Marcel and Lucie Longchamps are two of my favourite people. Together with two university students, they minister the Word in Quebec City. Please do not take this to mean that Lucie preaches. She does NOT. However, she is a brave soul who goes out with the guys when they preach on the streets, helping to distribute hundreds of tracts and engaging in conversation with souls as they pass by.
Lucie tries SO hard to communicate with me in her limited English. I want SO bad to be able to talk to her better!! (We're ordering a French course for our whole family this month. I can't wait!!) I admire her for her courage, for her determination to do God's will, and for her sweet spirit. Recently she quit her job because God impressed upon her to be a keeper at home.
Marcel recently started his own blog, The Beauty of Holiness. I encourage you to take a look at it. Keep in mind that his first language is French, and overlook any errors you may find in his English. I'm adding this blog to my sidebar.
11 comments:
Help me understand this. Does Lucie not preach because she doesn't want to, or is it believed that women are too simple-minded to understand what they're talking about? Or is it because even if they DO know what they're talking about, God doesn't want women to talk about the Gospel in front of men?
If the latter, are only women supposed to read your blog? After all, you DO bring up your faith. I'm not sure how typing into a computer as a witness for all the world to see and speaking words on a street corner bear any substantive difference. In fact, you're more likely to reach a wider male audience on the net!
I'm really not trying to be rude, but this doesn't make a bit of sense to me.
- Todd
Todd:
1 Corinthians 14:34-35 says, "Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church." The context (1 Corinthians 11-14) is a set of instructions on how the average church service should be conducted. Thus, women are not to teach/preach in the local assembly, during a preaching service.
The New Testament gives several instances in which women taught/prophesied. Philip had four daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:8-9). Lois and Eunice taught Timothy the Holy Scriptures (2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15). Priscilla and Aquilla taught Apollos (Acts 18:22-26). The key to understanding this whole issue is found in 1 Timothy 2:12, "But I suffer not a woman to...usurp authority over the man...."
Lucie does not preach because it is not her place. She will engage in conversation with men, under the leadership of her husband. She goes with her husband, not by herself. I write this blog under the leadership of my husband. True, I am writing to woman and young girls. However, I know that men read what I write. I do not have a problem with that because my husband is overseeing this, and because I am not physically standing up to preach.
Some people do have a problem with what I am doing simply because men may read this. I have thought and prayed about that, and talked it over with my husband. My conscience is clear on this.
By the way, I wasn't criticizing YOU. I think you have every right to say what you think. I can't imagine that someone would have a problem with you putting thoughts down simply because those thoughts involve God. What would they prefer? That you only discuss "womanly" things like cooking and changing diapers?
- Todd
Todd, my almost-15-year-old daughter says that a blog that is only about cooking and diapers would be boring.:)
Cathy,
Just a warning: if this "todd" is who I think he is, he is an internet troll that is only happy when he is endlessly debating his nonsense. He isn't looking to understanding the Faith, he isn't looking for anything good. And be advised he changes nicknames more often than I change socks.
Later sister,
Rand
I'm not interested in "debate", per se. However, when someone asks me to believe simultaneously contradictory things, I need to ask questions. I don't think faith requires that we shut off our intellects.
By the way, some people are quite able to defend their faith without feeling threatened. Check out the Calvinists at www.triablogue.com. Yes, I find the subject matter interesting. Why people believe what they do has always been fascinating to me.
But ... Cathy has said that this blog is not to be used for a debate on Calvinism, so I'll respect her wishes.
- Todd
"Todd", "Taffy", "James", Whoever...
You are a liar. Conversing with you is a 100% waste of time. Cathy should believe your statement "I'll respect her wishes" with a grain of salt. Wasn't so long ago you said "I will leave you in peace" to me, and well, so much for that.
Cathy, my warning stands. Don't trust this scorner. If he/she/it becomes a nuisance, I have his ISP information, which you can use to ban him from commeting. It has kept him from making a mess in my corner of cyberspace.
Later,
Rand
Rand, thanks. I already had my suspicions. I have deleted comments before that looked suspiciously like those from trolls migrating from your blog.
I am well aware that there are people who enjoy masking their true identity behind multiple aliases. While monitoring the situation, I am nevertheless praying that something will get through that God will use in their hearts.
That said, my husband has a word for those who say things like this:
However, when someone asks me to believe simultaneously contradictory things, I need to ask questions. I don't think faith requires that we shut off our intellects.
That word is this: "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Timothy 3:7).
To that I might also add this: "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools" (Romans 1:22).
And lest I get too carried away exhorting those who don't really want the truth anyway, my son Josiah is sure to caution me with these words: "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine..." (Matthew 7:6).
On the internet, I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, but I still don't take anybody's word for anything unless I know them personally.
Thanks, Rand. I deleted your comment only because it referenced the other comment I deleted. Got your e=mail and plan to take your advice for a little while. Thanks.
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