Women's Ministry & Apologetics

I continue to encounter women who, like myself, wonder why church women's ministries do not make efforts to train women in apologetics. I'm confident the problem runs deeper, most churches don't teach apologetics. In fact, most churches don't teach theology-proper, to expect that they'd teach a subset of theology is probably to expect too much.

But there are many churches doing a solid job in Christian education, yet women's ministries continue to flounder in the excesses of entertainment disguised as fellowship. There exists a misnomer that women don't need to do the heavy lifting of of concepts and ideas, that that's men's work.

In a world where women have careers, are waiting til later in life to marry and have children, and for those then who do have children, isn't a solid theological foundation important to pass on to the next generation? I say it is, and this would include apologetics. The role of women in church and culture continues to be considered of little importance by compartmentalizing isolationists. Women are in the world, in culture, and have a tremendous influence on the present and future. Theology and apologetics are necessary, not only to answer objections and give an answer for the faith (1 Peter 3:15) but if we are to take every thought captive (2 Cor. 10:5) and seek to liberate Christianity from it's cultural captivity (thank you, Nancy Pearcey) then we must be training women in apologetics, in Christian worldview.

Ok, so you're unsure about curriculum? Here are some books that are phenomenal for classes curriculum and book discussion groups. Invite speakers who know something about theology and apologetics. Check out one of these books today:

Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey
Every Thought Captive by Richard Pratt
Christian Apologetics by Cornelius Van Til
The God Who Is There, Escape from Reason, He Is There and He Is Not Silent by Francis Schaeffer

Culture Watch: Save the Cheerleader. Save the World.

If you haven't watched "Heroes" yet this fall, it's worth checking out. Though I've watched most of the episodes thus far, I admit it hasn't been without distraction. But this is what I do know. There are a bunch of people who have discovered that they have superhuman powers. A guy, a politician I think, can fly. One guy can stop time, something he enjoyed trying out in a Vegas casino so that he could rig the games to win. Another guy is able to paint the future - it's kind of cool. The most interesting character seems to be the cheerleader. Her father is involved in some dastardly plot to kill or kidnap the politician that can fly. But back to the cheerleader....apparently she gets raped and killed and miraculously wills herself to be healed as she lays on the autopsy table, chest wide open. Is there anything worse than an angry cheerleader? She finds her way home, school, and back in the life of the young man who killed her. Knowing, of course, that she has the power to regenerate, she tries to kill him in a head-on car collision with a building. She, or course, cannot die.

So I ask, does this girl need saved by someone else? I suspect that saving the cheerleader has more philosophical implications. Could it be that saving her means finding a way for her to lose her power of regeneration? Or is this some sort of Hollywood parallel to God - that somehow God needs saved. I guess we'll find out.

Inspirational, Spiritual.......Christian?

A blogpost by Cari Johnson expresses concern about the public witness of faith by the Women of Faith speakers that recently appeared on Dr. Phil. I have not seen this episode but would like to.

Cari expressed about the program,

The show had NOTHING to do with spreading the Word, NOTHING to do with Christianity, and NOTHING to do with the Women of Faith. They barely even referred to the WOF as such. Mostly they called them inspirational speakers who speak at inspirational women’s conferences. It was completely a marketing ploy.

Inspirational is a "safe" word, sort of like spirituality. But both can exist without a robust or even casual mention of Christ.

Magazine with a Mission

"Blasting holes in scientific naturalism...promoting life in a culture of death...countering destructive ideologies...Debunking the cultural myths that have undercut human dignity...Recovering the one worldview that actually works.

These are only a few goals of Salvo magazine's mission statement. But this shouldn't be the mission statement of only Salvo, but should belong to each of us who call themselves Christ followers. This is basically the mission of Flash Point and Women of Faith in Culture. Man or woman, it should also be yours.

If you want to take back the culture – put your money where your mouth is. . .

There is an “idea factory” over at The Fellowship of St. James called The Crux Project. In the interest of taking back culture with plans to “launch a full-scale multimedia assault on all of the tastemakers, artists, scholars and pundits who have us live only for today and our own selfish desires” they have a new publication out –and it is worth a look!

They have developed Salvo – more than a magazine, it’s an incredibly well done piece of journalism aimed at the ever-widening chasm between faith and science. It’s also aimed at our techno savvy, spiritually questioning, university crowd. You know, the kids that have grown up basically being told that faith is the crutch of the intellectually stunted. Science has the answers that shape, inspire, and give hope to the world.

