In my shock and awe of God’s timing, I was once again filled with anxiety about how to let the congregation know I would need a second maternity leave. My second maternity leave in under two years. In my first two years as their pastor, nonetheless.

For the longest time I had guilt about scheduling meetings around tucking little ones into bed. It felt inconvenient that dinner as a family trumped non-emergent evening care. I was putting in well over 40 hours a week, and yet there was still so much that I wasn’t able to do. Admittedly, most of which were things I had dreamed up. I had to learn to let good ideas die, and visions of programs and projects not see the light of day. There were meetings and appearances that I just had to say no to, because there were not enough hours in the day/week/month/year.

I began to worry that my family was a burden. I saw my family and congregation competing for my time, and I just didn’t have enough to go around. I felt guilty about the time I didn’t have to give to my congregation, but over time I have come to realize that being a mom makes me a better pastor. In fact, my girls have taught me that being a mom isn’t a burden; it’s a bonus! I’ve learned to see my family and congregation not at odds with one another, but working together to expand the Kingdom of God. While there are a lot of reasons moms make great pastors, here are the top three.

Reason 1: Being a mom has made me a compassionate disciple

In Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the Grinch’s heart grew three sizes when he realized the true meaning of Christmas. When I became a mom, my heart grew at least three sizes. The sharp, rigged angles softened in all the right ways. Love, mercy and grace became real, as I learned to embrace and embody the image of God that I bear.

Growing up evangelical, we didn’t talk much about God’s feminine attributes, and when we did they were relegated to the Holy Spirit. We must have skipped over the passages where God is described as a mother, because I certainly don’t remember reading them in church. Even today, I wonder if some would send me packing if I prayed to “Mother God” during the pastoral prayer.

Motherhood has not only made me a more compassionate disciple, but it has helped me reflect more fully the image of God. While I’m certainly not saying only mothers reflect a full image of God, there are unique ways in which we are all designed to reflect our Creator, I am saying that mothers are able to reveal a piece of God’s identity that gets neglected.

While the love that I have for my girls is imperfect, it is all-consuming, breaking my heart and filling it full at the very same time. God is like a mother comforting her children (Is 66:13). Although my capacity for mercy falls short, I have shown it to my children when they have disobeyed, made mistakes and disappointed my expectations. God is like an eagle, hovering over her young, spreading her wings to catch and carry her young (Deut 32:11). Despite my flawed ability to extend grace, I am always loyal, faithful and tethered to my girls. My identity will always be influenced by my role as their mother. God is like a woman who cannot forget the child she nursed (Is 49:15).

Sometimes my girls don’t know what they are asking for, and need someone to help them find what it is they are looking for. I have learned to understand an unspoken language. There are times when I talk with people who don’t know what it is they are seeking, what it is that is hurting them, or what it is that they have found. Being a mom, I am in-tune to these needs, and I’m able to extend compassion for all people, no matter life circumstance. While I am a broken image, I pray that God’s love, mercy and grace are shining through the cracks.

BONUS: I take my girls to the retirement home, and it brightens the resident’s day. They sing songs, dance and bring energy wherever they go. On Sunday mornings, our baby is passed back and forth between adults and youth, men and women. She makes everyone laugh as she chatters and toddles around.

Check back tomorrow for reason 2!

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Evelmyn Ivens works at the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) in Chicago and graduated from North Park Theological Seminary in 2013 with a MA in Theological Studies. Evelmyn was born in Mexico and moved to the United States during her teenage years; she has lived in Los Angeles, CA, Washington, DC, and Chicago, IL. Enjoys traveling and learning about other cultures. She’s passionate about issues of immigration, hunger, poverty, and human trafficking.

A couple of weeks ago I had the amazing opportunity to watch the speech of Pope Francis right outside the U.S. Congress. Myself along with thousands of people waited for hours just to get a glimpse of this fascinating man. It was an experience of a lifetime, not everyday you get to see a Pope! My interest for Pope Francis started since the day he was elected, I remember I was working on my thesis and had to take a break, turned on the TV and there it was, such a historical moment. It gave me the chills to see how this Latin American religious leader had become the head of the Roman Catholic Church. Off course I was watching the news in Spanish and even the reporters were very excited. I eventually, turned off the TV and continue writing, however, I was very excited! I knew that this election would bring change in the religious world.

