by Kelly Pelton (written 20 Dec 2021)

Inequity of gender is one part
of not esteeming everyone the same.
We hear from charismatic pastor men,
the best of whom we elevate to fame.

Why can't we also hear the least of these,
their stories testimonies of God's love,
their faithful perseverance moving us
to set our sights on unseen truth above?

Why then do we consolidate church power
when Jesus' life divested power on earth;*
why do we celebrate our man-made realms
as though our human empires have more worth?

Church women have not organized to gain
the equity that's ours as kingdom kids,
perhaps in part because a worldly church
with "who's first" rules is not what Jesus bids

His followers to be. Why not reform
this carnal institution to embrace,
not man-made hierarchy, but every voice
a welcome proclamation of God's grace,

the least of these included as we spread
the hopeful gospel message to the world,
no prohibitions rooted in our sex,
no subjugating power plays unfurled?

Resist the scorn and fury of the men
whose empires may be threatened if they share
their power with the least of these, the ones
who know their neediness of God's great care.

*With thanks to Dr. Kristin Kobes Du Mez for this distinction between consolidating and divesting power in the church.

by Kelly Pelton (written 04 Dec 2021)

I cannot pretend it's acceptable
for some to interpret the word of God
to relegate women to second-class status
as over their souls the powerful trod.

I cannot pretend it's integrity
causing you to be subordinating
half of your membership to the stronger;
their value is less, you're insinuating.

I cannot pretend that there's not a mountain
of scholarly research to validate
that women in ministry serving Jesus
were never treated as second-rate.

I cannot pretend the subtle abuse
of power-over tactics is not real.
The damage is ongoing and oppressive;
their confidence in God's fairness you steal.

I cannot pretend, though certain women
defend gender hierarchy as God's will.
To deny that abuse is actually abuse
allows it to fester unabated still.

by Kelly Pelton (written 04 Dec 2021)

Separate me not into separate spheres,
my major contributions home and kids,
for I have the image of God to express;
don't limit me with your interpretive grids.

Reduce me not to my lady parts,
a bit less than human, gratifying
the lust of your eyes which often appears
endless and way beyond satisfying.

Relegate me not to the background roles,
supporting you to pursue your passion
as though I have lesser drives or vision
in what you call typical female fashion.

Do not overlook me as though I'm less,
 your eyes averted with pseudo-shyness;
I know the look of esteem and respect
instead of disinterest or furtive slyness.

Women are people who should have the freedom
to self-determine with God our serving;
all people want to transcend the mundane
and follow their God-given plan, unswerving.

With appreciation to Alice Duer Miller, suffragette poet who published a collection of poetry under this title.

by Kelly Pelton (written 27 Nov 2021)

Subordination is abuse, 
the power-over motive strong;
don't use God's word as your excuse,
for God Himself would not do wrong

as do those ones who misconstrue
the scriptures for their worldly gain
while nicely smiling in the pew,
their doctrines causing females pain.

Subordination fits the bill
of wily tactics of control,
the old demoralizing drill
that puts the men in the best role.

No safety in the church exists
for girls and women yet to learn
the subtle lying that enlists
self-doubt, as from ourselves we turn

to follow "God's rules" as they're taught
by men with power-over minds,
who keep convincing us we ought
to cow down. Our ambition blinds

us women to God's truth, they say,
projecting their sins on to us,
exasperated by the way
egalitarians will fuss;

we won't buy in to their denial,
their countering and discounting,
their righteous-indignation-style
withholding of power. Our mounting

resistance to their scornful tone,
their critical, dismissive ways
and undermining makes them prone
to bring out their best power plays;

they emphasize a verse or two,
appeal to fallen hierarchy
as God's best plan for me and you
to keep the church from anarchy.

The most effective ones accuse
the women of a tendency
to be deceived, a clever ruse
to cultivate dependency

on men as chosen ones to speak
God's truth to all; integrity
and strength they feign, discarding meek
and lowly with inequity.

Let us not be deceived by these
who slyly shame daughters of Eve;
deceivers find their power flees
if all their lies we won't believe.

by Kelly Pelton (written 17 Nov 2021)

If you can get Christians to doubt or dismiss their feelings,
they'll buy in to inhumane scriptural interpretations,
for you have primed them to trust you and not themselves; 
to question you subjects them to multiple degradations.

COUNTERING means you argue against their perceptions,
GASLIGHTING means you assert a different reality,
DISCOUNTING implies their feelings are out of proportion,
JUDGING - you question their motives and morality.

Verbal abuse disguised as JOKES diminishes,
TRIVIALIZING deems them insignificant,
UNDERMINING lessens their power insidiously
while your dedication to God's word seems magnificent.

(To learn these tactics of church-wide emotional abuse
and many more, look to the complementarians,
their leaders subordinationist, who are DENYING
in order to rule those who could become egalitarians.)

Do this all in the name of God and His holy word,
and if they frown and say, "this doesn't seem quite fair,"
remind them, "the heart is deceitful," "His ways are higher,"
to soothe their uneasy consciences lest they all dare

to investigate for themselves the sound biblical scholarship
despite your NAME-CALLING them "man-centered" or "feelings-based,"
ACCUSING them of drifting liberal in order that
their sincere misgivings and objections may be erased.

The facts about feelings are: They can be manipulated 
by cleverly deceptive people; you might be one of those,
persuading Christians to distrust their feelings and follow you,
as a warrior for God's harsh truth you convincingly pose.

