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readingwithmeredith's review
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
Application/Impact: 3
Connection to the book/Enjoyment: 3
Educational Value: 3
Purpose/Originality: 4
Writing: 3
Every point = 0.25 stars, max of 4 per category
jenjansen's review against another edition
4.0
Really good book with a lot of practical applications. Some chapters were better than others but thats the nature of a book with many contributors.
juleemhuy's review against another edition
4.0
Great book. I did skim in the beginning and ending sections, but the middle content was good and inspiring
c_joy___'s review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
It gets better as it goes on…
your_gal_alex's review against another edition
5.0
An amazing book for women’s ministry focused on the Word of God.
notwithoutwitness's review against another edition
3.0
As a pastor of a small urban church made up mostly of women I appreciated Furman and Nielson’s Word-Filled Women’s Ministry. It is a book founded upon Scripture and written for the church. From the beginning they write, “Profitable ministry among women is grounded in God’s Word and grows in the context of God’s people, and aims for the glory of Christ” (13). Rightfully understood, this should be the focus of all ministry: founded upon the Word, for the church, and to the glory of God.
Like any multi-authored book Word-Filled Women’s Ministry is a bit of a mixed bag. As a whole I really appreciated it, but I would view it as a springboard or to switch metaphors, an entrance door into women’s ministry. It’s very basic. Much of what is written is general enough to apply broadly to all of ministry. But it does start to press into the more particular questions raised by ministry to women.
In my opinion there are four stand out chapters. While I enjoyed the first chapter and believe it is foundational it was a bit generic. Still a good chapter. Here they are: First, I really appreciated Claire Smith’s “The Word on Women: Enjoying Distinction” (ch. 2). It’s a well written explanation of biblical complementarianism. It’s a chapter I would like to have my daughters work through.
Second, Cindy Cochrum’s “The Local Church: Finding Where We Fit” (ch. 4) was very helpful, personally. It got me thinking about how our church is gifted to serve the body. She writes, “The body of Christ is filled with capable women who are eager to serve Christ in the context of the local church, serving under the authority of church leadership” (100). As a pastor, my responsibility is to nurture and foster those gifts. To that end Cochrum says, “When leadership is proactive in finding ways to incorporate women into various roles, more of the church’s rich resources are employed for her work. Our churches are strengthened as women are welcomed to serve profitably and effectively in any area that is not restricted in Scripture” (101).
The third chapter that stood out was Susan Hunt and Kristie Anyabwile’s “Older and Younger: Taking Titus Seriously” (ch. 7). I resonated with Kristie’s sadness over asking older women to disciple her only for them to turn her down. I’ve personally asked three pastors (earlier in my Christian life) to mentor and disciple me. All three told me no. I just cannot process why. Susan Hunt’s response offered a bit of hope. Maybe they were afraid. Maybe they had no idea what to do. Maybe… Regardless, we need to take Titus 2 seriously and as a pastor one of the things I long to see is spiritually mature women initiating and forming deep relationships with new believers. Our challenge is that we have many young believers, but not enough older spiritually mature women. The harvest is plentiful…
The last chapter I really appreciated is Ellen Mary Dykas’ “Sexual Wholeness: Affirming Truth with Compassion” (ch. 8). This chapter could easily have been a book. Sexuality is exactly where Christianity is being attacked today from our western culture. There is a great need (understatement) for Christians to engage here, particularly godly women. One can’t help but wonder that part of the reason we are where we are is due to the failure of the church to encourage women to disciple women. A women’s ministry could even use Harvest USA’s Sexual Sanity for Women as a point of engagement for older spiritually mature women reaching out and teaching younger women.
One thing that bothered me throughout was the tendency to equate Bible Study with discipleship. I don’t believe that this is the intent of the book, but it came across that way. I was disappointed on Gloria Furman’s chapter on Evangelism (ch. 5) when it was basically a chapter on holding bible studies. Now don’t get me wrong, I am all for Bible studies. They are foundational, but evangelism and discipleship is more than bible study. Certainly not less, but much more. Making disciples is not just about teaching people what Jesus taught, but teaching others how to obey what Jesus taught. Obedience is learned not just through Bible study but in the ordinary of everyday.
I am a bit surprised that there is no bibliography. It would have been nice to offer a “here’s where to go next” resource list, especially because of the introductory nature of this book. Personally, I am going to read a bit more on dealing with the specific passages of Scripture that are often found in the midst of the debate between complementarianism and egalitarianism.
