Store Pulls Christian Magazine for Honoring Female Clergy

Gospel Today magazine pulled from some bookstores' shelves

Sep. 21, 2008
Updated: Sep. 22, 2008

Durham, N.C. — A national Christian magazine featuring a Durham pastor is causing controversy after it was pulled from the shelves of a major book chain.

For nine years, pastor Sheryl Brady has used her enthusiasm and energy to inspire her congregation at The River Church, 4005 Holt School Road. So when she was chosen to be on the cover of Gospel Today magazine, as one of the fastest growing women-led congregations in the United States, she jumped at the chance.

“It was a huge honor. I was just blessed to be there,” Brady said.

However, soon after the magazine's September-October issue was published, all 150 Lifeway Christian Bookstores pulled the issue from its shelves because of its affiliation with the Southern Baptist Convention.

The group says women pastors go against its beliefs, according to its interpretation of the New Testament.

“I'm shocked. I'm shocked that you're here (and) that we're having this conversation. I'm shocked that in 2008 that there's still a gender prejudice in the church,” Brady said.

Published for nearly 20 years, Gospel Today is the largest and most widely distributed urban Christian publication in the country, with a circulation of 240,000. The magazine's publisher, Dr. Teresa Hairston, said she was just reporting on a trend, not trying to promote female pastors.

“I look at this and I think it's humiliating. I think it's degrading that they would take this magazine and yank it off the shelves because women are in leadership,” Hairston said.

Nationally, the Southern Baptists have adopted statements discouraging women from being pastors, but their 42,000 U.S. churches are independent and a few have selected women to lead their congregations. The denomination was organized in 1845 in Augusta, Ga.

Chris Turner, a spokesman for Lifeway Resources, said the cover was not the reason the magazine was pulled from Lifeway's shelves.

"The buyers said the statements that were in it took positions that were contrary to what we would say," Turner said. "It wasn't so much that there were women on the cover."

Pastor Bill Sanderson – a staunch supporter of the Southern Baptist Convention – said in a statement Sunday, " We go by scripture and what the word of God teaches."

Sanderson added, "A man holds the position of pastor not a woman."

“You can't tell me I'm not a pastor. I'm a shepherd of these people,” Brady said.

Featured on the cover are Brady; Pastor Tamara Bennett of This Is Pentecost Ministries in Sacramento, Calif.; Bishop Millicent Hunter of The Baptist Worship Center in Philadelphia, Pa.; Pastor Claudette Copeland of New Creation Christian Fellowship in San Antonio, Texas; and Pastor Kimberly Ray of Church on the Rock in Matteson, Ill.

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/3582253/

^^^ Interesting, thanks for posting this. Being that Lifeway Christian is a Southern Baptist based chain, I'm surprised she is shocked. Would she expect an Amish store to carry this issue?

BeaLady said:

Gospel Today magazine pulled from some bookstores' shelves

Sep. 21, 2008
Updated: Sep. 22, 2008

Durham, N.C. — A national Christian magazine featuring a Durham pastor is causing controversy after it was pulled from the shelves of a major book chain.

For nine years, pastor Sheryl Brady has used her enthusiasm and energy to inspire her congregation at The River Church, 4005 Holt School Road. So when she was chosen to be on the cover of Gospel Today magazine, as one of the fastest growing women-led congregations in the United States, she jumped at the chance.

“It was a huge honor. I was just blessed to be there,” Brady said.

However, soon after the magazine's September-October issue was published, all 150 Lifeway Christian Bookstores pulled the issue from its shelves because of its affiliation with the Southern Baptist Convention.

The group says women pastors go against its beliefs, according to its interpretation of the New Testament.

“I'm shocked. I'm shocked that you're here (and) that we're having this conversation. I'm shocked that in 2008 that there's still a gender prejudice in the church,” Brady said.

Published for nearly 20 years, Gospel Today is the largest and most widely distributed urban Christian publication in the country, with a circulation of 240,000. The magazine's publisher, Dr. Teresa Hairston, said she was just reporting on a trend, not trying to promote female pastors.

“I look at this and I think it's humiliating. I think it's degrading that they would take this magazine and yank it off the shelves because women are in leadership,” Hairston said.

