The Spirit calls everyone to serve.
(Listen to my song “All Are Welcome” on YouTube by clicking HERE)
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Luke 8:1-3
Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God. Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.
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It seems amazing to me that for years whenever I read scripture like this today…I missed the part about the women who accompanied Jesus.
Of course…I was always reading from my male-centered viewpoint.
I was raised in a patriarchy dominated culture and the scripture I read was written by men from a male-dominated position.
It’s fairly amazing that the gospel writers actually included the women…but if they hadn’t, they wouldn’t have been true to reflecting what actually happened.
When women were mentioned by name…we know they must have been prominent in the story!
I can’t help but believe that describing them as having been “cured of evil spirits and infirmities” was just another way of making them inferior.
The bottom line is that women traveling with Jesus in his band of disciples would have been scandalous in that society.
But it happened.
How brave these women must have been to follow their call!
And yet…we have paid them little if any tribute.
Despite Jesus being inclusive of women in his followers…the Christian tradition pretty much relegated women to second class (or third class) status for hundreds and hundreds of years.
Due to being raised in the Catholic tradition…I have not been exposed to women in leadership positions in the Church.
That’s why I sometimes go to other churches where women preach…and I can tell you that the experience has greatly enriched my life.
Women have always been called to be in Christian ministry…and they continue to be called.
Let us open our hearts to this…and also to others who are not being included…and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us in transformational dialogue.
If you feel you are not being included…know that I support you in following your calling.
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Listen to the song of the day “All Are Welcome” on the Give Praise and Thanks album by clicking HERE.
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Remember…God loves you!
Bill Tonnis Ministries 
God has always called women. “The Church” however has been reluctant to move away from patriarchy. Many years ago I knew I was called, I just didn’t know to what. So I went to seminary where I was rejected in a very personal and painful way. At that time even though the denomination was ordaining women churches weren’t even considering calling them. I spent years angry, feeling like the church left me. It took awhile for me to actually leave the church and realize that my ministry is not to be an administrator or CEO as many pastors have become or limited to any one group, doctrine or practice. My hope is that as more women enter positions of church leadership whey will approach their ministry as women and not simply try to conform to the male model of ministry we’ve had. Thank you for taking on this topic Bill.
My heart goes out to all women whose callings have been squelched and dishonored. I will never be able to know the pain of that sort of rejection as a white male…but I can tell you I have many times been moved to tears when I consider the women, people of color, and LGBTQ people whose callings have been opposed and rejected. The Spirit, however, cannot be stopped! Alleluia and amen to that!