Tuesday, April 5, 2011

‘Half the Church: Recapturing God’s Global Vision for Women’ by Carolyn Custis James – Book Review and Giveaway

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A topic that has been of great interest to me for a long time is the place that women should hold in the church. Carolyn Custis James addresses this issue very well in her latest book, ‘Half the Church: Recapturing God’s Global Vision for Women.’

Here’s the synopsis of this thought-provoking book:

        No Woman Left Behind.
News stories that ran in early 2008 highlighted how throughout the world women today are living in a world of extremes. On the one hand Hillary Rodham Clinton nearly captured the Democratic nomination for U.S. president. At the same time, the media reported the brutal honor killings of five women in Pakistan – three young girls buried alive for planning to choose their own husbands, plus a mother and an aunt shot to death as they pled with their husbands, sons, and brothers to spare the girls’ lives.
Into this world of breathtaking opportunities and shocking atrocities, the church attempts to speak with relevance to women. But the message often fails to address the opportunities, changes, and contingencies of life in a fallen world. It is not far-reaching enough to encompass every woman’s whole life within this multicultural, rapidly changing world. Instead, the message too often focuses mainly on marriage and motherhood important as they are, and overlooks all the other seasons or circumstances of life. It fails to capitalize on God’s positive, life-affirming, vision for women. The church is being drowned out by other conflicting voices and falls short of conveying the empowering mobilizing gospel message for women that is clearly embedded in God’s Word.
Women comprise at least half the world, and usually more than half the church, but so often Christian teaching to women either fails to move beyond a discussion of roles or assumes a particular economic situation or stage of life. This all but shuts women out from contributing to God’s kingdom as they were designed to do. Furthermore, the plight of women in the Majority World demands a Christian response, a holistic embrace of all that God calls women and men to be in his world.
Carolyn Custis James unpacks three transformative biblical themes, showing how God gives women a new identity that frees them to embrace the life he gives, and so that no woman or girl is left behind.
Half the Church embodies a positive, kingdom approach to the changes, challenges, and opportunities facing women throughout the world today.

Here’s the biography of this author:

Carolyn Custis James (MA, Biblical Studies) travels extensively as a popular speaker for women’s conferences, churches, colleges, seminaries, and other Christian organizations. Her ministry organization, WhitbyForum, promotes thoughtful biblical discussion to help men and women serve God together. Carolyn founded and is president of the Synergy Women’s Network. The books she has written include The Gospel of Ruth: Loving God Enough to Break the Rules, Lost Women of the Bible: Finding Strength & Significance through Their Stories, When Life and Beliefs Collide, and Understanding Purpose: Women of Faith Study Guide Series. She is a consulting editor for Zondervan’s Exegetical Commentary Series on the New Testament. Carolyn and her husband live in Boxford, Massachusetts.

Here’s the book trailer for this provocative book:






Mrs. James shares that the Lord has had her on a journey of discovery over the last many years:

The thrill of each new discovery has been tempered every time by a weight of grief that to this day hasn’t lifted. I grieve over the opportunities and blessings I have wasted because I didn’t know about God’s vision for his daughters – I didn’t realize God expected so much of me. I grieve the loss to the church when so many Christian women believe it’s possible to subsist on an anorexic spiritual diet. I grieve that far too many women and girls are living with small visions of themselves and of their purpose. I grieve the loss to our brothers who are shouldering burdens we were created to share and are doing kingdom work without them when God means for us to build his kingdom together. (p. 19)

Mrs. James makes the important point that we need to see all of the women in the world, not just in our small circle. Here is her rationale:

We need a global conversation because the Bible itself is global. God’s Word has never been the exclusive property of the elite. God’s Word is for the world. If anything, the Bible gives priority to the weak, the oppressed, and the poor and is tougher on privileged people who hold the reins of wealth and power but refuse to wield their advantages for the good of others. Jesus had little tolerance for self-centered individuals who indulged themselves and hoarded the comforts of this earthly life. His heart was with the suffering and oppressed, and we can be sure the Bible’s message reflects the same commitment. (p. 38)

Mrs. James did an interesting study in the Bible on the word ezer, which appears over twenty times in the Old Testament, including its use twice to describe Eve. She determined its definition is ‘strong helper.’ She reached this conclusion:

Description of the woman as dependent, needy, vulnerable, deferential, helpless, leaderless, or weak are – to put it simply – wrong. Such definitions betray cultural biases and I fear a deep-seated misogyny. The ezer is a warrior. Like the man, she is also God’s creative masterpiece – a work of genius and a marvel to behold – for she is fearfully and wonderfully made. The ezer never sheds her image-bearer identity. Not here. Not ever. God defines who she is and how she is to live in his world. That never changes. The image-bearer responsibilities to reflect God to the world and to rule and subdue on his behalf still rest on her shoulders too. (p. 114)

That is not taught very often in the church, is it?

