Are Only Males Allowed to be like God?

I have heard it said that when we all become Saints in God's Kingdom, we will all be like men. Is this biblical or is it just another put down of women? I thought the Church is supposed to be a woman?

If men are so great, how come the world we now live in is at the brink of extinction. Isn't this supposed to be a man's world? Is its mother Eve's fault or did God put the blame for sin on father Adam, Genesis 3:16-19, Romans 5:12-14.

Wasn't mother Eve also made in God's image, Genesis 1:26-28? Doesn't a woman in God's image mean that she can be like God and God can be like a woman? Why is this subject of woman made in the image of God so important to all who are descendants from our first parents Adam and Eve?

We know that sin came through Adam and Eve which has temporarily cut us off from God's good graces. Being cut off from the 'Tree of Life' or the Holy Spirit has caused difficult problems for all us earth dwellers, Genesis 3:24. Women became servants to men and have lost touch with their God given right of being made in God's image and to do the work of God as equals with men, Genesis 3:16. Up until the time of Jesus Christ, woman have been treated as less than slaves by dominating men but all this was about to change for the good.

Along came Jesus the Christ with his Egalitarian Gospel of Good News for both men and women. If only men would have listened to Jesus instead of killing Him things would have been different in their day and possibly our day. The New Testament is replete with the good works of many women because Jesus set the examples of where women fit into God's plan of salvation for the whole human race. Jesus has never abandoned his call for women to be part of his priesthood of all believers, 1 Peter 2:4-10. Men have tried to stop it with false teachings that tried to disrupt the call of women, Matthew 15:7-9.

Neither did the Holy Spirit, change the important call of women, She was poured out on both men and women on the first Pentecost in 31 A.D., Acts 2:17-18. The Holy Spirit has given gifts to women as well as men, 1 Corinthians 12:7-11. The work of Christ today is still supposed to be an egalitarian work of equality, mutuality and harmony. The apostle Paul was inspired by Ruach HaKodesh the Holy Spirit to write that there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise, Galatians 3:28-29.

These are powerful words spoken to all those both of yesterday and today. So why are women still marginalized in many churches that say they are Christian? Where did all this opposition come from? The answer is still the same as it was in Jesus day, Matthew 15:7-9 >You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but the rules of men. Jesus has not changed his mind about women, because they too are made in the image of God. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever, Hebrews 13:8. It is time for men and women to listen to Jesus just as they did in Acts 1:6-7, to go and preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

God the Father is very eager to come down here and be a Father to all both his sons and daughters, 2 Corinthians 6:17-18, Revelation 21:1-5. Will you be ready? Will you men share giving this gospel to the world with women made in the image of God!

Now, if women are made in God's image then why in the world is there so much fuss about keeping them out of Christ's ministry? Why is there an on going war against the other half of the human race to stifle their right to be leaders in God's Church. A woman is certainly not made inferior to a man but equal to him. The man was not complete until the first woman arrived. Adam seemed quite happy with this arrangement, Genesis 2:23-25.

Women did not come from a man's feet so he could trample all over her, nor did she come from his head so she could rule over him. No she was made from one of his ribs, close to his heart, to be at his side and to share everything God had given to them both and this was good, Genesis 1:26-31.

So why do men try to beat down women? Are they really at blame for this war on women? The big lie is they are not but Satan the devil is! Satan uses the fallen powers and principalities to keep us both in oppessive traditions and structures. But Jesus came and taught us to know our enemy, John 8:42-47. When we do not listen to God we will continue to oppress one another. The oppressive treatment of women has been passed down through the ages because human men and women still listen to this same being Satan the devil who disrupts our lives, Revelation 12:9. Satan has continued to keep women bound under the oppressive rule of Patriarchy or male dominance. Patriarchy prevails in most churches and keeps women from achieving their Godly responsibilities.

How is this done? There are Ten lies that the Churches tell women to keep them in spiritual bondage. Do you know what they are? Are you looking for the truth that will make you free from male patriarchy, John 8:31-34? Do you know where to find these truths? They are in God's word the Bible. A book that will be a great help to you as we explore God's word is, "Ten Lies the Church Tells Women", 'How the Bible has been Misused to Keep Women in Spiritual Bondage', by J. Lee Grady. Check our link with CBE if you would like a copy.

This #1 First Lie is that God created women as inferior beings, designed to serve their husbands. Jesus revoluntionized a new paradigm of empowerment for women but most churches have not adopted his perspective of gender eguality so many of them still are stuck on patriarchy that age old evil of suppressing women. This idea of patriarchy has no biblical basis but is and idea put in mens minds by Satan. God warned Eve this woud happen and it has continued right up into the New Testament Church today, Genesis 3:16. This is an insult to all women called to work for Christ. Men who treat women this way could be in great danger, Matthew 7:21-23.

Did you know that the curse on women was removed because of the grace that came through Jesus Christ sacrifice on the cross for them? God's plan is to draw all his creatures back into a relationship with him through Jesus Christ . This includes the plan to restore both men and women to a place of rulership that Adam and Eve enjoyed before they sinned. Now through Jesus' sacrifice women can overcome the curse and once again eat from the Tree of Life - the Holy Spirit.

God created women primarily for fellowship with Him, yet men often try to define her worth and value only in terms of what they can do for their husband. The lie says women were made to serve men as inferior partners. The truth is revealed in scripture that women were created by God as co-equals, and joint heirs of His grace. The lie says women must find their ultimate purpose in serving man. The truth says that woman's ultimate destiny can be discovered only as they seek to become disciples of Jesus Christ.

The second big lie #2 is: Women are not equiped to assume leadership roles in the church. Why is it that the church always seems to be fifty or one hundred years behind the times when it comes to making social progress? Why must the churches drag their feet when the Holy Spirit is encouraging them to break free from their religious traditions that hinder Her work?

We live in a society and culture in which qualified women serve as govenors, senators, mayors, university deans, corporate presidents, ambassadors and even military commanders. Yet a majority of evangelical churches remain closed to the notion of women assuming the role of senior pastors. As a result the world views the church as ignorant, insensitive, and irrelevant, and imbicilic. And they deserve that label.

As I have noted already Jesus Christ affirmed the equality of women in the midst of the church culture of his day that denied woman their basic human rights. He called them to be his disciples during a time when religious leaders taught it was disgraceful even to teach women. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to both men and women on the first Pentecost. The Holy Spirit fulfilled the promise of empowerment for ministry to both men and women, Acts 2:17-18. both Jesus and the Holy Spirit had no problem with women receiving leadership roles

But men today seem again to be lost in women's ability to lead. They try to have women focus on domestic duties bescause this is their humble God ordained "place" in life. It's a place of invisible service and of godly but quiet influence over children and the home, or perhaps over the church nursery, Sunday school class or a women's bible study. What a croc of lies!

And even some women go along with these lies and think it is an honor to live in the shadow of their husbands or male authority and that it would be a disgrace for them to assume a place of equal spiritual authority. We need to ask were did these warped ideas come from, certainly not Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit! It is tragic that woman today have to defend their right to preach the Gospel. When we have many examples in both the Old Testament and New Testament right up into our day of women leaders who saved their nations and gave the Gospel to all the world.

When will men stop listening to Satan the devil and quit quenching the Holy Spirit by denyig women their right to prophesy? To keep women silent is to tune out the voice of Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit. To reject women in leadership is to reject the Lord Jesus Christ's calling to them, 1 Peter 2:4-10 > "As you (women) come to Him, the living Stone - rejected by 'men' but chosen by God and precious to Him, you also like living stones, are built into a spiritual priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." For in the Scripture it says; "See, I lay in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trust in him will never be put to shame." now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The Stone the builders rejected has become the capstone, and a stone that causes 'men' to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message- which they were destined to do. But you are a chosen (also women) people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Women are to first submit themselves to Christ and then to men, as men are to subject themselves to Christ and then women, Ephesians 5:21. Women were also like lost sheep going astray but now they are being called to service by God to the Shepherd and Overseer of their souls, Jesus Christ, 1 Peter 2:25.