Today’s students have packed away their “religion” with their high school year books and prom pictures. There is no room for the mystery of God nor the power of the Gospel. There is only the hard, stone-cold facts of science demanding an allegiance that leaves no room for Judeo-Christian Ethics, let alone the Bible.

So what to do about this. . . well, how about dreaming big? How about subscribing to Salvo, if not for yourself, for your favorite college kid. Call him/her up with the offer of Starbucks on you anytime to discuss, debate, dispute, or deliberate what’s in the newest issue. If that is not your cup of joe – pay for a subscription for your alma mater, your church’s college group, your hometown library, or your doctor’s office. You would be investing in what we are all praying is a cultural revival.

The kids today are our future doctors, lawyers, scientists, teachers, novelists, journalists, moms, dads, and caretakers of their own parents – yeah, that’s us. Quit complaining about this younger generation.

What have you done for them lately???

The Evolution of Beauty

Many years ago I caught a article BURIED in a boring magazine about the technical aspects of creating a cover shot for one of the big fashion mags. I was horrified and relieved. Horrified that so much was done to the photograph to make it "perfect" that the integrity of the shot was called into question. Relieved to realize that I had been pursuing a beauty standard that didn't and doesn't exist.

Why even bother starting with a model if the picture is going to be "touched up" so stinkin much?

I shared this with the group of high school girls in our youth group. They didn't believe me. Nor did they believe the other article I shared about the average American woman being a size 12. They were struggling with sizes 0 - 5 and thinking they were humongously fat. How incredibly sad.

I strongly encouraged them to stop looking at fashion mags. It fell on deaf ears.

I was sent this link today. There are a few comments and then a short video.The video says it all - The Evolution of Beauty

Trading Spouses/Wife Swap - What Christians can learn from Television

Ok, I don’t watch that much tv. And the one thing I stay away from is reality tv except for the shows where one family gives up their mom for a week or two and gets some other family’s mom for a week or two. I am addicted. Why? I’m glad you asked.

First of all, the producers of Trading Spouses and Wife Swap do their best to pick polar opposite moms/families. You can end up with a home schooled, free-wheelin’, hygienically relaxed, “us four, no more, close the door” home against a public schooled, overly scheduled, antiseptically clean, family boot camp.

Second of all, these homes tend to be extremist families - every week I wonder where in the heck did they find these people? Oh, yeah, they apply.

You couldn’t write stranger fiction than the family of modern day pirates, or the religious mom who wigged out at the pagan house seeing Satan everywhere, or the medieval family who didn’t have a home phone, or the beauty pageant mom sent to the antithesis of pagentry family, or even the mom who smoked and slept her way through the stress of the adventure.

But lastly and most importantly – you realize that each family can and should learn something from the other. Because they are polar opposites and extremists (read weirder than my family or yours) they can both afford to come towards the middle ground. And most of the time they do – which is where we as Christians can learn something.

It isn’t about compromise – it’s about growth - being mature enough to realize that sometimes we can actually learn something from someone who lives his/her life a little differently than us.

Dead Baby Found in Trash Can

The Chicago Tribune reported that a dead baby was found in a trash can outside her home this morning.

It is unknown whether the baby was dead before being put in the trash can.

Are we surprized?

Random Acts of Rudeness

Everyone has heard about Random Acts of Kindness – you know, paying for the car behind you at the tollbooth, letting people with fewer items than you cut in front at the grocery store, leaving the quarter in the shopping cart at Aldi’s for the next shopper. You know - those little things that people do that surprise you and make you smile.

I have been a big proponent of Random Acts for a good many years. There seemed to be a big push for it back in the early 90’s. I started off with the tollbooth – being egged on by a group of rowdy high school students traveling with me to a youth convention. They polled their change and proudly presented it to me before we left. They carefully watched as we drove away from each tollbooth and the toll collector explained to the driver of the next car that his/her way had just been paid. They were ecstatic when a car would catch up to us - beeping, waving, smiling, and mouthing the words “thank you.” That was a big return on a forty cent investment!

Then a Hollywood film came out – “Pay It Forward” and I swear people fell back into the easier Random Acts of Rudeness. Gosh, what did we expect? The pay-it-forward acts were huge – starting with the gift of a car. Ok, a little out of my league and no one would really appreciate the ’92 Buick Roadmaster barge of a car we drive. And then the kid dies – once again proving that no good deed goes unpunished. That right there is enough to scare you into keeping your spare change in the car’s ashtray forever.

