Alright. Happy Sabbath.
It's a blessing to be here
00:00:14.78\00:00:20.45
Before I begin I want to say
that I have some dear friends
00:00:20.48\00:00:26.92
and family that are on
the other side of this issue.
00:00:26.96\00:00:32.59
And I want you to know that
00:00:32.63\00:00:35.83
while I take a different
position my love and my respect
00:00:35.86\00:00:39.90
for you still remains the same.
And it's painful for me that
00:00:39.93\00:00:45.14
that we're even having
to deal with this issue
00:00:45.17\00:00:48.08
in our church at this time.
I grew up in a wonderful home.
00:00:48.11\00:00:53.38
My parents and surrounding
family instilled in me
00:00:53.42\00:00:58.29
and in my brothers and
sister my brother and sister
00:00:58.32\00:01:02.32
the idea that we could set our
minds to do anything we wanted
00:01:02.36\00:01:06.76
to do. They believed in us
and coming from a long line of
00:01:06.80\00:01:11.57
very strong women, and you
can ask any of the women in my
00:01:11.60\00:01:14.87
family we are all very
strong, opinionated and stubborn
00:01:14.90\00:01:18.97
I felt that the role of a woman
was just as high and exalted
00:01:19.01\00:01:24.91
as that of a man. And I never
felt deprived because there were
00:01:24.95\00:01:29.95
some positions that were not
open to women; in fact I usually
00:01:29.98\00:01:32.95
didn't want those positions
anyway. So when the issue of
00:01:32.99\00:01:36.76
women's ordination came up I
wondered why women would want
00:01:36.79\00:01:42.00
to put themselves in that
position. A minister's job
00:01:42.03\00:01:44.60
is a blessing. It's a
high calling. I know because
00:01:44.63\00:01:48.40
for a while my husband was a
minister and I was a minister's
00:01:48.44\00:01:52.24
wife. But it is stressful. I
thought, I mean it's a hard job
00:01:52.27\00:01:58.41
to be a minister and when I
thought about if I would want
00:01:58.45\00:02:02.08
to be a minister you know
when this question was coming up
00:02:02.12\00:02:04.32
I thought do I want to be a
mother and wife, and a minister?
00:02:04.35\00:02:09.76
No way! That would be too
much. So for me I just said
00:02:09.79\00:02:13.53
I don't need to study
this issue out, because for me
00:02:13.56\00:02:15.76
it's not really an issue.
Then friends and family of mine
00:02:15.80\00:02:20.90
started taking sides on this
issue, urging me to study it
00:02:20.94\00:02:25.47
out. I didn't want to. I
just wished the whole thing
00:02:25.51\00:02:29.18
would go away, that I
didn't have to focus on it.
00:02:29.21\00:02:31.48
Occasionally I would sit
down and I would take some time
00:02:31.51\00:02:35.12
to study a little bit of it out
and I would put it down again
00:02:35.15\00:02:38.25
it didn't interest me. But what
caused me to pick it up again
00:02:38.29\00:02:42.66
was when I saw what
was happening in our church
00:02:42.69\00:02:45.56
I saw that some of our Unions
and Conferences were choosing to
00:02:45.59\00:02:50.70
ordain women despite being
asked by our General Conference
00:02:50.73\00:02:56.34
to hold off on some of
these steps. And when I saw that
00:02:56.37\00:02:59.71
I thought, what is it that would
make our Conferences and some
00:02:59.74\00:03:05.48
of our Unions do what appeared
very rebellious to me and
00:03:05.51\00:03:10.95
create disunity. What
would cause that and so I said,
00:03:10.99\00:03:14.19
you know I really need to take
the time and study this out.
00:03:14.22\00:03:18.36
And when I came to the
conclusion of my study, I saw
00:03:18.39\00:03:25.77
a beautiful picture for
the ministry of men and women
00:03:25.80\00:03:28.70
that I hope to share with
you today. So before I get into
00:03:28.74\00:03:33.44
the main part of my talk, let's
go ahead and have a prayer.
00:03:33.48\00:03:36.81
Lord I just pray that You would
be up here with me, that You
00:03:36.85\00:03:42.98
would speak through me, that
it wouldn't be my words that are
00:03:43.02\00:03:46.05
heard but Yours. I pray that
the power of the Holy Spirit
00:03:46.09\00:03:52.39
would be felt in this place,
hearts would be convicted to
00:03:52.43\00:03:56.16
follow You, in
Jesus' name. Amen.
00:03:56.20\00:04:00.24
Sally Shaywitz in her
book, Overcoming Dyslexia
00:04:00.27\00:04:04.71
talks about three regions of
the brain that are very critical
00:04:04.74\00:04:08.48
to reading. One is called
Broca's region and it's located
00:04:08.51\00:04:12.15
in the front of the brain,
and there are two other regions
00:04:12.18\00:04:15.48
called the parietal temporal
area and occipital temporal area
00:04:15.52\00:04:19.29
or region. Now what's
interesting about dyslexia
00:04:19.32\00:04:23.86
is that people that are dyslexic
generally only have broca's
00:04:23.89\00:04:28.36
region in their brain
functioning during active
00:04:28.40\00:04:31.13
reading. So one study said, you
know we're gonna take a group
00:04:31.17\00:04:36.17
of people that are dyslexic,
that have only one region of
00:04:36.20\00:04:41.24
their brain working, and
we're going to put them through
00:04:41.28\00:04:43.95
a period of tutoring and at
the end of that time we want to
00:04:43.98\00:04:47.25
see what kind of an effect
it has had on their brain.
00:04:47.28\00:04:50.05
And so they put them through
several months of tutoring
00:04:50.09\00:04:52.89
and at the end of that
time these people were reading
00:04:52.92\00:04:57.09
wonderfully, fluently. They'd
been struggling before but now
00:04:57.13\00:05:00.70
they were reading wonderfully
and they said I wonder what kind
00:05:00.73\00:05:02.96
of changes we're going to see
in the brain when we look at it.
