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REFLECTIONS FROM THE 2005 PENNSYLVANIA CONFERENCE Mimi Haddad Flowers bloom in the wilderness: God’s Word brings new life to many! The Spirit of God brought hungry souls the answers to long-held questions and gave them opportunities to celebrate and envision a Church truly transformed by the Gospel. All this occurred in only three shorts days, during CBE’s 9th international conference. Here are a few snap shots: An Asian leader attended CBE’s conference certain she would find no reason to depart from her “male-leadership only” model of the Church. In fact, she was eager to find additional reasons to continue advancing female submission as the biblical model. God had other plans. During one workshop, she felt the power of God challenge her presuppositions and move powerfully in her heart, so that she spent the next several hours in tears, processing the movement of God in her life. She became an egalitarian! After she returned home, and asked if we might send along the workshop notes and PowerPoint that had so transformed her life, so she might give a similar lecture overseas to missionary leaders on the role of women. Philip traveled all the way from Africa in order to receive encouragement, fellowship, and additional opportunities to cultivate his work as an egalitarian leader and pastor. Philip is well-known to CBE. As one of our most voracious readers, even though he has limited access to egalitarian resources. Despite these challenges, Philip shared with delegates at CBE’s conference how God used the ministry of CBE to provide a consistent teaching on gender, a subject that became the basis for his graduate work. Philip presented his findings to church authorities, and within a short time, nearly twenty women were ordained in his denomination. The courage of one individual, willing to be used by God to release his sisters in Christ should never be underestimated. Philip's journey is not easily forgotten. Philip also shared a copy of his thesis, and we are looking for ways to make his research available to many. CBE members were sensitive to the pain of those whom had long suffered within churches and denominations that fail to perceive, value, or engage the gifts of women. They came to CBE's conference to find healing and hope, and they found listening ears and sensitive hearts. One woman expressed her struggle this way: “I’m an opera singer, and when I was a young woman discerning God’s call on my life, it wasn’t as if I said to myself; Shall I sing, or not sing? I knew I had to sing because my call, as a singer, was pursuing me!” Another CBE leader noted how similar the journey of CBE members are. She said: “I grew up as a Southern Baptist in Texas. The details of my life are different from yours, but the journeys we've shared are nearly identical. I love Jesus and the Church, and yet I felt that I was rebellious and needed to repent. I went to college and to medical school, all the while longing to serve Jesus, but I had to repent of my rebellion- my desire to see women as leaders. Then I read Gilbert Bilezikian’s book Beyond Sex Roles and discovered that my talents and vision for the Church were biblical. Now, rather than repent of my rebellion, I celebrate how God had been leading me all along. CBE played a critical role in my journey." As these gifted and dedicated Christians explored God's calling upon their lives, each and every one had to work through the Scriptures for themselves. CBE's conference was another opportunity to explore the Scriptures through the workshops and lectures, the fellowship and times of prayer. One woman remarked that while the early discussions of the conference were centered on pain, by “half time” conference goers seemed more peaceful, more hopeful, and ready to return to their families, workplaces, and communities of faith equipped and energized to move forward in the power of God’s Spirit. After the conference, someone sent these words to me: “I was amazed how God used that time both to restore me and to guide me towards others to meet their needs. One thing that is so true is that God is at work, and he just invites us to join him and share the blessing.” We celebrated the weekend with many international delegates, who received, thanks to a very generous donor, $100 each to use at CBE’s bookstore. As we learn to work beside our international friends, we believe that God will use our international partnerships to reap a harvest of power and reconciliation across the distance, building a Church that witnesses the transformative power of the Gospel. We returned home, tired but fulfilled, knowing that we encountered the Living God in our pain, healing, and transformation. May it ever be so! |
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Check out our first ever CONFERENCE BLOG! A team of bloggers wrote personal stories, articles, updates, and reflections from the conference. |
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