The next big lie #3 given by J. Lee Grady in his book, "10 Lies the Church Tells Women", is: Women must not teach or preach to men in a church setting. Some men say this is part of Old Testament law but this is not true for there is no prohibition in the OT against women preaching or teaching or being prophets for God. This example usually used to keep women from preaching the New Testament Church is found in 1 Corinthians 14:34- 35 where some misinterpret what the apostle Paul said here. His words are usually taken out of context to give a different meaning. Nowhere is there any 'Law ' that says women cannot speak or prophesy in New Testament Churches. The law spoken about here is the Verbal Torah which some Jewish saints were trying to use to keep women from preaching the gospel for Christ. These words are doubted by many scholars as not being in the original text of 1 Corinthians 14. In these verses Paul is actually speaking to so called Jewish religious leaders in a sarcastic way. He is rebuking them for trying to distort Christ's calling to women to preach and teach and even to speak in tongues.

As Kenneth S. Kramer in "Christianity Today" writes: " In 1 Corinthians 14 we are caught in an intricate interplay between quotations from a missing letter from the Corinthians and Paul's solution to problems the letter had raised. This verse is clearly not repeating a law of Scripture and cannot be taken as a universal command for women to remain silent in church. That interpretation would flatly contradict what the apostle had just said three chapters earlier." (That Scripture says in 1 Corinthians 11: 5, that women can pray and prophesy in the church!) So who are we to believe a first century group of "legalistic" men who wanted to burden the New Testamnt Church with stifling Jewish rules and traditions to shackle Christian women who are called to liberty in the Holy Spirit. Whom do we follow: the aposte Paul, who invited women to preach,pray and prophesy in the assemble, or the legalist, Who believed that it was "obscene" for women to speak in public? The apostle Paul said we are to follow him as he follows Christ, Philippians 1:27-29 & 3:17-21.

The number one Scripture that is often used to try and keep women from speaking in the church is, 1Timothy 2:11-15 > "Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith." These text seems to say all women cannot say anything but to remain silent. But is this not what Paul is saying about all Christian women but only certain women that were not converted or members of the church yet? ThIs verse is usually also taken out of context by those trying to stifle the work of women called to preach, teach and prophecy for Christ?

The apostle Paul gave Timothy instructions, to keep men from doing the same thing. Paul's decree was not so much about the gender of those who were usurping authority but about the fact that they were not trained and were pretending to be experts on Christian doctrine. The fact is, Paul was equally using strong words when he warned Timothy about the men who were spreading false doctrine in Ephesus, 1 Timothy 1:20. Paul's solution was the same for women that were teaching false doctrines as these men were doing, Titus 1:10-11 - "For there are many rebellious men who must be silenced."

We also must remember that in Greek and Middle Eastern cultures during Paul's day of the first century, women did not have educational opportunities, in fact like the teachings of Jewish men of that same century, it was considered disgraceful for women to learn. Greek philosophers, including Aristotle, held the view that women were ignorant, unteachable and distracting because of their sexuality. Now, we must realize that the Christian message that came to Greece was very radical to that culture. It can be summerized by Paul in Galatians 3:28 > "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

Because of the gospel, women were truly liberated from the curse of subjugation that resulted from the Fall, Genesis 3:16. They were no longer to be seen as sex objects or as ignorant inferiors or as property of their fathers or husbands. Now, along with men, they were called to be disciples of Christ. Paul's words about silence are simply calling for teachableness in his new female followers. He was calling them to embrace the discipline of learning the Word of God.This was not a prohibition against all women everywhere to not speak, pray, teach or prophesy for all times in his day or in the future. Once again we should follow Paul as he followed Christ, Philippians 3:17-21.

Another good book to read on this subject is; "I Suffer Not a Women," Rethinking 1Timothy 2:11-15 in Light of Ancient Evidence, by Richard Clark Kroeger and Catherine Clark Kroeger. If you contact our link to Christians for Biblical Equality you can obtain a copy.

The next big lie #4 is, "a woman should view her husband as the 'priest' of the home." This means that some men will have you believe "that the man is the head of the house". Nowhere in scripture can this phrase or verses be found! Usually these ideas are a misinterpretation of Ephesians 5:21-28 & 1Corinthians11:3.

That old rigid idea of the Christian family says men have been placed in the God ordained role of full time boss and provider. The husband's role, according to the conservative religious model, is to lead and protect the wife, while her role is to trust him and submit to his authority at all times without question. What men are trying to say here is that they are smarter, stronger and more spiritually capable, the woman has no option but to accept her inferior status.

The culture of that day in Greece viewed women with distain and the Romans taught that wives should stay in their place as inferiors. In New Testament times the man's idea of ruling the family was to keep his wife shut away in the house doing back breaking chores and sexual gratification for the men. But when the apostle Paul introduced the Christian message to the Greek Ephesians, he came with the radically new model of the family from Christ. That men were to love their wives as themselves, Ephesians 5:25-28. This meant that men and women were equals. It meant that Christian men would have to break out of their pagan mind set of the Middle East. Paul's words shattered gender prejudice at its very core.

When Paul told men to love their wives as Christ also loved the church, he implied something even more revolutionary. Women were just as deserving of the grace of God as men are! We find in these verses the bedrock foundation for the Christian idea of gender equality. That bedrock foundation is in Ruach HaKadosh - Mamma, who lives in each new born member that makes up the church, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, John 3:3-8. These verses picture the church as the woman that marries Christ. His bride is really made up of different members put together that form a woman where the Holy Spirit dwells. There is no way that Christ is the "Boss" of the Holy Spirit. The Godhead is made up of three equal Beings as taught by Athanasius' s egalitarian creed. This is why women are equals with men starting in Genesis 1:26-28. Ruach Ha Kadosh is the supreme role model for women. The Church, like a women, gets its femininity from Ruach HaKadosh. You will not find to many that voice this opinion at this time but when Christ returns the identity of the Holy Spirit will be fully restored. Ruach HaKadosh spends 24/7 as our mentor just like many of you women spend time usaually 24/7 with your little ones. A mother's job is never done and neither will the job of Ruach HaKadosh-Momma.

When women and men sinned they were cut off from this understanding and relationship of women made in the image of the Holy Spirit, Ruach HaKadosh. This concept is taught by the apostle Paul here in Ephesians 5:23-28 & Galatians 3:28-29. Wherever the Holy Spirit is present in the church there should be gender equality, 1 Corinthians 6:19. We become the Children of God the Father and the Holy Spirit, 2 Corinthians 6:16-18. Equality is restored through Jesus Christ's egalitarian ministry. We are inheritors of the same grace that came to us through Jesus Christ, Ephesians 2:8 -10. We were bought through his life giving sacrifice, 1 Corinthians 6:20; Hebrews 9:15, Romans 8:8-14.

So the Big Lie #4 is throughly wrong. Again men are at their old pagan ideas of patriarchy or chain of command leadership in the family that Jesus Christ forbade in his Church family, Matthew 20:25-28, Ephesians 3:15-16. So God appeals to you women of God. Let nothing hold you back from fulfilling Christ's call to you. Don't wait for your husbands permission to pursue Christ's calling more passionately. Press on in Christ Jesus and bring your husband and children with you. Expect to be used by the Holy Spirit to change the world. Ask Christ for your assignment. Tell him you are willing to die for your fears in order to fulfill Christ's mission for you.

If you are a woman desiring to learn how you can minister for Christ then you need to checkout "Christans for Biblical Equality" on our link. This is the best Egalitarian group that can put you on the right track with Christ. Also it would be a good idea to get a copy of, "Equal to Serve" - "An examination of women's roles in the church, home and society that affirms that men and women are equally to serve." By Gretchen Gaebelein Hull. This gold award book can be a great source of inspiration for that woman eager to step out in faith and follow Jesus Christ as the Holy Spirit works her womanly attributes in you, Galatians, 5:22-23.

Big Lie #5 is "A man needs to "cover" a woman in her ministry activity". Once again J Lee Grady has some new truths to tell you in his book, "10 Lies the Church Tells Women". Once again the male headship philosophy is used to try and play down the need for women by casting an inferior light on our ladies by suggesting that they need a man to help minister for Jesus Christ.

