A Seat at the Table: Moving from Hierarchy to Harmony

One look at the headlines, or a quick scroll through Twitter, is enough to sound the alarm that a shift is happening in the Body of Christ. As a result of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, the Church is questioning its long-held stances on gender roles, power differentials, marriage and family dynamics and more. Along with so many brothers and sisters, I found myself wondering how the Bible can promise so much hope in the the “many colored wisdom” (Ephesians 3:7-10) of God as evidenced in the beautiful harmony of the Church; while, at the same time, promote hierarchy that seems to subordinate and hurt both women and men.

Are females created and destined for subordination? Is it God’s true notion that maleness is a requisite for preaching and teaching? What about those complicated passages in scripture that seem to contradict and confuse? What about tradition and family values?

In A Seat at the Table table, I tackled these questions and more through an interactive and in-depth study of God’s word. Interspersed between chapters of scholarly study, are thought-provoking vignettes highlighting the real-life, everyday consequences of living by doctrine which exalts hierarchy over harmony. Join me in wrestling with scripture so that we emerge with clarity, truth, and a deeper awe for the beautiful freedom to be found in surrendering to God’s true notions for His Church and her mission in this world.