Jesus Creed
One year ago this week I wrote that Grace Church of Noblesville, IN, (a northern Indianapolis suburb) had publicly changed their position intheir weekend services to support women at all levels of leadership. The previous article was viewed nearly 20,000 times and sparked articles about the sermon in national media. Readers were encouraged that a church of this size and significance would make such a bold move in spite of what it might cost them.
It would have been easy to back away from this commitment when challenges came. I’m not part of this congregation, so I don’t know what difficulties they faced, but changing a theological position will always raise disagreements. I’m glad to report that a survey of the church’s website now shows the effect of that position change.
There are now two women on their nine member Elder’s board. The Executive Assistant (a woman) is now listed as part of the Executive Leadership Team (I don’t recall if this were the case before the announcement). Of the church’s 19 pastors, six are women. This includes four that are in areas traditionally held by women, kids and women’s ministries. It also includes an associate pastor of small groups and the pastor in charge of “connections.”
While they have yet to bring a woman into a “teaching pastor” role and appear to have not had a woman preach in weekend services, they have made significant shifts in this first year that indicate that they take their new commitments seriously….
One side or the other of this debate among evangelicals must be wrong.But this debate cannot be framed as those that really believe the Bible against those that are accommodating culture.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In