The Black Swan Effect A Response to Gender Hierarchy in the Church

All it took was one. One black swan changed people's minds forever. The Black Swan Effect presents a vision for what can happen as men and women work together in the Kingdom of God. The authors (both male and female) encourage men to champion women as equal co-laborers and partners in the harvest. They give women permission and inspiration to follow the Lord—to reach their own full potential and encourage others to fulfill God's call. The Black Swan Effect equips both men and women to bring an informed and positive contribution to the increasingly crucial conversation on gender in the church. If you are like most Christians, one of three primary motivations propels you into this discussion about women in ministry: • Many Christians have come to the conclusion that there is no better way to increase the size of God's missions workforce than to fully deploy women to use their spiritual gifts and God-given capacities. • Some are asking theological questions. They are investigating how the Bible portrays women, especially women leaders. How did Jesus treat women? Were the New Testament writers—in particular, the apostle Paul—misogynists? Are there alternative interpretations for some of the really difficult passages of Scripture? • Others are drawn to this discussion because of issues related to justice and human dignity around the world as well as in the church. As they study Scripture, they are assured that God creates all men and women in his image, and they can't even imagine a God who would discriminate against women. Fourteen different authors contribute to these themes, each writing from their own area of passion and expertise, the whole being woven together into a single narrative. Encouraging stories of women who are doing marvelous things for God today accompany each chapter. Change is coming! Let's get ready.