IN HER OWN WORDS

You all have been gracious enough to let me ask the question as to whether women should be ministers. You have read some pros and cons on the subject. But, if you know anything about me, then you know I believe you should ask or allow the one you are speaking about to have their say.

WHAT DO YOU THINK??

Should I go to the source and ask those brave women in the pulpit how do they feel about women as ministers?

I DO

So, it is off yet on another mad adventure. I will try to have interviews from real female ministers posted on this blog. Hopefully we can get them to tell us when and how did they know God wanted them to enter into the ministry, what kind of resistence or support they received? What is a strength or weakness of women ministers. Are male or female - younger or older members more receptive to having a female in the pulpit. And I know some of you may think my next area of interest is not that important to the struggle, but I want to know about the restraints of fashion if they face any right down to their choice of hair color and style.


As a researcher, I would rather use books for information, they are more cooperative. But I love hearing what people in the fight actually have to say.

If you know of any female ministers, tell me about them or tell them about me. I can be contacted at rizerfall@yahoo.com put (woman minister) in the subject line so I know it is not spam.

I am kind of excited about this. I guess the first thing I will find out is if female ministers are friendly and willing to give an interview.

Stay tuned for some good reading.

Pastor Eddie Long Gone Wrong

No I have not become judge and jury, but I am tired of all of these ministers being accused of homosexual acts.

I can never stress enough if you follow man you will always end up disappointed. If you follow a man and a cause, you will be angry and disappointed.

We are to follow Jesus. I have sat in a many of a churches and heard deacons and other elders telling congregations no- swearing to congregations that they know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the pastor is a man of God and you are hell bound if you do not follow his every word. He spends all of his waking hours that we do not see him (the pastor) praying for the sheep. Intercessing to the point of death for the well being of the flock and we should make his life easier (the pastor) by immediately obeying whatever he says because it comes straight from God.

Needless to say, I become blinded by all types of red flags. The congregation has started worshipping the pastor instead of God. The minister usually adjusts himself in his seat in an act of agreement with humility. Dirty work done by those trying to get to heaven through following a pastor. SAD SAD SAD.

Once I challenged this assertation of my pastor receiving divine revelation about me while interceding for me daily: "Why don't the pastor ever tell me what God has said I am struggling with and the answer God has given to him about me." The other members of the congregation drew up and said he (the pastor) knows all about me and would tell me if God had instructed him to do so. Another time a member of 'my' church said a pastor can never be removed from the pulpit unless he steps down or dies. I asked "Where did that come from?" I eventually, after much Bible page flipping told from: 1 Chronicles 16:22 and Psalms 105:15- "Do not touch my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm." Does anyone start at the beginning of a chapter or the beginning of a book of the Bible and read it in its entirety?

David had re-established a home for the Ark of the Ccovenant setting up men to do worship service before it. He did a dedication prayer and recounted how God raised up the nation of Israel protecting them from enemies. Of the leaders of the nation of Israel, God did not allow anyone he appointed and anointed (with an entire drenching of oil) to be removed unless he removed them. This was during a time when kings such as Saul and David reigned, a family line of priests existed and anyone else died in the duty, and prophets hand picked by God to go to warn a nation to repent for specific sins or suffer specific consequences such as overthrow and captivity existed. The coming of Jesus put this away. The new calling of shepherds is nothing like that of the old Testament Kings, Priests, and Prophets.

"If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust from your feet when you leave that town. I will tell you it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgement for that town. I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves" (Matthew 10:15-17). A true minister of God will never force or demand to be allowed to stay to preach to a group of people because he knows he is sent and that there are those who will not listen and God will deal with that. anyone strong arming you to follow them blindly should send up red flags and flares. No one person is the key to your salvation or the communicator for you to God.

