In Depth:  discipleship

In these two short extracts from her new book, She Needs – Women Flourishing in the Church, Nay Dawson writes about how women in Christian contexts can often be patronised and infantilised. She cites Jen Wilkin (an author and Bible teacher from Texas who has led studies for women over many years) who speaks of three female ghosts that haunt the church: the Child, the Usurper and the Temptress. Nay writes, concerning the Child:

Many years ago, I was at a conference. I tried to join a conversation with two male acquaintances, but their response was, ‘Go away, silly little girl.’ I felt sick and stupid, and just wished I could disappear. Women are often treated as children; decisions are made for them, and they are patronised and humiliated in conversations.

Accountability, ‘the fact or condition of being accountable/ responsible’ is a word we hear a lot these days, whether in the public sphere when things have gone wrong, or something being encouraged between friends or prayer partners.

So it is worth taking the time to think about accountability from a human and heavenly perspective to make the most of its blessings without expecting too much.

Right now it is open season on manhood.

At our worst we men are power hungry, aggressive, self entitled, demeaning and abusive to women, bad role models for our children, addicted to screens and pornography, and we can’t be trusted.