by Kelly Pelton (written 10 Dec 2019)

I've no desire to join the ranks of those with power in the church,
no tolerance for those men who congratulate one another
for excluding women despite a mountain of Bible research
which envisions a sister working alongside a brother.

"Separate roles!" the traditionalists cry, "but the genders have equal worth!"
as though their Jim Crow interpretation of scripture is just;
they ignore the principles in their reading of particulars,
dismissing or explaining away any details they must.

The institutional church is weak and sick, its size declining
'til persecution drives the Christians to gather underground,
powerless except for Jesus, no place for quibbling or whining
about who leads; it's as His followers our meaning is found.

Servants and not "servant leaders" (said with false humility)
is who we truly are, working together to bring the kingdom 
to the least of these, no cares for worldly respectability,
equal concern for one another instead of male-run fiefdom.

Those of us who've known the blessed co-ed camaraderie
long for it, discarding "separate but equal" deceptiveness;
embracing "together and equal," Christ's body identity,
we pray for gender reconciliation receptiveness.

by Kelly Pelton (written 23 Jan 2020)

When people in power regulate others who
by virtue of an unalterable trait
are not in power, I have wondered how you
know how much to restrict their freedom. You'd hate

to be inhumane in your limitations -
there is no need to be cruel to the underdog
(upon the underlings rest the great nations) -
but managing them is like pinning down fog.

Where to draw the line on how much they can do?
Let them ride the same bus if they have their own rows.
Don't let them surmise they are equal to you;
it would be unfortunate if their contempt grows.

Let them ride the same train if they have their own car,
let them teach in the church if they teach their own kind.
It's tricky to govern them, don't take it too far
or they could revolt; then you'd be in a bind.

Let them be visible but not too visible,
let them serve (not in the roles of double honor).
For what you allow them, they should be grateful;
to decide on these rules takes wisdom and valor.

You'll find yourselves in quandaries, restricting others;
don't lose sight of your leadership position,
discerning what's right for your sisters and brothers
as God helps you humbly fulfill your mission.

Inspired by Wayne Grudem’s lists, pages 85-101, Evangelical Feminism and Biblical Truth

by Kelly Pelton (written 22 Feb 2020)

The world sees women as bodies who serve
men's needs for sex, childbearing, and housework,
the view perpetuated by the church
beneath whose "separate roles" doctrine does lurk
myriad false assumptions about female souls
(subconscious, unspoken):  They're made to slave
cheerfully, like Jesus said, unseen roles
keeping them beneath the men strong and brave
who are visibly guiding the church's goals.
Let the women decorate this man's world
as men make the weightier decisions.
God's representative is boy, not girl,
for logic must lead in cataclysms.
Women are relational, not fighters
who'll guard orthodoxy; men are warriors
against false teachers - they'll restrict tighter
the institutional seat of power,
the congratulatory smart men's club,
God's representatives for this hour
with females not infiltrating the hub.
But what if, true to the Epic Story,
God uses all types for His kingdom plans
and loves women showcasing His glory
through their grasp of His word, their lives in His hands?
What is women are not simply bodies
to do men's bidding, but are adventured
beings who have persevered through ungodly 
events and relationships, not indentured
laborers to the men who speak for Him?
What if women's minds are to be cherished,
equally important contributions 
to church dialogue?  Let vision not perish,
the vision where brothers and sisters speak 
for our Lord, coworkers under Jesus,
the stronger honoring, not limiting, the weak,
Christ's body a mosaic of vital pieces.

The Egalitarian Rhymes began after an inspiring family trip to Washington, D.C. in November 2019 during which my daughters and I visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture. I have always loved the passion behind the Civil Rights Movement and longed for a Spirit-led transformation of those churches which currently restrict the role of women based on an interpretation of the Bible that ignores biblical principles. When you restrict the spiritual contributions of women to the whole church, you diminish their value to, for, and in the church.

This website was constructed in September 2020 with a specific local purpose in mind which has not yet come to fruition. The broader hope for the website is that it be used to challenge and encourage the worldwide body of Christ by conveying the best of egalitarian Bible research ideas in succinct and memorable phrases. May these rhymes, many of which were written in 2020, put forth a clearer and higher vision for what the kingdom of God could be on this earth.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton