Lime Green: Reshaping Our View of Women in the Church

by Jackie Roese

Each of us, in our own shade of color, says something unique about who God is to the world around us. God didn’t give specific colors to specific genders. It’s one big color wheel, and gender isn’t in the equation. How does our embracing our authentic color – unapologetically who we are – controlled by the Spirit, impact our view of women in conservative faith communities? Lime Green helps answer that question.This a story about Jackie Roese, a clueless farm girl who stumbled into vocational Christian work. Jackie bumped into walls, crossed invisible lines, and ultimately reshaped her view of women—and her church’s view, too. This book doesn't make the case for women to preach or lead in the church. Rather, it shares this is one woman’s story of stumbling and bumping to reveal a way, a path with all its rocks, hills, and smooth road, to help others find their footing in reshaping the way we view women in the Church.Every follower of Christ is given gifts by the Holy Spirit for the building up of the church. And the same gifts are given to both men and women. Jackie Roese is a gifted leader and teacher who has an important story to tell about finding her gifts and using them for the building up of the body of Christ. In this book Jackie tells her story with characteristic courage and candor. It’s an important story that will challenge and inspire anyone who reads it.

Genres: Faith, Nonfiction

154 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 24, 2015

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lime Green embraces the creational diversity and continuum of spiritual gifts graciously appointed by our Maker for the good of his kingdom. While the audience in focus is “women who serve Jesus in any capacity in conservative faith communities” (xiii), I concur with Scot McKnight’s foreword that males in power will also benefit from this insightful work (xi). However, to the author’s target audience, the vulnerable behind-the-scenes perspective of Dr. Jackie Roese will evoke a full range of emotions, as in her story, we find ourselves and somehow feel more known. The confusion, frustration, and denigration experienced by many women in ministry stands in sharp contrast to the fact that “we desperately want to serve Jesus with every fiber of our being but aren’t sure how to go about it” (xiii).
It is a popular “spiritual” trick to prefix the word “biblical” to a title (e.g. “biblical womanhood”) and then unkindly wield the new weapon as if the battle is internal to the body of Christ. Lime Green takes issue with this errant assault and offers an honest revelation that “we have ideas and ideals about what a Christian woman is supposed to be like, and when a woman doesn’t fit into those ideals, we feel unsafe” (xvi). Sadly, those of us whose coloring is a little more lime green side on the color wheel than light pink become the casualties of “friendly fire” as those in power seek to maintain the familiar status quo. Roese’s personal story fleshes out what it is like to be lime green in a predominately light pink conservative Christian environment. Drawing on the majestic expression of Psalm 8, Roese presses us to ponder how one color, gender, or narrow list of characteristics could possibly to justice in glorifying God’s limitless beauty (xxi).
Through her colorful (no pun intended) life experiences, Roese beautifully reflects the tension that serving Jesus is messy and difficult juxtaposed with the hope and celebration that this deepens our awareness of our dependency on Jesus (25). Further, she engages reality by frankly admitting, “Saying yes to Jesus comes at a cost. And yet, even the costs come with blessings” (28). She speaks with painful truth, yet gratefully leaves naiveté behind.
As women consider their life pursuits in ministry, employment, relationship, and parenting, a one-color-fits-all approach to womanhood causes “confusion, insecurity, and competition” (30). One of the great strengths of Lime Green is the bold assertion that “when Jesus said, ‘Follow me,’ he wasn’t doing a cattle call. Not everyone walks the same path. Every life is unique” (30). Yet, in some church contexts, women unknowingly stumble across “invisible trip wires” as we seek to serve Jesus (43). However, we have a bold example in Luke 10 as Jesus ennobles Mary to break the social norms of the day and adopt the posture of a disciple at the feet of her rabbi (44).
Like the “blessed alliance” coined by Carolyn Custis James, Roese does not take an antagonistic view of men, but rather welcomes a unified, pedal-to-the-metal approach to kingdom work. She rightly proclaims, “Ministry is not a competition; it’s collaboration. Too many people need Jesus for us to spend time on sibling rivalry. We need everyone in the battle using everything they’ve got right where they are to advance the kingdom” (48). I could not agree more! To this point, her illustration of dredging Gilbert Lake (69) is worth the price of the book, but I will not give away this gem here (do read it though!). Continuing on, Genesis 2 demands our recognition that genderedness is about more than just marriage, “It’s about man and woman in community, male and female acting as a royal priesthood, ruling and subduing the whole earth on God’s behalf – together” (58).
Roese’s retelling of her first moments in the pulpit of Irving Bible Church is mind-blowing and captures all of your senses. The details of the pressure of the mounting attacks in the press, the insensitive preoccupation about her wardrobe choice, the vicious comments about her family, and even the need for a bodyguard all serve to reveal the complexities for women in this challenging calling. Sadly, some are distracted by the complementarian or egalitarian litmus test. Pressing women to declare their loyalties and then unjustly declaring them orthodox or heretical based on this simplistic binary antithesis is a nonstarter (99). Shouldn’t our litmus test be the Gospel (100)? When the household codes of Paul are utilized as theological grounds to subjugate women, God’s dynamic movement toward oneness is obstructed and flourishing is flattened (106-107). Scot McKnight propels the conversation stating, “We no longer have to live under the conditions of the fall where we emphasized otherness, but rather we can live under the conditions of the new creation where the emphasis is oneness” (109). Whenever shalom is broken, we hear the cry of our Savior (109). Lime Green is a work of gender shalom, oneness, and an unswerving pursuit of God’s kingdom work.

