Emboldened Review and Emboldened Discussion Questions written by the Hobbit on 5/10/21. This post contains affiliate links, you can find out more on our policies page or in the disclaimer at the bottom of the blog.
Before we start this review- a quick note…
My Dad, the Hobbit, who reviewed this book, grew up in ultra-conservative, southern churches which are commonly complementarian churches.
What’s a Complementarian and why is he writing this review
The complementarian title refers to someone who believes that the Bible says that there is a gender hierarchy both in life and in the church and egalitarianism would refer to those who believe that the Bible says that Jesus empowered women in ministry and in life just like males.
And in raising two girls, and being raised by a single mom, my Dad came to the conclusion that we needed just as strong of a theological foundation as any boy did. That what we had to say and give to ministering to others was just as valuable as his own contributions. And so he did the work, alongside of his stubborn kids and decided that he believed complementarianism to be based on incorrect teaching and interpretations of Scripture.
I am not a pastor, although it was my dream to be at one point, but I’ve been asked several times if my dad would even listen to me preach or be encouraging of that occupation. And even if that had happened before he believed egalitarian teaching, I would have said the same thing: yes. He would be sitting on the front row with a poster, trying to record the whole thing with his thumb halfway over the lens. I know that’s not true for everyone and how fortunate I am to have that kind of parental support. So whyyyyy in this post about supporting women in ministry am I droning on about my dad and having him write this review?
Because we desperately need more support like that. In the church and in struggling for justice and equality elsewhere. And not just from great old white guys- and there are a whole bunch of great ones! But from every corner, every peer, every intersectionality. As the author very eloquently points out, when you silence (and condemn) voices it’s not just harmful to the voices silenced, it hurts the growth of the whole room.
Know Before You Read
Book: Emboldened: A Vision for Empowering Women in Ministry
Author: Tara Beth Leach
Genre: Non-Fiction, Religion
Pages: 208
Published: November 14th, 2017
NEW BOOK: Radiant Church: Restoring the Credibility of our Witness is out now!
Age Suggestion: 16+
Themes: Empowerment, women in ministry
Warnings: Women in ministry is still a somewhat controversial subject. At Down The Hobbit Hole Blog, we all believe that the Bible has no prohibitions on this. However, we recognize that some Christians do not agree with us. If you do not, you will likely not enjoy this book. We highly recommend the book.
Quick Summary of Emboldened
Tara Beth Leach is senior pastor of First Church of the Nazarene of Pasadena in Southern California. Using her story, and weaving in others, she explores the frustrations faced by women in ministry positions. She offers encouragement and a hopeful note for the future.
Emboldened Review
Weaving in stories from the Bible and history with her own story, Tara Beth Leach explores the joys and sorrows associated with being a female pastor. The frustrations she experiences are sometimes tough reading, and show the deep seated nature of this issue. But, after this, she then offers several hopeful visions for the future, a future in which all Christians are supportive of each other in ministry.
While Tara Beth expounds on the roles played by women in the Bible, this is her story and is not intended to be a thorough explanation of the issues surrounding this topic. It’s not an egalitarian playbook or a thorough direction of Paul’s writings. But the book offers powerful and important narratives on why we should be supporting women in ministry.
Continue reading for our Emboldened small group discussion questions
–Why Read Emboldened–
I am an older white male who has gone from being very against the idea of women in ministry to supporting and advocating for women in ministry. As part of my journey, I am learning to listen to others. I found listening to Tara Beth Leach’s story to be fascinating because it illustrates three points very well.
1) The first is that God has indeed called women to positions of leadership. He did so Biblically in both the old and new testaments and He calls them to high levels of leadership now.
2) The second is how incredibly frustrating it is to be a woman called to ministry in a patriarchal society. (Even in churches that officially support that position- EG: we are egalitarian and we actively have women in leadership roles on staff.).
3) And the third is how easy it is to slip into stereotypes. Too often we think we know the answers; it is time to start listening to people’s stories.
Continue reading for our Emboldened small group discussion questions
Emboldened Small Group Discussion Questions
Part One, Chapters 1-3
1. Tara Beth Leach opens with several stories of women overcoming obstacles to ministries. Were you familiar with these? Did any of the details from these stories surprise you? Which did you relate to most?
2. In her second chapter she address imposter syndrome – which frequently affects women but also can affect men. Have you ever felt like you were an imposter? Which of her suggestions for dealing with this do you think might help you or someone you know?
Chapters 4-6
3. The chapter on opposition, which contains thoughts on anger and bitterness, could almost be written to Christians in 2020. What did you take away from this chapter? Did it help you with processing recent events?
4. Were any of your stereotypes challenged while reading her descriptions of marriage, family, and singleness? Did her commentary on Ephesians 5 shed new light on that chapter? What did you learn?
Part Two, Chapters 7-10
5. While written primarily for a female audience, the book also calls males to support and empower women, so there are actions for everyone to take. What actions could you take? (example – we recently chose a new church home, and one of the requirements was a female pastor).
6. Tara Beth uses several metaphors to describe the church. My favorite was an orchestra. Which of these made you think?
7. What are your thoughts on allowing diverse voices being an issue of mission?
8. The church has, unfortunately, tended to silence voices. How has this (in this context of this book, especially silencing female voices) affected the mission of the church?
9. How has reading this book affected your thinking on women and work in ministry?
***How can you support diverse voices in your church, in your workplace, and in your own relationships???
5 Favorite Quotes from the Emboldened Book by Tara Beth Leach:
“…culture is a powerful machine, and many of us don’t realize that the way we think, the way we view one another, and the constructs we place one another in are birthed out of cultural stereotypes. Undoing stereotypes is difficult, and it most certainly cannot happen without acknowledgment and intentionality. Stereotypes, of course, aren’t just a phenomenon that women have to deal with; rather, stereotypes are wrapped up in generations, race, location, and more.”
“Leading with anger and bitterness won’t fill a room of eager listeners wanting to learn more, but it will likely scare them away. But taking the posture of Jesus—that is, loving my opponents, praying for them, and serving them—will likely advance the message more than it will hinder it. Arguing with my opponents with a chip on my shoulder will turn them away even more.”
“The church—that is, the people of God who live under the reign and rule of King Jesus—is to be a countercultural community that declares a drastic alternative to the world around them. In a world of pain, corruption, coercion, brokenness, division, and war, the church declares the radical alternatives of peace, generosity, love, healing, and unity. When the church lives a radical alternative to the world around them, it is a sign and wonder. God is doing a revolutionary thing in and through his people for all the world to see and recognize the wonder of God’s goodness.”
“Black, brown, white, old, young, rich, and poor are included and called into this kingdom vision of Jesus. All are emboldened to proclaim the good news of the feast.”
“It isn’t merely a justice issue, it’s a mission issue—and the mission will continue to be held back without women.”
Thanks for checking out our Emboldened Small Group Discussion Questions. Before you go, check out these other posts:
–Blue Parakeet: The way we read the Bible impacts us so much, but have you ever thought about the difficulties in interpretations as growth opportunities?
–Becoming Brave: Finding the Courage to Pursue Racial Justice Now book review
–5 Lessons on Communication from Narnia
–Chosen: A free TV show that gives perspective on the lives of the disciples as they decide to follow Jesus.
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