00:05:03.00\00:05:05.80
And so they looked at
their brain and they found that
00:05:05.83\00:05:09.84
instead of just that one region
working all three of the regions
00:05:09.87\00:05:14.28
were working at the end
of that tutoring session.
00:05:14.31\00:05:17.25
And their conclusion was
that in order for a person to be
00:05:17.28\00:05:23.95
a fluent reader they needed
all three of the regions to be
00:05:23.99\00:05:28.66
involved. Now do you
think any of those individuals
00:05:28.69\00:05:32.63
who were struggling to read
before would wish to go back
00:05:32.66\00:05:36.46
and say, you know my broca
region of the brain is pretty
00:05:36.50\00:05:40.44
amazing and it can do its own
job and the job of those other
00:05:40.47\00:05:44.31
regions. We are discriminating
against this region
00:05:44.34\00:05:48.58
by stating the other regions
do a better job at their job
00:05:49.51\00:05:53.52
Now that's silly, right? We
would quickly reply that Broca
00:05:53.55\00:05:57.52
has demonstrated that it
can cover for the other areas
00:05:57.55\00:06:01.76
plus its own but the result
will not be what God designed
00:06:01.79\00:06:06.23
it to be as when all
regions work together.
00:06:06.26\00:06:10.57
God, my friends, has designed
specific roles for men and women
00:06:10.60\00:06:17.71
It doesn't say male and
male or female and female.
00:06:23.24\00:06:26.78
God created men and women of
equal importance just like the
00:06:26.82\00:06:32.35
regions of the brain. And
He designed us to work together
00:06:32.39\00:06:37.26
just like the regions of
the brain toward a common goal
00:06:37.29\00:06:41.40
To accomplish this purpose
He gave us different roles.
00:06:41.43\00:06:46.53
If one of us tries to do our job
plus the job of the other one
00:06:46.57\00:06:51.17
we're going to leave a
job undone. He created us male
00:06:51.21\00:06:56.34
and female, a team that
is equal but with different
00:06:56.38\00:07:01.55
and important functions. Today
the idea that men and women
00:07:01.58\00:07:06.86
are actually different
comes as a surprise to some.
00:07:06.89\00:07:10.19
Did you know that? I just
read a story of a woman, she's a
00:07:10.23\00:07:13.70
psychologist, Susan Pinker
I'll quote some of her thoughts
00:07:13.73\00:07:17.63
later on. She says it came as
a surprise to me that my husband
00:07:17.67\00:07:23.41
and I were not just alike, that
they did not react the same to
00:07:23.44\00:07:27.81
to the birth of their
first child. She said, I thought
00:07:27.84\00:07:30.58
everything he could do and like
I was like as well as a result
00:07:30.61\00:07:35.15
of the whole feminist movement
if you haven't heard Laurel
00:07:35.18\00:07:38.79
Damsteegt talk on the
connection between feminism
00:07:38.82\00:07:41.29
and this whole issue. I
hope you can go back and listen
00:07:41.32\00:07:44.16
to that. But ultimately my
church family we have an enemy
00:07:44.19\00:07:50.63
the devil who would like
to obliterate the image of God
00:07:50.67\00:07:55.34
within us. The blurring of
distinction between the sexes
00:07:55.37\00:08:00.18
is one of his methods. When
Ellen White saw this happening
00:08:00.21\00:08:04.78
a hundred years ago, in dress,
when it was happening it was
00:08:04.81\00:08:08.75
something called The American
Costume, they were trying to
00:08:08.78\00:08:11.19
blur the distinction of
the sexes at that time and she
00:08:11.22\00:08:15.59
warned us about this. She said
00:08:15.62\00:08:17.39
Are we not seeing
that great confusion now
00:08:41.08\00:08:46.39
between or regards to the
role of men and women? Yet some
00:08:46.42\00:08:51.89
in our culture would like us to
believe that males and females
00:08:51.93\00:08:54.63
are different not because
God created them different
00:08:54.66\00:08:57.83
but because they're socialized
to be that way, did you know
00:08:57.87\00:09:00.94
the new idea out now that we're
only different because girls
00:09:00.97\00:09:06.68
were given little dolls to
play with when they were little
00:09:06.71\00:09:08.81
and boys were given little
cars to play with when they
00:09:08.84\00:09:11.95
were little and so of course
girls are going to like dolls
00:09:11.98\00:09:14.98
when they get older and of
course boys are gonna like cars
00:09:15.02\00:09:17.62
when they get older. They
say it's just because that's how
00:09:17.65\00:09:20.39
parents trained them to be or
that's how society trained them
00:09:20.42\00:09:23.63
to be. But just so that
we can be clear this idea of
00:09:23.66\00:09:29.13
socialization is not the
reason our Bibles give and it is
00:09:29.16\00:09:34.50
an idea questioned even today
by biologists and psychologists
00:09:34.54\00:09:38.97
And I just want to take a
little bit of time before we
00:09:39.01\00:09:43.28
get into other parts to
just enumerate on some of these
00:09:43.31\00:09:46.45
differences. There's a
book that's just been written
00:09:46.48\00:09:48.95
by a developmental biologist.
His name is Lewis Wolpert
00:09:48.98\00:09:53.46
and the title of his
book is Why Can't Men or Women
00:09:53.49\00:09:56.89
Be More Like Men? And he
gives a whole list of biological
00:09:56.93\00:10:01.40
differences between men and
women. 1. 40 hours after birth
00:10:01.43\00:10:06.30
girls will look around
and choose to look at faces
00:10:06.33\00:10:11.01
of people more than boys
will and boys on the other hand
00:10:11.04\00:10:15.88
instead of looking at faces, you
know what they like to look at?