I no longer go to that church. I refused to leave my salvation completely in the hands of another and I rejected the idea that I was going to hell if I did not obey the every word of the pastor. A pastor is in the position to serve God and the flock in their growth and understanding of how to live holy and to disciple others. His position is not to judge how obedient I am to him as a test of salvation. Questioning him(the pastor) is not equal to questioning God; even though the disciples following Christ did so all of the time and Jesus took the time to answer them. He did tell them that they saw what he did daily and still did not understand. Don't we know Jesus understands our questionings from time to time?

Back to the bishop. 25,000 member congregation. The shepherd knew his sheep intimatly in the Bible. Could the bishop know his congregation and they know him? I have heard his sermons but, saw him more on the telethons for money offerings. As much effort it took to get people to send in money-all of the angles used-Scriptural tie ins-monetary blessings in return- there were red flags.

I am never happy when people fall and can not imagine the pain and humiliation for it to be in the public spotlight. My book "The Politics of Prayer" addresses every aspect of this situation that seems to recur over and over with our leaders. MAN I WISH IT WAS READY FOR PURCHSE NOW!!! It would be such a blessing.

Everyone needs to be in prayer for his congregation and those watching the Christian community to get a glimpse of God. Rededicate yourselves to following God and to understand man has the potential to be a flawed creature where God is not. Pin all of your hope and faith in God. Man will always disappoint whether it is the bishop or the young men bringing the lawsuit.

The Day Has Come

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SEX: The Christian Marriage and the men who love it

I have taken many courses on Marriage Counseling from the secular and Christian perspective. Both agree that sex is an important component in marriage and can cause stress and strain on a marriage. Intimacy is held in high regard in both sectors of teaching on marriage. There is a major difference between the two camps of teaching on sex in marriage. The Christian aspect on marriage is that a wife can never decline to have sexual relations with her husband.

"The husband should fulfill his marital duties to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by MUTUAL CONSENT and for a time so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. I SAY THIS AS A CONCESSION, NOT AS A COMMAND." 1 Corinthians 7:3-6.

Without hesitation a Christian husband will say a Christian wife cannot deny a husband sex; it is her duty because her body does not belong to herself. I wrote the complete passage on the subject, but it seems that Christian men rather not read the entire passage.

One of my professors stated that when a Christian couple comes in for counseling due to infidelity on the husband's part, the first question he asks the woman is "Did you keep him sexually satiated?" I was stunned by this **it must be said that I was the only female in this class and my shock was singular* The instructor went on to explain that is why Paul instructed women not to deny their husband's sex, because Satan would tempt a sexually starved man to cheat and thus it is her shortcoming for her husband's sexual appetite not being fulfilled on demand by the wife. If the man was getting steak at home every night he could pass the enticing aroma of steak eminating from another house as he passed by on his way home each night. Shock was soon replaced by sadness.

On AFR radio I heard the host and a doctor of psychology discussing sex in the Christian marriage and how a wife is commanded by God not to deny her husband. A sexually satisfied man is able and freed to become the head of his household because sex destresses him and makes him feel more like a man; a duty of the wife.

The men went on to explain how women just do not get how important sex is to a man. The expert went on to recount an experience he had with his own wife on a Thursday night. He walked into the kitchen one night and saw his wife loading the dishwasher. As she bent over loading the dirty dishes he said "Do you know what I'm thinking?" She replied "Yes, I do and we were just together Tuesday, it's just Thursday."

The two men chuckled and went on to explain how flattering it should be to a wife to be desired at all times by her husband. ***My husband was with me listening to this radio pragram and wanted to turn the channel. I don't know if it was due to shame or because he knew I was beginning to get angry at what I was hearing.***

The men said a wife just does not understand how wonderful her husband would feel after working all day to support her and the family in the stressful job market to come home to a woman who had been waiting all day to have sex with him. After having served him a wonderful meal and ushered the kids to bed to have her smelling good and awaiting him in the bed would encourage him in his role as head of the household as God intended.

Another professor I had who actually did marriage counseling as a career stated, when a man entered into the session and began to list what the Bible states the duties of a Christian wife are, he stops him and tells the husband to tell him how HE fulfills his biblical duties as a husband and not discuss his wife's shortcomings. HORRAH for him. *He was may favorite Marriage and Family instructor.

