Reflections on This Journey
Our Purpose for This Study
During 2003 and 2004, our elders and ministers studied the roles of women in the church. Prompted again by the Holy Spirit in 2017, our elders felt called to study Scripture to determine if our practices at North Atlanta regarding the roles of women in the life, leadership, and ministry of our church were appropriate. Some of the questions we sought to answer during this study were:
1. What do we understand Scripture to teach on the topic of women’s roles in the body of Christ?
2. Can we arrive at differing conclusions on this topic and still be united around the gospel and the mission of God?
3. Who are we – the body of Christ at North Atlanta? And how do we, as elders at North Atlanta, allow the Holy Spirit to guide our study on this topic and inform the leadership of our church in the mission and ministry of God in the 21st century?
4. How might our current practices hinder our ability to join with the Spirit in calling others into relationship with Jesus?
5. Are we standing between our sisters and the Holy Spirit in their usage of their gifts?
6. How can we best please God in our worship and service to Him?
Our Process in This Study
As with the earlier study, this study took nearly two years to complete and included several different formats. It began when the elders asked our preaching minister, Don McLaughlin, to conduct a series of classes for the elders, ministers and their spouses on this topic. That process was followed by an extended period of group and individual study by the elders.
In 2018, a diverse group of eleven women from the church was asked by the elders to study and provide their understanding of God’s will on this specific topic. One clear message that resulted from this effort was that, while they did not all start from nor finish in the same place, the process itself served to bring them closer together as a group, and it allowed them to appreciate and respect how each member came to her own belief. These women recommended to the elders that the whole congregation engage the same type of study in order to experience the same personal growth in love, respect, and unity.
In March 2019, our elders announced to the entire congregation that small study groups would be formed for this purpose, and approximately 15 groups began to meet. Using a study guide developed jointly by Sandra Mackey and Don McLaughlin, these groups met weekly for three months to explore Scripture and to learn from each other. It is important to note that while these resources were provided, the groups were encouraged to supplement their studies with other resources as well.
In June 2019, we invited Dr. Ken Cukrowski, Dean of the College of Biblical Studies at Abilene Christian University, to lead a weekend seminar on this topic in which he demonstrated that serious study of Scripture could lead one to several different stances on women’s roles in the life, leadership, and ministry of the church.
Our elders also asked Don McLaughlin to conduct a Sunday morning class during the summer of 2019 using the same resources as our previous small study groups. And then the elders held three listening sessions to hear about individual journeys through this topic.
This entire study process was engaged so that our whole congregation could study together – growing in knowledge, unity, and mutual love, while respecting the beliefs of all.