Here is another hand me down from Neo-Platonism, Gnosticism or any other attempt to make women out to be stupid and ignorant. The arrogance of the male egos is once again revealed as just another form of lie from those that think that they can keep women out of service to Christ. But this doesn't lie well with Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit. First off the only covering women need is Christ's sacrifice to replace any kind of male headship ideas. Christ is the only covering women need when he poured out his life's blood for them.

The apostle Paul was not refering to a man as being a woman's boss in 1 Corinthians 11:3. The word for headship here is "kephale" which in Greek means source of life to the woman. Eve came from Adam's rib not his feet so he can rule over her. Jesus is the source of man in that he created man from the red earth with the Holy Spirit as his helper, Job 33:4. Now men come from women. Nowhere does it say in these verses that a women needs a man as her cover to help her preach. There was a custom about woman's having to wear something on her head when praying or prophesying in that Greek society. It was never intended for today as there never was such a custom in the Church of God,1 Corinthians 11:11-16.

Another point that we must remember is a man is not Christ and we know that Christ never placed a man in a superior role over a woman. It is always servant leadership and equality for both genders with both submitting to one another, Ephesians 5:21, Luke 22:27. Once again the erroneous idea that men need to cover woman is an out and out attempt to defraud women and will cause men much rebuke from Christ for hindering his work, Revelation 3:14-21.

This "cover" idea is trying to say if a woman preaches to adults she must have a man, her husband, or another male must be present if she is single. This does not make any sense and does not have any biblical basis. The man's presence does nothing for the woman. She already has the Holy Spirit in her as a member of Christ's priesthood of all believers. The Holy Spirit is just as much in a woman as a man. A woman does not have to wait for a man to show up before God can minister to others through her.

This is a lot of foolishness. Paul was only reminding women that the custom in Corinth was for woman to have on a head covering in Church when they prayed and prophesied. It has nothing to do with any macho male need to be present to help the woman to preach correctly. Jeremiah 17:9 >The heart is deceptive above all things and desprately wicked, who can know it and so are the hearts of men who would willingly deceive a woman to keep her from serving Christ through the Holy Spirit. This is bad news for men, Jeremiah 17:10 - I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, even to give to every 'man' according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings. Verse 13 says men who do this should me ashamed of themselves. Also, in Malachi 2:13-16 the Lord warns men not to defraud their wives or any women for that matter.

Jesus blood was shed for all women, and is the only covering they will ever need. Blood bought women do not need a man to bring her closer to God. Blood bought woman do not need a ,man to "cover" their spiritual endeavors or to replace the leadership of the Holy Spirit in their lives. The blood of Christ is a woman's true covering. For men or the church to require more is to renounce their faith in God's leadership. There will be a high price to pay for such arrogant obstinancy toward God's will for women.

Cheer up ladies if they presecute you, remember it is because men first persecuted Christ for setting you free from male bondage and patriarchy, John 15:20. He will soon return and but a permanent end to such false teachings of men, whether they are in the Church, the home or society, Matthew 15:7-9.

Another good book for you to read is another well written book from J. Lee Grady, "25 Tough Question about Women and the Church", 'Answers from the Word of God that will set Women Free'! You can find one on our link to Christians for Biblical Equality, www.cbeinternational.org.

This next lie #6 is a real whopper. This lie #6 says that women who exhibit strong leadership qualities pose a serious danger to the Church. This is hard to believe that men would pose such a lie to hinder the work of God when every available person male or female is needed to complete this work of God. Women with high leadership abilities are needed more than ever in this endtime work that needs to go out in power. Male prejudice has no business trying to disrupt and keep any woman "fired" up by the Holy Spirit from walking through doors to preach and teach the Gospel.

This is not the first time that women have had to endure such male cowardice that would hinder women from doing the great work they have done in the past and can still do today. As far back as the Middle Ages woman in such churches as the Cathari or Albigensians were many in number but they had to be practicing celibacey in order to be ministers. This was done in order to make them like men. The reason for this in this old Gnostic 7th Day Church was the men of this church forbade women ministers to have children. Woman giving birth to children was looked down as an ungodly attribute. What weird ideas men come up with to hinder women for serving God.

However, in the ninteenth century many women were again allowed into the ministry. They were only allowed in missionary work overseas. Women were given this hard work in order to try to discourage them. To the amazement of men, these faithful woman not only took the lead in spreading the gospel into all the world, they accomplished far more than men have ever taken the gospel before. But even here men tried to cut back on women in ministry because their strong leadership qualitie were an embarristment to the lazy men who would not venture into the many hazardous areas of the world these woman went to. It is still the same today in many oversea areas, women of all colors now are on the move. Come and join them!

If there are men that wish to stake a claim that women shouldn't lead in the church? Are they prepared to say that anything women have done to expand the kingdom of God was a mistake? Is the Salvation Army an illegitimate organization because a srong vocal female preacher was a driving force behind it? Do men have the scrupples to to negate the countless missionary breakthroughs made in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in China and India and Africa.

If we look at the revival movements in history you will find many women of faith, were ready and wiling to step out on faith and fill the gaps were men hesitated to step forward. The Second Great Awakening in the United States unleashed an army of women to fund missionary movements and and to lead the abolishionist cause against slavery in this country.These woman were not looking for the spotlight but saw a need to be fulfilled in the spiritual heart of America. Women have given their lives over and over to serve Jesus Christ on the front lines of the Church in the past. Now is the time for Women to step out once again and move forward with the Gospel of Peace and make the world ready for Christ's return. Where have all the men gone what are they afraid of? Not women filled with the Spirit of God? I hope they have not fallen asleep and gotten comfortable with the way they think the Gospel should be preached? Jesus Christ has a sure cure for men who think they are smart and smug in their hierarchical mode of church leadership that hinders women from pursuing their part in God's work. He will wake these men up very soon by spewing them out of his mouth into the Great Triulation, Revelation 3:16. What an awakening they will wake up too. Watchout it is coming soon,Matthew 24:42; 25:13

Rather on arguing that woman are weak, men should be relying on the presence of the Holy Spirit in both men and women to drive this work of God forward. We should remember that we are all just clay vessels whether males or females. Though we are frail in our humanity and our tendacy to sin none of us who aspires to the ministry can ever hope to see lives changed by Christ presence if we rely on our own fleshy abilities. We are called to glorify God in our weaknesses so that Jesus might be strong in us. If women are the "weaker" vessels then it is time for these weak vessels to come forth in strength of the Holy Spirit. Men seem to be the "weak ones" that have lost their way, Revelation 3:2-4. This is again is hat time mentioned in Joel that both God's sons and daughters must prophesy, Acts 2:17-18.

Be sure to get a copy of Janet Hassey's little book on woman of faith and good works in the United States of America. "No Time For Silence," 'Evangelical Women in Public Ministry Around theTurn of The Century.' Also be sure to read this #6 Big Lie by men in the churches to keep women out of Christ's ministry. Be sure to get your copy of J. Lee Grady's book "10 Lies the Church Tells Women!" Check out my link to 'Christians for Biblical Equality.'

Big Lie # 7 is, "women are more easily deceived than men. Mother Eve seems to be have been easily deceived by Satan. But is this the real story? Adam was there and heard the whole conversation. He did not have to listen to Eve and eat the fruit, but instead he sinned with his eyes wide opened, Genesis 3:6-7. Adam didn't even offer her any advice when he heard Satan ask Eve about the fruit on the tree of Good and Evil.The least that he could have said would be, "Let's go ask God about the 'talking serpent' before we do anything."

So which is worse to be throughly deceived by someone or to sin willfully with the full knowledge of what would happen once the sin was committed? It is obvious Eve was not fully aware of what the Tree of knowledge of good and evil was all about. She touched the fruit first, nothing happened, she did not die. She then ate the fruit and nothing happened so she gave some to Adam who ate willingly without any kind of arguement. Nothing happened right away but now they started to be aware that they were naked and ashamed when God showed up. We know the rest of the story from here on. Death did show up to both hundreds of years later. Adam was 930 years of age when he died and Eve was probably near this same age. Did Adam sit down and really dicuss what death was if he and Eve were to eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil? Did God fully declare what would happen if Adam ate of that "Fruit" in every detail? We are not sure but it is clear Adam was more responsible to the Lord then Eve was, 1 Timothy 2:14, Romans 5:12-14, 17-18.