I wanted to write a book telling women they have the right to do with their bodies as they please, but there is no misinterpretation of that Scripture. God intended for the couple not to with hold sex from each other. In Corinth adultry was rampant and Paul wanted to try to help the Christian marriage survive this influence, so he instructed them to fulfill sexual needs within the marriage. If the couple works together and discusses what works for them in the bedroom then of course this would create intimacy and respect for each other. Paul stated that this was a suggestion and not a command; which is the important part of the equation. God stated that a couple was to become as one, so the woman's body and the husband's body was not two separate entities but one. Somehow, they would have to manage the sexual aspect of marraige with respect and consideration not hurting and neglecting each other.

What if a man was told to eat when he was not hungry because it would make his wife feel more like a woman? Wouldn't that man soon develop an avesion to food? What if he was watching a football game and the woman just looked at him and said "I would like for you to eat this meal out of the blue? Would he think she was crazy? What indication had he given her that he was even hungry? What if her womanhood was wrapped up in whether he declined to eat? How about if the man is sick? Should a woman be pushing meals on him? When is a sexual request out of order for the man?

A young Christian married couple still newlyweds, marriage crumbled over sex. An amorous husband found his wife irresistable after she had dressed to go to a meeting. On her way out of the door, he wanted a quick sexual encounter. The wife promised to return as early as possible to come back to satisfy his husbandly urges. Knowing and having been taught a wife should not deny her husband sexually, he became upset and decided to go to a strip club.

This left the young bride with much turmoil. Her refusal to her Christian husband led him to seek sexual satisfaction elsewhere outside of the marriage. The pastor in which they saught counseling from accepted her repentence for her sin and said maybe she may need to leave her blossoming law career if it was going to cause conflict in her marriage. The couple divorced within the year. The young woman wrestled with her sin for 2 more years and the husband has married and divorced 2 more times since his marriage to her.

I said all of this to say: Christian husbands - you should hear what your wives say in whispered voices about their DUTY of having sex on demand to other women. Slavery demands its property to fulfill duties whether they want to or not. The punishment for not fulfilling sexual duties is to be told you are not a Christian wife. It is sad to know all other efforts at being a good Christian and a good Christian wife can be cancelled by just not wanting to have sex on demand. Depression ensues and aversion to the sex act grows. Practiced shows of intimacy and submission is the outcome. Anger finds root because the husband does not even recognize or do not care about the lack of enthusiasm the woman is showing about the sex act. All she is needed to do is to show up.

This is not the case in many Christian marriages, but horror stories exist. The test is if a man is saying: "It is the woman's duty" or "her body does not belong to herself" there may be a problem. When you are reminding someone "you must do this" you are going to have a problem.

I believe men and women should have more open conversations about sex in Christian marriage without the threat of being called "not a Christian." Women should start these groups and invite the men to hear "the real talk about sex in Christian marriages." God knows the heart of everyone. Hypocrisy is not one of His favorite traits. How can this divide be bridged. SEX is beautiful, can remain beautiful, and is God ordained. Christians should be leading the way in happy healthy sexual relationships.

Don't Look Down

WARNING!!!! This post is not for the faint of heart or those who cry easily at the mistreatment of animals. Viewer discretion advised.

I live in the country- I mean in the booneys. Each morning for the past 2 weeks I have started my day with exercise consisting of walking briskly outside in the dirt and gravel road that is a large part of my front yard. While walking I pray aloud and fellowship with God.

Exercise pros tell you that while walking, to hold up your head and tighten up your abs for a good work out. You would not believe how many people I have walked with can not hold the weight of their own head up or use their head for momentum in leaning forward cheating their legs out of a true workout.

So, you are suppose to hold up your head and not look down.