I had shared in previous posts that I had grown up cultural Catholic in Mexico, and after I had my encounter with Jesus, I resented the Catholic church. Even in some Hispanic evangelical circles people continue to see the Catholic church with resentment and distrust. However, throughout my faith journey I had met and became friends with very devout Catholics, even my grandmother was an extraordinary woman faith and Catholic. My faith journey and my seminary education have really shaped the way I understand my own identity as a Latina evangelical, which has a close connection with Catholicism. When I was in seminary I came to really appreciate my Catholic upbringing, which is something that continues to influence my life.

When I found out that the Pope Francis would visit the U.S. I very much wanted to be there. I wanted to hear first-hand what he would say, especially, when he talks about the poor, redistribution of resources, immigration, refugees, human trafficking, etc. It ended up being such an adventure, but I got a ticket to be on the west lawn of Capitol Hill. I flew to Washington, DC and waited for more than four hours to see him after his speech before Congress. There was such a great energy, everyone seemed to be very excited, young, old, people from very diverse backgrounds, we all wanted to see him! After his speech, which by the way I would encourage you to read it because he said some very interesting things. Pope Francis came out to the balcony, he greeted us in Spanish and the crowd went wild! He prayed for us and asked us to pray for him, he even said that if we didn’t know how to pray, to send him good thoughts.

Wherever your thoughts are about the Catholic church there’s no denying that this man has given a fresh air not only to the Catholic church but to the Church. I’m just very grateful that I got to experience this, I think of it as a reconciliation between both my Catholic roots and my evangelical living.

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Cathy Kaminski is lead pastor of Trinity Community Church in Cincinnati, OH. Image-bearer, trouble maker, and a work in progress.

What are the voices we listen to? All around us there are people, products, organization, communities, media speaking into our lives. Some conscious, some subconscious, some loud and blatant, others subtle and quiet. But what are the ones we listen to? Which have influence and shape how we see ourselves? How we see God? The world?

I would love to say I’m aware of every voice I choose to let impact my life and faith, but that won’t be so honest. But hey, we all have to start somewhere. There have been times in my life, whole seasons, when I was completely unaware of how some voices influenced me and others I simply ignored. Many people experience this and it looks different for everyone. Some in defining their worth, others their aptitude. We listen to voices that tell us we need more stuff. We listen to voices that define happiness. For me, I listened to the ones that told me how I could and couldn’t serve God and the church.

However, for all the voices that limit us or seem to put parameters on our worldview, there are the prophetic voices that speak truth. Some people in our lives point us to a larger picture of God. They invite us to lay down our preconceived notions and trust for something bigger than our current understanding. Continue Reading »

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Drusilla (Dru) McLeland is starting her final year of seminary at Northern Theological Seminary, Lombard, IL Campus. This fall, she is doing her internship as a “female pastoral presence” at The Evangelical Covenant Church of Hinsdale with Pastors Paul Allen and Lars Stromberg. She and Paul have been married for twenty-nine years and have one daughter, Kathryn.

One of things I continually strive for is a healthy life balance of being and doing.  In pursuit of this, I am working on adopting seven daily practices:

1. Make my bed.
2. Make a short “to do” list.
3. Spend time reading the Bible, reflecting, journaling and praying.
4. At least thirty minutes of exercise.
5. Do something for my home.
6. Connect with one other person outside my family.
7. Do something creative.

As I think about this list, I realize it could become a formula for life balance but it might not actually lead to a balanced life.  My “formula” was challenged when I read an article from The Gospel Coalition, “A Call for a More Reflective Christianity.”  (click here)

I think one of our roles as pastors is to create sacred spaces and call people away from the busyness of life to reflect on God.  I have found that it’s easier to provide a formula or a plan of action than to spend time reflecting and being.  Sometimes I feel guilty about spending time in quiet reflection and solitude, but unless I practice this, how can I lead others to do it? Continue Reading »

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Evelmyn Ivens was born in Mexico and moved to the United States during her teenage years. Graduated from North Park Theological Seminary in 2013 with a MA in Theological Studies and works at the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) in Chicago. Evelmyn has lived in Los Angeles, CA, Washington, DC, and Chicago, IL, enjoys traveling and learning about other cultures. She’s passionate about issues of immigration, hunger, poverty, and human trafficking.