[Gwen Henson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gobble up every book and article I can regarding women leadership in the church. Some are super academic and others a bit easier to digest- so much amazing information on this topic. Sometimes a powerful personal story is what is really needed, over an elaborate theological argument. I love the honesty in Jackie’s story, and while steadfast in stepping fully into her calling, her desire for unity in the process is a good reminder to me as I hope to move the needle in this area.

I too, am not the “light pink” kind of Christian woman. Jackie says she’s lime green. I think maybe I’m deep purple. I find myself backing away from the women’s studies and retreats because they speak mostly to that light pink, and to mothers. I appreciate the male pastors that have helped me grow (Andy McQuitty was actually one of them years ago), but I long to hear the voice and perspective of a woman’s gender-inclusive teaching.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that this book was good and a great reminder of how valuable women and their perspectives are in the church and all that needs to happen in order to amplify their voices in the church. There is a serious concern about the way that we treat women in the church and it does need to change. And in Jesus name, it will. I thought it was a lot of personal experience though, and it did make good arguments for why women should have roles, but didn't really discuss so much as to how to make this happen.

[Todd Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really didn’t want to like this book, but I did. It’s really got me thinking and re-evaluating my stance on women’s role in church ministry.

[Oak · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 2008, Dr. Jackie Roese became the first female preacher at Irving Bible Church in Irving, Texas. In many ways, this was an ordinary event; churches get new pastors all the time. But to many Christians in the evangelical world, a woman minister was an aberration, and church leaders and bloggers fired back with criticism.

In her book Lime Green: Reshaping Our View of Women in the Church, Roese talks about her spiritual journey, from becoming a Christian, to graduating from seminary, to deciding she wanted to teach and preach. Lime Green discusses how Christian women come in many different forms, and points out how their differing personalities, ambitions, and spiritual callings should be celebrated. This wonderful book shows how churches can flourish when men and women lead together, and it demonstrates how congregations thrive when women’s voices are ennobled instead of silenced.

I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Mary Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lime Green by Dr. Jackie Roese, (HIS Publishing, 2015), addresses the key issue of what women can, could or should do in ministry. She describes how this issue affects her and countless other women from a Scriptural, conservative church culture, and personal perspective. The subtitle of the book, Reshaping Our View of Women in the Church, is aptly chosen and the raison d’etre for her work. Jackie writes in a forthright, sometimes blunt, sometimes humorous style. This makes her approach to this contentious issue a breath of fresh air. It is time the animosity that has surrounded this debate be put aside so honest inquiry and reshaped thinking is possible by the Holy Spirit. Bravo to Jackie from another educated, lime-green woman in ministry and all who will come after us. M.L. Codman-Wilson, Ph.D., 9/25/15

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Roese was the first woman preacher at Irving Bible Church (2008). While the church elders and most of the 2250 present approved of her ministry, the event was controversial among conservative evangelical Christians. She tells her story in this book. It is a very personal account, not a theological treatise. She does call for a new understanding of Scripture, one that reflects God's original plan for male and female. I recommend this to those who want to know what women experience and feel when they are called to preach.
You can read my entire review at http://bit.ly/1FIGHDg.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Icon Media for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

What is the role of women in ministry? What does scripture state about women in ministry? These and other topics are discussed in this book. When you feel a calling do you hold back because of someone's beliefs or views or do you do it because its what you are being pushed to do. As women we are often faced with the roadblock of life stating that we aren't able to do something based on role or gender rules.

This book was definitely a struggle to stick with and didn't really give exactily what the colors mean that she describes in the book but gives a great overview.

[Adela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the vulnerability and openness Dr. Roese brings to this hard topic. I grew up in an environment that was very open to women in ministry, but it's amazing how many things are still shaped by misogynistic views of early church fathers. I appreciate her role and insight as a forerunner in this area. I also think there's a tremendous amount of wisdom for women who want to see things change; Dr. Roese really challenges us to walk in grace, humility, and honor, even while speaking up for truth and justice for women. She offers a wider, kingdom-minded perspective.

[Lisa Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic combination of her story and the case for women serving in all matters of their giftedness. I really enjoyed the book and was inspired by her journey.