Some Thoughts on Women and Church Culture

     When I was young, I attended a church that only allowed the men to open in prayer. It confused me at the time, but I never thought much of it. Until recently (in the last couple of years). It all started when my friend told me about the class her college offers called "How to Be a Pastor's Wife"...I will admit that at first, I thought it was pretty funny.

      But the more I thought about it, the more frustrated I became. Although that is probably a useful class for some ladies, is that all the college thinks that we're called to do? To become pastor's wives? To become wives?  Christian culture has (perhaps unintentionally) persuaded us as young ladies that our one aspiration should be to become wives. It teaches that we are nothing  without our husbands. It teaches us that if we're not married, we have very little capability We are taught that if we accomplish A, B, and C...in that order, God will have a husband in waiting for us. If He doesn't, then we're doing something wrong. This is ridiculous. Christian culture twists the Scriptures to allow us to be oppressed and oppress ourselves, using the excuse of submission.  I don't think that there's anything wrong with marriage in itself, I know plenty of husband/wife teams that God uses in amazing ways. I plan on getting married one day.

      I do think that there's something wrong when ladies don't think they can do anything for God unless they're married. I do think that there's something wrong when young ladies seek after their potential future husbands than they seek after the face of God. I do think that there's something wrong when beautiful young ladies' self esteem is shot because they're taught to find their worth in how many guys pursue them rather than finding their worth and identity in God.  I do think there's something wrong when ladies have to suppress their God-given gifts in the church because of their gender.  I do think there's something wrong when we put God in a box because of church culture. God is so much bigger than church culture!