Jesus went against the norm of His day by giving ample time and attention to women:

Women on Jesus’ A-list of potential friends and recruits included prostitutes, adulteresses, a shunned Samaritan, insignificant widows, a ceremonially unclean woman, a dead twelve-year-old girl, and demon-possessed women. Jesus regarded them with unheard-of respect and gave them undivided attention, even (and perhaps deliberately) when men were around. He engaged women publicly in deep theological conversation in a culture where respectable men avoided public conversation with women. He entered their grief by weeping openly with them. He included women among his disciples, welcomed their friendship, forged strong bonds with them, was blessed and fortified by their spiritual ministries, and recruited them as leaders and kingdom builders. (p. 167)

Mrs. James ends her book this way:

One hundred years from now may it never be said of this generation of ezers that we folded our hands and God’s kingdom work to others. May it never be said that we ignored the cries of the helpless and focused on ourselves. Let it instead be said that God used those cries to awaken a sleeping giantess and filled her with a terrible resolve – half the church, angered and outraged at the unchecked forces of evil in God’s world. That we made up our minds to do something, that our efforts forced the darkness to recede, and that we left the world better off that we found it. May we be remembered as a generation who caught God’s vision, faced our fears, and rose up to serve his cause. (p. 193)

That last paragraph seems as though it was written directly to me! I wonder how many other women will feel the same way?!

I really was changed by this book; I can’t say that about every book I read! But this book turned me to the Scriptures and what they say about what God says about women, and not what the church (and perhaps men) say about women. Truth be told, I have always had an issue with the secondary role that women are allowed to hold in most churches. I have always felt that they’ve been interpreting Scripture to suit their purposes – and it has never rung true with me. I thank Mrs. James for showing us what the Bible – and God – really say about women’s place in the church and in the world.

This book has Discussion Questions at the end of each chapter. I think it would be a perfect book to read with your spouse, or with a friend. I give it my highest recommendation.

You can order this book here.

This book was published by Zondervan and provided by them for review and giveaway purposes.
___________________________________________________

I have one copy of this book to give along; many thanks to Jesse at Zondervan for generously providing the copy! 

There are several ways to gain entry:           

1) Leave a comment here on the blog, sharing your thoughts on how this book would be a helpful resource to you or to another. Please make sure to leave your email address in this format – sample[at]gmail[dot]com. 

2) Add my blog button to your blog or website. You can grab the HTML code on the right hand side of the blog. Please leave a comment (with your email address) letting me know your URL where the blog button has been placed. Thanks!


3) Follow me on Twitter; if you are already a follower, that counts, too!  Please leave a separate comment to that effect.

4) Send a tweet on Twitter. Please feel free to use this one:

Win a copy of ‘Half the Church’ by @carolynezer and @ZonderAcademic from @andrealschultz. http://bit.ly/grKHjb Please RT!

Please leave a comment with the link to your tweet. You can tweet up to once per day. Please add a new comment for each tweet.

5) Follow me as a Google Friend on this blog; if you are already a Friend, that counts, too! Please leave a separate comment to that effect.

6) Become my Facebook friend. Please leave a separate comment to that effect.

7) Follow this blog as a NetWorked Blog Follower after you’ve become my Facebook friend. Please leave a separate comment to that effect.

So there are many, many chances to enter and therefore win! Please limit one entry per option (except for the Twitter option), and don’t forget to include your email address, or, sad to say, the Random Number Generator will have to choose a different winner.

This giveaway is for U.S. residents only. The deadline for entry is Tuesday, April 19, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. EST. One winner will be chosen via the Random Number Generator on Wednesday, April 20, 2011 and will be contacted via email. The best to all of you!


37 comments:

Andrea said...