Is this the template set for women for all time? Will all women be easily deceived by the Devils followers? If this is the case for women, then it will it also be the template set for men to sin with their eyes wide open? Are men more capable of sinning with full knowledge of what sin is from here on through history? The word of God says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23. The scriptures also say the soul that sins each shall die for their own sins, Ezekiel 18: 20-23. Adam's sin cannot be blamed on Eve since Eve did not deceive Adam who sinned knowing full well what the consequences would be.

But now it seems in this man's world that women are more gullible to sin and placed totally at fault for every man's sins! This is what is beening taught by men as an excuse to keep women out of Christ's ministry and not let them teach and preach. This is very weird reasoning and is in conflict as to what God says who is responsible for sin. To punish women forever for Eve's sin is diabolically wrong and just the same old teachings of men, Matthew 15:7-9.

Listen to what J. Lee Grady write about this on big Lie #7. "This typical line of reasoning goes like this: Because Eve was deceived in the Garden of Eden, and because her sin preceeded Adam's, women are therefore more prone to deception and must be guarded carefully lest they devise some strange teaching and lead God's people astray. Because of a woman's innate gullibility, she must never teach in the church or be allowed to assume spiritual responsibility of any kind. some Christians, in fact, believe that if a woman is allowed to teach, she will automatically set in motion a process of deception that will end in disaster. This is not a biblical concept, but it has been promoted for centuries by the church.

The view of woman as inherently evil and more easily deceived was not a new idea to th early church fathers. It was a pagan idea inhereted from ancient Greek culture, best exemplified by the mythical story of pandora. Out of curiosity, Pandora opened a box that she had been told not to open but keep shut. She opened the box and out of it came every vile demon of poverty, war, diease, ignorance and misfortune. Women, therefore, was the official scape goat, because all sin seems to have come from her. The most revered Greek philosophers believed this and they taught that women are inferior, ignorant and prone to deception as well as sexual infidelity. Plato, in fact taught that women are a lower form of life and that men who do not live honorable will be incarnated as women in another life. How horrible that men whom God blames for sin should make up such sordid stories about women made in the image of God, Genesis 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 15:21 - 22 "Since by man came death". Again, there is a way that seems right to a man but its end is the way of death, Proverbs 14:12. To blame women for man's sin is pathedict. We are responsible for our own sins even when are led away to sin by another human. We must make the choice to sin or not to sin. Satan likes to use men to intimidate women into sin and than reverses the role to cause men to sin. Both men and woman are prone to sin as long as Satan can use one against the other.

It seems that men since Genesis 3:16, have continue to mislead women. That men seem to share the role of the god of this world, Satan, and are being used to keep women in bondage to the teachings of vain men. Thank God for Jesus Christ that He will remove the guilt of all our sins when we repent and believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. History proves that men have been the greatest deceivers at spreading Satan's lies. Almost all false religions on earth have been founded by men that have trapped millions and caused hate, wars, rebellions against God's Laws, with false religions and Atheism the religion without a god, and broken families and miseries for all kinds. Yes, men are the leaders in this man's world that now stands on the brink of total distruction as man continues to grope for peace on his terms dictated to him through Satan the Devil and the New World Order.

Well, ladies if you have the presence of Christ living in your hearts by having Ruach HaKodesh living in you, you do not have to follow in Eve's footsteps. Not only can you walk away from the serpents temptations and lies of ungodly men, you can also help other women and men from being snared by Satan's craftiness and lies. This is the spiritual inheritance of all redeemed woman. Get ready Christ will be here soon. Don't let anything keep you from this special calling for you, Roman 8:28-39. Your salvation is in your best friend, Jesus the Christ! Hang on this dark time in history will be like a woman going into labor and when it is over you will be alive in Christ Jesus because Ruach HaKodesh- Momma will give birth to us all that are ready at that time, Isaiah 66:6-11! This is the first and better resurrection, make yourselves ready, Revelation 19:7-9; 20:4-6. Go for it!

The Big Lie #8 is women can't be fulfilled or spiritually effective without a husband and children.

1 Timothy 2:15 says, "Nevertheless she can be saved in child bearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness with self control." But what if a woman never has any children, does this mean hat she cannot be saved. What if she is born sterile or never grows up to maturity but dies at a young age. What if she was sold into prostitution and dies of AIDS or some venereal disease and never gets married before she dies. What about all the baby girls that have been murdered by their parents in some countries like India or China because they were not born as boys. What did the apostle Paul mean by the above scripture?

Why is this world filled with women who are turned off by male chauvanistic patriarchy? Why are woman stampeding to New Age religions and Atheism, goddess worship and witchcraft. Could it be the treatment they receive from so called intelligent "Christian" men or pagan philosophers like Socretes, Plato and Aristotle? It is a proven fact that women executives in the corperate world are better leaders than men and bring a more friendlier atmosphere to the dog eat dog world of men.

Are women really incomplete without a man to guide them? Is this just another line of bull from men who really hate women? There is not one verse in the Bible that says a woman must find a man to be complete. God never intended women to derive her value from a man or to base her worth on producing offspring. Neither marriage nor childbirth validate a woman's personhood, her character or her spirituality. A Christian woman's identity is to be found in Jesus Christ alone. He makes her complete whether she has a husband or children or remains single all her life. Christ is her life, she is betrothed to Him. To place her husband her children or any other human relationship above Christ would be idolatry.

Eve listened to Satan and became his slave and mens slaves. But Mary listened to God's angel and became the mother of the Savior of the world. It is because of the incarnation of God through a human woman, now all woman can be librated from the pains of sin that have marred them for centuries, 1 Timothy 2:15. Now elevated to a place of dignity in Christ, they also like Mary, are called to be life givers not just of natural offspring but of spiritual fruit. Women restored to a right relationship with God and filled with the Holy Spirit can trample on the enemy's head, too.

Thanks to Jesus Christ, woman no longer married or single, with or without children, are cailed into his presence where they can be overshadowed by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit just as Mary was. As partners with Christ, they too can release mighty deliverance. They can win the lost, heal the sick and cast out demons. They can reach neighborhoods or impact nations. They can serve as pastors, teachers, evangelist, prophets,apostles and missionaries, 1 Corinthians 12:27-31. Women need no longer be in bondage to Eve's legacy. They are free to find their idenity in the One who cancelled the curse forever Genesis 3:15, Matthew 28:18-20.

Lets move onto Big Lie #9. "Women should not work outside the home." In this day and age it is very hard for any family especially the poor and middle class to keep up with inflation. Depending where you live and how many bills you need to pay it is very important that both parents work to support their families. It is great if mom can stay home and take care of the little ones but when times are tough and dad is out of work that extra income can be a real life saver. Nowhere, does God's word say that a woman must stay home and do only house work and care for the children but their are religious hypocrites that would rather see a family starve then let a woman work to help support her family. Solomon's example of the perfect woman, allows them to produce their own income and serve their families in many different capacities, Proverbs 31:10-29. Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but the woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates, Proverbs 31:30-31.

Before the Industrial Revoluton most families were farm oriented. Everyone had a job to do and this was just fine but then along came jobs that took men away from the farm. More types of work became available and new skills were needed. As the demand for more non-farm jobs increased so did the demand for people to run machines and do office work. Our whole national life style changed and women found a new outlet to support themselves as single persons. Educational opportunities became more available for those women seeking better incomes. This also made it easier for men and women to afford a better life style when both worked and supported the home.

However, there have always been religious men that saw women working out of the home as ungodly and a first step to destroy the home. Staying at home is ideal but when resources are low and hunger is at the door both parents may have to work in order to survive. Working out of the home does not make a Christian woman less Christian. It can also open the door for women to use their abilities to help others and help a nation to survive. Can you imagine what it would be like if all women stayed at home. This world would be run by men and that is not good because a man's world is a world of competition, strife and hate and war. Women in the work places takes away some of that greedy nature of men and no longer makes them totally under the power of men. God bless America that women have been allowed to have freedom to express their God given ideas and rights. This is not the case in many countries where women are treated worse then slaves.