One of the great things about working at CCDA is the access to many books, not too long ago I was working on a project and had the opportunity to read Radical Reconciliation: Beyond Political Pietism and Christian Quietism. It is one of those books that you want to highlight most of it, yes, it is that good and I highly recommend it!

Almost at the beginning of the book, in chapter 2 to be more exact, Allan Aubrey Boesak introduces Rizpah (2 Samuel 21: 1-15). I honestly, didn’t remember this name from my reading of the Bible or from my Old Testament class, yet Rizpah has become one of my favorite Bible characters. The story of Rizpah it is not found in the most peaceful context, on the contrary, it is a story of violence but in the midst of all, radical reconciliation happens. In chapter 21 the kingdom of David has been facing famine for the last 3 years, and as a king and powerful as he is, David asks the Lord for an answer. The Lord says, “It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.” When Saul was king (Josh. 9) there had been a treaty with the Gibeonites to live in the territory of Israel, amongst them. The story assume Continue Reading »

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Abby Jones is the pastor of the Evangelical Covenant Church in Stromsburg, NE. She earned an MDiv from North Park Theological Seminary in 2012. Abby and her husband, Jeff, have four daughters- Stella, Lucy, Mabel and Harper.

Have you ever used the expression “if these walls could talk”? Sometimes I think that the walls in a pastor’s office could tell the kinds of stories that make for great movies and best selling novels. They could tell beautiful stories of redemption and courage, where good people in bad situations overcome difficult odds. These are the kinds of stories where the Spirit’s presence is undeniable and God’s purposes revealed in new and significant ways. Still, there are thicker and darker moments that hold confessions of grief, envy and doubt. In those moments, people let go of secrets and dissonant emotions in wavering whispers.

The walls of my office are no different. While they could easily divulge about laughter and celebration, they could also tell a great deal about the hearts of the people that come through the door.

But of all of the things I’ve heard, there’s very little that has surprised me, and there’s been nothing beyond God’s forgiveness. There’s been no story, experience or admission that I could not turn to God’s grace to cover. Continue Reading »

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Jo Ann Deasy is an ordained Covenant pastor currently serving as the director of institutional initiatives and student research at the Association of Theological Schools in Pittsburgh, PA.

On Monday, August 24, 2015, we lost one of the pioneers of women’s ordination in the Evangelical Covenant Church. Sherron Hughes-Tremper, the first woman ordained in our denomination, passed away at the age of 70 following a full life of ministry dedicated to those on the margins. (To read her obituary click here here)

Sherron did not spend many years pastoring in Covenant Churches. The path was too new at the time and churches were not ready for her gifts and calling. Instead, she found other paths, chaplaincy, the United Methodist Church. Yet she remained committed to and connected to this denomination, despite the pain that came with being ordained into a community that could not find a place for her.

I am a not sure when I first met Sherron. My clearest memory of her is at the Covenant Annual Meeting held in 2008, the 30th Anniversary of Sherron’s ordination. I was honored to work with Carol Lawson in the Department of Ordered Ministry and Ruth Hill from Women Ministries on a video marking the occasion. The video included honest reflections of women serving in ministry in the Evangelical Covenant Church, both the joys and the struggles, as well as statements of support by several denominational leaders and faculty members. Continue Reading »

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Rev Mary Putera is currently serving as the Pastor of Sunset Covenant Church in Oregon. Rev. Putera is also working on her doctorate with the European Graduate School.

To “offer oneself”, to bring and give freely of who one is, in a foreign context, amidst the complex circumstances of recent systemic trauma, ongoing societal struggles and the emerging qualities of resilience, is to give in to God’s call to be vulnerable. I am going, and I struggle with going. I struggle to settle into vulnerability. Make no mistake, going is a constant wrestling for me, until my feet pass through security, and then surrender is the only option.