Well, whatever the reason for the rudeness relapse. . . it’s time we all started back on the kindess trail. I had been trying to do two act of kindness for every act of rudeness that crossed my path. Now I’m down to one for one. That two for one almost became a part-time job.

So the challenge for you today is ONE SMALL ACT OF KINDNESS. Be creative. Be intentional. Don’t be afraid of sharing the reason behind the act.

Be prepared to be surprised! Those little investments of time and pocket change can bring big returns!

Michael J. Fox, Ultrasound, & Liberal Hypocrisy

When crisis pregnancy centers set up in locations that were once abortion providers, or when they locate near one, they have a great opportunity to provide ultrasounds to women considering abortion. From the ultrasound, women are able to see the truth - that there is a small, vulnerable, and beautiful human being within them, and many times, these women change their minds about proceeding with an abortion.

Liberals hate crisis pregnancy centers because they stop abortion. Performing these ultrasounds appeals to maternal sensabilities, though advocates of abortion rights believe that the emotional punch that accompanies them is unfair and infringes on women's reproductive freedom. On that, get a clue - legalized abortion does not mean prolife persuasion has been criminalized.

But what is fascinating about the liberals' hatred toward crisis pregnancy centers' use of ultrasound is that they are making a similar appeal when they exploit Michael J. Fox. Of course, he's a willing accomplice. The similarity in strategy is blatantly obvious, though misguided in the latter sense in that embryo-destructive research is the final goal. But we can all resonate with the desire to want to find cures for those who suffer, so Michael J. Fox and liberal spin have become the ultrasound machine of the Left.

Part V: The legacy of the hospital that admitted to burning aborted babies in waste incinerator

The legacy that my generation leaves the younger generations is one that is both inhuman and arrogant. We have shown today's children the hypocrisy of humanity that is able to argue for life and death in the same breath. . . a human being is only deemed human when science says so, when there is worth attributed to letting that baby take its first breath.

What do you think this teaches our children about the value of grandma and grandpa? If we don't value new life and end up cannabalizing it in attempt to benefit those already breathing on their own - do you really think future generations will treat their elders any different - when it is our turn to share in the vulnerability of the elderly and the infirm?

God help us all!

I can only hope and pray that this is one lesson we don't have learn the hard way. . .

NYTimes on Stem Cells: Bias Reporting Seeks to Out "Fox" Voters

Addressing the recent claims that Michael J. Fox may have avoided taking his medication in order to gain sympathy toward Dems running for office, ALESSANDRA STANLEY of the NYTimes writes in an article today,

If Mr. Fox did forgo medication for the advertisement as Mr. Limbaugh suggested, it could hardly be considered fraudulent: if anything, masking the extent of the disease’s ravages is the deception, not revealing them. (A spokesman for Mr. Fox said his tremors were caused by his medication.) It was certainly the most dramatic way Mr. Fox has to personalize the issue; he used his infirmity much the way the late Christopher Reeve did when he lobbied for stem cell research to seek a cure for spinal injuries.

Once again the NYTimes isn't reporting the news, but trying to make it themselves.When did it become ethical for reporters to make excuses for the object of their work? They need to adopt the slogan of the other Fox they adore so much. Anyway, this particular article goes on to say,

Republicans cobbled together a response ad that did not mention Mr. Fox but attacked the ethics of embryonic stem cell research. It included testimonials by the actress Patricia Heaton (“Everybody Loves Raymond”) and James Caviezel, who played Jesus in Mel Gibson’s “Passion of the Christ.” At least in the advance version shown on YouTube last night, Mr. Caviezel’s introduction seemed either garbled or to be in Aramaic.

It has GOT to be clear to everyone that liberal Dems have their own ideology (worldview) even while they claim not to have one (sorry Duckworth). The NYTimes is so obviously seduced by the anti-Christian liberal platform...YES, PLATFORM. Poking fun at Caviezel only makes it more obvious.

Designer Adoptions. . .

Today’s world is not without a good number of morons. Oops, oxymorons, I really meant oxymorons. (It musta been a Freudian slip.) One of the biggest of these is the Hollywood Family.

Over the last several years I have become more and more skeptical that “film people” have what it takes to make a home. Yes, I know they can buy a house 38.5 times larger than mine and furnish it with tables, sofas, and bedroom sets from stores I didn’t even know existed or have enough money for a quick peek at their catalogues. (For all I know, upper high end stores may not even be called upper high end stores or have catalogues. . .) But alas, a home is more than house and the furnishings. It is family. (Ok, yes, I do believe that singles and marrieds with no kids also make nice homes - but that is not the point of this post.)