00:10:15.91\00:10:18.01
Mechanical objects. Fans
and other gadgets. They don't
00:10:18.05\00:10:23.02
Their interest is in
that. After 40 hours after birth
00:10:23.05\00:10:27.12
At four months of age, twice
as many girls will cry when
00:10:27.16\00:10:31.53
frightened in a strange room
as will boys. At 12, 18 or 24
00:10:31.56\00:10:37.57
months of age girls will look
at dolls much more than boys.
00:10:37.60\00:10:41.84
While boys will look at
cars much more than girls.
00:10:41.87\00:10:45.57
Do you know what Lewis
says about this? He says,
00:10:45.61\00:10:49.28
Another difference. The
hypothalamus which is part of
00:10:58.55\00:11:02.06
the brain is much larger
in men than it is in women.
00:11:02.09\00:11:06.59
Women show their emotions
more than men. Men tend to be
00:11:06.63\00:11:11.47
more aggressive than women.
And interestingly even the words
00:11:11.50\00:11:18.01
we choose can reveal our gender.
Did you know ladies that men
00:11:18.04\00:11:22.31
if we were to take a paper and
write on it and send it off to
00:11:22.34\00:11:25.78
someone who never knew if
we were male or female, if they
00:11:25.81\00:11:30.05
just took a look at our writing
they could tell generally what
00:11:30.09\00:11:35.32
gender you are simply because
women use more words related
00:11:35.36\00:11:39.73
to psychological and social
topics while men use more words
00:11:39.76\00:11:44.40
that refer to properties of
objects and impersonal topics.
00:11:44.43\00:11:48.40
Susan Pinker, psychologist who
I mentioned before, says in her
00:11:48.44\00:11:54.54
book the Sexual Paradox, men
women and the real gender gap
00:11:54.58\00:11:58.38
In fact, 80% of women
will make adjustments to their
00:12:13.26\00:12:18.20
career to support these
priorities. Men on the other
00:12:18.23\00:12:22.60
hand tend to have one
passion and pursue it doggedly.
00:12:22.64\00:12:26.31
And interestingly she also
states that women tend to have
00:12:26.34\00:12:32.21
about 10-12 career changes
on average whereas men only have
00:12:32.25\00:12:38.59
about two. Again that's
pointing to the fact that women
00:12:38.62\00:12:41.62
will change if it affects their
social or familial relationships
00:12:41.66\00:12:46.49
whereas man, that's what he was
called to do and he's just going
00:12:46.53\00:12:50.03
to pursue that. The List could
go on and on and when applied
00:12:50.07\00:12:55.04
to the majority of men and
women, in fact we see these
00:12:55.07\00:12:59.71
examples. You know sometimes,
I find this funny, ladies do we
00:12:59.74\00:13:05.91
ever, you know when we
can't get a jar open do we ever
00:13:05.95\00:13:09.35
call our daughters and say honey
could you open this jar for me?
00:13:09.38\00:13:12.72
No. Who do we call, we call
our husbands or we call our sons
00:13:12.75\00:13:16.09
or we call our fathers because
in general men were created
00:13:16.12\00:13:19.96
stronger than women. But which
parent do children typically
00:13:20.00\00:13:23.63
go to when they scrape
their knee and they want comfort
00:13:23.67\00:13:27.27
and encouragement? They go to
Momma. Because the mother tends
00:13:27.30\00:13:31.31
to have more empathy. My dear
church family, we were created
00:13:31.34\00:13:37.45
different and God did this
because we have special roles
00:13:37.48\00:13:42.52
to fill. We're going to spend
some time on these special roles
00:13:42.55\00:13:46.89
but before I do I just want
to mention that there are roles
00:13:46.92\00:13:52.49
like you've heard throughout
the series, there are roles that
00:13:52.53\00:13:56.23
men and women are called to
fill. And I'll just briefly go
00:13:56.26\00:14:00.27
over those again. There are
teacher, missionary, prophet
00:14:00.30\00:14:05.11
cook, city builders. Did
you know ladies that women were
00:14:05.14\00:14:08.68
called to be city builders?
You can find it in 1 Chronicles
00:14:08.71\00:14:12.21
7:24. Business owners,
agricultural workers, etc.
00:14:12.25\00:14:16.82
All these jobs were shared
with men and women in the Bible.
00:14:16.85\00:14:21.09
But there are certain
roles God has created which are
00:14:21.12\00:14:25.86
specifically unique to a man
and to a woman. And these are
00:14:25.89\00:14:30.37
the ones that we're going to
focus on. So let's start with
00:14:30.40\00:14:33.37
men. If you are married men
God has called you to be husband
00:14:33.40\00:14:38.84
and not only a husband,
but He has called you to be the
00:14:38.87\00:14:42.91
spiritual leader or head in your
home. So what is the husband's
00:14:42.94\00:14:48.42
role? You know men, you are
called to die for your families.
00:15:10.64\00:15:17.21
Just as Christ died for us.
If necessary. That's your role
00:15:17.25\00:15:21.92
It's a beautiful, high,
self sacrificing role that of a
00:15:21.95\00:15:26.25
husband. And I know God
put that desire in men to be
00:15:26.29\00:15:31.89
protective. I see it in my
husband, I see it in my son.
00:15:31.93\00:15:35.16
You know it's not my daughter
who says, Mommy watch out!
00:15:35.20\00:15:38.27
Be careful. It's
usually my son, Mommy watch out!
00:15:38.30\00:15:41.77
Watch out for that or be careful
of that. He's very protective
00:15:41.80\00:15:45.74
and I love to see that. I
saw this tendency growin up
00:15:45.77\00:15:49.81
in my father and in my brother.
I remember a time when I was
00:15:49.84\00:15:54.82
a little girl that when
my brother, sister and I were
00:15:54.85\00:15:58.75
coming home from school and
I think it was probably getting
00:15:58.79\00:16:01.59
close to dark and our school was
on one road and you just go one
00:16:01.62\00:16:07.53
road over and that's where our
house was. But to get from that
00:16:07.56\00:16:11.57
road to this road you had to
go down the scary gravel path.