Nationally, the Southern Baptists have adopted statements discouraging women from being pastors, but their 42,000 U.S. churches are independent and a few have selected women to lead their congregations. The denomination was organized in 1845 in Augusta, Ga.

Chris Turner, a spokesman for Lifeway Resources, said the cover was not the reason the magazine was pulled from Lifeway's shelves.

"The buyers said the statements that were in it took positions that were contrary to what we would say," Turner said. "It wasn't so much that there were women on the cover."

Pastor Bill Sanderson – a staunch supporter of the Southern Baptist Convention – said in a statement Sunday, " We go by scripture and what the word of God teaches."

Sanderson added, "A man holds the position of pastor not a woman."

“You can't tell me I'm not a pastor. I'm a shepherd of these people,” Brady said.

Featured on the cover are Brady; Pastor Tamara Bennett of This Is Pentecost Ministries in Sacramento, Calif.; Bishop Millicent Hunter of The Baptist Worship Center in Philadelphia, Pa.; Pastor Claudette Copeland of New Creation Christian Fellowship in San Antonio, Texas; and Pastor Kimberly Ray of Church on the Rock in Matteson, Ill.

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/3582253/

Click to expand...

This comes to mind....
Galatians 3:28-
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

Aviah said:

This comes to mind....
Galatians 3:28-
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

Click to expand...

In Christ we are definitely one. Does this mean that we are all called to the same roles? If so then I suppose you would have no issue with any distinction? Including homosexual marriages?

I am not surprised - that is like having a McDonald's inside of a Whole-Foods. It is contrary to their beliefs.

I actually commend LifeWay for this move... they took a stand for what they believe. In this age of super-tolerance I think we can all learn something from that.

tmichelle said:

^^^ Interesting, thanks for posting this. Being that Lifeway Christian is a Southern Baptist based chain, I'm surprised she is shocked. Would she expect an Amish store to carry this issue?

Click to expand...

I doubt she would expect an Amish store to carry her magazine. The store has been carrying her magazine. I think it's a little ironic because the article says that most churches are independent and some of their congregations have selected women to lead their churches.

Thank you. I agree with the bookstore's decision to pull the book. If the female "pastor" truly honored and believed that the bible had the final say, she would understand that it had nothing to do with sexism.

this is a classic example of Burger King Christianity... Contrary to popular belief you cannot "HAVE IT YOUR WAY!"...

Thank you. I agree with the bookstore's decision to pull the book. If the female "pastor" truly honored and believed that the bible had the final say, she would understand that it had nothing to do with sexism.

this is a classic example of Burger King Christianity... Contrary to popular belief you cannot "HAVE IT YOUR WAY!"...

Thank you. I agree with the bookstore's decision to pull the book. If the female "pastor" truly honored and believed that the bible had the final say, she would understand that it had nothing to do with sexism.

this is a classic example of Burger King Christianity... Contrary to popular belief you cannot "HAVE IT YOUR WAY!"...

tmichelle said:

In Christ we are definitely one. Does this mean that we are all called to the same roles? If so then I suppose you would have no issue with any distinction? Including homosexual marriages?

Click to expand...

Not a sound comparison....

My journalistic side says that a bookstore should be open (within reasonable limits) to allowing access of a variety of opinions to its consumers. Like if I go to a Black bookstore and there are some books there that I can buy about White supremacist thought, you know, that's a courageous thing to do.

My Holy Spirit (which takes precedence) again, I'm curious about the fear of having ONE ISSUE of this magazine cause so much fear and threat, esp. if they've carried the magazine all this time. If they wanted to make a strong statement, then cancel selling the magazine altogether, right? Or is it because some of their consumers look for that magazine in their stores each month and the store doesn't want to lose their business, right? It's all about the money....

Doctrine/theology aside: I'm not impressed that they pulled the issue.

FoxyScholar said:

Not a sound comparison....

My journalistic side says that a bookstore should be open (within reasonable limits) to allowing access of a variety of opinions to its consumers. Like if I go to a Black bookstore and there are some books there that I can buy about White supremacist thought, you know, that's a courageous thing to do.

