Friends! Welcome to the Need to Know season of The Right Side Up. This season is all about supporting the forthcoming compilation book, Need to Know: Empowering Female Leadership and Why It’s Essential for the Future of the Church. In this introductory episode I share why empowering women is so important for the future of the church. You’ll hear me emphasize the importance of collaboration between men and women, the need for systemic change, and the role of theology in promoting gender equity. I reflect on the historical context of female leadership, the challenges of addressing abuse within church systems, and the necessity of honest hope and lament in the journey towards transformation.

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keywords

female leadership, church, empowerment, theology, equity, abuse, collaboration, hope, transformation, systemic change

takeaways

Empowering female leadership is essential for the future of the church.

Cultural awareness is crucial for understanding gender dynamics.

The cost of allyship can be surprising for men.

Theology plays a significant role in gender equity discussions.

Church systems often perpetuate abuse and harm.

Historical examples, like the Salvation Army, show the impact of female leadership.

Collaboration between genders is vital for church growth.

Honest hope requires acknowledging and lamenting past injustices.

Transformation involves a deep personal and collective metanoia.

Listening and learning are the first steps towards living differently.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction: The Need to Know

02:27 The Cost and Challenges of Empowering Female Leadership

06:09 The Interconnectedness of Power, Empire, and Leadership

08:01 The Importance of Doing Exegetical Work on Women

11:20 The Historical Role of Women in the Church

18:48 A Call to Repentance, Learning, and Living Differently