A Word from the New Editors

February 28, 2005

Dear Friends,

As Lance announced in his new article, “Change Is in the Air,” he is stepping down as the only editor Gal328.org has known. We are grateful to Lance for the opportunity to continue the work to which this site is committed, a work which we believe is nothing less than the charge of the gospel to bring both women and men into the fullness of the ministries they are called to in Jesus Christ. We also share with Lance the feeling that this is a kairos moment for the cause of gender justice in Churches of Christ, full of crisis and opportunity. It is time for each of us to be bold in word and deed. So it is with a sense of excitement and steadfast purpose that we address you as the new editors of Gal328.org.

In that spirit, we are working to bring together a board that will guide the directions we will go in proclaiming this message. Thanks to the exposure brought by Gal328.org, a community is forming, and indeed has formed, that is committed to seeing our churches become places where the gifts of the Spirit can be exercised freely and without distinctions like gender. We will continue to nurture that community through the familiar resources already offered on the website.

But we also intend to step out in new directions, as Lance challenges us. To name just one example, we hope to explore ways of raising funds that will be used to develop new programs and provide support for the ministries of women in Churches of Christ. We have other ideas too, so this is just a glimpse of where we believe the winds of the Spirit are going to take us. We are thankful for all of the heart Lance and Katie poured into this work, and to all the others that have struggled and grown together. We believe we have much left to do, and so we also ask you to be courageous in your convictions and efforts as you walk with us.

We pray that God may continue to guide us into a day when those who claim Jesus as Lord will recognize that in Christ, we are all one and called to serve with the gifts bestowed by the Spirit, whether we are male or female.

In the peace of Christ,
Chris Hutson and Chad Smith

 

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