My Holy Spirit (which takes precedence) again, I'm curious about the fear of having ONE ISSUE of this magazine cause so much fear and threat, esp. if they've carried the magazine all this time. If they wanted to make a strong statement, then cancel selling the magazine altogether, right? Or is it because some of their consumers look for that magazine in their stores each month and the store doesn't want to lose their business, right? It's all about the money....

Doctrine/theology aside: I'm not impressed that they pulled the issue.

Click to expand...

I agree with you. This bothers me because I think there may have been other reasons for doing this.

We don't have this bookstore in my part of the country so I looked at their website. I found books by John Hagee who believes in speaking in tongues which is not wholly accepted by the Southern Baptists. I found a book by Jimmy Carter who left the denomination because he didn't agree with their stance on women ministers. They had music by Shirley Caesar and Juanita Bynum, a pastor and a minister. I also found a book titled, Courage and Hope: The Stories of Ten Baptist Women Ministers.

That is what bothered me. They were not consistent and it appears hypocritical to me.

Duplicate post

FoxyScholar said:

Not a sound comparison....

My journalistic side says that a bookstore should be open (within reasonable limits) to allowing access of a variety of opinions to its consumers. Like if I go to a Black bookstore and there are some books there that I can buy about White supremacist thought, you know, that's a courageous thing to do.

My Holy Spirit (which takes precedence) again, I'm curious about the fear of having ONE ISSUE of this magazine cause so much fear and threat, esp. if they've carried the magazine all this time. If they wanted to make a strong statement, then cancel selling the magazine altogether, right? Or is it because some of their consumers look for that magazine in their stores each month and the store doesn't want to lose their business, right? It's all about the money....

Doctrine/theology aside: I'm not impressed that they pulled the issue.

Click to expand...

But what if it were a homosexual "pastor" - would you agree with the bookstore pulling the book. Or would you still say that the bookstore should be "open"?

Duplicate post

FoxyScholar said:

Not a sound comparison....

My journalistic side says that a bookstore should be open (within reasonable limits) to allowing access of a variety of opinions to its consumers. Like if I go to a Black bookstore and there are some books there that I can buy about White supremacist thought, you know, that's a courageous thing to do.

My Holy Spirit (which takes precedence) again, I'm curious about the fear of having ONE ISSUE of this magazine cause so much fear and threat, esp. if they've carried the magazine all this time. If they wanted to make a strong statement, then cancel selling the magazine altogether, right? Or is it because some of their consumers look for that magazine in their stores each month and the store doesn't want to lose their business, right? It's all about the money....

Doctrine/theology aside: I'm not impressed that they pulled the issue.

Click to expand...

I understand your premise, however biblical headship is a serious matter and should be looked into further by most Christians. Just because we see a thing and it appears to be working - does not mean we should adopt it as gospel.

Honestly, had I gone into the bookstore and seen the magazine I would not have thought much about it, but since it has come to the forefront I support their decision based reasons stated in my previous post.

May I add that I love this forum and enjoy our conversations here!

double post ----

i can't stand when this happens

deleted -

<<double post>>>

Duplicate post

Duplicate post

Duplicate post

Caramela said:

But what if it were a homosexual "pastor" - would you agree with the bookstore pulling the book. Or would you still say that the bookstore should be "open"?

Click to expand...

In order to PULL a book, you have to have ORDERED the book in the first place. So if in this bookstore's purchasing catalog, there was a book about a homosexual pastor, then don't order the book at all.

If the book was ordered in the bookstore and it was FOUND OUT that the pastor was homosexual and all these other scandals came out about him, well one of two things would happen: 1) the book would sell out like hotcakes so the book wouldn't have to be pulled; or 2) if the book had some redeeming qualities about it outside of the vessel being caught in sin, do you pull the book? Maybe, maybe not.

momi said:

I understand your premise, however biblical headship is a serious matter and should be looked into further by most Christians. Just because we see a thing and it appears to be working - does not mean we should adopt it as gospel.

Honestly, had I gone into the bookstore and seen the magazine I would not have thought much about it, but since it has come to the forefront I support their decision based reasons stated in my previous post.

May I add that I love this forum and enjoy our conversations here!

Click to expand...

