That's an impressive list. I recall reading Catherine Kroeger’s piece and how much I enjoyed it. I recall, also, at that time, that I was studying Genesis and the article seemed to dovetail with some things that I believed about God's original plan for men and women. While I do believe that there have been gross misinterpretations and applications of scripture regarding men and women, I still can't get over the fact that Paul, in two places, makes it clear that women do not have spiritual authority over men. My husband and I didn't get very far with Bill Gothard and his work, since not long after he attended his seminar, he began to see signs of cult-like behavior in his followers. Salem met Gothard once, and visited his home base where he observed a display case that his followers had put together on Gothard's personal history, along with memorabilia and photos. That alarmed him, and we never became part of that ministry. I don't know if Grudem has a ministry other than his work as a professor and author. His work seems to be primarily theological and academic. Does Gothard refer to him in his writings? Anyway, Grudem, in his Systematic Theology, acknowledges that women often have greater spiritual gifts than men; additionally, that there have been many unfortunate attempts to squelch those gifts. I won't go into all that he says. But his bottom line is that he doesn't see that the scripture gives any room for a woman holding the position of a pastor or elder in the church. He acknowledges Priscilla's teaching of Apollos, and believes that in an informal setting that men and women can support one another in scripture teaching.

I also had a dream from the time that my mother first told me about Jesus of missionary work. However, my parents and church weren't strong in Bible teaching, and I became an atheist before the Lord entered my life and turned me to him. It was then that my early longing to serve him fully returned in a strong way. But with my naivete and ignorance of God's word, I turned to the COG as my way to reach the world for Him. By the time that Salem and I left, we had a handicapped son and an urgent need to unlearn a lot of false doctrine.Today, my husband doesn't have a desire to go to the ends of the earth any longer; and I have come to see that I am serving God each day of my life, as long as I continue to turn to Him and obey. I think that part of my attraction to "missionary" work was the romantic appeal that it had for me. "Helping children in Africa," doesn't that tug at everyone's heart? But who cares about the men and women that see their calling in raising a Christian family or caring for an invalid mother, or child? I greatly admire the people that did it right from the beginning - that were guided on the right missionary course. It's not too late, of course. Rachel Saint didn't begin her work with the Waodani until she was in her forties. In the past several years, I have kept in touch with a couple who worked with Intervarsity Christian Fellowship on college campuses. Their dream and goal was to eventually go to Africa to teach and preach. Because they had been childless for many years, they decided to adopt two beautiful black boys. When the boys were still young, their opportunity came to go to Africa after they raised the necessary funds for their support. While in Africa, they sent back many newsletters about their progress. Since they and their children were new to that environment, they suffered a lot of illness. They struggled with the language, too, but soon were able to function in it. (Their boys, of course, became fluent.) As the boys entered school they were faced with another dilemma. After a year of struggle it became apparent that their oldest son suffered from learning disabilities. He hated reading, and it began to affect his general attitude. With this knowledge they were faced with a decision that might mean giving up their African dream. Eventually, they realized that his needs couldn't be met by the school there in Africa; so they left Africa and are now in the states in order to give him the help that he needs to successfully function in life. The husband is now back with Intervarsity. I'm not sure what the lessons are here, or if there are any. But I was blessed to pray for and observe this dedicated family.

I have so much on my plate now, that by the time I get around to doing an in-depth research on the subject of the equality of women in the church, the Lord may be calling me home. Then all will be well.

> The main connection with Grudem and Gothard
> is their firm stance against women in
> ministry or any other position than that of
> wife and mother. Gothard focuses on the
> family structure and Grudem the theology of
> hierarchy. My search began with 7 kids, and
> comforted by Gothard in his affirmation of
> multiple births in a 2 kid world. George
> went to the seminars. I was home with the
> kids. I was devoted to them and still am,
> but as I began to rebuild my prayer life and
> re-study the Word, the call of my childhood
> to missions and ministry kept popping up. I
> couldn’t reconcile the two and I really felt
> it was off the wall and didn’t deal with it
> for a long time.

> It never let me go though, and I began to
> hear “other voices" -- a book here, a verse
> there and a minister there. One minister
> took me by the arm and looked me in the eye
> and said, “God hasn’t forgotten who you are.
> You will preach His Gospel". It scared me
> half to death. I had said nothing to anyone.
> Finally I began to search it out and bring
> the question before God in prayer and
> searching out the scriptures. Things in
> scripture didn’t seem to line up as straight
> as before.

> There were several authors, one whose book
> is posted above as a permanent link. She had
> the same questions, and the book is her
> theological, historical and anthropological
> research at Oberlin College. The other site
> has some of the best research I’ve found.
> You had mentioned to George that you found
> Catherine Kroeger’s credentials impressive;
> she is one of the authors that took me over
> the top, with her historical classical Greek
> research. Another is Aída Besanson Spencer,
> professor of NT at Gordon-Conwell, who was
> the first to present a scripture-based
> egalitarian research paper at the
> Evangelical Theological Society some 25
> years ago. Her book, Beyond the Curse,
> Women Called to Ministry, documents her
> presentation. Gilbert Bilezikian of Wheaton
> College, and one of the founders of Willow
> Creek Community Church does a rich study on
> the subject, Beyond Sex Rolls, What the
> Bible Says about a Woman’s Place in Church
> and Family. Another is Gretchen
> Gaebelein Hull, Daughter of Frank Gaebelein
> of the Gaebelein Commentaries . Her
> journey to an egalitarian point of view is
> recorded in her book, Equal to Serve
> .

> Ron Pierce, prof. of Biblical Studies at
> Fuller Theological Seminary; Rebecca
> Merrill-Groothuis, conservative scholar on
> women’s issues; and Gordon Fee, professor
> emeritus of NT Studies at Regent College
> have compiled an excellent book,
> Discovering Biblical Equality,
> Complimentarity without Hierarchy. All
> of these can be found in the book section of
> the Christians for Biblical Equality
> (button posted above), or on book sites like
> Amazon.com and Half.com. These are all
> respectable and well-known scholars; many of
> them, like you, are conservative
> Presbyterians.

> It is a big and detailed subject Mir, but
> the “other side" is out there if you are
> really interested. Any one of them should
> offer a good start.