I on the other hand would be foolish not to glance down at the ground every once in a while due to the fact that in my country fresh air filled enviroment, there is always a threat of a snake-poisonous and non poisonous- just hanging out or crossing the road. One of my first posts for this year was on= while sitting on my front steps a black runner snake came within an inch of my left foot. Tuesday, my husband walked out of the front door to find a baby "rattlesnake pilot" within his third intended step. He stomped it viciously, happy in killing it far too much for my comfort level. But, snakes are a threat people, sorry death is the hoped for outcome.

Any hoo; today while glancing down for safety every so often, words cannot describe the carnage of nature I witnessed.

In the wee hours of the night, a medium sized frog met it's death as tire tracks in the sandy rocky road indicates. Smashed flat with ants attacking in the tire tracks was the frog, guts being enjoyed by an array of insects.

Larger than life as I walked on was the exoskeleton of a huge beetle. Shiny still, but lifeless. How its death came about I do not know.

Inching to and from was a mangerie of caterpillars, worms and other long multilegged creatures. Dodging them was impossible and as I circled my excercise loop I saw their squished bodies left motionless in my tennis shoe foot print.

Too my left I passed a well executed lump of dog poo. I hate this wandering hobo of a neighbor's dog who seems to delight in going to the bathroom in my yard in various mean spirited places. He urinates on all of my husband's tires. We do not like this dog and he seems to intend to keep it this way. I had to leave my exercise momentarily to get a shovel and cover the lovely dog's visitation with sand or I would have just heaved the non existent breakfast in my stomach.

Needless to say on my fourth loop I had become quite nauseaous. This was more like some weird nightmare than the beauty of nature and the joy of healthy exercise and living. My face was frowned and I knew I was suppose to love and marvel at God's creation but, I was just disgusted.

I told myself "just don't look down" but this was hard to do because I knew lurking just below was all of this ugliness.

I thought about people and their lives. Did I know anyone with such ugliness surrounding them that was just a part of their everyday life? Was this my life and "I was just refusing to look down?" Should we as people strive to "just not look" down so we won't see the ugliness of the world?

Did I want to be one of those people with their heads up in the air not acknowledging the poor innocent frog that met his death by the rolling crushing pressure of the well oiled machine. Did I want to ignore those that poo in my life for my eyes to see when they have a world of other options for pooing and peeing? What significance did covering it up play in my life? Was it moving on, living with it, or showing that it is not as significant as the poo'er thought it would be to me? And what about those that feed on those that are broken and beaten? Was this just a part of the circle of life. And finally, what about the injured and dead I left in my own footprint in my day to day activity?

I told you this was not for the weak. Wow, I will have a lot to meditate on won't I. But when I don't care anymore, when I stop asking myself the hard questions, then I know I will have joined that ecosystem that lives in the area of "Don't Look Down."

Civil War Revisited- Man versus Woman

Excerpts from my book "The Politics of Prayer"

“I am passionately interested in understanding how my country works. And if you want to know about this thing called the United States of America you have to know about the Civil War.”
Ken Burns

The argument of whether or not a woman should be a minister will go on forever. There are those who will point to certain Scripture that is against women ministers and then there are those who will point to Scripture believing the Bible does not condemn women as ministers. The above qoute can also apply to this debate. During the Civil War, both the North and the South used the Bible to validate their position. I used my book on politics and the need for prayer and wisdom to highlight the war waged against women as ministers.


Stanley Hauerwas reminds the Christian that there is a temptation, once the Christian becomes involved in politics, for leaders and people in general to convince one another that they alone are on God’s side, while those that disagree with them are completely evil. Christians can confuse political power with faithful witness.

Last year, while watching a program about the Civil War on the History Channel, I was amazed to realize both generals of the North and the South prayed to God for victory. Both of the generals were earnest and persistent in their religious request to be the victor of God for a cause they each believed in their souls. If God answered the prayers of the general of the South would that mean all of the participants of the opposition were evil and deserved to die? If God answered the prayers of the general of the North would that mean all of the participants of the opposition were evil and deserved death? Was one group Christian and the other group sinners? How could two groups with differing views on slavery both pray to God and both claim to be Christian?

