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Evangelicals, High End Hearing Loss, and the Art of Listening to Women

Every Friday, I meet my grandpa for lunch at a café near my work and his favorite bowling alley. It is a tiny, old school café with nary a soft surface to be found, and I sometimes feel self-conscious about the volume of my voice in those confines. The regulars sitting five tables away could […]

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Hagar, the Disenfranchised, and the God who Sees

(Right click on the audio file and “save as” to download it to your device.) Hagar’s story is really hard to read. There’s so much tragedy, and so much injustice, much of it perpetrated by people who were supposed to be followers of God. But it’s also an important story, because it shows that God cares about the […]

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When God is Not Your Enemy

Sometimes, when there’s a lot to be done and life seems overwhelming, I wonder if the work I am putting in is worth the cost (which, I will not lie, is high at times). And then, by the grace of God, I get emails quoting teenage girls from East Africa: “Ever since, I knew that […]

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This little girl has her theology straight!

#DearHadleyFromMercy from Debbie on Vimeo.

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I just signed a contract for a new book!

Exciting news! I have just signed a contract with Leafwood Publishers for a book due out in the fall of 2016. Don’t Hide Your Light Under a Laundry Basket: 101 Bright Ideas for Wannabe World-Changers will be a collection of stories, tips, and creative ideas to help women tap into their passions and leverage their […]

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On Broken Bodies: Christ’s and Ours

I came across this thought-provoking video featuring Claire Wimbush, an Episcopal priest who was born with spastic cerebral palsy, as I was perusing the Clergy Health Initiative. This is a gorgeous must-watch. “And when we set up for ourselves ideals that are the wrong ideals — that we simply can’t reach — if we can’t […]

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Jesus, the Canaanite Woman, and Caring for Marginalized People

Today’s guest post is from Dominique DuBois Gilliard, a graduate of North Park Theological Seminary where he also served as an adjunct professor, and comes via the ECC’s Commission on Gender Equality’s blog. How does one best care for marginalized people, those who have been isolated from community, stigmatized by society, and even neglected or […]

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Who is Standing Up for Women? An Exercise in Looking for the Helpers.

Last night was one of those nights when it feels hard to breathe; when you want to rage and cry and fight and scream and sob. Nothing was wrong in my little circle, but make no mistake, things were, and are, very, very wrong. For the past week my newsfeeds have been lit up with […]

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In Remembrance of Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou has died at the age of 86, and this world has lost a beautiful, courageous soul. But not forever. Here she is in her own words: You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may tread me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I’ll rise. Thanks […]

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Jesus, Paul, and Women in the New Testament: The Women In Ministry Sermon Series.

How did Jesus view women, and just how radical was his treatment of them in his society? What did it mean that Mary “sat at Jesus’ feet,” and what’s with those women who traveled with Jesus and the Twelve? Who was Junia, what did Phoebe have to do with the Book of Romans, and was Priscilla […]

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“It may have bothered me a little bit…” How Sara changed her mind about female pastors.

Today, I’m thrilled to feature a post by Sara Ronnevik on her journey with female pastors, as a mission-minded woman who is part of a denomination that does not ordain women. This is a great story, and she wrote it to encourage women who are considering going into ministry. Would you like to share your […]

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Opposed to women preaching, or just unexposed?

By Rebecca Worl The elderly woman caught my attention as I was exiting the church. She gave me a smile and waved me over. Her eyes glistened a bit as she grabbed my hands and put them between her own. “Hello dear, I just wanted to tell you, that I was so moved by your… […]

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Winds of Change: Speaking Up for Women in Ministry

One of the things I love about my denomination, the Evangelical Covenant Church, is their strong support of women in ministry. Change can be slow, however, and women called to pastoral ministry often find themselves walking a long, difficult path, even in denominations that support them. That's why the ECC's Commission on Biblical Gender Equality […]

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Why We Need to #BanBossy. For Real.

Have you heard about the #BanBossy campaign? BanBossy.com states that “When a little boy asserts himself, he's called a 'leader.' Yet when a little girl does the same, she risks being branded 'bossy.' Words like bossy send a message: don't raise your hand or speak up. By middle school, girls are less interested in leading […]

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Reclaiming Eve: How the gospel restores women

Suzanne Burden is a heart sister, a gentle woman who wants to see women thrive, set free to work in God’s kingdom alongside their brothers. I’m thrilled to be posting this short description and Q&A about her new book, Reclaiming Eve. About Reclaiming Eve What started as a ladies’ Bible study in their church led […]

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