00:16:11.60\00:16:15.70
It wasn't scary during the day
but it got scary as it got dark
00:16:15.74\00:16:19.27
And so the three of us
were headed home and I believe
00:16:19.31\00:16:22.91
it was getting dark and as
we neared the beginning of the
00:16:22.94\00:16:26.38
little gravel pathway we heard
a noise in the bush. And to me
00:16:26.41\00:16:30.62
it sounded like there was
some one in that bush and I just
00:16:30.65\00:16:33.92
stopped. I was very scared, I
looked at my sister and she was
00:16:33.96\00:16:36.49
scared and I looked at my
brother and I thought he looked
00:16:36.52\00:16:40.23
scared but he never said if
he was and he looked back at us
00:16:40.26\00:16:43.47
and he said, 'you girls, you run
on home', and he couldn't have
00:16:43.50\00:16:46.94
been older than 10. He says 'you
run on home and I'll fight them'
00:16:46.97\00:16:50.07
And so we ran and I had no idea
who he fought, what happened
00:16:50.11\00:16:56.85
I just know that after that
my brother was my hero. He was
00:16:56.88\00:17:01.82
strong and he would protect me
that's what God calls men to do.
00:17:01.85\00:17:05.79
God calls you husbands, did you
hear that, to protect, to lead
00:17:53.30\00:17:58.11
with wisdom, with
kindness and gentleness.
00:17:58.14\00:18:02.81
Let me emphasize again, before
we move to the next role that
00:18:02.84\00:18:08.38
God has also called you to the
spiritual leadership in the home
00:18:08.42\00:18:13.69
To lead as Jesus leads the
church. I just want to add here
00:18:13.72\00:18:18.83
that I have appreciated so much
the spiritual leadership that my
00:18:18.86\00:18:25.13
husband gives in our family.
Women want a husband that will
00:18:25.17\00:18:30.51
come home and sit and say
alright family, let's gather
00:18:30.54\00:18:34.28
together for worship. Let's talk
to God or we need to take this
00:18:34.31\00:18:39.35
to God in prayer. I appreciate
that as a woman. Men, we want
00:18:39.38\00:18:44.29
husbands that are like that.
This is a call for you. It says
00:18:44.32\00:18:48.52
Now if God has called you to be
a father He has also called you
00:19:07.14\00:19:12.18
to a unique and high role.
The Bible instructs fathers too,
00:19:12.21\00:19:17.92
The word nurture, this is an
interesting word because some
00:19:26.90\00:19:30.07
times we think of this word
as being a feminine type of word
00:19:30.10\00:19:35.27
but the word nurture
according to Strong's is
00:19:35.30\00:19:38.44
Fathers it is your job to make
sure your children receive a
00:19:46.15\00:19:51.29
complete education in the things
of the Lord and since this is
00:19:51.32\00:19:55.72
your job it again makes you the
spiritual leader of the home.
00:19:55.76\00:20:01.20
A father, new studies are also
showing, has perhaps a greater
00:20:56.18\00:21:01.99
impact on the ability of
his child to form trusting
00:21:02.02\00:21:06.33
relationships than a mother
has as well. So listen to this.
00:21:06.36\00:21:10.23
This is from a recent
study, taken from Science Daily,
00:21:10.27\00:21:16.04
June 12, 2012. That's where it's
reported but it was a scientific
00:21:16.07\00:21:20.81
study where they took more than
500, actually it's a result of
00:21:20.84\00:21:25.75
more than 500 studies.
And this is what it says:
00:21:25.78\00:21:30.42
Fathers you have a huge impact
on your children and I know
00:22:06.76\00:22:10.96
from personal experience what it
is like to have a good father.
00:22:10.99\00:22:15.30
My father was the kind of
man that did help me form those
00:22:15.33\00:22:20.30
trusting relationships. I
can remember being a little girl
00:22:20.34\00:22:22.90
and always thinking I could
do whatever I wanted to because
00:22:23.54\00:22:28.44
my father and my mother were
that example and said I could
00:22:28.48\00:22:32.81
And I always say my father
spending time with God everyday
00:22:32.85\00:22:38.82
He would always take time
and that impressed me, my church
00:22:38.85\00:22:43.56
family to spend time with God
on my own as well. And whenever
00:22:43.59\00:22:49.06
I imagined God I always thought
of Him as the God who loved me
00:22:49.10\00:22:54.67
even when I disagreed
with Him because my dad did.
00:22:54.70\00:22:58.54
Whenever I imagined God, I
thought He must be kind because
00:22:58.57\00:23:03.01
my father was. My father will
always have my respect and love
00:23:03.04\00:23:09.28
for living out a beautiful
picture of God. Don't you men
00:23:09.32\00:23:15.32
that are fathers want that for
your children? What a beautiful
00:23:15.36\00:23:20.06
legacy to leave to them. I quote
again from the Adventist Home
00:23:20.10\00:23:25.37
God has also called men to
be providers of their families.
00:23:45.42\00:23:48.96
So you could be a Christian and
if you don't provide for your
00:24:00.10\00:24:04.04
own family, it's almost as
if you were not one. As a child
00:24:04.07\00:24:09.04
I used to think we were very
poor. Because whenever we went
00:24:09.08\00:24:14.15
to the grocery store and we
would pass that beautiful aisle
00:24:14.18\00:24:17.35
of donuts in the glass case and
I would ask my mother for one
00:24:17.39\00:24:21.26
she'd say, Oh no we can't
afford 'em. And so I thought
00:24:21.29\00:24:24.26
Wow, we must really be poor,
we can't even afford a donut!
