Apprentice 2 Jesus

An Anglicostal Connecting to a Real World

And the Action, Dr. Kirk?

Dan

Daniel Kirk likes to use the bully pulpit of his professorship to tell us pastors how to put things into action. It’s the benefits of academia. And he takes full advantage of it.

So his latest rant is a good one, yet leaves me asking: Okay, Mr. Kirk, as a seminary professor, what does that mean for you, other than getting to use your lectern to say things that are necessary

Don’t get me wrong. I agree with Dr. Kirk. This is an issue that needs action. But reading these rants as a pastor, and actually doing something about it, I get tired of the bully pulpit.

The post is appropriately titled: A time to speak. That may be all a seminary professor can do in the case of gender equality in ministry.

But at some point could we quit the rants and actually get down to business? I know it’s something I actually work on. I don’t have much to write about these matters, as I am developing a staff that actually has women on it. No seminary pulpit for me. 😉

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7 responses to “And the Action, Dr. Kirk?”

  1. Rick Wadholm Jr. Avatar
    Rick Wadholm Jr.

    I have encountered a similar pattern elsewhere Dan. Where professors are nothing more than professing things, but doing very little to actually DO what they are telling others to do. It is a sad state of affairs when that is the case. As it stands, Providence Seminary where I just graduated has a rather high number of professors actually involved in ministry in local churches and regional leadership in the wider church…so it has been great to see more proactive work being done rather than simply stating what one thinks should be done.

    Reply
  2. bwebaptistwomenforequality Avatar
    bwebaptistwomenforequality

    “I am developing a staff that has women on it.”

    We will know we have reached the turning point, apprentice2Jesus, when women are developing a staff and have you on it.

    Reply
    1. Dan Avatar
      Dan

      Like THAT would ever happen! 😉

      Reply
  3. Professor, how about you walk a mile in my shoes? « The Parson's Patch

    […] My good friend Dan pointed me to a recent article by Daniel Kirk in which he not only calls upon pastors to stand up for the rights of women in ministry, in my opinion subtly crosses the line of unfair expectation.  I acknowledged that I don’t think Dr Kirk was trying to be mean and there is a good chance his post was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Like Dan, I agree with just about everything Dr Kirk says in regards to women in ministry. Like Dan, I just don’t like the way he is saying it. Dr Kirk, not everything is black and white with the issue you describe. I say this as a pastor of a church with 5 female elders and two males elders. I say this as someone who encourages women to pastor and preach. In all honesty, the issue is not a primary issue for me. I live out my theology on this matter I choose not to scream about it. In my mind it is a secondary issue.  Furthermore, those of us who huddle around your coffee (I don’t drink beer) are sometimes being more pastoral to our congregations by not raising these issues. Some of us realise the hurt and pain it might cause a congregation if it were to face such issues and decide prayerfully to let it slide for the sake of people’s souls. Is it ideal? No it is not. But our job as pastors is to pastor not be activists. Whether it is this or any other issue. […]

    Reply
  4. The Ivory Tower Fallacy. « Near Emmaus

    […] before questioning whether or not Kirk does anything about this matter himself (see “And the Action, Dr. Kirk?”). He states that maybe “all a seminary professor can do” is speak, insinuating that […]

    Reply
  5. A Place of Refuge (or, keep your pulpit open without being an activist) | Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth Avatar
    A Place of Refuge (or, keep your pulpit open without being an activist) | Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth

    […] should be actively engaged in getting women to preach and teach in their churches. Dan Thompson wanted to know what Kirk was doing about the situation. Mark Stevens called for a bit more sympathy to the plight […]

    Reply
  6. I’d rather be in the Ivory Tower rather than in the pulpit | Unsettled Christianity

    […] liberal-friend-in-hiding Daniel wrote this in reply, Don’t get me wrong. I agree with Dr. Kirk. This is an issue that needs action. But reading […]

    Reply

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