This is the second post in this section of Mark Baddeley's series on complementarianism and egalitarianism. (Read part 1.)

In this four-part series we are looking at some of the reasons why some egalitarians are likely to reconsider their commitment to women exercising authority in the church. This time around, we are looking at the pressure placed upon egalitarians by the gay lobby. The times, they are a changing, and yesterday's radical advocate of equality and liberty (for fighting for women's ordination) is today's muddle-headed conservative champion of prejudice (for not approving homosexuality). One of the biggest challenges evangelical pro-women's ordination advocates are going to experience is the growing move to approve of active homosexual lifestyles.

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According to a computer analysis, one particular Sunday in the 1950s (the 11 April 1954, to be exact) was the most boring day in the twentieth century. The most interesting things that happened on that day were a Belgian election (yawn) and the birth of a Turkish physicist specializing in atomic microscopes and computer chips. Apart from that, nothing much else happened.

Being boring seems to be a particularly heinous crime nowadays, even amongst Christians. Of course, this isn't true at all times and in all places. It's hard to think of the Protestant martyrs who were burned at the stake in the mid-1500s, or Christians today in Pakistan being sentenced to death for blasphemy, being especially worried about the prospect of boredom. On the other hand, if you're reading this, you probably belong to that portion of humanity with quite a lot of time on our hands. Time to read blogs, for example. Or play sport. Or to like things on Facebook. And since you probably spend quite a bit of time reading, playing and liking, you probably care a lot more about the ‘interest factor’ in your entertainment, your sport and your friends than, for instance, the average Protestant martyr.

So is there actually anything wrong with being boring? Is boredom just a 21st century Western problem that we all just need to ‘get over’?

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This is the second section in Mark Baddeley's series on complementarianism and egalitarianism. (Read the first section, The coming divide.)

I have argued in a previous series that the disagreement over the role of women in the church has now reached a point where some structural separation at the institutional level is likely to work itself out. The debate is, by and large, over; leaders of the two movements are now moving on to explore the ramifications of their position for doctrine, the Christian life, and how church and ministry are conducted. This will mean institutions will become more monochrome as they take steps that make it hard for people to stay if they disagree. It will also mean that both groups may well find themselves diverging on related doctrines, as the fundamental principles at play behind the concrete debate over women's ordination increasingly work themselves out to other areas of doctrine and practice.

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Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. (1 Tim 4:13)

This is the final post in Scott's series on the public reading of Scripture. You may want to read the first part, the second part, the third part, the fourth part, the fifth part, the sixth part, or the seventh part of this series.

As we move into the last post in this series, I want us to finally ask what ‘public’ reading involves.

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Something funny is happening to our Bible readings at church. I noticed it last week.

We use the NIV at St Michael's for our public reading of Scripture and preaching. (And Scott, please note we have at least two readings at every service, and three for our early morning service!)

Everyone on our reading roster knows we use the NIV.

But last week some of the readings were different from what we had in front of us. And others noticed too. What was going on?

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Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. (1 Tim 4:13)

This is the seventh post in Scott's series on the public reading of Scripture. You may want to read the first part, the second part, the third part, the fourth part, the fifth part and the sixth part of this series.

We are in deeply serious trouble if I have to justify the need for devotion to the public reading of Scripture. They sound like fighting words, don't they? But they're not. They're words of plea, with tears in my eyes, that you let God be heard. He doesn't need us of course, but surely the sheep who know their shepherd's voice would want to hear that voice as often as they can.

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Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. (1 Tim 4:13)

This is the sixth post in Scott's series on the public reading of Scripture. You may want to read the first part, the second part, the third part, the fourth part, and the fifth part of this series.

In my last post, I made one observation about why we perhaps don't change in this matter: fear. There is another, although not one I say easily. It's a simple reason, if appalling; perhaps some aren't devoted to the public reading of Scripture because they no longer believe it's worthwhile. The next post will dwell much on the infinite worth of reading the Bible to each other. But first, to our possible unbelief.

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Jesus came back from the dead. A zombie is a reanimated corpse. Therefore, Jesus is a zombie.

Impeccable logic, but is this reality?

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Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. (1 Tim 4:13)

This is the fifth post in Scott's series on the public reading of Scripture. You may want to read the first part, the second part, the third part or the fourth part of this series.

We've already touched on some reasons why we may not be devoted to the public reading of Scripture, especially in the second post. Nevertheless, in this fifth post, I want to draw some of these out and push us further.

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Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. (1 Tim 4:13)

This is the fourth post in Scott's series on the public reading of Scripture. You may want to read the first part, the second part or the third part of this series.

In this fourth post, we turn to think about the implications of devotion to the public reading of Scripture for readers and congregations.

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