The Christian view that women must stay home and not work is not taught in the Bible. The God of the Bible does not require a woman to be house bound. For hundreds of years, Christians have developed a theory of the traditional family that has required women to conform to the false tradition of domesticity. As I mentioined already we were a nation of farmers but now we are a nation of many different businesss that employ both men and women. Women are no longer stuck in the home. We have a new world were women can input their ideas and what a difference they have made for the good of all. If this world was left in the hands of men there would never have been a real Christian witness for Christ thoughout this world in the past and today. You need a copy of Janette Hassey's book "No Time For Silence," that gives a clearer picture of just what women are capable of. Especially when there are men who love them annd respect them as equals. Get your copy from Christians for Biblical Equality at: www.cbeinternational.org .

This narrow view of women working out side the home is just another attempt by Satan the Devil to shut down one half of human kind from preaching the Gospel. Men who have these idolized self made views of the family assume the devil is at work. Men declare that that God wants every Christian mother to stay home full time, and then they interpret anything that doen't fit this narrow mold as a conspiracy from hell. The real conspiracy is the one Satan has launched to hold women back from achieving their full potential in God. Do you know any men that think this way?

Many men cry and point the finger at secular feminist as a terrible problem to society. But this is not the real problem, and many of these woman love God or sincerly want to know him. It maybe that somewhere in their woman's intuitional minds they sense something is wrong with what "Christian" men have been telling them they should do. Its that old patriarchical misogynistic nature of men rearing up again to stop the work of Jesus Christ from being preached in all the world as a final witness. This devilish plot by the Devil to subjugate women is still around. Satan loves to see woman in bondage to men just like in the beginning of our creation with Eve and Adam, Genesis 3:16. Women need to expose this evil mind for what it is and trample on the devil's head.

We need Godly women to witness everywhere, the work place, the government, the media, the arts and in every profession. How can you ladies be lights in the world if you let Satan subjugate you again to hide your lights under a bushel, Matthew 5:14.Think about this a litttle longer, what would this world be like if women are not allowed to venture outside their homes? Never pursue careers, never dared to influence anyone outside their own families. You would once again be a world run by men with no women in political office, no women in the health professions, no women leading reform movements, no women working to change the world, no women in warning the world as a witness in Christ's ministry. As J. Lee Grady says, "I personally think it would be a nightmare!" And so do I !

Rise up women of God this will be your finest hour! Don't forget all those hundreds and thousands of Christian women who broke the mold during the last thousands and hundreds of years and bravely dared to step into Christs ministry at a time when doing so was extremely dangerous. There is a dangerous world to win for Christ, and to often the church has told half of its volunteer members (women) to shut up because they cannot enlist. It is time to break this old decaying mold and step out in faith and tear down the barriers. Christ wants women on the front lines working both inside and outside the family.

Get a copy and read "10 Lies the Church Tells Women," and "25 Tough Questions About Women and the Church," by J. Lee Grady. If you need help then contact Christians for Biblical Equality through my link at: www.cbeinternational.org .God bless the women of U.S. of America (the daughters of Manasseh or Zelophehad, Numbers 27:1-7) that you speak right for the Lord and gain your spiritual inheritance.

Finally we come to Big Lie #10, "Women must obediently submit to their husbands in all situations!" This one ties in well with number one and all the rest. In this lie the person saying this is probable the minister of the women being abused by the husband. One major reason a minister will say this is that he too is beating up on his wife and can justify both their actions from the pulpit. After all he will declare their wives are responsible because they have wrong attitudes and should submit to their punishment at all times even if it kills them. If they die then it is to God's glory that they died submissive.

Of course this is a good example of how scripture is misinterpreted. Nowhere in the Bible does it say a man should beat his wife. Especially not in the New Testament church where both are supposed to be submissive to one another in Christ Jesus, Ephesians 5:21. So where has this consistant lie come from and why is it the number one cause for abuse in the "Christian" church. Why do so many male ministers always blame the wife? Aren't we both men and women inheritors of God's grace?

So how come men do not listen to Christ examples on how he treated women with dignity and respect. Are they still tuned into that age old curse of patriarchy and that men are in charge always no matter what Christ or his apostle taught. That the church is a male hierarchy of men only. Is this really a Christian ethic to beat the wife if she does not totally submit to everthing demanded of them. You can expect this in other religions like Islam but in the Christian church it should not be so.

We have already discussed several scriptures that have been twisted to give the meaning men who claim to be of God like to hear like, 1 Timothy 2:11-15 and 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, Ephesians 5:22-26, to keep women submissive. But when studied carefully we found that what was thought license to beat the wife was not there at all. The prevailing is misuse of Ephesians 5:22 is away out of character and does not exist in the original verse. It is not a Christian view of marriage.The verse in Ephesians 5:21 is original and means what it says. Both men and women are to love one another and to be sudmissive to each others needs in Christ. Christ loves his bride and served her even until death. Likewise the Church serves Christ and so men should serve their wives.

But this seem to have become a lost attribute of men in churches that say they are Christian! It is not okay for men to beat their wives at any time no matter what you or your minister says. This doctrine is nowhere given to us from God. It is a doctrine of demons and the wife needs help and support from another source other than her minister, 1 Timothy 4:1-2, Colosians 2:20-23. Try Christians for Biblical Equality or get in touch with ministers like J.Lee Grady that can put you on the right track. Don't listen to irresponsible advice from ministers who teach this theology. Flee for your life and pray always that your husband will have a change of heart. He needs one more like Christ's.

We know women are better servants then men. Men have the problem of not listening to Christ and serving their wives in love. Jesus said that whoever wants to be the leader he better know how to serve as a servant, Mark10:44. Any marriage is doomed to serious dysfunction and failure if the husband views his wife as inferior or he assumes arrogantly that he always has the right answers. Well, this is wrong because the man cannot do things alone and this is why God gave him a wife. A wife is supposed to be an equal partner to help him become complete and to do things together in harmony. Beating up a wife physically or verbally is not harmony but a male chauvanistic show of force to dominate her and crush her spirit.

Christianity is a different way of life set for us by Jesus Christ. There is no excuse for male abuse of any sort. If your church is still practicing male abuse or doesn't know how to handle it, then it is still just a pagan hierarchy. It is just a dead church that is like a hollow sounding gong without the love of Christ in it, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Women need to draw nearer to Christ, he is your hope, not your minister who claims to represent him nor your husband who may claim to listen to Him.

Women in the twentieth century gained political rights and equal access in the work place, yet today spouse abuse is still a wide spread problem. The National Council on Domestic Violence says a woman is battered every fifteen seconds in this country but it is often swept under the rug because Christian leaders either don't know how to stop it or can't reconcile the problem with their theology. This is because their own teaching about marriage relationships, particularly their philosophy of wives and "biblical submission," is an underlying cause for this dilemma. Of course it is because it first came down from Satan in Genesis 3:16 and has been further handed down from Greek philosophers into so call "Christian churches" as dogma as if it was from Jesus Christ. Ten Big Lies of how to keep Christ's church from growing. Isn't it time that the church stood up and shined a truly biblical light of truth into the dark world of gender bias? Husbands need to love their wives as Christ's followers so we can get the Gospel preached together in harmony and equality. Draw near to God and God will draw near to you, James 4:6-10.

Well, I have shown you from J.Lee Grady's book "10 Lies the Church Tells Women." This is one of the main reasons that keeps the churches from from growing in grace and truth. The very fact that women are lied to and told different lies to keep them from fulfilling God's will in the churches for Christ, is the one of the biggest reasons. Along with not listening to Jesus Christ instructions and teachings of the Holy Spirit to Christ's disciple from the past right up into our presence, men still hang onto the old patriarchy, hierarchical misogynistic teachings of men. This is hard to understand when there is so much proof to show that when woman worked equally with men in the past and will so work today the results will be awesome!.

We have the many examples in history that show that women have always been the pivitol point of revival and reform. The examples of the last hundred fifty years proves that women are better at moving the Gospel forward despite all the problems surmounted against them by egotistcal men who forever seem in conflict with Christ over this matter. There is one other great example that shows how the power of the Holy Spirit can move women to greater works that proves without a doubt that they are called to preach the Gospel now. There has been an awesome work done in South Korea. The Christian Pentecostal Church of Yoido Full Gospel Church (Assemblies of God Pentecostal) has proved that women in the House Churches are able to do wonders.

