Planning to attend a funeral at a local Southern Baptist church, I visited their facebook page and clicked on the pastor’s sermon. In the first 30 seconds of his sermon, he said, “The Husband has authority in the home. God has placed the Husband as head of the household.” Then he proceeded to preach on Jesus’ authority. Right off the bat, Husband’s authority came before Jesus’ authority.

That pastor is a pulpit bully, and I fear that his attitude is encouraged by SBC leadership.

Considering the answer Jesus gave to John and James when they asked for the privilege to sit at his right hand side when he came into his kingdom (Mark 10:38), it is highly doubtful that husbands can stand-in for Christ here on earth. But standing in for Christ is exactly what they would be doing if husbands were given the privilege by God to be heads over women. Christ does not share his headship with human males. Why would he?

The story varies as do most of our own stories, and depends upon who is doing the telling.

Matthew 20:23 says that the mother of James and John asked for special favor to be given to her boys, while Mark 10:35 does not mention mom at all. Whatever the case, James and John wanted special treatment. They wanted to sit at the right hand of Jesus, and had the nerve to ask him for this. As you can imagine, the other ten disciples were put out with their request, because they, too, had left their families and spent nights on the road with Jesus.

Amidst this disturbance, Jesus called a board meeting. “Look fellows, you don’t qualify for this position you are asking for.” I imagine there was some elbow nudging and nodding of heads among the disciples. Jesus looked over the twelve standing there and said, “You know that some people want to lord it over everybody else, but you are my disciples and you are not supposed to be that way. Ever who wants to be the greatest, should be the servant, and who wants to be first, should be servant to all.”

Now they had a decision to make. James and John had just embarrassed themselves with their grandiose expectations and the rest of them knew it. They now had two choices: 1) They could pick up their marbles and go somewhere else to play; or 2) they could stay with the rest of the Disciples and continue on with the Master and the work laid out before them.

Setting the example for us, they stayed with the rest of the Disciples. (Mark 10:35-45).

SBC Pastors, other pastors, and Seminary Professors have chosen to pick up their marbles and go their own way, declaring they are equal to sit at the right hand of Jesus, but that WOMEN are not.

Christianity should be about love, so it is hard to justify pulpit bullying of women. Don’t you agree?

See Shirley Taylor in Baptizing Feminism Documentary Trailer.

Books by Shirley Taylor available in Print and Kindle on Amazon

The Biblical Marriage Myth: The Devil Comes Calling
The Power of a Book: The Street Evangelist
From Wife to Widow: What I know Now
Beyond the Grave: A Christian Dilemma
Raising the Hood: A Christian Look at Manhood and Womanhood
Women Equal – No Buts: Powered by the same Source
Dethroning Male Headship: 2nd Edition