What I appreciated most from Furman and Nielson’s book is the call for pastors to be involved in women’s ministry. I honestly have been a bit hands off up to this point and this book was a helpful nudge for me. I need to be a more faithful advocate for women’s ministry in our body. It was a much needed course correction. I never want the women of our church to feel that the pastor is not behind them.
Here are a few places where I am headed to next: J. Ligon Duncan and Susan Hunt, Women’s Ministry in the Local Church and Craig Blomberg and Thomas Schreiner’s Two Views on Women in Ministry. I also am thinking through more in relation to biblical gifts and how the women (and all) in our church may work together using the gifts God has given us to build up the body of Christ (Eph. 4).
Like any multi-authored book Word-Filled Women’s Ministry is a bit of a mixed bag. As a whole I really appreciated it, but I would view it as a springboard or to switch metaphors, an entrance door into women’s ministry. It’s very basic. Much of what is written is general enough to apply broadly to all of ministry. But it does start to press into the more particular questions raised by ministry to women.
In my opinion there are four stand out chapters. While I enjoyed the first chapter and believe it is foundational it was a bit generic. Still a good chapter. Here they are: First, I really appreciated Claire Smith’s “The Word on Women: Enjoying Distinction” (ch. 2). It’s a well written explanation of biblical complementarianism. It’s a chapter I would like to have my daughters work through.
Second, Cindy Cochrum’s “The Local Church: Finding Where We Fit” (ch. 4) was very helpful, personally. It got me thinking about how our church is gifted to serve the body. She writes, “The body of Christ is filled with capable women who are eager to serve Christ in the context of the local church, serving under the authority of church leadership” (100). As a pastor, my responsibility is to nurture and foster those gifts. To that end Cochrum says, “When leadership is proactive in finding ways to incorporate women into various roles, more of the church’s rich resources are employed for her work. Our churches are strengthened as women are welcomed to serve profitably and effectively in any area that is not restricted in Scripture” (101).
The third chapter that stood out was Susan Hunt and Kristie Anyabwile’s “Older and Younger: Taking Titus Seriously” (ch. 7). I resonated with Kristie’s sadness over asking older women to disciple her only for them to turn her down. I’ve personally asked three pastors (earlier in my Christian life) to mentor and disciple me. All three told me no. I just cannot process why. Susan Hunt’s response offered a bit of hope. Maybe they were afraid. Maybe they had no idea what to do. Maybe… Regardless, we need to take Titus 2 seriously and as a pastor one of the things I long to see is spiritually mature women initiating and forming deep relationships with new believers. Our challenge is that we have many young believers, but not enough older spiritually mature women. The harvest is plentiful…
The last chapter I really appreciated is Ellen Mary Dykas’ “Sexual Wholeness: Affirming Truth with Compassion” (ch. 8). This chapter could easily have been a book. Sexuality is exactly where Christianity is being attacked today from our western culture. There is a great need (understatement) for Christians to engage here, particularly godly women. One can’t help but wonder that part of the reason we are where we are is due to the failure of the church to encourage women to disciple women. A women’s ministry could even use Harvest USA’s Sexual Sanity for Women as a point of engagement for older spiritually mature women reaching out and teaching younger women.
One thing that bothered me throughout was the tendency to equate Bible Study with discipleship. I don’t believe that this is the intent of the book, but it came across that way. I was disappointed on Gloria Furman’s chapter on Evangelism (ch. 5) when it was basically a chapter on holding bible studies. Now don’t get me wrong, I am all for Bible studies. They are foundational, but evangelism and discipleship is more than bible study. Certainly not less, but much more. Making disciples is not just about teaching people what Jesus taught, but teaching others how to obey what Jesus taught. Obedience is learned not just through Bible study but in the ordinary of everyday.
I am a bit surprised that there is no bibliography. It would have been nice to offer a “here’s where to go next” resource list, especially because of the introductory nature of this book. Personally, I am going to read a bit more on dealing with the specific passages of Scripture that are often found in the midst of the debate between complementarianism and egalitarianism.
What I appreciated most from Furman and Nielson’s book is the call for pastors to be involved in women’s ministry. I honestly have been a bit hands off up to this point and this book was a helpful nudge for me. I need to be a more faithful advocate for women’s ministry in our body. It was a much needed course correction. I never want the women of our church to feel that the pastor is not behind them.
Here are a few places where I am headed to next: J. Ligon Duncan and Susan Hunt, Women’s Ministry in the Local Church and Craig Blomberg and Thomas Schreiner’s Two Views on Women in Ministry. I also am thinking through more in relation to biblical gifts and how the women (and all) in our church may work together using the gifts God has given us to build up the body of Christ (Eph. 4).
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