Dr. David Cho's experience with women show how remarkable they are when left alone to do what the Holy Sprit wants them to do. When Dr. Cho had worn himself out trying to reach the people of South Korea and became incapacitated and not able to perform his duties it was the ladies that stepped up and caused that church grow beyond his greatest expectations. It is women again in their house churches that moved the work forward. It is also women in China and Africa doing the same wonderful work again. Here is proof today performed right before men's eyes that show God's work cannot grow without women.This was in a institutional Pentecostal male led Assembly of God church not an egalitarian Holiness church of women and men. Without these women it would never have happened. and still men were to stubborn to admit that women are equal to men in the ministry.

Yet even here these men still refuse to recognize the excellent work women do. God is not happy with men that ignored these women and I hope that these egotistical men will stop this foolishness. There are several things that can be done and must be done to advance the work of Christ in these last days. J. Lee Grady has 10 Steps or Ways to increase the Harvest of Souls for God in this vital time when women are desperately needed. Lets take a look at them!

The number one, #1 step is to stop the persecution and hinderance of women from preaching, teaching and prophecying for Christ is that men must repent and apologize for their gender prejudice!

The record of wrongs is to lengthy to list from the very beginning of the Christian era. We men have allowed cultural prejudice against women to prevail in God's House. Pastors in the Middle Ages used the Bible to defend wife beating. During the Inquistion period, both Catholic and Protestant leaders falsely accused women of witchcraft, denying them fair trials, and then they tortured them, burned them at the stake or drowned them. Later, Christians resisted efforts to grant women the right to own property, leaving them destitute if they were abandoned by divorce or the death of their husbands.

During the 1800's, church leaders opposed women to pursue higher education. Some pastors even promoted the view that women were physiologically and mentally inferior and therefore were not qualified to attend college or medical school. Church leaders in the United States also vehemently opposed giving women the right to vote, even though the earliest leaders of the women's suffrage movement were "Bible believing Christians." And even today, many denominational leaders oppose giving women the opportunity to pastor churches or serve in other top ministry positions.

Men who claim to be of God need to repent of their male pride which is the root of our sin. Their domineering patriarchal attitudes have brought about sexual abuse, domestic violence, pornography, adultery, and rampant divorce, often sending women into prisons of depression, eating disorders, addiction, and even lesbianism. (Many women who struggle with homosexuality admit they were molested by a male relative, and they say the shame of the experience caused them to hate men).

Men must pursue reconnciliation with women, but it can only occur only with heartfelt repentance and sincere apologies. husbands must apologize to wives. Pastors must apologize to their female church members. Ministry leaders must ask forgiveness from female employees who have been denied opportunities and finacial rewards. And denominations must issue public statements of repentance for gender prejudice.

Members of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church have done this and so must others churches do the same. Time is now very short as the Prince of the Power of this world, Satan, is about to bring a terrible time of persecution on all Christian believing churches. Is this what it will take to unite us all? We will either work together and hang together or we shall hang seperately! It is better to hang together than to let male pride keep us apart. We need to fight the good fight and preach the Gospel as an end time witness, Romans 8:29-39. Matthew 24:9-13,14,42-47. If men understand these verses then it makes good Christian sense to be careful how you treat the other half of Christ's ministry, mainly women. If you still dispise women even at this point you may find yourselves at odds with Jesus Christ when he gives out his rewards, Matthew. 24:48-51. He may also throw you into the Great Tribulation for your stubborn attitude toward women.

Step Two, #2 Is: Christian men must vocally defend the right of women to preach the gospel and lead the church. J. Lee Grady writes why he became passionate about releasing women into ministry a number of years ago. Some people asked why he would take up this cause. He says it is because it is something near to the heart of God. This is high on God's agenda. The Father wants women released to preach and teach the good news of the gospel.

Throughout history, whenever women have been empowered as missionaries, evangelists and church planters, brave men were always willing to side with God on this issue, even though a majority of men in the church's proverbial: "good old boys club" stood firmly in their chauvinism. There are many men who favored women and those of us that do favor women stand in good company; like George Fox the founder of the Society of Friends (Quakers), released a small army of anoited woman preachers in early colonial America. He quoted the prophecy of Joel 2:28, "You daughters shall prophesy," as his defence and so should we.

Revivalist Jonathan Edwards upset the religious apple cart of his day when he publicly encouraged women to testify of their faith. and so should we men today. This is not our work but the work of God the Father through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. How long do egotistcal men think they can oppoe the work of God by not encouraging women to preach, teach and prophesy for God?

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, initially opposed women in ministry, but later Changed his position and was criticized because so many of his female colleagues preached openly and led revivals. It is interestig to note that John Wesley's early religious training was taught to him by his mother, Susanna Annesley Wesley,see: 'In the Spirit We're Equal", Page 132-138, by Susan C. Hyatt. Contact: Christians for Biblical Equality and order your copy @ www.cbeinternational.org

Charles E. Finney, leader of the Second Great Awakening in the United States, never supported the right of women to hold office in the church, but he was denounced for allowing women to pray and and testify in his meetings. he also taught that "the church that silences the women is shorn of half of its power."

William Booth,who founded the Salvation Army with his wife, Catherine, shared preaching duties with her. During one period in the 1860's, he preached on Sundays on the east side of London while Catherine preached on thr west side. His ministry officially outlawed discrimination against females in 1875, and in three years almost half of the Salvation Army officers were women. Thus the reason for Booth's famous quote, "Some of my best men are women."

In the mid 1800's, a wave of female missionaries headed toward Asia and Africa from the United States. The men who sent them recognized that they had been mobilized by the hand of God. Although sex discrimination was rampant on the mission field and women were often reminded of their "proper place," missionary statesmen, including Hudson Taylor of the China Inland Mission and C. T. Studd of the Worldwide Evangelizaton Crusade, vigorously defended the spiritual accomplishment of their female workers. It is now time for men to stand on the right side of this issue. If the Lord of the Harvest is sending our sisters, who are we to stand in their way.

Step three #3: The church must stop misusing Scriptures to limit the ministry of women.

The gospel is good news for women. Yet for centuries the church has insisted that the curse of subjection, and degradation placed on Eve must forever remain on all women, even though Christ redeemed them from the curse. Even in the twentieth century men still teach that it is God's will for women to remain in a perpetual second class status. Though Jesus preached liberty to the captives, we men have preached bondage.

Does this mean that it is okay men for men to sin with their eyes wide open? To continue to abuse women just as before. This does not make sense and i'm sure men who do such will have a lot to answer to Jesus Christ for, Matthew 7:15-20 and 21-23. Fallen men have imposed their own gender bias upon the Bible, and this action has resulted in gross mistranslation and misinterptrtation. Men have read their prejudices into the Scriptures and then codified these views as sacred religious precepts when in fact they run totally contrary to the heart of the gospel. Men say women cannot preach, when in fact the Bible commands women to be Christ's bold witnesses. Men say women cannot prophesy, when the prophet Joel declared that they would and the apostle Paul gave specific instructions on how they should. We men say women can't lead the church when in fact, the Bible gives numerous examples of godly womem leaders.

We men can be like Pharisees, smug in their enlightened understanding of Scriptures. They were the keepers of the law, but they became so entrenched in their own interpretations of the Bible that they did not recognize the incarnate Word of God when he stood in their midst.

When Jesus visited the Temple on the Sabbath and healed a woman who had been bent over for eighteen years, they dismissed the miracle and indignantly accused Jesus of breaking the Sabbath, Luke 13:10-17. These men were so locked into their religious traditions that they could not recognize the hand of God at work in front of their eyes. And they quoted the Bible to defend their opposition to Him.

Men desperately need to be delivered from the spirit of the Pharisees. Countless women today, like the woman in Luke 13:10-17, have been healed by their Savior and are eager to tell the multitudes about His love and power. Jesus did not tell the crippled woman to shut up, Yet men insist on silencing women who are called to preach and men are quick to quote Scriptures out of context to justify their position.

Step Four, #4: Bible-believing churches must dismiss the notion that women's ordination is a liberal position.

