Your new book, Men and Women in the Church, was recently published. What makes this book such a pertinent topic in the life of the Church today?

The divorce rate, for one thing. There are so many men and women who are confused about their manhood and womanhood. I devote at least three chapters of my book just to this. For instance, Christian men catch a lot of flack because expectations placed on them are sometimes way too high. My male students at APU have helped me to understand the pressure they feel to beBible-answer me who are able to rise above everyone else. The female students have expressed their great fear of submission and call it theS-word These are just a few reasons as to why this book is relevant to the Church today.

What one message would you like people to grasp after reading your book?

My book is a call to repentance for people just like me. I have held a prejudice against women, thinking that I myself, as a woman, am not really equal to men. I have withheld giving my best because I was afraid that my giftedness might prevent me from getting married. I have been disrespectful to my husband. I have dressed immodestly wanting to be, what I callChristian-sexy I am part of the problem. Therefore, my message is notGet it right, as I have it right My message isRepent, as I repent If a critical mass of us will all repent together, I believe something marvelous something glorious and history-making is going to happen to us in this generation.

Please explain the scope of this book?

I wrote four chapters on the I Timothy 2 passage, where the debate seems to be most intently focused ("Does Paul prohibit women from leading or teaching men?"). I also talk a lot about marriage, resolving conflict in marriage, and Ephesians 5. My book includes a fairly substantial discussion of the Trinity, of what it means for the wife to bethe weaker vesse and the husband to bethe head My book is not about church roles. Rather, is about relationship show men and women ought to relate to one another in the Christian community. In short, is a surprisingly easy-to-read Bible study.

Some people may look at this book and assume you are promoting a feminist agenda. Is this accurate?

My intention is to promote a Kingdom agenda, not a feminist or any other type of agenda. I do not havethe righ to preach or lead in the Church, and for that matter no woman hasthe righ to preach. But then again, neither does Billy Graham. As Christians, we havethe righ to be children of God (John 1:12). So many times feminism is expressed in terms of vying for political power. My goal, rather, is to vie for Truth. Jesus said the Truth will set you free (John 8:32).

How do you envision men and women working together in the Church?

I see men being fathers and brothers, and women being mothers and sisters. Wre supposed to be one big family. But right now, the trend is to have the Christian mothers do most of the parenting. It is rare for Christian men to be active fathers, and even more rare for them to be active in childres ministry at church. That sends a message to all the little boys that parenting itself isfeminin even though no mother on the earth could ever be a father to her children. The trend in churches, by contrast, is to have male pastors only (though women do most of the work). So, there you have it fatherless homes and motherless churches, and a whole lot of Christians who wonder why we aret a healthy family.

Who do you hope picks up this book and reads it?

I wrote this book for people who know somethins wrong in the Church and whose top priority is to be biblical in their dealing with this subject. My book is for people who are ready to face the truth about themselves, the Church, and God.

How did writing and researching this book impact you?

I discovered the dignity of being a woman. More importantly, I discovered a new sense of my identity in Christ. I have also begun to blossom afresh in my giftedness. In addition, I want to submit to my husband, show respect to him, and live out the mysterious oneness that Jim and I, as husband and wife, share. In fact, it was my husband who prodded and exhorted me to write this book.