DEL.ICIO.USGospel Today magazine pulled from Christian bookstores’ shelves
Fayetteville-based publication features women pastors on cover
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Smiling women on the cover of a slick magazine. Sold from under the counter. Must request it from store clerk.
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That’s not something a buyer would typically find in a Christian bookstore. Not unless it’s one of the more than 100 Lifeway Christian Bookstores across the United States, including about six in metro Atlanta.
Gospel Today, the Fayetteville-published magazine, was pulled off the racks by the bookstores’ owner, the Southern Baptist Convention. The problem? The five smiling women on the cover are women of the cloth — church pastors.
Southern Baptist polity says that’s a role reserved for men.
Teresa Hairston, owner of Gospel Today, whose glossy pages feature upbeat articles about health, living, music and ministry, said she discovered by e-mail that the September/October issue of the magazine had been demoted to the realm of the risque.
“It’s really kind of sad when you have people like [Gov.] Sarah Palin and [Sen.] Hillary Clinton providing encouragement and being role models for women around the world that we have such a divergent opinion about women who are able to be leaders in the church,” Hairston said. “I was pretty shocked.”
Chris Turner, a spokesman for Lifeway Resources, which runs the stores for the Southern Baptist Convention, said, “It is contrary to what we believe.”
It bases those beliefs on their interpretation of New Testament Scriptures.
Southern Baptist representatives at national meetings have adopted statements saying women should not be pastors, but each church is independent. A few churches have selected women, such as Decatur First Baptist, where the Rev. Julie Pennington-Russell preaches each Sunday from the pulpit.
Pastor Tamara Bennett of California is one of the featured pastors on the magazine cover and talks in the article about the challenges of breaking through the stained-glass ceiling.
“God’s assignment is that no souls are lost and all are saved,” Bennett said. “Gender is not how God sees it. We are about winning souls, period.”
Southern Baptists are not the only ones to frown on women preachers. Catholics, the largest Christian denomination in the nation, do not allow women priests. And some conservative evangelical groups, such as the Presbyterian Church in America, do not ordain women.
“We weren’t trying to pick a fight,” Hairston said. “We just did a story on an emerging trend in a lot of churches.”
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Comments
By Lindy
Jun 7, 2009 8:59 AM | Link to this
Good evening. Early morning cheerfulness can be extremely obnoxious.
I am from Marino and , too, and now am writing in English, please tell me right I wrote the following sentence: "Of hydrocortisone are - anti allergic, anti prurtic and anti inflamation."
With best wishes :(, Lindy.
By Kersen
May 31, 2009 6:20 PM | Link to this
Good Day. It is wonderful how quickly you get used to things, even the most astonishing.
I am from Djibouti and now study English, give true I wrote the following sentence: "Telfast allegra, the anti allergy drug, all the informations, scientific studies and how to order at the best price worldwide."
Thank you very much 8-). Kersen.
By S. Henderson
May 22, 2009 10:37 PM | Link to this
Being a licensed female preacher myself in Southeast Texas, I too know the struggles of gender in ministry. However, the thing that we as the body of Christ must come to grips with is that God calls whom He wants and choose whom He please! No man or woman has the right to declare who can and can't be used by God. He used people of all ages, sizes, background, and gender throughout the bible for His purposes and His glory. It's time out for the Church to keep trying to put God in a box! He's much too big, too intelligent, and too powerful for that!
By Teresa
May 7, 2009 2:43 AM | Link to this
I think that if the men would do what they are suppose to do,then God wouldn't have to call the women to preach.But I see the men falling very short as the spiritual leader in our homes and churches..Remember Deborah? Look at what she did because the man did not want to go into battle unless she led the troops..God is no respector of persons and he will use anyone who is willing and obedient..Man's traditions makes God's word of non effect.It's not about us anyway.It's about doing the Father's Will not ours and all HE cares about is getting souls birthed into the Kingdom of Heaven.We need to get off ourselves and get on God..Hey I think that this will Preach!!!!
By js hill
May 4, 2009 10:09 AM | Link to this
The southern baptist are stuck in tradition and religion. Their rules are based on what man says not God. God can use anyone He wants to brng His word to His people. Get out of the Egyptian mindset. My pastor is a female and a woman on fire for God.
By Vernon Bergfalk
Mar 24, 2009 10:02 PM | Link to this
My wife is a licensed minister with World Wide Ministries in Fresno, CA. She was also ordained from Campers Christian Fellowship, a non-denominational church.
She preaches all over the United States and Mexico, independently and also for Campers For Christ, Int'l.
God gave her a special gift to preach and counsel and minister to the needy and those who have substance abuse problems.
Her email is: rv4betty@earthlink.net
Elder Vernon Bergfalk
By diane
Mar 21, 2009 7:55 PM | Link to this
Oh please. How backwards can they be? I think all of us women should get together and say, "The Bible never says for a woman to tithe" (it doesn't), and keep our money to ourselves.
By Dawn
Feb 26, 2009 9:54 PM | Link to this
Check out www.lifeway.com/imatter.
By Dawn
Feb 26, 2009 9:53 PM | Link to this
Check out www.lifeway.com/imatter to take a closer look at LifeWay.
By Dawn
Feb 26, 2009 9:52 PM | Link to this
Check out www.lifeway.com/imatter to take a closer look at LifeWay.
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