00:24:24.29\00:24:27.63
But even though, probably she
did it for my health, we could
00:24:29.66\00:24:33.47
not necessarily afford
extra because my mother chose to
00:24:33.50\00:24:36.00
stay home with us, we lived on
one income back then. But even
00:24:36.04\00:24:40.71
though I thought we were
poor we couldn't afford donuts
00:24:40.74\00:24:43.28
I never was concerned about
the real necessities of life.
00:24:43.31\00:24:47.15
Because I knew my dad provided
those for us with God's blessing
00:24:47.18\00:24:51.25
It was a very secure feeling,
as a child to know I didn't have
00:24:51.29\00:24:56.06
to worry where I would sleep,
what I would eat, what I would
00:24:56.09\00:25:00.33
wear, I never had to worry about
those things. And men this is
00:25:00.36\00:25:04.00
a need that God is calling
you to fulfill for your families
00:25:04.03\00:25:09.00
it's your job to be a provider
for them. God has not only
00:25:09.04\00:25:12.81
called men to be leaders in
their families however, but He
00:25:12.84\00:25:16.44
has called you to be leaders in
your church. There are certain
00:25:16.48\00:25:21.55
spiritual roles in the
Bible which are specific to men.
00:25:21.58\00:25:25.65
Now I'm just a lay person
who's finally taken the time to
00:25:25.69\00:25:30.16
study these issues out, but I
do have what my family describes
00:25:30.19\00:25:35.70
as a very strong personality and
I believe in the fair and equal
00:25:35.73\00:25:39.37
treatment of women. But in
my study I have not seen any
00:25:39.40\00:25:44.97
strong scriptural evidence
to support women holding the
00:25:45.01\00:25:48.74
following
positions. The first is deacon.
00:25:48.78\00:25:52.05
It does not read Let the
deacons be the wife of one wife.
00:25:59.55\00:26:04.03
That would be confusion
my brothers and sisters
00:26:04.06\00:26:07.43
This is the role of a man. It's
plain to me who am not a Bible
00:26:07.46\00:26:12.20
scholar that this is what
it's saying. Now I know Phoebe
00:26:12.23\00:26:15.14
has been brought up as an
example of a female deacon, but
00:26:15.17\00:26:18.74
and so when I heard that I
thought Oh I've gotta study that
00:26:18.77\00:26:22.04
maybe she was. And then I found
this quote in the North Pacific
00:26:22.08\00:26:25.75
Union Gleaner, December 4,1907.
00:26:25.78\00:26:28.35
Now if she were really a deacon,
why doesn't Mrs. White call
00:26:53.71\00:26:58.41
her one there? She could have.
It seems to me that that's what
00:26:58.45\00:27:03.39
should've been done if that
were the situation. And then
00:27:03.42\00:27:06.32
further on down
in that same quote:
00:27:06.35\00:27:07.92
And I do believe she actually
held a special role, but I will
00:27:52.53\00:27:57.01
talk about that
a little bit later.
00:27:57.04\00:27:59.44
The priesthood was also
very specific to men. Never once
00:28:00.41\00:28:05.21
in the Old or New Testament
do you ever hear a referral to a
00:28:05.25\00:28:12.45
female priest. At least not
one that was not an apostate
00:28:12.49\00:28:17.83
Israelite. Apparently in
Judah there was a time when they
00:28:17.86\00:28:23.23
apostatized and there were
women serving in that role.
00:28:23.26\00:28:27.84
And you also see it in
pagan religions, priestesses
00:28:27.87\00:28:30.64
but you don't see it in the
priesthood that God ordained
00:28:30.67\00:28:35.04
you don't see that once.
Now, men and women and children
00:28:35.08\00:28:39.55
were called a kingdom of Priests
in Exodus 19:6 but they still
00:28:39.58\00:28:45.35
had a male priesthood at
the same time. So there was a
00:28:45.39\00:28:48.46
difference there between those
two. Then there's the role of
00:28:48.49\00:28:52.86
elders or bishops, a role we
often equate with our ordained
00:28:52.89\00:28:57.00
ministers and elders. And this
is also very specific for men.
00:28:57.03\00:29:02.54
Again, this is a male role and
anyone can see this. Like I said
00:29:17.05\00:29:22.42
I'm a lay person and this is
very clear right here that this
00:29:22.46\00:29:24.89
is a male role.
Listen to these quotes.
00:29:24.93\00:29:28.46
From the pen of Sister White.
This is found in 5th Testimonies
00:29:29.46\00:29:33.03
page 60 and this
really stuck out to me.
00:29:33.07\00:29:37.67
Do you see the differentiation
right there? It was young men
00:29:56.39\00:30:00.30
an opportunity to study for
the ministry and young persons
00:30:00.33\00:30:05.23
of both sexes to become workers
in the various branches of the
00:30:05.27\00:30:10.41
cause. Another quote also from
the 5th volume of Testimonies
00:30:10.44\00:30:15.01
Page 598 of the 5th
volume of The Testimonies.
00:30:37.67\00:30:44.84
In closing, men - God
has specific roles for you
00:30:44.87\00:30:49.81
He has called you to be
husbands if you are married
00:30:49.84\00:30:52.71
fathers, if you have children
but he has called all of you men
00:30:52.75\00:30:57.09
well He hasn't called all of you
but those of you that He calls
00:30:57.12\00:31:01.02
are meant for these specific
roles that are just for men
00:31:01.06\00:31:05.03
that of deacon, elder and
bishop. Those are roles just
00:31:05.06\00:31:09.23
for you. That is the high
calling. We need men to fill
00:31:09.26\00:31:13.03
those roles. If we don't have
men who is going to fill them?
00:31:13.07\00:31:16.67
Ladies, this is the part that is
exciting to me because there is
00:31:16.71\00:31:23.58
the special role for us to fill.
But before we get to that one
00:31:23.61\00:31:26.98
we're gonna talk about
some others as well. These roles
00:31:27.02\00:31:31.89
are specific. Just like the
roles He gave to the different
00:31:31.92\00:31:35.32
parts of our brain. And they're
of equal importance to that
00:31:35.36\00:31:39.49
which men are called
to. They are just different.