In “The Bible and Slavery” (Religion and the American Civil War), Mark Noll asserts that the availability and widespread access and limitless use of the Bible in a society where each individual was concerned with their own growth and prosperity; framed by the conflict of slavery – ultimately led to war. Both North and South would turn to the Bible as the ultimate source in answering the dilemma of slavery, but in radically opposite manners. Northerners appealed to the spirit of the Bible (liberalism) in opposing slavery, whereas southerners appealed to the letter of the Bible (literalism) in defending slavery. These competing biblical claims helped shape public perceptions that led to secession and war.

When people begin to choose political sides and equate Christianity with those choices, there is the danger or temptation of turning a cause, as righteous as it may be, into a test of Christianity by man. God has given the criterion for who is and is not a Christian. Christianity can not be judged by deeds alone even though actions are good indicators of one’s religious belief. I have heard many Christians state “I am a die-hard-Republican” or “I am a die-hard-Democrat” or “I am a die-hard-Patriot.” It would be music to God’s ears if they would say “I am a die-hard-Christian.”

Reverend Jim Walls affirms the belief that God is for all of His creation. He is against sin, but he awaits every person turn or return to salvation. “God is not partisan: God is not a Republican or a Democrat. When either party tries to politicize God, or co-opt religious communities for their political agendas, they make a terrible mistake. The best contribution of religion is precisely not to be ideologically predictable nor loyally partisan. Both parties, and the nation, must let the prophetic voice of religion be heard. Faith must be free to challenge both right and left from a consistent moral ground.”

In the same way, the value of women in service of God should be evaluated without any type of agenda. It is the heart of God that is revealed in Scripture and the heart of man will be revealed as he interprets and executes the word of God. No matter the sex of a person, corruption of God's word is a sin. Can a woman minister without corrupting God's word? Should this be what is the test of servitude? Who was right and who was wrong in the Civil War? Who was God for and who was God against? Who actually was standing for the word of God? Can the answer really be both?

God alone can answer these questions.

Lipstick on a pig

The insult heard round the world.

Miss Piggy probably would have had a lot to say about this comment, but she would be the best example of what is meant by this statement.

Miss Piggy is gorgeous, a bit over the top, but non the less gorgeous. With curly blond hair jiggling with every snappy and demanding phrase, Miss Piggy will not be ignored and doesn't mind roughing it up with the best of them.

Dazzled by her beauty, she is able to capture and maintain the spotlight even though you know she is bound to misbehave. Tantrums are in her arsenal of "getting her way" at the expense of anyone standing in her way. She can go from velvety cooing to screeching tyraids in 2.2 seconds.

LIPSTICK ON A PIG?

Could anyone misinterpret what the meaning of the power packed sentence?

The Bible was the first to address this specific type of person. The gender may have switched but the sentiment remains the same. Matthew 23:13-29:

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisees! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.”

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”

Many of us pay close attention to the outside of ourselves, what people can see immediately even before we speak. Once we do open our mouths, we try to utter what the world deems as lovely and nice through painted on smiles of magenta or ruby red. But the heart is left unchanged. Dark and coniving it plots the downfall of many. Gangrenous green with envy and greed it seeks to destroy. No one is the wiser of what lurks beneath the ribs of a vulturous mind. We lay snares and traps and give it names like "street smart" "player" "real" all code for "lipstick on a pig."

Why give the pig such a bad name? A pig will devour anything it can without finesse or shame. Slobbering it chomps loudly and agressively. After feasting rolling in the mud with glee; belly satisfied.

LIPSTICK ON A PIG

Politics and religion have entered this animal realm. The heart does not matter anymore. Painted faces smile at you saying whatever is needed to get you to feed it. Truth does not matter, concern for human dignity has been tossed to the wind, greed-the ear mark of a pig snacks on the elderly the young with its sights set on the next mesmerized by the pretty package.

There is nothing new under the sun. There will always be those with the false outward display. It is not their fault. Many of us look for the packaging that shines and dazzles the most.