Women's Role in Cultural Christianity

Ministry is hard. It is not for the faint-hearted, nor is it for those who think they are spiritually strong and can withstand anything. It is most definitely not for those who hold culture and tradition above the word of God. They consider their cultural beliefs, those practices handed down generationally – becoming their traditions – are the values that define them. Time has made them good and solid and they must be upheld – it is what makes them a society, it’s what makes them a nation. National pride is their true identity – and honoring tradition is their functioning manner of life. Some may consider this only to be true of those cultures that are so very distinct in their practices: tribalism, naturalism – isolated ‘unreached’ people groups, deep jungle dwellers with mystical belief systems. This is not true! It’s not. It could be true of you! It could be true of your culture which you have always assumed to be in-line with Biblical principles and practices.

When traditions are handed down through common practice it is only when Biblically evaluated that we can determine them to be godly or not. Now, we need to be careful – not all Biblical practices were right and what we should hold to today. Many are there to teach us what not to do – they are moral and ethical lessons showing us our desperate need of a Savior. They point us to Him. The one who forgives and allows us to live anew. We need to remember that He came to break us free from the cultural traditional practices that confine us. We are to make Him the value that shapes our lives. And, our value is found in who and what He created us to be – image bearers.

Our role as image bearers supersedes whether we are men and women. Being created in His image is who and what we are. As such we need to be very careful in thrusting our perceived righteous living as the Christian standard for womanhood and manhood. First we are image bearers. Second, we are defined by our gender. In many Christian cultures this understanding is lost. Weak men cling to their cultural perception of manhood to enforce their leadership role – this is wrong. They use it when threatened. Rather than examine their weaknesses, and address it Biblically, they defend their position culturally – this is their opinion and most certainly not a Biblical principle. The same values for godly living apply to men and to women. Weak men rush to call women who question their un-Biblical traits as feminist – in the church they are referred to as feminazi. They do this to silence women. No woman seeking to be obedient to the Lord wants to be called a feminist – a feminazi. The silencing tactic works well. Calling a woman is a feminist, disrespectful of male leadership rather than taking a look at the facts – Biblically – shames and isolates. Taking a long hard look at life and living through Biblical principles should cause them to see their error. It can only do so when they walk in fear of the Lord, rather than in fear of man. Living for your culture and tradition separates from godly living.

Choose wisely. Ministry is not easy, it most definitely not for the faint hearted!

• Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come (1 Timothy 4:7-8).

• If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain (1 Timothy 6:3-5).

#ministry #culture #truth