The concept of divide and conquer is by no means new. As a matter of fact, it would be considered an age old military and psychological strategy. It develops that kind of distraction that allows for infiltration without having to be hidden or secretive. It is amazing how the human psyche works. As much as we attempt to, and convince ourselves, that we are great at multi-tasking, the truth of the matter is that any time your attention is divided, something is getting the lesser of what you have to bring to the situation. And this is why the plan to divide and conquer has so much potential- because it keeps us from focusing on our own full potential.
In the past few years, I have been more attentive to people who deflect a conversation, instead of facing it head on, simply because it tells me something about their ability to face the topic head on. Each of us has topics that are hard for us to discuss, but at the end of it all there are some things that just must be handled out of necessity. So when ever you are dealing with a topic that seems to be off limits or inappropriate, ask yourself, what does that person or group have to gain by this subject being discussed or handled? What would change for them as an individual, if this matter was given some attention? What does this person gain by keeping us divided amongst ourselves? Why are we willing to allow this kind of division to linger?
So when you are looking at those who you feel should be your greatest allies, but feel less like they are on your team, recognize the trick of the Adversary attempting to distract you with lesser ideologies than your primary goal. I cant help but wonder if this will ever change, but what I can say is that you do have some dependable allies who believe just as much as you do and who are just at willing to be supportive of your efforts as your nay sayers are to keep you spinning your wheels. When you start to feel like enemies are all around you, pray. When you feel like you have taken all of the criticism that you can stand, pray. Once you become meditative in focusing on God, then you will develop the keen sense of awareness needed to recognize those who are attempting to divide and conquer. With this will come clarity of their motives, and what they have to gain from hindering your progress.
YOU dont have to stop or entertain those who cant figure out what to do with their station in life. You can pray for them, and you can do your best to not become entangled in the issues that are used to keep you divided from those who could be your greatest allies. Once you are able to be honest with yourself about the motives of others, you can then allow yourself to deflect efforts to divide and conquer.
I said all of that to set the foundation for the issues of women in leadership ministry. If the truth were known the greatest and loudest fighters against women in ministry is other women. Women are competitive in ways very different from men. And women, at times, have motives that have nothing to do with the real issue at hand. Let me explain. Ministry is about spreading the Gospel, bringing lost souls to Christ, and teaching others how to grow in relationship with God. This comes in various mechanism and methods, but the anticipated end result is souls for the Kingdom. Or at least this is what we assume the goal is, and expect the goal to be.......right?
If you were hungry and lost, would you turn down food and direction simply because of who it was coming from? So why would it be any different about those who need to receive the Gospel? As a matter of fact, there are some who could more effectively be reached through someone other than those who feel that they are most capable of the task. If the concern is about who- delivers the Gospel, then how much are we concerned about the Gospel being spread? And if we have more issue with who is able to lead a congregation, then is our focus really on the up-building of the kingdom?
For those women who dont want to give up their seat and their hat, to them I say you have earned your right to be in that station in life. There is absolutely a need for that kind of ministry. But the reality of the larger picture is that there are lost souls in this world, people who are crying out, and if we are not careful their blood will be on our hands if we are not careful to trust that God is doing the leading and guiding. And that that same God will also set God's own house in order much sooner than we all can imagine. Let us all be found promoting the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Let us all work in the vineyard, whereever our skills can blossom.
Fear is simply about what seems to have no solution. The fear is that the flood gates will overtake the establish hierarchy of the ecclesiastical settings. But the truth be known, every woman that is called to the ministry is not called to the same type of leadership. Just like every man called to the ministry is not called to pastor. There are a lot of gifts in ministry and there are a lot of ways that we can all work together to uplift and spread the Good News. So by whom and why are we being distracted? When it is all said and done, what makes each of us so sure that we are seeing things as God sees them?
In the past few years, I have been more attentive to people who deflect a conversation, instead of facing it head on, simply because it tells me something about their ability to face the topic head on. Each of us has topics that are hard for us to discuss, but at the end of it all there are some things that just must be handled out of necessity. So when ever you are dealing with a topic that seems to be off limits or inappropriate, ask yourself, what does that person or group have to gain by this subject being discussed or handled? What would change for them as an individual, if this matter was given some attention? What does this person gain by keeping us divided amongst ourselves? Why are we willing to allow this kind of division to linger?
So when you are looking at those who you feel should be your greatest allies, but feel less like they are on your team, recognize the trick of the Adversary attempting to distract you with lesser ideologies than your primary goal. I cant help but wonder if this will ever change, but what I can say is that you do have some dependable allies who believe just as much as you do and who are just at willing to be supportive of your efforts as your nay sayers are to keep you spinning your wheels. When you start to feel like enemies are all around you, pray. When you feel like you have taken all of the criticism that you can stand, pray. Once you become meditative in focusing on God, then you will develop the keen sense of awareness needed to recognize those who are attempting to divide and conquer. With this will come clarity of their motives, and what they have to gain from hindering your progress.
YOU dont have to stop or entertain those who cant figure out what to do with their station in life. You can pray for them, and you can do your best to not become entangled in the issues that are used to keep you divided from those who could be your greatest allies. Once you are able to be honest with yourself about the motives of others, you can then allow yourself to deflect efforts to divide and conquer.
I said all of that to set the foundation for the issues of women in leadership ministry. If the truth were known the greatest and loudest fighters against women in ministry is other women. Women are competitive in ways very different from men. And women, at times, have motives that have nothing to do with the real issue at hand. Let me explain. Ministry is about spreading the Gospel, bringing lost souls to Christ, and teaching others how to grow in relationship with God. This comes in various mechanism and methods, but the anticipated end result is souls for the Kingdom. Or at least this is what we assume the goal is, and expect the goal to be.......right?
If you were hungry and lost, would you turn down food and direction simply because of who it was coming from? So why would it be any different about those who need to receive the Gospel? As a matter of fact, there are some who could more effectively be reached through someone other than those who feel that they are most capable of the task. If the concern is about who- delivers the Gospel, then how much are we concerned about the Gospel being spread? And if we have more issue with who is able to lead a congregation, then is our focus really on the up-building of the kingdom?
For those women who dont want to give up their seat and their hat, to them I say you have earned your right to be in that station in life. There is absolutely a need for that kind of ministry. But the reality of the larger picture is that there are lost souls in this world, people who are crying out, and if we are not careful their blood will be on our hands if we are not careful to trust that God is doing the leading and guiding. And that that same God will also set God's own house in order much sooner than we all can imagine. Let us all be found promoting the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Let us all work in the vineyard, whereever our skills can blossom.
Fear is simply about what seems to have no solution. The fear is that the flood gates will overtake the establish hierarchy of the ecclesiastical settings. But the truth be known, every woman that is called to the ministry is not called to the same type of leadership. Just like every man called to the ministry is not called to pastor. There are a lot of gifts in ministry and there are a lot of ways that we can all work together to uplift and spread the Good News. So by whom and why are we being distracted? When it is all said and done, what makes each of us so sure that we are seeing things as God sees them?
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