Leadership, Men, and the Church...

[Ronald A. Nelson Col.USA (Ret)]

Men today are often challenged in unique ways... I can remember the days when 'Father' knew best and a wife didn't seek to challenge the authority of her husband. Children were taught to respect their fathers and men were pillars of strength in the Church... What has happened?

The feminization of the Church and community... has challenged the traditional and scriptural place of men. Pastors and community leaders have too often denigrated the role of males, labeling them as overtly oppressive or worse... unfit to lead. The fact is that no man wants to hear that he is not WANTED or NEEDED.

God ordained man's role in the earth and that role has not changed... He was given dominion over the earth and in this role he is to be the head of the family of mankind and the steward of God's earthly creation. This role places a great burden upon man and as such he needs the support of the Church and the community at large... The last thing man needs is to have his authority adversely challenged by his 'Helper', woman and the Body of Christ.

Today we see the male figure ridiculed by society... beginning in the home where his authority is now 'questioned' and extending into every facet of this life: education, work, the Body of Christ, and in the present social order, man is challenged and often denigrated. Little boys are taught that they need to get in touch with their feminine side; public schools are failing their needs and today we see girls excelling, often leaving their male counterparts far behind. Admissions to undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools are now dominated by female applicants. The next generation in America will see vast changes to the roles 'gender' plays within the social structure and leadership of mankind.

God is not pleased with the rearrangement of gender roles... beginning in the Garden, when Adam gave heed to Eve's enticement to 'Eat', we find God's purpose and order for male and female being confused and distorted. It now appears that the Church has engaged a world view for gender roles and now looks more and more to women, as the dominate force within the Body of Christ. Is this God's Plan?

What saith the Scripture... concerning Nations and a people who are LEAD by Women and Children? Isaiah 3:12 clearly declares: "As for my people, children are their oppressors, and WOMEN rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths."

The current social order in the West... has elevated the role of Children and Women until they now rule over the House of Man. 80% of all Divorces are filed by women. Why? Have men changed so much or have women? The culture and laws of the land are now designed to give greater social support to women and single parent families…with women as heads of households.

Is this man's doing or some other force working in the earth? Who is tempting Eve today, promising her power and her own headship, to become the dominant authority in the earth? All things remain the same there is nothing new under the son.

Father should know best... and father should be the 'UNQUESTIONABlE' head of the family in a Christian household... This simply is not the case in many Christian households today. The roles of male and female are being overtly perverted in the world.. Will the Church rise to the occasion, too reassert man's role as the 'Head of Woman' (1Cor 11:3) Or, will the doctrine of mutual submission continue to pervert the headship of man. The order in the earth as established by God in the beginning was to reflect the order in heaven… will the Church support this order, with man as the head of woman and his house? Who sits upon the Beast and where is the seat of apostasy today? (See Rev 17:1-17)

I leave you with this scripture and these words to ponder: "For God put in their hearts to fulfil His will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled." (Rev 17:17) Today this scripture is fulfilled.