00:31:39.53\00:31:42.20
That's it, they're just
different. If you are married
00:31:42.23\00:31:45.23
one of the roles God has
called you to is that of a wife.
00:31:45.27\00:31:49.90
We are designed to be
our spouses' companion.
00:31:49.94\00:31:54.38
That Adventist
Home, page 25 states:
00:31:54.41\00:31:56.88
Isn't that beautiful. We
were created to be our husbands'
00:32:22.37\00:32:25.97
equal but also with distinctive
roles. And notice this how
00:32:26.01\00:32:30.78
Mrs. White puts that we are
equal and yet we are distinct
00:32:30.81\00:32:35.78
as well. Women should fill, this
is a quote from Adventist Home
00:32:35.82\00:32:41.52
Do you see that? We are equal
but yet we have distinctive
00:33:03.21\00:33:07.55
duties. We were also created
to complement our spouses
00:33:07.58\00:33:12.95
not to lose our individuality
or to let our powers lie dormant
00:33:12.99\00:33:18.29
Listen ladies, God doesn't
call you just to be a doormat.
00:33:18.33\00:33:23.47
He wants you to have an
education, to use all the
00:33:23.50\00:33:28.10
talents and skills that God has
given you to the best of your
00:33:28.14\00:33:32.17
ability because He needs you and
He has created and called you
00:33:32.21\00:33:36.24
to a high role in this
day. Listen to this quote.
00:33:36.28\00:33:41.15
See, we're equal but we each
have our job to do. And ladies
00:34:07.74\00:34:14.35
this is a tough one for me and
I imagine that it's a tough one
00:34:14.38\00:34:18.42
for some of you but we are
required to submit our judgment
00:34:18.45\00:34:22.32
to our husbands. And my husband
will tell you that it's hard
00:34:22.36\00:34:24.66
for me to do sometimes.
Some times he'll say, 'Husbands
00:34:24.69\00:34:29.46
submit yourselves unto
your wives', when I'm getting up
00:34:29.50\00:34:32.43
on my high horse. We are
required to submit but let me
00:34:32.47\00:34:37.31
continue, if it's not contrary
to the will of God. I just have
00:34:37.34\00:34:42.34
to include here and this is very
very important. Abuse in any
00:34:42.38\00:34:47.62
form or a husband who seeks
to turn his wife against God
00:34:47.65\00:34:53.36
that is contrary to God's will.
And we should not submit to that
00:34:53.39\00:34:58.49
If it is not fit in the Lord, we
should not submit. But if it is
00:35:06.80\00:35:11.24
ladies, it is our duty
to graciously acquiesce.
00:35:11.27\00:35:15.48
In a letter to Mrs. Loughborough
June 6, 1861, Mrs. White wrote
00:35:15.51\00:35:22.42
Ladies, if God has called you
as well to be a mother, He has
00:35:45.87\00:35:51.58
called you to one of the
most sacred, important positions
00:35:51.61\00:35:57.12
a mortal could hold. Counsels
for the Church, pg. 143 says
00:35:57.15\00:36:03.22
That is a high calling. And
don't think because some of you
00:36:28.65\00:36:33.32
choose to stay home with your
children that your role is less
00:36:33.36\00:36:36.76
important than if you were
in the work force. I used to be
00:36:36.79\00:36:40.86
tempted to think that because
I'm not out working I chose to
00:36:40.90\00:36:45.13
stay home with my children
and because I'm not out working
00:36:45.17\00:36:48.57
sometimes I was tempted to
feel that my role was not as
00:36:48.60\00:36:52.81
important. But then I would
remember the sacrifice that
00:36:52.84\00:36:56.98
my mother made for my brother
my sister and I when we were
00:36:57.01\00:37:00.65
little. She has a college degree
and she could've chosen to
00:37:00.68\00:37:05.15
go out and get a job and help
support our family but she chose
00:37:05.19\00:37:10.03
to stay home and take care of
us children. And I can tell you
00:37:10.06\00:37:14.33
with great assurance that that
is one of the reasons that my
00:37:14.36\00:37:18.40
brother, my sister and myself
are still Christians today
00:37:18.43\00:37:22.37
and love the Lord. That is a
high calling mother. You will
00:37:22.40\00:37:27.54
have stars in your crown if
you do your work faithfully.
00:37:27.58\00:37:31.51
Again from Counsels
to the church, page 143
00:37:33.95\00:37:37.25
Now ladies, this is exciting!
God has also called us to
00:37:52.17\00:37:56.57
fulfill other spiritual roles
in the church. I know in the
00:37:56.60\00:38:02.14
last session that we briefly
went over the medical profession
00:38:02.18\00:38:05.95
but I just want to again
add that God has a specific role
00:38:05.98\00:38:10.72
for men and a specific
role for women in the medical
00:38:10.75\00:38:13.49
profession. He needs male nurses
and female nurses. He needs
00:38:13.52\00:38:18.93
male physicians and female
physicians. It used to be back
00:38:18.96\00:38:24.37
in the early 1900s that we
thought of physicians role as
00:38:24.40\00:38:27.97
being more of a male role and
the nurse role as being more of
00:38:28.00\00:38:31.37
a female role. But God needs
both of us and just like our
00:38:31.41\00:38:35.58
brother said earlier, the reason
for this was and I'm reading
00:38:35.61\00:38:40.18
from Counsels
Upon Health page 364
00:38:40.22\00:38:43.02
I used to think this was silly
as a nurse. As nurses we grow
00:38:55.33\00:39:00.54
callous to a lot of things like
that, it just didn't bother me
00:39:00.57\00:39:05.07
But it hit me when I was
visiting a patient and they
00:39:05.11\00:39:12.68
said I just feel so
uncomfortable having to expose
00:39:12.71\00:39:18.25
myself in such a way and I
thought, Really? You know it
00:39:18.29\00:39:21.39
didn't bother me as a
nurse but it did bother them
00:39:21.42\00:39:24.19
and it's because God created us
private and to keep our modesty
00:39:24.23\00:39:30.50
men and women and he needs men
and women to fulfill these roles
00:39:30.53\00:39:35.37
in medicine so that men can
treat men and women can treat
00:39:35.40\00:39:38.97
women if possible. I know some
times there's situations where
00:39:39.01\00:39:42.08
that's not possible. But I
didn't think this idea was so
00:39:42.11\00:39:45.98
silly when I needed to find
an OBGYN because at that point
00:39:46.01\00:39:49.08
I wanted a woman as well.