It starts with a marriage. It needs a willingness to grow and adapt with each other. It takes commitment and hands-on parenting. I say hands-on not because I’m against nannies. It’s just that I’m for parents who parent – who raise their children while the children raise them. I guess that’s why I think it’s important to keep that role of mommy or daddy for yourself and not farm it out – kids help to raise their parents. (Ask me about this sometime, I’ll blog on it come the new year.)

Now on one hand I applaud the celebrities that have seen the plight of children in third world countries and have reached out and adopted them, or are trying to adopt them. That in itself is commendable. But is it right?

Why do I feel like these children are the newest designer fad. That instead of the really “cute” dog with master/pet matching outfits, gourmet dog food, and a really dumb moniker, Hollywood is sporting adopted children from poverty and disease stricken third world countries – the more third world, the better.

Can we do more than take their children?

Wildlife in Wheaton: Fox and Duckworth Hunting for Votes

Today, Illinois 6th District Congressional candidate, Tammy Duckworth, and cohort celebrity friend Michael J. Fox appeared in Wheaton, IL to win people's minds over to ESCR by means of exploiting their own physical conditions, appeals to super-power status, and of course, a claim of ideological neutrality for their side. As a resident of Illinois' 6th district, I can only say, "yeah, right."

Michael J. Fox:

We have the researchers, we have the scientists, we have the technology, we have the know-how, we have the spirit...If America doesn’t do this who’s going to do it?

So according to Fox, if we can do something, then we are morally obligated to do that thing. If we continue with this belief that an "is" equals an "ought," then soon we will be harvesting organs from PVS patients. Oh yes, I think that was written about this week as well...

And what is with this twisted desire for America to be the biotech superpower? Any other time, the liberal progressives want to deplete America of any super-power status.

Tammy Duckworth:

Many politicians today see the stem cell issue as a battle ground of ideology instead of a all out fight to save lives (emphasis hers)

Frankly, she wasn't very convincing. I'm bored by these ideology arguments, these liberals know that they also their own ideology - they just hope you don't know. This isn't a real attempt at neutrality, it's merely a smoke screen. If she really cared about saving lives, she might also be coming out strong for adult stem cell research.

Part IV: Hospital admits to burning aborted babies in waste incinerator

"She said rubbish was not disposed of at the same time as foetal tissue and the incinerator was booked in advance.

A white sheet is placed over the front of the furnace and the process is witnessed by two members of staff working in bereavement care.

In a statement, the hospital added: 'The arrangements Addenbrooke's has in place to dispose of unwanted foetal tissue comply with the recommendations of the Retained Organs Commission (ROC).

'Following the termination of unwanted pregnancy, foetal tissue is disposed of within the hospital incinerator in a sensitive and respectful manner.

'The incinerator is cleared of all other material, and no other waste is dealt with at the same time as the foetal tissue.

'The process is organised and witnessed by two members of staff who are specialists in bereavement care'."

Why are there specialists in bereavement care having to organize and witness the incineration of fetal tissue????

James Slack continues writing that "One local woman, who asked not to be named, said after the heartache of deciding to have an abortion she was mortified to find the hospital had used the same furnace they burn rubbish in to incinerate her terminated baby.

She said: "I am furious and very hurt. Imagine my horror when I discovered that my baby was incinerated in the same furnace as the hospital rubbish."

Talk about misdirected grief - obviously she didn't read the memo about babies who are aborted are classified as tissue. . .

This insane use of "careful and politically correct" language to camouflage murder is ridiculous!

My heart goes to that mother - but only so far - she has to take responsibility that her baby, (yes, she said HER BABY) was killed and THEN incinerated.

Part III: Hospital admits to burning aborted babies in waste incinerator

"The RCN's(Royal College of Nursing)guide, Sensitive Disposal of all Foetal Remains, says disposal alongside clinical waste is 'completely unacceptable'.

It adds: 'It is acknowledged that sometimes parents don't recognise their loss at the time, but may return months or even years later to enquire about the disposal arrangements.

'Therefore, it is important to respect the wishes of parents who may not want to be involved, but to ensure also that sensitive and dignified disposal is carried out.'


When my oral surgeon removed my wisdom teeth, "oral tissue", they was diposed of with no sensitivity and dignity. His office threw them out. I have never given thought until now, about the disposal arrangements.

