The photo above (ABP) is of the new pastor of Scottsville Baptist Church in Charlottesville, VA, the church of which Lottie Moon was a member until her death in 1912. Bob Allen has a story about this here. Don't look for Baptist Press to be carrying this story.
We can all speculate safely about what Lottie would have thought about this, since she is not around to prove or disprove any assertions but I think I can safely say that Lottie would deplore one thing: the paucity of single Southern Baptist males who commit themselves to the two year Journeyman program which places singles and couples overseas for two years.
About two of three Journeyman personnel are...uh...female, a reality that troubles Danny Akin, me, and a few other Southern Baptists. One wonders if the SBC's Council of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, a denominational artifice which may be focusing on the wrong 'hood - seems that manhood or the lack thereof is the critical factor these days, not inappropriate expressions of womanhood.
At the moment, my most read blog piece is Young, male, restless conservative SBCers: Sniveling Wimps.
I have been waiting for six months for someone to convince me that 'sniveling wimps' is an inappropriate descriptor for the Journeyman situation or at least explain why young SBC males aren't answering the call, or why God seems to be calling twice as many females as males to this work.
I wish the Scottsville Baptist Church and their new pastor well.
5 comments:
"About two of three Journeyman personnel are...uh...female, a reality that troubles Danny Akin, me, and a few other Southern Baptists."
If the program is doing well, and is staffed at a level that is consistent with its budgeting, why be concerned? God is served, ministry is provided, and needs are being met. Instead of lamenting that men are not equally involved, rejoice that women are responding to God's call.
Danny Akin finds reason to be troubled...seems to have something to do with factors other than budgeting. I suspect that it has to do with being concerned with male indifference and or disobedience to God's calling, a perfectly legitimate concern for a seminary head whose student body is heavily male.
If males step forward and express tha they wish to follow that calling, especially to those locales in which males are culturally dominant and females are highly restricted, I suspect we can find the money to pay for it.
"Danny Akin finds reason to be troubled...seems to have something to do with ... with male indifference and or disobedience to God's calling ... to those locales in which males are culturally dominant and females are highly restricted ...."
And a counter argument is that God is not calling as many men to these ministries or for these places (as SBC pastors have stated concerning women seeking pastorial positions). Perhaps God is using these women to break down cultural barriers that tend to marginalize women.
William:
This is truly ironic!
I as you did, wish the Scottsville Baptist Church and their new Pastor well.
William:
I have to ask. Do you think her church will be (Disfellowshipped)?--I really hate that word.
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