Powerful And Free: Confronting The Glass Ceiling For Women In The Church

by Danny Silk

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase, "women in ministry?"

A. Nursery-worker

B. Children's leader

C. Pastor

D. It's complicated

If you are like most, your answer would be,

"It's complicated." Many believers are still

confused about the proper place for women in

the Church. Powerful and Free is a call to

address the structural message of inequality. It

is not a theological treatise on the biblical case

for female leaders (there are many excellent

resources for this already).

It is not a political program to implement some kind of affirmative action in our leadership

teams, because that doesn't work. Rather, it is an appeal to the hearts of men and women to

recognize the existence of the glass ceiling for women and to challenge themselves to align

more fully with a Kingdom vision for gender-blind leadership in the Body and equal malefemale

partnership in the home.

Genres: Womens, Christianity, Nonfiction, Leadership, Christian, Theology, Church

145 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2012

Reviews

[Signe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been waiting to read a book like this for decades. It affirms and explains what I've felt and was taught growing up, but have not seen in too many churches in my life, including my current one. I want to politely shove this book into every hand of pastors and elders who condescendingly smile down at women but who prohibit them from having a seat at the table. A huge thank you to my friend for lending this to me. Maybe a co-ed Christian book club in the future to discuss and process... If men are brave enough to read it with an open mind.

[Ashley Nikole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful & liberating. For every woman who has encountered dynamics within the church where women are viewed as subservient & no better than slaves...read this. Those chauvinistic driven mindsets may be popular, but they aren't right. Seriously, couldn't better recommend this book.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so challenging to me on so many levels. I have been recently questioning my complimentarian stance on women and men in marriage and in the church. This book tackles the issue head on. Danny Silk challenges readers to a gender blind church. He says that women are called and equipped and gifted the same as men, and it is a shame to keep relegating them to kid's ministry.
There's a quiz in chapter two, and I failed miserably not ever realizing my bias toward women in power in the evangelical scene. What's most interesting is that I consider myself to be a leader and a woman who can take charge, but I was willing to compromise myself because of the current system that says women can't do....etc.
I loved this book and have walked away understanding the scriptures' culture history regarding how Paul felt about women better than ever before. My stance has changed, or maybe it's more of in hindsight I have always been for gender equality and am only coming to realize that now.

[Dreamydreamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an easy read that seeks to address the balance between Male and Female leadership. It does not seek to promote one above the other, but to appreciate that both can exist within the church. Women have a unique role, that has often been squashed by a limited scriptural understanding, and patriarchal lens. The writer Danny Silk successfully convinces the reader, whether male or female, to have an upgrade on old attitudes that are not biblical.

[Sheena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be required reading for those who claim they want to see 'the church' grow. It's very well-written and full of some hard truths.

[Flo · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Das Kind mit dem Bade ausschütten." - diese Redewendung trifft auf dieses Buch zu, denn: Natürlich kann man das gute, schöne und biblische komplementäre Verständnis von Mann und Frau als gleichwertige aber verschiedene Partner (mit verschiedenen Rollen in Familie und Gemeinde) auch verdrehen und verzerren und missbrauchen. Dies geschieht und wo es geschieht ist es zu verurteilen. Deswegen jedoch alles umzudeuten und zu verdrehen, was die Bibel über die Geschlechter sagt - und das mit Argumenten aus 90% Erfahrungsberichten und 10% minimalistischer und oberflächlicher Exegese (zB um S. 109 herum; mit dem Ziel, endlich "das Herz von Paulus zu verstehen", was immer das eigentlich heißen mag, S. 111) - ist jedoch auch nicht die Lösung...

Allein in Kapitel 6 ("Die Gaben der Frau") kommt ein wenig von der Schönheit von Gottes Idee von Mann und Frau als verschiedene und sich ergänzende Partner durch, mit der der Autor den anderen Buchteilen jedoch widerspricht, weshalb er das auch nicht weiter ausführen kann... Sollen wir jetzt die Augen zumachen und für das Geschlecht blind sein oder aber Männer und Frauen in ihrer Unterschiedlichkeit fördern? Beides zusammen wird eher schwierig...

Das Buch baut auf einigen Fehlschlüssen auf und stellt den Leser vor falsche Alternativen (S. 215) bzw. benutzt Strohmann-Argumente. Wert und Funktion etwa sind für den Autor untrennbar verbunden. Darum sind (für Silk) Menschen nur gleich wertvoll, wenn sie dasselbe machen. – Schade, denn was sagt diese Auffassung denn über all jene in der Gemeinde aus, die keine Leitungsfunktion innehaben?

Sehr schade! Ich würde meinen, das Problem erfasst der Autor zu etwa 30% richtig (denn manches läuft in Gemeinden in diesem Bereich tatsächlich schief und einige seiner Berichte - auch über seine eigene Kindheit - zeigen dies auf traurige Weise auf); seine Lösung ist dann jedoch zu 100% falsch.

[Jemma · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for basically everyone.
Men need to read it especially, but women should definitely read it.

Have you ever read THOSE verses in the letters of Paul? I'm sure any woman will know the ones I mean, the ones that made you go "what on earth is this?"
Danny Silk covers all of those and it's great.