And you know when I worked in
00:39:49.12\00:39:51.92
maternity in OB nursing when
I first graduated there were no
00:39:51.95\00:39:57.53
male nurses on my floor. You
know why? Women don't want men
00:39:57.56\00:40:01.93
nurses helping them have
babies. And I know we have male
00:40:01.96\00:40:05.87
physicians sometimes but
if a woman had a choice, she
00:40:05.90\00:40:09.37
often would choose the female
physician or the female midwife
00:40:09.40\00:40:12.24
over the male as well. Ladies
you are needed to fill these
00:40:12.27\00:40:17.31
important positions. God
also calls women to fulfill a
00:40:17.35\00:40:23.39
specific spiritual role in
church that cannot be filled by
00:40:23.42\00:40:29.29
anyone else And I'm going to
shorten that to Gospel Labor.
00:40:35.40\00:40:40.04
Mrs. White expands on this in
Review and Herald, July 21, 1896
00:40:40.07\00:40:43.37
There is a call for women to do
this kind of work, laboring with
00:41:08.56\00:41:13.90
the minister in the Gospel.
This Gospel work designed for
00:41:13.94\00:41:19.24
women is a role that Ellen White
says that a minister's wife
00:41:19.27\00:41:24.48
should fill when possible. But
Jesus and Paul as far as we know
00:41:24.51\00:41:29.62
Paul didn't have a wife
and Jesus didn't have a wife
00:41:29.65\00:41:32.42
so they needed these women
to fulfill that part in the
00:41:32.45\00:41:37.36
ministry which they were called
to fill. Manuscript 5, page 327
00:41:37.39\00:41:43.90
Ellen White goes on to say that
our cause will suffer great loss
00:42:41.86\00:42:49.63
without this kind
of work. And she says,
00:42:49.66\00:42:53.23
That is our appointed
work. Manuscript 5 pg. 325
00:43:28.57\00:43:32.97
This work is a work for women
by women. The cause would suffer
00:43:33.01\00:43:39.08
great loss without it.
Women are just as greatly needed
00:43:39.11\00:43:44.79
to do the work which God has
appointed them as are the men.
00:43:44.82\00:43:49.02
Just as greatly needed. And this
role was considered important
00:43:49.06\00:43:53.80
enough in Ellen White's day that
it was to be a paid position.
00:43:53.83\00:43:58.17
This role was considered so
necessary that if a wife and
00:45:07.54\00:45:13.44
mother felt a call upon her life
to do this work and she was able
00:45:13.48\00:45:19.88
to leave the high work of being
a mother in the hands of someone
00:45:19.91\00:45:24.22
else then she was called to do
so and go ahead and do the work
00:45:24.25\00:45:29.42
that God had called
her to do. And I quote:
00:45:29.46\00:45:31.36
Manuscript 5, pg 324. Notice
again, it's different but it's
00:46:32.25\00:46:39.59
just as
important as that of a man.
00:46:39.63\00:46:42.63
My church family we are facing
some options. You all have
00:46:45.37\00:46:50.84
heard about three different
options. We have the first
00:46:50.87\00:46:53.84
option, the second
option and the third option.
00:46:53.88\00:46:58.48
And this reminds me of a
situation that took place
00:46:58.51\00:47:03.39
about 500 years ago, ok?
Do you remember a man named
00:47:03.42\00:47:09.19
Martin Luther? And how he
was called to give a message
00:47:09.22\00:47:15.23
that was not agreeable to many
during his time? And when he was
00:47:15.26\00:47:20.94
called to stand up for his faith
he did bravely. And later he
00:47:20.97\00:47:29.41
was not allowed to go in and
so in his place 12 princes went
00:47:29.44\00:47:33.75
and if you read the book called
Great Controversy you can read
00:47:33.78\00:47:36.82
their story in the chapter
called Protest of the Princes.
00:47:36.85\00:47:40.49
And in that chapter we are
told that the 12 princes went
00:47:40.52\00:47:45.96
and they presented their case
and the opposition recognized
00:47:45.99\00:47:51.57
that their position was so
strong and was creating such a
00:47:51.60\00:47:55.77
division that they said,
well instead of taking the first
00:47:55.80\00:48:01.31
option, or the second option,
one was to entirely stifle the
00:48:01.34\00:48:06.28
Reformation, the other was
to let the Reformation continue
00:48:06.31\00:48:09.08
they said, let's make a
compromise. Do you know that
00:48:09.12\00:48:12.65
they did that? They said,
and I'll quote. This is from the
00:48:12.69\00:48:16.79
Great Controversy, page 199
00:48:16.83\00:48:19.09
You know this situation that
we are up against, we have our
00:49:15.88\00:49:21.22
first option, our second option
or we can choose our third one
00:49:21.26\00:49:25.59
which is a compromise. But
is that really the right one?
00:49:25.63\00:49:29.40
It sounds to me very much like
this situation which took place
00:49:31.10\00:49:34.70
back in Martin Luther's time.