Conservative denominations in recent years have demonized feminism and blamed all our society's ills on the feminist movement. Some Christians actually believe that the breakdown of the family and corosion of all moral values is the fault of women who demand equal rights in the workplace.

But we must make the distinction between secular feminism and biblical feminism, which has its roots in Scripture. In her excellent book "Equal to Serve," author Gretchen Gaebelian Hull makes this point clear:

The secular feminist says: "I want my rights. I want to be able to compete on an equal basis with men." The Biblical feminist says: " I want to be free to be the person God created me to be and to have the privilege of following Christ as He calls me to do."

Feminism ( or any other ism) without Christ is just another power struggle. But adding the word biblical to feminism indicates that these feminist want to explore their conviction about equality of women in a biblical way and implement their findings according to biblical guidlines.

We don't have to be afraid of biblical feminism. If the Bible champions the idea that women are equal with men in the eyes of God and that they should be treated with fairness and respect, then this must become part of the gospel we preach.

Many mainline denominations, including the Episcopal Chuch, and the United Methodist Chuch and the Disciples of Christ, began sliding into a tragic theological crisis during the 1950's and 60's. Leading bishops and seminarians questioned basic Christian precepts such as the virgin birth and the divine inspiration of Scripture. At the same time, these groups began discussing whether Christian moral positions on abortion and homosexuality should be re-examined. as God's Word was compromised for the sake of political correctness, these churches also gave the secular movement a place to thrive.

This caused many other churches to become avowed enemies of mainline denominations. the battle lines were drawn, and the struggle became one of "us vs. them." Conservatives opposed gay marriage; liberals supported it. Conservatives opposed abortion; liberals favored it. When the mainline denominations began ordaining women, consevatives denominations viewed this as additional evidence of apostacy.

But women's ordination is not a liberal position. We cannot call evil what God calls good. Many of the great revivalists throughout the history of Christianity believed that God calls Spirit-empowered women to preach and serve the church in leadership positions. And every time in history when an outpouring of revival has occurred, women have always assumed a prominent place as carriers of God's "Holy Fire." These women preachers from previous revival periods were certainly not theological liberals, and they would have raised their voices the loudest to denounce the spiritual adultery that has occurred in some mainline churches today.

Step Five,#5: The church must stop ignoring the ugly sin of domestic abuse.

For too long Christian women have been told from the pulpit and in the counseling room that God requires them to submit to emotional and even physical cruelty in order to demonstrate obedience to Ephesians 5:22, "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord". Many women in the church are living in prisons of pain because their Christian husbands are physically abusing them. Some of these women have suffered serious physical harm. A few have died. But submission is a two way street, many ministers either forget or blantanly ignore Ephesians 5:21. Twisting and misuse of Scripture will not bring you close to God's graces. To willingly use a Scripture like verse 22 when it is known not to be an original Scripture is pure deceit.

The church must make and end of this madness. Men must offer women healing and transformation rather than denial and blame. By twisting Ephesians 5 to suggest that God wants women to submit to beatings or rape, men have created an enviroment in which abuse has permission to thrive. rather than encouraging women to tolerate domestic violence, women must demand repentance from the men that abuse them.

This means men need a new paradigm for men's ministry. Rather than teaching Christian men how to be "in charge" or how to develop proper "male headship," the ministry must teach them how to treat their wives as equals. Husbands must learn to follow the Christ like model of servant leadership, which empowers others instead of seeking to control and dominate. Men must let go of their age old abusive patriarchy passed down from generation to generation from supposedidly Christian men of the past. Actually they are teachings of pagan Greek philosophers in the guise as Christian dogma, Matthew 15:7-9.Only the servant leadership that Christ taught is acceptible by God Almighty, Matthew 20:27.

Step six, #6 is: Christian women must respond to injustice with forgiveness- not revenge.

Anger has fueled the secular feminist movement. During the early 1970's, militant feminists who campaigned for the passage of an Equal Rights Amendment burned their bras in public and chanted "All men are pigs!" during shocking demonstrations. Their anger in many cases was justified because our patriarchal society has been guilty of gross gender discrimination. But the screaming and shouting didn't produce the fruit of righteousness. Revenge is never the answer.

Yes, the church has treated women with unbelievable cruelty. But women who desire to overcome the stronghold of patriarchal pride must do so by trusting in the power of the Holy Spirit and by exhibiting a Christ like attitude of humility and selfless love. This does't mean they should keep their mouths shut, but they must not allow a root of bitterness to poison the message they prophesy to the leaders of the church.

Also, as the doors begin to open to women in the ministry, men need to remember that only those women who are called and trained can be elevated to positions of church government. Women who assume positions of authority must demonstrate the character of Jesus - who did not grasp for power but took "the form of a bondservant" (Phil. 2:7). Those individuals whom the church ordains must be called and qualified, regardless of gender. A woman who demands a position of leadership in the church because it is "her right" has missed the point. She is just as guilty of rebellion as the men who resist ordaining trained, anoited women to serve alongside them.

Step seven, #7: The Church must reject human control - from male and female - and settle for nothing less than the Holy Spirit's direction.

Many conservative churches vehemently oppose allowing women to serve in positions of leadership because they think God blesses the church only under the leadership of men. How ridiculous! God does not want His church to be controlled by men or women. He wants it to be controlled by the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ.

Galatians 3:28 says that in Christ "there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female" (NIV). In other words when we are "in Christ," and when the Holy Spirit is operating through human vessels, gender distinctions become irrelevant. God works through human agents, whether men or women, to accomplish his purpose. He doesn't look on the outward appearance; He looks at the heart to see if the image of His son is evident.

When the prophetess Deborah defeated Israel's enemies in Judges 4, she declared that a woman would be the instrument in winning the final battle (v.9). This occured when a maiden named Jael drove a tent spike through the enemy Sisera's head, ending the war and securing forty years of peace for God's people. (See Judges 4:21; 5:31). God was working through Deborah and Jael - not because they were women, but because they yielded to His Spirit and understood His purpose. Deborah's prophecy of a female obtaining victory was not intended to glorify women or to create competition between the sexes, but to show that God had performed a miracle that no human could accomplish without His help.

In this hour, the church needs Spirit - empowered men and women who recognize that they are simply vessels for the Master's use. They must be emptied of all selfish ambition. They must decrease so that He can increase. If it is God working through a weak human being, whether male or female, then the glory will go to Him alone- not to human flesh.

Step eight, #8: We must take reconciliation and healing to woman who have been offended by the church.

Women have been the backbone of the church despite the fact that they have been denied opportunities to lead it. They have provided the bulk of financial support for most chuches as well. In some denominations, such as the African Methodist Episcopal Church up to 80 percent of the average congregation's church members is female.

Yet one recent report by researchers Geoge Barna indicates that a growing number of women are turning away from the church because it has marginalized them. Some of these women are running the New Age movement. Some are exploring wicca, a neo-pagan religion that offers women a sense of empowerment through mystical communion with a nature goddess. Others have simply given up on the institutional church to pursue materialism.

Arkansas based evangelist Diane Shreve travels thousands of miles every year on a motorcycle to reach hard core female bikers who have formed their own alternative subculture. They are tough women- often from abusive situations- and most of them assume the church has nothing to offer them. But they are surprised when Diane approaches them with a gospel tract or to start a conversation about Jesus. She has led many of them to Christ.

Diane told Chrisma Magazine in 1999 that her goal is to convince these woman that God loves them. "I realize that many of them are in the shape they are in they are in because they don't know what a good daddy is," Diane said. 'Therefore I rely on the Holt spirit to supernaturally reveal the father-heart of God to these "little girls."

We need thousands of Diane Shreves today. we need them to go to the prostitutes and the exploited women who work in topless bars and adult clubs. We need them to share Christ with the intellectuals on our university campuses who laugh at church because we still preach medieval ideas about women's roles. We need them to minister to the Wicca priestesses who believe the God of the Bible is an angry, patriarchal deity who hates women. Do we honestly believe that men alone are going to reach all of these wounded people. No way equiped to do this catastrophe instigated through men by the evil god of this world who has made God the Father out to be a women hater, Revelation 12:9. It will take the Holy Spirit, Ruach HaKadosh- Momma's inspired females to walk this talk to these marginalized women. God loves you and requires women and men that follow Christ to finish this work, 2 Corinthians 6:17-18, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17.