For example, you know the one where it says the Husband is the head of the Wife? That usually gets interpreted as The Boss. But Danny Silk points out that this is different word in Greek, one that actually means source or headspring.
I'm sure you can see how much of a difference that makes even without his expansion

[Gwen Henson · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading dozens of books and hundreds of articles about women’s role in church and home, this may be my new favorite to recommend to a person considering egalitarianism for the first time. Silk does cover various relevant scriptures throughout the book, but I think this book is powerful in how relational it is. He discusses many real life scenarios and the logic for allowing women a seat at the table, a partnership in their home, and to be free to use their gifts at all levels. It is very non confrontational and easy to understand. It’s also no too long or daunting, thus making it easy to commit to reading.

[Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very insightful book exploring the prejudices of women in the Church. I'll be honest - I was a little cynical at first, it being written by a man - but the author proved to have a deep insight into situations regarding women in the Church - looking deeply at Biblical teachings and foundations, to pulling in many, many testimonies of women in the Church - this is a book for BOTH men and women in or interested in gender prejudice in the Church should read.

I found it both insightful and encouraging. Would recommend anyone who is open to being challenged in the same way.

[Paul Van buren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was raised in this but Danny gives a solid biblical explanation for the inclusion of men and women in leadership, according to God's purpose, call and anointing. Not all women are called to leadership but neither are all men. Danny explains why there must be as much training and opportunities for women as there are for men. We should be past this by now but some traditions are difficult to more away from.

[Tonnye Fletcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many great insights and new ways of thinking about things. I especially was influenced by his teaching on headship and perspectives of the Trinity/Triune Godhead. I found this book to be as beneficial for my marriage as it was for my position in church and my thoughts on women in church leadership.

[Desarae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

I have read multiple books now on this subject, and I will be recommending this one first because it is a succinct presentation that packs a powerful punch! Highly recommend! This is the mindset transformation that will reshape families, churches, and answer the disparity of the sexes.

[Connor · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is better understood as a responsive essay rather than a theological treatise. This book gives a thoughtful and concise launching pad for women and men to do what is right and necessary for Christian culture to advance and thrive.

[Elaine Phipps · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend.
A wonderful challenge for both men and women, shifting our view of how" it's always been" to what the Kingdom really should be.
Biblical backing as well as real life stories from people in the church today.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

So important for the church to hear. Encouraging!

[Joyous Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous! Life giving to women and men alike!

[Carrye Burr · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVED this book. It's an accessible book that attempts to show how women have not truly been empowered within the church to co-lead and influence. Whatever your beliefs about this subject, this book will challenge you to ask deeper questions, look beyond confusing literal texts in Scripture to see the fuller meaning of the Bible and Gospel as a whole regarding God's heart for women and men. Honestly it was an emotional read for me at times, and left me wanting to journey personally through my own built-in assumptions about women from a life-time of growing up in the Church.

My only negatives were that some points the author makes are hard to prove/ or based on historic probability, thus leaving behind more questions. There was also one story that pulled on my emotions but turned out to be fictional, which somewhat negated the point of the story for me.

But overall I HIGHLY recommend and would encourage women as well as men to delve into this and start a discussion at the very least.

[Justin Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding, challenging, very thought-provoking book. Silk does an excellent job here discussing and asking the right questions about women in the Church: how they can use their gifts and lead, how they should be treated and empowered, and most importantly, what Jesus said/says about them and how extraordinary and vital they are to health, growth, balance, etc.

Pretty solid exegesis of a few key passages, and a good foundation of truth leading up to the big, typically more controversial topics. He also makes profound points about family and unity, humility and courage.

It definitely made me ask myself some hard yet necessary questions to force some beneficial introspection. I highly recommend this to anyone who was brought up in a stout patriarchal paradigm. It'll help us break some bonds of tradition that we've been errantly clinging onto for far too long.

Well done, Danny. :)

[Ronni Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book, but not all 'glass ceilings' are bad. Some are merely for protection. This book leaned on the side of 'how dare they' and yes, in many churches this is a huge problem... Even in most churches that allow women in these positions they took many years longer to get there and are compensated less. Yes we are equal but we are not the same. We truly need to value what women bring that men don't.... AND like wise.

[Shawnee Wildey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book answered so many questions in my heart. Danny brings revelation and truth as he reveals Gods heart towards women, In the church, in there homes and in their relationships with their husbands. He reveals truth using the word of God to break down attitudes and beliefs that have held women back from walking in the freedom God has given them to pursue their destiny.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think every woman AND man should read this. This book could change the way church's view women in leadership. I also believe it can definitely strengthen marriages as well. I strongly recommend this for every believer.

[Jaclyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing... and not just because I am a woman in the church. This is an invaluable book for both men and women, for both in the church and in the home.

[Jonathan Gulley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an incredible book destined to be read by millions of women - hopefully billions of men will read it first!

[Rebekah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A taste of the equality we were all made with in the beginning.. and a wake-up call to recognize where we've gone astray.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read and relevant. However, it would have been great to read about single women in the church, as examples given seemed to all be married women.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Danny Silk's books! This gives a refreshing understanding of the role of women!

[alexxus kristyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful, life-changing truths. A must-read for every Christian.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book.

[Natali · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is AMAZING!! Now my life makes sense. Read it and pass it to the males in your life!