Would we lose ground by giving
00:49:34.74\00:49:39.24
in and compromise things? Again
that was found in The Great
00:49:39.27\00:49:44.45
Controversy page 199. My
church family I want to urge you
00:49:44.48\00:49:50.69
instead of ordaining women
to the role of elder and bishop
00:49:50.72\00:49:56.73
create the position in the
church which God has called
00:49:56.76\00:50:02.50
women to and without which the
cause will suffer great loss.
00:50:02.53\00:50:09.40
Ministers need the co-laborer
with them in the Gospel and
00:50:09.44\00:50:14.44
if that can be their
wife that's who it should be.
00:50:14.48\00:50:17.41
But if that's not possible,
then some other mother in Israel
00:50:17.45\00:50:23.45
needs to step up and take that
position. Otherwise the cause
00:50:23.49\00:50:28.26
will suffer great loss. My dear
sisters the devil has tried to
00:50:28.29\00:50:35.10
deceive us into thinking that we
are missing out if we can't do
00:50:35.13\00:50:40.14
everything a man can do. And
now we're paying the consequence
00:50:40.17\00:50:46.14
Suzanne Pinker in her book "The
Sexual Paradox-Men, Women and
00:50:46.17\00:50:51.51
the Real Gender Gap" states
00:50:51.55\00:50:53.55
We women have tried to be
like Broca's Region in the brain
00:51:38.19\00:51:44.43
and fulfill our own role and
that of men as well. And it is
00:51:44.47\00:51:51.14
wearing us out. I don't
have this quote here but you can
00:51:51.17\00:51:55.78
look up in the Forbes 2011
Issue and I will try to get
00:51:55.81\00:52:02.45
the date, I can put it up on
the website later. It says that
00:52:02.48\00:52:06.15
women who are trying to fulfill
the role of a man and woman
00:52:06.19\00:52:11.23
it says, their children are
suffering loss because of it
00:52:11.26\00:52:16.67
even women who come from very
well to do families, it says,
00:52:16.70\00:52:20.77
they're so worried about
the direction their children are
00:52:20.80\00:52:24.17
headed in and the rates of
depression are so much higher
00:52:24.21\00:52:27.78
among women as a result
of trying to do everything.
00:52:27.81\00:52:31.25
It's wearing us out my sisters
but even more serious than this
00:52:31.28\00:52:36.79
is the damage that
gender blurring has done to the
00:52:36.82\00:52:39.95
Word of God. Secular website
EHow.com, I'm sure some of you
00:52:39.99\00:52:44.86
have happened upon this when
you're looking How do I do this
00:52:44.89\00:52:48.16
or How do I do that? You
can go to EHow.com and they have
00:52:48.20\00:52:50.93
answers for everything. When
I was looking up Biblical Bible
00:52:50.97\00:52:56.10
Role I thought EHow.com
had something to say about it
00:52:56.14\00:52:59.51
I thought that would be
interesting it's just a secular
00:52:59.54\00:53:01.71
website I wonder what they
say about Biblical roles of men
00:53:01.74\00:53:04.61
and women. Well do you know what
they say? They infer, I'll quote
00:53:04.65\00:53:09.42
Christians who don't follow
the Biblical headship model
00:53:09.45\00:53:13.32
no longer believe the Bible
to be the unerring Word of God!
00:53:13.36\00:53:18.29
You can find this when you
search Bible Roles for men and
00:53:19.53\00:53:22.90
women on EHow.com
and this is what it says.
00:53:22.93\00:53:26.47
Do you see what they're saying?
They believe, we don't believe
00:54:28.16\00:54:33.94
the Bible to be the unerring
Word of God. Is that how we want
00:54:33.97\00:54:38.91
the Christian world to view
us? Is that the kind of picture
00:54:38.94\00:54:43.75
we want to leave with the world?
00:54:43.78\00:54:47.08
God has a higher
calling for men and women
00:54:47.12\00:54:52.35
So what was that
ministry? She goes on to say
00:55:03.47\00:55:06.87
That's true ministry.
The ministry which we're all
00:55:21.48\00:55:24.95
called to. To reflect the
image of Christ through us.
00:55:24.99\00:55:29.62
Not doing our will but the
will of God who created us.
00:55:29.66\00:55:34.36
And just like the regions, the
different regions in our brain
00:55:34.40\00:55:38.97
that help us to read, God has
created men and women with equal
00:55:39.00\00:55:44.67
importance but different roles
to fulfill. Men you have been
00:55:44.71\00:55:50.55
called to be Christ like
husbands. You've been called
00:55:50.58\00:55:55.22
to be godly fathers, spiritual
leaders in our church. Don't let
00:55:55.25\00:56:00.69
culture dictate the role you
are to follow. Especially when
00:56:00.72\00:56:06.36
God has so clearly laid it out.
Women you are called to fulfill
00:56:06.39\00:56:11.43
a role that is so exalted that
even an angel would be honored
00:56:11.47\00:56:17.77
to have that assignment. Don't
let our culture make you think
00:56:17.81\00:56:23.11
that this role is a low or
demeaning one. Not when God
00:56:23.14\00:56:28.08
has shed so much power, light
and honor upon it. Ladies, He's
00:56:28.12\00:56:34.86
also called you to fill a role
in the church that men cannot
00:56:34.89\00:56:40.16
fill. If you leave that role to
just be vacant, you leave that
00:56:40.20\00:56:47.80
role to go and fulfill a man's
role then you're creating a
00:56:47.84\00:56:53.21
great loss for the ministry.
You will leave a void that will
00:56:53.24\00:56:57.75
ultimately hurt
the cause of God.
00:56:57.78\00:57:00.12
Let's go ahead and pray. Lord
I pray that You would help us
00:57:10.66\00:57:17.30
to step up to the roles that
You have called us to. Help us
00:57:18.67\00:57:23.47
to be men and women created in
Your image, fulfilling the work
00:57:23.51\00:57:29.48
that You have called us
to fulfill. In Jesus' name.
00:57:29.51\00:57:33.31