Women
For a lot of women, when they hear the word "theology" they assume that it is better left to the men...or to Christian nerds who have nothing better to do than sit around reading thick, boring books filled with long, indecipherable words. The term itself conjures up images of dense, academic language that have little to no connection with practical life. It is instead reserved for professors and philosophers who like to mull over unanswerable questions about the nature of God and the Trinity.
However, theology is something that I consider to be central in my ministry, yet you won't find the above brand of theology very frequently in my writing. Yes, I make occasional references to the Church Fathers and Gnosticism, but for the most part I cover fairly down to earth topics. After all, most of what I write comes out of my own life.
That said, what do I mean by "theology," and why do I think it's such a vital part of the Christian life? Well it begins with the word itself--theology means "the study of God." That said, theology is a proactive endeavor. Studying involves discipline and hard work. We have to invest time and energy and thought. We don't wait for God to come to us--we pursue Him. So in studying God, we actively seek to know Him better, learn about His character, and understand His ways.
This discipline contrasts with the popular way of relating to God. Many Christians sideline God until they need Him. He serves as a kind of life-preserver that they keep on hand until they begin to sink. He is there to serve their purposes, not the other way around.
With that in mind, by encouraging women to think theologically, I am urging them to resist the temptation to marginalize God. We should instead be pursuing God whole-heartedly, seeking Him daily, and striving to conform our lives to His will, no matter the cost.
In so doing, we will stop being women who use their faiths to merely stay afloat. Being a woman of theology means prying your eyes off of yourself, looking to God, and looking to the world that He loves.
In this way, thinking theologically is the first step toward becoming a woman of vision, a woman who dreams God-sized dreams and is not satisfied with the status quo. If we are only looking at ourselves, then we will only live for ourselves. But if we engage God, actively seek to know Him and study His ways, then we will live in such a manner that reflects the divine heart we encounter.
As long as we use God for our own meager goals, then our lives will be defined by mediocrity. I, for one, am not satisfied with that. I want to be a part of a generation of women who think critically, live radically, dream wildly, fight mightily, and preach boldly. I want to see our city, our country, and our world transformed because women stopped using God to merely boost up their self-esteem, and started letting God use them. That is my dream for women's ministry, and it begins with theology. It begins with straining after Him.
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com. This is especially true with articles that
deal with personal healthcare and prophecy. We encourage the reader to make their own decision in consultation with God, His Word, and others as needed.
This article has been read 1379 times < Previous | Next >
Read more articles by Sharon Hodde or search for other articles by topic below.
This article has been read 1379 times < Previous | Next >
Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)
Read more by clicking on a link:Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
NEW - Surprise Me With an Article - Click here for a random URL
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You
...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38
LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE
FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.
to a 'biofeedback clinic'
for pain. The therapists
constantly were telling me
to 'focus' on something, so
as to hypnotize myself. Ech!
It didn't WORK! Then, after
my divorce, I went to a
Christian church for a
divorce care group. Little
by little, I began to focus
away from myself....and
toward the only One Who
could heal me: Jesus the
Lord.
God bless!