In 3 weeks I will return to Nepal as a trainer and teacher of Expressive Art Therapy and Community Art Practice. As a pastor, part of my call is to bring word of God reaching out to the world. God reaches out to the world as the Living Artist, reminding us all of the inherent beauty residing in each of us as “imago Dei”. As theologian Garcia-Rivera points out, the Greek word for “beauty” has two forms; hallos (noun) which means to call, and Kalon (adj) which means “the called” (1999) Garcia-Rivera expands this definition writing; “Theological aesthetics attempts to make clear once again the connection between Beauty and the beautiful, between Beauty’s divine origins and its appropriation by the human heart”(1999). Continue Reading »

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Cathy Kaminski is the lead pastor at Trinity Community Church in Cincinnati, OH. She is a self proclaimed jogger, coffee-lover, corny joke enthusiast, and sinner saved by grace.

Earlier this summer I was getting ready to take some of our high school students to a youth conference known as CHIC, (www.chic2015.org). While every pastor is different, when preparing for a week away I feel the need to overcompensate by delegating even the most minute tasks. It was in this attempt at organized chaos when one of the church-goers informed me, “It’s ok Pastor Cathy. I’ll be the pastor this week.” This church-goer happened to be a seven year old girl.

I stooped down, smiled and encouraged, “Sounds like a plan! Do you want to preach too?” She laughed and told me next time. But to tell you the truth, I wasn’t joking. In that moment I was filled with a sense of joy and I couldn’t quite place why.

Throughout the course of the following week, while ministering to students and seeing God move in unimaginable ways, I took time to reflect on other instances when filled with that same unexplainable joy. There was a time around Christmas. A mom shared a story of her youngest daughters. They had received toy microphones as presents. How did they decide to play with these microphones? One might think: be a pop star. A comedian, perhaps. But no, these girls decided to pretend to be “Pastor Cathy.” Their mother informed me they welcomed the family to church, gave announcements, led songs, and even gave mini-sermons. My heart was filled with these precious little ones.

But it was more than love for these little girls that was causing my heart to swell. It wasn’t until an afternoon at CHIC that the picture finally became clear. I had the privilege of partnering with another youth group to embark on the adventure that is CHIC. Our three students joined a church with twenty and together we enjoyed the conference. Towards the end of the week, the other pastor, a male colleague of mine, shared an unexpected benefit of joining forces. In his context, many of his students have not experienced the leadership of a female pastor. Being able to minister well, love, and care for these students expanded their understanding of God.

His insight opened my eyes to what God had been stirring in me for months. Why am I so overwhelmed by these little girls pretending to be pastors? Because they are growing up knowing that God can use them in every single capacity of church leadership. It hit me that I might be the only lead pastor they remember from childhood and their understanding of God and women in leadership will forever be impacted by that fact.

A little of my story: I used to be a complementarian, (meaning I did not affirm women in leadership). I had never seen it. Never experienced it. And often had doors slammed in my face if I challenged it. It was a long journey towards answering the call to pastoral leadership. This is a life I could have never imagined and was unable to dream for myself.

But these little girls, these student, male and female, for all of the parishioners I am privileged to pastor…for them a female pastor is normal. Seeing a woman preach, teach, administer communion is not questioned, but celebrated. I get to be a part of a witness that opens people’s eyes to how God calls humanity to serve. I struggled for so long because I could not picture what female head leadership could look like. Now I get to paint that picture!

I don’t know your context. I don’t know your story. But I do know that empowering women to serve in all aspects of church life does more than affirm their call. For all of us it deepens our love and understanding of God and helps us to dream.

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Jeff Ondrey is a nursing home adminstrator in Western New York and is a member of the Commission on Biblical Gender Equality. 

This past weekend, I had the fortune to be able to visit my little grandson and his family in Washington, DC.  My wife and I took part of a day to visit some of the monuments that we had not seen in over 35 years.  What an inspiring place that has memorialized some inspiring quotes from some inspiring men and women. Our morning began at the Jefferson memorial where the irony unfolded that I had just finished reading the following quote by Thomas Jefferson when a rag tag group of people brandishing confederate flags made a visual spectacle on the steps of the memorial.

While my own intolerant mind tried to be gracious to allow them the freedom to express themselves, (and I knew my own limitations on this and did not linger to listen to them) I wondered if they had taken the time to read the words on the four massive engravings surrounding Jefferson’s statue. Continue Reading »

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