Gene Appel’s sermon at Willow last night was a thorough defense of women in ministry and I thought it was fantastic. The talk combined three themes: Mother’s Day, The DaVinci Code’s theory that women threaten the Church, and the ministry of women in the current churches.
The sermon finished with all the women standing and reciting the ending to Lynne Hybels’ book, Nice Girls Don’t Change the World, in which she calls women to become “dangerous” women — women who show up with everything they’ve got and are and who join the battle against whatever opposes the will of God. Just in case you’d like to know, “dangerous” contrasts with “nice” and “nice” means happy little girls who do not accomplish all God has designed for them. Here’s a sampling from her book:
May we be dangerous women.
May we be women who acknowledge our power to change, and grow, and be radically alive for God.
May we cherish children, embrace the elderly, and empower the poor.
May we be strong and gentle leaders.
May we overflow with goodness in the name of God and by the power of Jesus. And in that name, and by that power, may we change the world.
Dear God, Please make us dangerous women. Amen.