It will not be easy as the New World Order continue to destroy the earth. It is better to be on the Lord's side and receive salvation and a well done despite all the hardships that we will all have to confront in the next few years, Matthew 25:19-23. From what I see, to many church men are still caught up in their male hierarchical mind set. Christ needs you ladies to step out in faith and give this world the greatest witness ever and then hopefully the men will wake up.

Step Nine, #9: We need to encourage millions of women to go to the mission fields in the twenty-first century.

God is using ordinary women to do extraordinary things today.

One of them is Heidi Baker, seminary-trained American who went to the African nation of Mozambique in 1995 with her husband Roland, to manage a dilapidated, government-run orphanage.

Heidi assumed she might spend a few years working with orphans and perhaps plant a church. But after a dramatic revival experience during a visit to Toronto in 1996, her ministry expanded. By the early part of 2000, the Bakers were overseeing two hundred churches and providing housing, clothes and food for more than six hundred orphans in Mozambique' capital, Maputo. After a disastrous cyclone hit the country, she was called on to provide relief aid for twelve thousand flood victims. About two thousand of them professed Christ during an out reach she organized.

Heidi didn't expect to be used by God in such amazing ways. But during her visit to conference in Toronto prior to the break-through in Maputo,she received prayer for the Holy Spirit's anointing. Heidi felt the power of God so intensley that all she could do during the meeting was lie on the floor. she stayed in this posture for seven days during her visit. Once, after hearing the Lord say to her, "You can do nothing without me," she saw a vision of Jesus walking through a garbage dump in Mozembique. he was handing poor children royal robes and calling them to His marriage feast.

At that point, Heidi knew that Jesus was calling her to give her life to reach these helpless orphans. Sensing Christ's overwhelming love for them made it easier for her to surrender to the call.

Men cannot fulfil the Great Commission alone - this was never Christ's intention. In fact, when He was describing the way the word was evangelized, Jesus compared the process to a woman putting leaven in three pieces of meal " until it was all leavened" (Matt. 13:33).

It is interesting that Jesus used a parable involving a woman to describe how the gospel would spread globally from one insignificant city in israel. I can't help but believe that he was thinking about the vast army of women who would be mobilized in the last days to take His message to the nations. When the job of preaching the gospel to the world is completed, we will discover that women played a major part in the process!

StepTen,#10: Christian women must take an active stance in this crucial hour.

When Esther was made queen of King Ahasuerus' Babylonian kingdom, her cousin Mordecai told her of Haman's sinister plot to destroy all the Jews. Knowing that only Esther could save her people from genocide, he told her: For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have attained royalty for such a time as this, Esther 4:14.

Mordecai commanded his cousin to speak out. Yet today, many men in the church are telling women to be quiet. A world is perishing and millions will die if they do not hear the gospel of Jesus. Yet we are quibbling over whether it is appropriate for women to break out of their cultural confines and do something bold and daring in order to save lives.

Women of God: You have come into the kingdom for such a time as this. You must intervene. You must intercede. You must speak out. You must obey the call of Ruach HaKadosh, the Holy spirit. Don't listen to the rebellious voices that tell you a virtuous woman spends all her time tending to the mundane matters of hearth and home. Don't listen to those who coax Christian women to focus all their attention on how to be "submissive."

We are in a war! People are perishing! The call of God rests on you, and when you stand before Him on the last day He will not acccept lame excuses such as "I was a woman, and they told me to be quiet" or "They told me a man had to do that."

I am certain Esther was tempted to shrink back in the hour of deliverance. She probably had a long list of good excuses. Her culture told her it was inappropriate for a woman to approach the throne so boldly. She could have been executed for daring to speak uo. But God didn't excuse her from her assignment.

In this hour God is rallying an army of Esthers who are willing to risk their lives, break patriarchal traditions and contradict society in order to rescue a generation that has been marked for death. Like Esther, you may have to fast and pray for courage to obey. No matter how inadquate you feel or how afraid you are, you may be called to speak to the highest authorities in the land.

You will have to trust God, and your test of faith may not be easy. although you may feel miserably helpless, you will be required to lay hold of the courage and faith that is available from the Holy Spirit. She will show Herself mighty on behalf of those who are known as the "weaker sex."

With Her mighty power working in you, like the fearless maiden, Jael, in the story of Deborah, you will drive the stake into the head of the enemy.

There you have them, "Ten Steps" of how women can be fully empowered for the work required of you by Ruach HaKadosh-Momma, the Holy Spirit To get the gospel preached to announce Christ's return. It will not be easy because Satan has laid many pitfalls for you along the way. Step out in faith and God will be with you all the Way in Christ Jesus your best Friend.

This has been a long hub but I hope that you women that read it will be inspired to let go of your fears of patriarchal men and do this work so dearly needed by you. Men basically have fallen asleep to their calling by the "Patriarchal" snare Satan has trapped them in. It will be up to you to wake them up to see the light that they need women to help them complete this enormous work for God and Christ. Time is short but take your time but hurry up. The days are getting darker by the minute. If you need help be sure to look into Christians for Biblical Equality, www.cbeinternational.org. This group of egalitarian women and men are ready and willing to help you in everyway that they can to inspire and mottoviate you onto the right track. Try and get a copy of J. Lee Grady's important books that will give you direction and purpose. "10 Lies the Church Tells Women," and "25 Tough Questions About Women and the Church!" You see your calling, take action now! Yes women are made like God and like the Holy Spirit Ruach HaKadosh they are to inspire and help men as co-workers with them in preaching the gospel of salvation. The time is near, Christ is coming soon,Revelation 22:12.

Remember God is a Family named after the Father - Elohim or God- Now it is Yahovah- The Father, Yahsua - Jesus the Son and Ruach HaKadosh- Momma The Holy Spirit, Ephesians 3:14-21; 4:4-7, Hebrews 2:6-18. Soon there will be many more sons and daughters added to this list in the first harvest of souls, Isaiah 66:7-13, 2 Corinthians 6:17-18, Revelation 20:4-6. So you see your calling ladies and gentlemen, lets get about our Father's work now and for ever! Amen!

Jesus Christ is the same yeaterday today and forever, Hebrews 13:8. He has put women into His ministry today. He uses the Creation chapters of Genesis 1 and 2 as His references in, Matthew 19:4-12 which included equality between Adam and Eve then and shows us that women are also made in the image of God as stated in Genesis 1:26-27. The false teachings in Genesis 3:16 by the Serpent have led men to assume that they are rulers over women. But the teachings of Jesus the Christ show us that He has called women along with men into His priesthood of all believers, Acts 2:17-18; 1 Peter 2:4-10. As I have said before, those that claim to follow Christ should listen to Him very closely. Also you should get a copy of Dr. Gilbert Bilezikian's book, "Beyond Sex Roles," from Christians For Biblical Equality at: www.cbeinternational.org.

Are only men allowed to be like God? No way, women are more like God than men because the spiritual fruits of the Holy Spirit - Ruach HaKadosh are consistered to feminine fruits that women come with naturally in their relationship with the Mother Spirit, Genesis 1:26-27; Galatians 5:22-25 > "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindeness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control. Against which there is no law. and those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit." Another interesting book to request from Christians For Biblical Equality is: "Is It Okay to Call God "Mother," Considering the Feminine Face of God,' by Pastor Paul R.Smith.

Men need to work harder to produce these fruits of the Spirit since the pagan ideas of Satan - patriarchal, hierarchical, chain of command leadership roles, tend to afflict them continually all day long, Genesis 3:16, Matthew 20:25-28, Matthew 15:7-9. The servant leadership example set by Jesus is to love our wives, sisters and daughters and mothers as equals then we can become the children of Abraham through God the Father's seed Jesus Christ, Ephesians 5::25-33, Galatians 3:28-29. The sad thing about most churches that say they follow Jesus Christ is that they reject the Creators plain teaching about woman. That they have been placed in His Priesthood of all Believers in these last days to preach the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit, Ruach HaKadosh, Zechariah 4:6, Acts 2:17-18, 1 Peter 2:4-10.

The Lionswhelp