In order to PULL a book, you had to have ordered it in the first place. I would say that this magazine probably has had other content that did not align with this Southern Baptist organization. The only difference with this issue is that it is on the front cover. I go back to my main point: is one issue going to wreck an entire organization? Nope.

FoxyScholar said:

In order to PULL a book, you had to have ordered it in the first place. I would say that this magazine probably has had other content that did not align with this Southern Baptist organization. The only difference with this issue is that it is on the front cover. I go back to my main point: is one issue going to wreck an entire organization? Nope.

Click to expand...

That is true - I am sure that other issues have come up that do not line up with their views as a whole. The fact that it was on the front cover probably was the deciding factor.

As for your main point - This is indeed is a serious issue that is wrecking havock on the body of the Christ. A lack of male leadership is running rampant is our churches and homes. I am sure that many of women who pastor do so because of the lack of qualified and willing men able to do so (see Deborah in the book of Judges)

Which came first? A lack of male leadership in our homes or our churches??? Either way it has left us with more weak, effiminate(sp), selfish men than I care to see.

momi said:

That is true - I am sure that other issues have come up that do not line up with their views as a whole. The fact that it was on the front cover probably was the deciding factor.

As for your main point - This is indeed is a serious issue that is wrecking havock on the body of the Christ. A lack of male leadership is running rampant is our churches and homes. Which came first? A lack of male leadership in our homes or our churches??? Either way it has left us with more weak, effiminate(sp), selfish men than I care to see.

Click to expand...

Good question... loaded question... but good question....

This thread and many like it makes me sad.

*shakes my head and leaves this thread right away*

tmichelle said:

In Christ we are definitely one. Does this mean that we are all called to the same roles? If so then I suppose you would have no issue with any distinction? Including homosexual marriages?

Click to expand...

All I said was it came to mind, please, don't throw me into the deep end. As far as I know, the scriptures that refer to women not speaking in church were to due the sociological context at the time:

http://www.kencollins.com/question-32.htm

Many feel that Paul prohibited women from speaking publicly to the congregation. However, if this is Paul’s teaching, this is not the proof text for it.
We must bear in mind that this epistle is addressed ‘to the church of God in Corinth,’ not ‘to anyone who happens to read this.’ (1 Corinthians 1:2) We are reading this epistle, as it were, over the shoulders of the Corinthian church, to which it is immediately addressed. Any interpretation of this passage that applies it directly to us without taking the circumstances in Corinth into account is faulty and—well—unbiblical.
This passage deals with the general issue of when people are to speak and when they are to defer to other speakers during a worship service. If you are looking for the qualifications for leadership, you have to look in other places, in particular 1 Timothy and Titus.
The women who are ‘speaking’ in this passage are not addressing the assembly in a leadership role, they were talking while the worship service was in progress, disrupting it with questions about the proceedings.
Paul says that the questions should not be asked during church, but afterwards at home.
The Greek verb translated here as ‘speak’ is λαλεω, which indicates the activity rather than the content of speech. (It is the verb that regularly introduces quotations.) Thus, we could better translate this as saying that ‘it is a disgrace for women to talk in church’ and ‘they are not allowed to talk.’
The Greek verb λαλεω appears in the present infinitive, so we could improve on our translation even further by saying, ‘it is a disgrace for women to be talking in church’ and ‘they are not allowed to be talking.’ If Paul had meant to say, ‘it is not permitted for women to preach,’ he would have used a different verb, and would have cast it in the aorist infinitive.
The Greek verb translated ‘remain silent’ means to refrain from talking out of respect, just as we do not chatter during prayers or the sermon or a choir performance.
As for the submission, the most we can get out of the passage at hand is that women, like everyone else, have to submit to the general rules of order and decorum. Decorum in worship is in fact one of the main themes of this epistle. The topic here is order in the church, not the intrinsic value of women, not the qualifications for church leadership, and not ordination.
Since the general context is about speaking out of turn in church, we can only conclude that Paul is saying that it is disgraceful for women to disrupt the service by asking questions of the other parishioners. They are not allowed to be talking, they should hold their questions until afterwards. Given that the women of Corinth were disrupting the service with their chatter, hardly anyone would disagree with Paul’s advice. Inserting any other meaning is eisegesis, not exegesis; it fallaciously conflates the text.


