Love/ Hate Relationship with Paul

    The apostle Paul and I have a touch and go relationship. The first sermon I ever preached was on Paul's conversion - it lasted eight and a half minutes and was not pretty. Yet, I always felt connected to Paul because of that sermon. But Paul also wrote some of the harshest words that have ever been throw in my face about women not being in ministry. Paul wrote words that make people doubt my call.

   The churches I serve are currently studying the book of Acts - and last night we looked at the story of Lydia - the women who helped house Paul and fund his ministry. The women who had the local gathering of believers meet in her house. One of the people attending that study asked how Paul could accept Lydia's help and not believe that women are vital to ministry.

   What came next was a conversation about missing the most important things. We miss the most important things in the Bible when we rip words from their context. I don't think Paul ever meant for his words to be published or applicable to all believers. He was writing to very specific churches in very specific times. Times when women didn't have occupations alongside men. Times when women didn't even sit in the same part of the synagogue as men. Times when it was unfathomable to think that uneducated women would proclaim the gospel.

   But we no longer live in those specific times. Instead we live in a time when God calls women - whether we like it or not - to preach and teach and proclaim the gospel. We live in a time when I had over 50 people interview me and affirm my ministry over a period of years before I could be ordained. I am not rouge. My call has been heard, tested and confirmed by others. Yet, I accept that not all people agree with women being in ministry and I'm okay with that. But I do ask that as I respect you, that you respect me. And that we both respect Paul, by looking at the context behind the words.