Last Thursday was one of the most incredible days in the life of CBE. Not only did CBE develop many new friends and strategic partnerships at the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS), if that wasn’t enough, we also exceeded our fund raising goal through Give to the Max Day (GTMD) by $11,000! Here are a few highlights from both events.
The Evangelical Theological Society
Liz Beyer, CBE’s bookstore coordinator said it the best: “There were many angels ministering to us” throughout the ETS, from gracious friends who welcomed staff into their homes, prepared meals, and gave up their beds that we might have warm and affordable accommodations for visiting guests like Lynley and Kevin Giles; to sufficient staff to engage scholars and students at our booth; to our third special edition journal—Male Authority in Context—sent to every member of the ETS. Like last year, our journal sent to ETS members in the US (and this year, to ETS members in Canada too), generated phone calls, emails, and visits to CBE’s booth. Students were especially thankful for the journal, because for some, the egalitarian position is not presented as serious scholarship.
For this reason, it was no surprise that CBE’s community meal was lively and well attended, particularly by old and new friends and many students as well. Some students were even dreaming up new ways to increase the egalitarian voice throughout the ETS. And, given the drop in female members of the ETS from 7% to 4%, it couldn’t happen soon enough!
Thankfully, ETS workshops dealing with gender were popular, particularly those on the Trinity, thanks to our Trinitarian scholar Kevin Giles, who spoke extensively on his new book, The Eternal Generation of the Son: Maintaining Orthodoxy in Trinitarian Theology. Thankfully, CBE’s bookstore was packed with helpful resources on this topic such as our Statement on the Trinity journal, The New Evangelical Subordinationism? edited by Dennis W. Jowers and H. Wayne House, and Who’s Tampering with the Trinity? by Millard Erickson. These titles flew off the shelves, and even the publisher’s booths underestimated interest in the Trinity, wishing they had packed a few more books by these scholars.
Since ETS was held in Milwaukee this year, CBE staff decided to drive. The ride gave us six hours to phone CBE’s community, reminding them to join us in the Give to the Max Day (GTMD) fundraiser last week. I had the pleasure of speaking to our members and donors, catching up on their lives, noting prayer requests, praying with them, and asking them to give us a hand in building momentum gained from our conference in Kenya this summer. Giving from GTMD will be used to help us grow chapter interest throughout the world, especially Africa. This brings me to the next awesome experience from last week…
Give to the Max Day (GTMD)
When CBE’s development coordinator Charity Kroeker said with shocking confidence that we could exceed last year’s GTMD income by $7,000, I smiled, thinking “She has such bold faith!” What actually happened is legendary! Thanks to friends like you, CBE raised over $61,000 which is $18,000 over last year, and $11,000 over our goal. And, for several hours, CBE was in second place among medium-sized nonprofits in Minnesota, turning many web readers to the work of CBE.
We stand amazed that among the more than 4,000 nonprofit organizations in Minnesota participating in GTMD, donations made to CBE placed us at twentieth overall, and fifth for nonprofits our size. Because of your generosity, CBE was awarded two prize grants, a total of $2,000. We realize, more than ever, how important the ministry of CBE is to people living around the world. Read their comments and join me in thanking God for the work of CBE.
Our hearts are bursting with gratitude to God because of friends and family like you, who decided that patriarchy, disguised as a biblical ideal, is an idea that must be replaced by one that more fully represents the teachings of Scripture (which is also the theme of CBE’s 2013 conference!).
As we gather with family and friends this week here in the US, we give thanks for each of you, and for life itself. May we together represent more fully what it means to be created in the image of God, as male and female, for Christ’s glory. Thank you again, and may you have a blessed day of thanksgiving.