No, we do not have the same roles. But i feel God can use a woman to speak in His house if He can use a donkey...

I do believe the word of God is true and final, but I feel we have to look at context. That was all... (and I'm not being offensive to anyone, I know threads like these can light up in no time!)

Aviah said:

All I said was it came to mind, please, don't throw me into the deep end. As far as I know, the scriptures that refer to women not speaking in church were to due the sociological context at the time:

http://www.kencollins.com/question-32.htm

Many feel that Paul prohibited women from speaking publicly to the congregation. However, if this is Paul’s teaching, this is not the proof text for it.
We must bear in mind that this epistle is addressed ‘to the church of God in Corinth,’ not ‘to anyone who happens to read this.’ (1 Corinthians 1:2) We are reading this epistle, as it were, over the shoulders of the Corinthian church, to which it is immediately addressed. Any interpretation of this passage that applies it directly to us without taking the circumstances in Corinth into account is faulty and—well—unbiblical.
This passage deals with the general issue of when people are to speak and when they are to defer to other speakers during a worship service. If you are looking for the qualifications for leadership, you have to look in other places, in particular 1 Timothy and Titus.
The women who are ‘speaking’ in this passage are not addressing the assembly in a leadership role, they were talking while the worship service was in progress, disrupting it with questions about the proceedings.
Paul says that the questions should not be asked during church, but afterwards at home.
The Greek verb translated here as ‘speak’ is λαλεω, which indicates the activity rather than the content of speech. (It is the verb that regularly introduces quotations.) Thus, we could better translate this as saying that ‘it is a disgrace for women to talk in church’ and ‘they are not allowed to talk.’
The Greek verb λαλεω appears in the present infinitive, so we could improve on our translation even further by saying, ‘it is a disgrace for women to be talking in church’ and ‘they are not allowed to be talking.’ If Paul had meant to say, ‘it is not permitted for women to preach,’ he would have used a different verb, and would have cast it in the aorist infinitive.
The Greek verb translated ‘remain silent’ means to refrain from talking out of respect, just as we do not chatter during prayers or the sermon or a choir performance.
As for the submission, the most we can get out of the passage at hand is that women, like everyone else, have to submit to the general rules of order and decorum. Decorum in worship is in fact one of the main themes of this epistle. The topic here is order in the church, not the intrinsic value of women, not the qualifications for church leadership, and not ordination.
Since the general context is about speaking out of turn in church, we can only conclude that Paul is saying that it is disgraceful for women to disrupt the service by asking questions of the other parishioners. They are not allowed to be talking, they should hold their questions until afterwards. Given that the women of Corinth were disrupting the service with their chatter, hardly anyone would disagree with Paul’s advice. Inserting any other meaning is eisegesis, not exegesis; it fallaciously conflates the text.


No, we do not have the same roles. But i feel God can use a woman to speak in His house if He can use a donkey...

I do believe the word of God is true and final we have to look at other factors. That was all...

Click to expand...

Sorry if I misrepesented you wrongly. I have heard the above mentioned argument many times and I highly disagree with it in the context of all other scripture.

Also, a donkey never spoke in God's house. Balaam's donkey spoke to him directly on a road to curse the house of Isreal.

tmichelle said:

Sorry if I misrepesented you wrongly. I have heard the above mentioned argument many times and I highly disagree with it in the context of all other scripture.

Also, a donkey never spoke in God's house. Balaam's donkey spoke to him directly on a road to curse the house of Isreal.

Click to expand...

It's okay, no offense taken. Would you mind telling why you disagree?
I know the donkey didn't speak in God's house. How can women prophesy and not be allowed to speak in church? What about prayer?
And can someone please tell me what this has to do with male leadership? I really thought it was all about the hearts of God's people being reconciled to Him as well as it being His pleasure to reign in His kingdom... these sound like legalisms to me... I'm not nit picking here but I would like to understand.... erplexed

St. John 1:1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Mary (a woman) "carried" and "delivered" the Word.

So it is in the natural, so it is in the spirit.

"....walk a mile in my shoes and see how far The Father takes you!"

Blessings to all!