“Pastor in a Dress” Sung to the Tune of “I Am Woman”

After a 40 year process of gradual steps toward egalitarianism, delegates to the annual Christian Reformed Church synod recently approved the ordination of women. In addition, the 1,000 congregations of the CRC will be allowed to send women as delegates to subsequent synods starting next June.

As a result of these gradual changes, Pastor Jaclyn Busch has been called to the McBain Christian Reformed Church and describes herself as a “poster child” for the church as a symbol of the whole denomination moving forward. “If McBain can do it,” she suggested to a reporter of the Cadillac News, “maybe other churches can do it.” The news account went on to describe Jaclyn’s reception by the church:

There’s a festive tent on the lawn. There’s cake and coffee. And then to the tune of “I Am Woman,” church members belt out a song for their “Pastor in a Dress.”

“Yes, we are Dutch and we love our church so much,
We will make a change even when it’s strange.
God has shown us He can do anything.
We are strong (strong)
We are flexible
With a Woman!!!”

Genderblog of CBMW has been reporting on these trends, and WORLD magazine recently published a summary of where denominations stand on ordaining women, performing same-sex marriages, and other key issues of the summer denominational meetings. Nevertheless, how long this trend will continue in the church depends on the faithful choices of individual believers prompted by the Spirit of God. Turning from this slide toward egalitarianism will require complementarians to speak up and take a biblical stand at critical denominational and local church meetings.

As R. Albert Mohler Jr. wrote in the JBMW, "For too long, those who hold to the biblical pattern of gender distinctions have allowed themselves to be silenced, marginalized, and embarrassed when confronted by new gender theorists. Now is the time to recapture the momentum, force the questions, and show this generation God's design in the biblical concept of manhood and womanhood. God's glory is shown to the world in the complementarity of men and women. This crucial challenge is a summons to Christian boldness in the present hour."