Anxiety can be debilitating.

“Can I really understand Scripture without knowing the original biblical languages?”

Let’s talk about making assumptions, and why that’s bad. Especially concerning the people sitting around you in the church pews.

“How are Advent Christian churches supporting the women in their pews?”

It was not my goal to convince you. It was my goal to make you think…If I made you think, then I accomplished what I set out to do.

A Case for Biblical Egalitarianism: Part Three (The Rebuttal)

A Case for Biblical Egalitarianism: Part Two

Egalitarianism. Otherwise known as - being in support of women in ministry and women holding positions of spiritual authority.

I believe that questions are important. Incredibly important.

I’ve said it before – I am a question asker. I like questions. I like to ask questions. I like being asked questions. I like thinking about questions that come up in my mind throughout the day. I like contemplating the hard questions in life.

Perhaps the reason I love questions is because I love research. And questions are certainly the foundation of research.

But, I like questions primarily because they are relational in so many ways.

For Christians in particular, questions can sometimes be or provide an open door for us to share the love of Christ in unique ways.

I must admit, I chose the title of this post partially in jest, and partially for the shock factor.

This article is both in response and in partnership with Luke Copeland’s recent article: “Long Live the Patriarchy!”

“Why is there so much inconsistency within the Advent Christian denomination when it comes to the ordination of women?”

This question came to mind recently while watching a live podcast episode of Bible Banter that had Dr. Mark Woolfington on as a guest for the topic of discussion: Ordination Standards.

The broad discussion was centered around what ordination standards are in place currently, what should change, and what is needed in ordination standards for Advent Christians. As I was listening and watching, I made a comment about the need for consistency in ordination standards, which led to more discussion on the need for a commonly identified theological foundation in order to build more consistent ordination standards.

Thinking about the inconsistent ordination standards, methods, processes, and practices got me thinking…

“Are these practical ministry courses really necessary?”

This was the question that I asked throughout college and seminary. In college, I was a Biblical Studies major, and I was able to get out of preaching classes since I was not a Pastoral Ministries major. I didn’t have any practical ministry courses in college, but that was a different story in seminary. When I got to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, I could not get out of the three required preaching classes, the required “mentored ministry” classes/credits (I had to be actively involved in ministry in some way, with a mentor to supervise me), and the practical ministry courses.

Needless to say, in the beginning I was upset.

“When Jesus wept over the death of Lazarus, what do we learn about the humanity of Jesus?”

I have always been fascinated by the dual divinity and humanity of Christ. I’m intrigued by the fact that Jesus is fully God, and yet fully man at the same time. Two such identities should not be able to coexist in the same body, no? Scripture clearly says otherwise. Jesus was certainly God in human flesh, and the human flesh was not diminished by his divinity. Jesus was indeed fully divine, and fully human. This means that in his divinity, he understood and emanated the things of heaven; but in his humanity, he felt and experienced the things of earth.

“What would my bookcase tell someone else about me and my life?”

“What did the Adventist publications say about women earning the right to vote?”

This was one question that came to my mind while I was visiting Aurora University, doing some research in their Adventist archival collection. I was entertaining questions in my mind about how Advent Christians reacted publicly to major current events. Case in point – the ratification of the 19th amendment to the United States Constitution, which gave women (who were legal US citizens) the right to vote. And so, I began to read.

I ask a lot of questions. I am a question asker. Sometimes, I voice those questions aloud. But, normally I’m quiet. Silent, and with a racing mind that is full of questions.