“Proud” is not a politically acceptable word in the church, so I will stay with “happy.” Or satisfied. Content. Fulfilled.

In other words, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with being male. Do I make my point? Why should I even have to make the statement?

Somehow, somewhere along the line, the church has picked up the world’s liberation policy regarding women, and men have been wincing in pain, shame, and guilt ever since.

Check me out. No wincing. I’m a man, and that’s fine with me.

The pendulum has swung from men abusing women – and yes that still happens all too often – to men cowing in a woman’s presence or at the mention of her gender. How often do you hear people reading Scripture about fathers or sons or men, punctuated with apologies from the preacher: “You women understand, this includes you too…” “we simply do not mean to leave out the women, because we all know they are equal in every respect to the men,” or some such comment.

I think that much of the bowing to the other gender is good-hearted and unfortunately even necessary, but all too much is governed by a spirit – I mean here an attitude – of fear. Men have become afraid of women, in one of the most bizarre shifts of human behavior ever recorded.

Hey Men! Hellooo!? We’re all right! Male is still in! God is still our Father, not our mother! He that acknowledges the Son (who is also male!) has the Father! And the Spirit too, always a “He” in Scripture.

Place enough female pronouns in the Bible and you have a feminized church. Put together enough feminized churches and you have… well, look around. Some men will not show up at a church run by women because men - and women too - have a yearning for approval by a Father. Women assuming pastoral authority simply cannot project that image.

What changed? Nothing. The leaders and heroes of Israel, the Christian Church historically and up to our present generation were male. Men, don’t be ashamed of this.

Fearful men hold up Deborah, and who can deny Mary her part? Yet Deborah refers to herself as a “Mother” in Israel. And Mary was the greatest mother of them all. Mothering is still wonderful. For mothers.

From a baby to our sending out we are overseen by a woman. Yes! It’s good! We go to school and for those first years, women are by and large our teachers. Nourishing! Great! Our foundations have been laid by women! What woman dares to deny that women have a powerful influence over the human race with no further role than mother?

Oh, many women deny it! And more and more men are chiminmg in too, writing whole books to show they have twisted their thinking to fit the times. Some of the conclusions are shameful.

Hence the shift. The rebellion. The ripping apart of the family order, the workplace order, the order of society. A falling away.

I know there have been exceptions to the male authority rule in recent church history. But even the exceptions to the rule (and I can name them for those interested) believed they were God’s 2^nd choice, that men had simply not obeyed, that male is the rule. We can go so far as to say that they were used mightily in their generation. But the regrettable fact is that there was no man to rise up and equal them.

And where are God’s men still in this hour that needs them so? Even in the secular political world, good men are opting out. So in the church. Since the women have proved that they can do it, why not let them do it? these cowards reason.

But the Word of God has not changed and shall not change, though all men become liars. Not the words of Paul to Timothy and Corinth, not the apostolic choices of Jesus, not the pattern of nature from the Garden (yes, before sin entered), not the long line of male heroes of the faith. It’s good to be a man!

But there is “neither male or female,” said Paul! The same Paul said he would not let a female have authority over a male! He also said in the same Galatians passage, that there is “no slave or free.” Then he gave rules for relationships between slaves and their masters! What double-talk is this? Must be two different contexts!

Context one: We are all sons of God through faith in Jesus. No one can keep out the females, the slaves, even the Gentile dogs! No, we are all included, who want to be!

Context two: Within the family of God there is order, just as there is in your family. All persons who wear your last name, sir, are in your family. Equal rights. They all get to stay in your house, eat your food, travel in your vehicles. But not everyone gets to balance the checkbook. Not everyone nurses the new baby. Not everyone changes the flat tires.

Inclusion vs role. Two different subjects.

My words must not be used too broadly. Some females are seeking “equality”, based on faulty theology, some of which I have tried to lay to rest above, but others are seeking superiority, to become like their oppressors!

And oh my, Yes! Have we ever oppressed. We have been an evil lot. But to be a man is still to be God’s first choice for leadership and –ugh- responsibility. Many aspirants to the throne of command opt out when they see that what they have gone after has a price tag. To be number one is to be targeted. It’s lonely and not always so much fun at the top.

But the top, of your family, your church, that’s where you are called, men, like it or not. He (it says “he”) that desires church office, desires a good thing. But he better know that it’s a hard thing too. Jesus, man of all men, has shown us the road upon which the most effective church leaders must travel.

Oh, James and John of today, you will indeed have a special place in the Kingdom, but you will also drink the cup that Jesus drank.