With gratitude to Patricia Evans and her ever-relevant book The Verbally Abusive Relationship.

by Kelly Pelton (written 16 Nov 2021)

I remember thinking with a wild and limitless hope
that any good is possible through any human being,
and I longed to contribute some good to this hurting world
by uniquely phrasing God's truth, His comfort, His seeing

the beauty and pain and distress in each of our stories.
To pour out His goodness to this world without restriction
excited me beyond comprehension; how many ways
can God's people proclaim His love with hopeful conviction?

"Stop," said the naysayers, "women are barred from pastoring;
teaching or preaching God's word to men is forbidden.
Through you His goodness can flow, but not with freedom;
the roles of females in the church must be more hidden."

Forget the prophecy about daughters prophesying,
this troublesome egalitarian vision of Joel; 
explain it away as you do many other scriptures
in your relentless quest for and worship of church control.

Hear the logical message that oozes from your restrictions:
If men have a limitless freedom for doing good works
but women are limited, how they can channel the good,
and God's kingdom is that of goodness, the implication lurks

that men have more value than women, more use to the Lord,
more purpose that reaps eternal rewards, more influence
on souls, more respect and esteem, more appreciative honor, 
more spiritual blessings in a sort of eternal affluence.

To limit God's goodness through people of opposite gender 
says unmistakably, "you are lesser." No longer
can I abide suppression of goodness through women;
may God's Spirit flow through us unhindered, bolder and stronger.

by Kelly Pelton (written 03 Nov 2021)

It behooves us to know that some
personality afflictions
cause relational handicaps,
vexing us with contradictions

between words and the actions of
men and women so afflicted;
let us not then judge the genders by 
how by these they are depicted!

Be savvy to the suffering ones
whose intentions may be upright
but their methods wreak havoc in 
fellowships that want to be tight.

To then learn how to manage these 
difficult, disruptive people
is how Christians get empowered,
ditching roles of timid sheeple.

We get firm and use humor in 
setting boundaries that are healthy;
distraction and confidence are
strategies both wise and stealthy.

We don't cave to the tantrums of
men or women misbehaving;
we stay upbeat and positive
even when there's angry raving.

As Christians catch on to these
personality disorders,
we will not blame one gender nor
limit them with man-made borders.

We'll recognize that "difficult" is 
not a male or female feature;
it's minority pathology of
laity and also preacher.

by Kelly Pelton (written 15 Oct 2021)

A voice of a mother crying ENOUGH-
the family of God must be purified!
All of us women must mother the church
to love in a healthy way, sanctified

by God's Holy Spirit to be the ones
whose impartiality and esteem
across gender lines speak of holiness,
His solid intention to now redeem

male and female, no longer competing
but reconciled in Jesus our Savior,
not a whisper of gender hierarchy 
nor any unbecoming behavior.

Let's be relentless, asserting His best;
call out the power plays, stand up to harm.
This is God's family; we are His children.
Firm and courageous, we sound the alarm.

One need not be parent to firmly lead
with parental boundaries, authoritative,
valuing input, hearing all voices,
a style good-natured and integrative.

Poor treatment of women we've borne too long.
We can't second-guess our mothering role
to end "separate roles," an unjust charade
whose justification has taken a toll,

misrepresenting God as though He wills
the stronger to subjugate the weaker,
as though His "fairness" is subordination,
the equal-strong ruling equal-meeker.

We know what's just, our consciences given
by Him who sharpens them, Spirit guiding
our interpretations of scripture's truth;
let us no longer remain in hiding.

Sisters, let's mother the family of God
and put a stop to churches's deception
of gender bias as His perfect plan
instead of respectful, equal connection.

With gratitude to Beth Moore and her unforgettable post, “A Letter to My Brothers,” https://blog/lproof.org/2018/05/a-letter-to-my-brothers.html.

by Kelly Pelton (written 18 Oct 2021)

It is unfortunate God made you weak
then penalized you for that sin of Eve,
and in church He won't even let you speak,
but at least to your husband you can cleave,

submitting (like Sarah to her master),
helping him reach his utmost potential
in case he has gifts to teach or pastor,
male gender being God's first credential.

We want to show honor for all the ways
you serve and sacrifice; all you do
allows us to focus on that which pays
big dividends in eternal value.

How can we honor the disempowered
who do all the tasks of lesser meaning,
allowing the men to not be soured
by mundane distractions, instead gleaning

harvests of influence, growing numbers 
which prove God's blessing? We affirm your worth:
"What a good woman who unencumbers
us men in our dreams of substantial girth."

We praise you for your subordination;
don't get ambitious as though you're a man.
The liberals push for your ordination
as though we could learn from you in God's plan!

Keep silent, ladies; He speaks through His men.
He loves how you please us, this role you play,
and we'll be willing to die for you when,
or if, you're physically threatened one day.

by Kelly Pelton (written 19 Apr 2021)

We hold this truth to be self-evident:
All men and women are created equal
to joyfully express our God-given gifts
to edify the church in a prequel

to His kingdom's full reign, a renewed earth
where no curses of the fall continue.
With prayer and humble receptivity,
the church is a Holy Spirit venue

to draw the world to Christ; countercultural
sharers of power is how we're made to be
in the image of God who gave free will
which allowed for us to serve willingly.

Let us serve with the freedom of children
secure in His love, mature in lifting
the marginalized to serve equally
instead of limiting and restricting.