Frank

Cheryl,

I didn’t realize how deliberate certain of your opponents have been in their efforts to discredit your ministry and to harm you personally. Though I have been accused of being a heretic at times, and have lost some friends for being an advocate for the equality of men and women in Christ Jesus and the New Covenant Community he established–no one has so fiercely and deliberately persecuted me as you appear to have been.

Yet when people attack you and others who uphold and proclaim that in the New Age inaugurated by the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, in the New Covenant, no one may be barred from full participation in Christian ministry and leadership on the basis of race, ethnicity, social status, or gender–it’s not just you they are attacking, they’re really attacking what the NT itself actually teaches (cf. Acts 2; Gal. 3:26-4:7 and 2 Cor. 5:11-21; Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:1-25; Eph. 4:7-10; Col. 3:9-17; 1 Pet. 2:4-10 and 4:7-11).

However, as one who has visited your website on several occasions and entered into various discussions with you, I would like go on record to state that you have consistently proven yourself a wise, careful, and thorough student of the Scriptures, committed to the accurate explanation and application of its teaching as a whole. Furthermore, in dealing with difficult commentators who were belligerent and gave you a lot of sauce, you genttly, patiently, and persistently interacted with them, sharing the truth–just as Paul admonished all true ministers of Christ and his Word (cf. 2 Tim. 2:23-26)–proving your true metal as Christ’s representative. So you have nothing to be ashamed of, that I can see.

Continue in what the Lord Jesus has revealed and confirmed to you both by his Word and by his Spirit as being true and essential to the Christian faith and life, and teach and preach only that, according to what you know to be your Spirit-gifting and calling. “Don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking–it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” (Matt. 10:19-20, NLT). And remember his promise to all who suffer in his service: “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way” (Matt. 5:11-12, NLT).