Journal: Priscilla Papers
Volume: PP 03:4 (Fall 1989)
Article: Light For The Path Ahead
Author: Faith McBurney Martin

PP 3:4 (Fall 1989) p. 7

Light For The Path Ahead

Faith Martin

CBC Board member, author of Call Me Blessed, (Eerdmans)

CBE is growing. The sign are all around. Membership continues to increase at a steady pace and shows no signs of tapering off, especially after the biennial conference in Minnesota this past summer and the many enthusiastic participants.

What caused such enthusiasm? I can only speak for myself. I was deeply encouraged by the quality of the persons attending the conference and the reasons for their interest in CBE. Among the women attending there was a desire not to advance self but to see Jesus Christ advance. Among the men there was concern not to have their names associated with something progressive and novel but to see all Christians empowered as workers in Christ’s kingdom.

Were we a gathering of perfect people? Far from it. But God had called together a group of people who had a special unconcern about themselves and a deep concern for the Gospel. There were those among us who had sacrificed peer approval and sometimes careers because of their commitment to biblical equality, but who had a quiet confidence that God was in control of their lives. They seemed to handle their trials without bitterness.

There were also people, usually the younger women, who were so -pleased to find others who felt the way they did. “I thought I was the only one who believed this way,” was a frequent comment And these young women felt confirmed and strengthened when they found that biblical feminism was not a counter-culture movement caused by youthful rebellion but was a serious tradition with older women and men leading the way.

And there were a number of hurting women who had suffered deeply in their family life and church life, women whose problems were not simply the frustration of not being allowed to preach the gospel but the pain of not being allowed to live a decent life, women whose dignity and self worth were badly damaged. But even here through the tears there was a gentleness and lack of bitterness.

Where does such an attitude come from? I believe that it comes from a sincere trust in God’s Word. Trust doesn’t only mean believing God’s Word, it means not being afraid of it.

I am reminded of an incident that happened during my first year of public school teaching. A boy was being difficult in class, and I thought of a Bible verse that would be effective in that situation. Instead of being helped by my reference to Scripture in my discipline of him, the student was resentful and sullen. Later, when thinking it over, I realized that my intent had been wrong. My use of Scripture had been simply to control his behavior, not teach him the knowledge of God, and he sensed ...