55 Things Only Christian Women Hear (CBE)
Author and speaker Sarah Bessey started a twitter hashtag called #55ThingsOnlyChristianWomenHear.
Twitter users tweeted quotes spoken to Christian women, and used the hashtag to group them all together. There were hundreds of quotes tweeted by both women and men. If you’re a twitter user, check out the hashtag for yourself.
Rachel Asproth at Christians for Biblical Equality took the liberty of compiling 55 of the quotes, and putting them together in one post. I’ve listed a few here, and you can read the whole post on the CBE International page here.
* “You can teach the women and children, you just can’t teach the men.” –Charlie Grantham
* “You are an amazing leader! You’d make an excellent pastor’s wife someday!” –Sarah Bessey
* “Women are too emotional to be leaders and pastors. It would never work.” –Jesse Harp
* “Yeah, but who gets to make the final call in your marriage?” –Sarah Bessey
* “Biblical Womanhood can be defined by marriage and motherhood.” –Joy Beth Smith
* “We can’t meet for Starbucks. It might give the appearance of evil.” –JillMarie Richardson
* “I affirm your spiritual gift of teaching!… to women and children.” –Derek Caldwell
* “You know too much about the Bible. You will be too intimidating for a guy to marry. How will they lead you?” –Bonnie
* “I’m all for women’s ordination but I don’t want a woman head pastor at my church. Just my preference.” –Karen Gonzalez
* You’re a pastor? You mean a women’s pastor?” –Kelly Ladd Bishop
* “We paid your male colleague more because he negotiated better for his starting salary than you.” –Mimi Haddad
Definitely check out the full list at Arise – the Christians for Biblical Equality blog.
The hashtag took some criticism from Christians who claim that it reflects poorly on the church and will turn people away. But that’s no different than covering up abuse because it reflects poorly on the abuser. These quotes are the reality for so many women in the church. So if it is reflecting accurately and turning people away, then perhaps it’s time for the church to listen to what the women are saying and do better.