Sublime

It is beyond dispute that the early church for several centuries had deaconesses (see above, p. 148);

community of believers

Western societies have been largely egalitarian for roughly thirty years; young adults coming to Christ are often shocked to discover that the church is not necessarily an “equal opportunity” employer.

As in the Gospels, women play a surprisingly prominent role in the early Christian movement.66 Peter raises from death Tabitha (or

“sons of God,” a potential reference to angels, and in this case fallen angels.

“I was being advised to give up a common female idolatry and take on a common male idolatry,” she said. “But I didn’t want to have my self-worth dependent on career success any more than on men. I wanted to be free.”

Why did she endure such treatment? She had come to look to men for the kind of deep affirmation and acceptance that only God can provide. As a result, she became a slave to love.

So when she saw a man was interested in her, she would silently say in her heart toward him, “You may turn out to be a great guy, and maybe even my husband, but you cannot ever be my life. Only Christ is my life.” When she began to do this, like Leah, she got her life back. This spiritual discipline gave her the ability to set boundaries and make g