Author: Anne Marie Miller

If you search for relgious books containing the word “Church” in the title on Amazon, your results will total somewhere around 69044.

Do you think we analyze too much and act too little?

Read the following familiar passage – the Parable of the Prodigal Son. This is what we studied on today before heading out to do surveys & interviews. Before leaving, we discussed it.

Something illuminated to me as we contemplated was how the Church can be compared to both of the sons. I’m sure this wasn’t the intent, but hey, the Word is a living thing, right? There are churches who represent both sons – the one who wandered away, chased meaningless things, and was left alone in the time of famine. Yet he wised up, humbled himself and came back. His father rejoiced.

The other son could represent the churches who have always been busy about “the Lord’s Work.” They’ve spent tireless hours, blood, sweat and tears and get a little grumpy when they don’t see the joy the father has over a renewed breath of life.

I am praying for a fresh spirit to go through our churches. Those who have knowingly or unknowingly wandered will have their hearts softened to return, and for those who have been around for seemingly all time, to be open to new life and celebrate the bride returning to her bridegroom.

Your thoughts?

And He said, “A man had two sons.

“The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me ‘ So he divided his wealth between them.

And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living.

Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished.

So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.”‘

So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate. Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.

And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be.

And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him.

But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’

And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’”

I write this post from my newly borrowed 17″ PowerBook. I can honestly say, even on the days I feel fat and bloated (like today), this laptop makes me feel skinny again, as it hangs over a couple of inches on both sides while resting upon my lap.

Lately, it seems as if a frequented discussion in our circle of friends here has been the woman’s role in the church…should they be “over” things, or leading things, or teaching men or insert any vague & biblically unanswerable question to your liking here.

My personal and current belief (as my I am young enough to not have established many solid beliefs, but old enough to know the ones I have established could possibly change) is that if God has gifted you in leadership, you’re going to lead, whether you hold the vocational or volunteer role of leader or not. Jesus speaks incredibly highly of women and it’s obvious women were used all throughout history to play roles men couldn’t have played.

In today’s American church culture, we place such an emphasis on titles, that if a woman doesn’t hold a leadership title, sometimes people get upset because a man who is in a lateral role does get that title, and the American benefits that come with it (pay, notarity, and an office with a window).

Honestly, why should we even care? God is the one gifting you. God is the one directing where you serve. Pastor/Shepherd is by far the strongest “gift” in my gift mix, so does that mean God screwed up by making me a woman? Hardly. I will probably never serve as a pastor of some church (and really, that’s okay with me, I don’t think I should), but he will place people in my life that I can care for by using the gifts He’s given me.

All this to say, I think when people get upset about a woman not being able to go “as far” as a man can go in the church (on staff, or in leadership), it’s terribly ironic. We think the church is limiting what a woman can do; when in fact, we are limiting what women can do by placing it in the context of titles and not the global church.

Your thoughts?