Hope you are having an awesome day.
Hugs,
andrea

Faith Hope and Cherrytea said...

as a woman pioneering a church for disabled and elderly, this book is essential support and encouragement - to persevere and to advance the cause! i look fwd to first hand reading & hiliting! many thx for this opp!

Faith Hope and Cherrytea said...

i follow GFC :)

Faith Hope and Cherrytea said...

i follow twitter @_eHOPE

Faith Hope and Cherrytea said...

@_eHOPE tweet http://bit.ly/gAqhFQ

Faith Hope and Cherrytea said...

your blog button posted on sidebar of FHC {email publicly posted in profile 4 safety} thx!

karenk said...

thanks for the opportunity for me to read -and share- this inspirataional book.

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

Sarah said...

following on twitter :)

Infuse said...

This book is empowerment to many women I've discussed this situ with who are opposed in their call. Fantastic! Look fwd to the read! Thx...

Infuse said...

@_InSpirit follows you on twitter
infuse at live dot ca

Infuse said...

tweet http://bit.ly/f4T37q
infuse at live dot ca
@_InSpirit

Infuse said...

GFC friend ")

Faith Hope and Cherrytea said...

@_eHope tweet http://bit.ly/hIJdGL

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the book interview. It looks to be a good support and encouragement to those in need.
Blessings.....Joy
ibjoy1953{at]yahoo[dot]com

Anonymous said...

And your button is on my blog

Blessings.....Joy
ibjoy1953{at]yahoo[dot]com
http://splashesofjoy.wordpress.com/

Faith Hope and Cherrytea said...

@_eHope RT [so sorry the link won't shorten!] https://twitter.com/#!/_eHope/status/56103972297117696

Infuse said...

RT your tweet and there's no link to copy! and i'm only allowed one tweet with you / day! yikes sorry~
at least you know i did RT! @_InSpirit

Andrea Schultz said...

I appreciate all of the great comments and enthusiastic tweets thus far. Thanks, everybody!
Blessings -
Andrea

Anonymous said...

I'd love to share this book with my ladies ministry at church.
M. Waters
svnhm1atyahoodotcom

Faith Hope and Cherrytea said...

my daily tweet :) http://snipurl.com/27rayx
blstef1 at mts dot net
by @_eHope

Faith Hope and Cherrytea said...

today's tweet http://bit.ly/iaJk55
HaPpY weekend :)

Faith Hope and Cherrytea said...

@_eHope today's tweet :)
http://snipurl.com/27rlob

Anonymous said...

sounds inspiring and something me and my girlfriends would enjoy reading
junegirl26 at hotmail dot com

Infuse said...

RT http://snipurl.com/27rnwe
@_InSpirit for contact either DM or tweet - Thanks Andrea!

Faith Hope and Cherrytea said...

i'm ready for tea and a great book! know any? hahah! i can certainly think of at least this one :) http://bit.ly/ehxkna
@_eHope blstef1 at mts dot net

Anonymous said...

This books look very useful! I am very active at my church and the girls from the youth always come to me for advice, I'd love to use this book!
ctc_latina@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

Sounds like an inspiring book. Would be perfect to share with the girls at church too!
ohmygoshbeck at gmail dot com

Faith Hope and Cherrytea said...

@_eHope tweeted http://bit.ly/fyJcM0

Infuse said...

http://bit.ly/hvOImR tweeted here

Faith Hope and Cherrytea said...

tweeted by @_eHope http://bit.ly/icTgcT

J-ME said...

This sounds like an interesting book. I would like to read a balanced book on this issue. Some churches have just women leading as the men don't care. Others have men leading and the women are left out. Our Father has a role for each to be active in His kingdom. This would be a good book for a church library or ladies study group.
luvs2stmp[at]yahoo[dot]com

J-ME said...

asked to be friends on FB

luvs2stmp[at]yahoo[dot]com

J-ME said...

I am following you on Networked Blogs

luvs2stmp[at]yahoo[dot]com

J-ME said...

I am a Google Friend follower of your blog, too.

luvs2stmp[at]yahoo[dot]com

Faith Hope Cherrytea said...

@_eHope's tweet http://bit.ly/hxddyn

rubynreba said...

We have some issues in our church at this time in reference to women and the role they should play. I'd love this book~
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Faith Hope and Cherrytea said...

today's tweet? YEP!!
http://bit.ly/h0G64e

 
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