I have however, listened to many women who have thought about and mourned the removal of their fetal tissue.

Part II: Congratulations to the hospital that admits to burning aborted babies in waste incinerator

Flash Point has decided to award Addenbrooke's Hospital, in Cambridge our first ever
WWW Award.

The Weekly Worldview Wienie Award is presented to Addenbrooke's for consistency in the face of public outcry.

For many years humanity has been told that fetal tissue is just that - fetal tissue. Say this with me, (yes outloud!) "It's not a baby." We've been led to believe that if we say this loud enough and often enough, all of us with discernable itelligence quotients will come to see that what is begun in the womb at the time of conception is not entitled to "baby" status until WE SAY it's entitled to "baby" status.

Addenbrooke practice of disposing of fetal tissue in the furnace is consistent with the world view that embraces the culture of death.

Congratulations to Addenbrooke for a job well done.

Part I: Hospital admits to burning aborted babies in waste incinerator

An article by James Slack at the UK's The Daily Mail writes "One of the country's leading hospitals is throwing aborted babies into the same incinerator used for rubbish to save only £18.50 each time, it has emerged.

Addenbrooke's Hospital, in Cambridge, said it was no longer able to afford the dignified disposal at a local crematorium of foetuses from unwanted pregnancies.

Instead, they are being burnt in the hospital's main incinerator - which is normally used for rubbish and clinical waste.

The revelation sparked anger and distress among church leaders and pro-life groups, as well as women whose pregnancies were terminated at the hospital."

Well, I'm confused. If the babies weren't "babies" to begin with, why are the women whose pregnancies were terminated at the hospital upset?????

Notice the author of the article didn't say pregnant women who chose to have their babies aborted.

These are women who have made the decision to terminate their pregnancies on at least some level that what is being destroyed is just tissue. Tissue that they themselves have chosen someone to remove and dispose.

My Quest to Understand the Meaning of 'Relevant'

I thought I knew what it meant - and maybe I really do know what relevance means and I'm just over-analyzing it now. Webster's online defines it as:

Main Entry: rel·e·vant
Pronunciation: 're-l&-v&nt
Function: adjective
1 : tending logically to prove or disprove a fact of consequence or to make the fact more or less probable and thereby aiding the trier of fact in making a decision ; also : having a bearing on or reasonably calculated to lead to a matter that bears on any issue in a case for purposes of pretrial discovery
2 : having significant and demonstrable bearing on facts or issues

The second part of the definition is helpful in asking of women's ministries, are you having a significant and demonstrable impact on the women in your ministry? You probably are in many respects, but in other ways, reassessment is in order.

What women aren't attending your studies and conferences? What opportunities are you making available for different kinds of women to attend? What are you discussing?

Women are being faced with a wide variety of complicated issues in our culture today. It is interesting to me that organizations like NOW are able to draw the attention of women on issues that the evangelical church spends little time talking with their own about - reproductive "rights."

Keep asking yourself where the young women are, why they aren't involved in your church women's groups. Keep asking yourself where the working women are, why they aren't at your Wednesday morning Bible studies. Keep asking yourself where the divorced women and women who have had abortions are. Keep asking yourself why everyone at that table in your women's groups looks the same - inside and out.

And then ask yourself if you are truly relevant to today's woman.

Worship 101 and the Seven Elevens

We live in a media rich environment. Any one of us can listen to any kind of music imaginable with the click of a mouse. We can worship to whatever style of music we dig. Even hymns that used to be piano, organ, or ochestrated are now celtic, classical guitar, or hard rock. It is amazing - new music written and old music re-styled - what more could we ask for???

Ok, unity in our churches on Sunday morning is what I'm asking for. . . and some days that's like asking for world peace - highly desirable but improbable as long as we humans are in charge.

Because we can worship all week long to whatever we worship best with - we come to church expecting the worship leader to cater to our particular taste. We forget about the call to corporate worship, the call to harmony and unity in the body, and instead whine and complain OR start attending other church services whose styles are more toward our liking - sometimes in addition to the church we are already attending. And we completely miss the boat.

I have been on both ends of the worship spectrum - the high holy chant and the holy seven elevens (you know, the same seven words sang eleven times) and I have seen the people worship. All I know is that ecclesiastical bodylife is supposed to be a representation of God's love for us demonstrated to each other - you know - our calling card - "they'll know we are Christians by our love" - loving each other as an act of worship. . . hmmmmmm, that sounds a lot like Worship 101 to me.