Welcome to the MEDIUM section of our online resources for Women in Church Leadership.
We’ve broken down further suggested resources into the following sections:
MEDIUM
We recommend the following books as a medium-depth look on the topic of men and women in ministry. These books are available to borrow from the church office.
Two Views on Women in Ministry (link)
This book furnishes you with a clear and thorough presentation of the two primary exegetical arguments so you can better understand each one's strengths, weaknesses, and complexities.
- Egalitarian - equal ministry opportunity for both genders (represented by Linda L. Belleville and Craig S. Keener)
- Complementarian - men and women fill distinctive ministry roles (represented by Craig L. Blomberg and Thomas R. Schreiner)
This revised edition brings the exchange of ideas and perspectives into the traditional Counterpoints format. Each author states his or her case and is then critiqued by the other contributors.
The fair-minded, interactive Counterpoints forum allows you to compare and contrast the two different positions and form your own opinion concerning the practical and often deeply personal subject of women in ministry. (from the publisher)
Bourgeois Babes, Bossy Wives and Bobby Haircuts: A Case for Gender Equality in Ministry (link)
Author and New Testament scholar Michael Bird was formerly in favor of distinct gender roles in ministry, a viewpoint commonly called “complementarianism.” But inconsistencies in practice and careful biblical study convinced him to rethink his position.
Originally published as a short ebook, Bourgeois Babes, Bossy Wives, and Bobby Haircuts offers an engaging, incisive perspective on biblical gender equality and the egalitarian view—a preference for allowing women to hold teaching and leadership positions in ministry.
While Bird is now egalitarian, he nevertheless strikes a respectful tone toward those in his previous camp, seeking to craft a perspective that both values women and upholds biblical differences between the sexes. Humorous and hard-hitting, Bird will challenge readers on both sides of the gender-issue divide. (from the publisher)
Jesus, Justice, and Gender Roles: A Case for Gender Roles in Ministry (link)
In this original digital short, author and co-founder of Redeemer Presbyterian Church Kathy Keller recounts her experience growing up in “gender-neutral” home.
“My first encounter with the ideas of [male] headship and [female] submission,” she writes, “was both intellectually and morally traumatic.”
Yet Keller came to adopt the view that men and women have different roles in marriage and ministry, and that fulfilling such roles pleases God and leads to greater personal fulfillment.
In this unapologetic but nuanced piece, Keller presents a caring and careful case for biblical gender differences and the complementarian view of women in ministry. At the same time, she encourages women to teach and lead in the church in ways that may startle some complementarians. Readers on both sides of this hot-button topic will be challenged by her ministry-tested and thoroughly Scriptural perspective. (from the publisher)
