Nurturing the Nations: Reclaiming the Dignity of Women in Building Healthy Cultures

287 Pages·2008·1.191 MB·English

by  Darrow L. Miller, Stan Guthrie

NNuurrttuurriinnggTThheeNNaattiioonnss..iinndddd iiii 33//44//22000088 1122::3322::4422 PPMM
N U RT U R I N G
T H E NATIONS
Reclaiming the Dignity of Women in
Building Healthy Cultures

DARROW L. MILLER
with Stan Guthrie
InterVarsity Press
P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
World Wide Web: www.ivpress.com
E-mail: [email protected]
© 2007 by Darrow L. Mille
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from InterVarsity Press.
InterVarsity Press® is the book-publishing division of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA®, a movement of students and
faculty active on campus at hundreds of universities, colleges and schools of nursing in the United States of America, and
a member movement of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. For information about local and regional
activities, write Public Relations Dept., InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, 6400 Schroeder Rd., P.O. Box 7895,
Madison, WI 53707-7895, or visit the IVCF website at <www.intervarsity.org>.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL
VERSION® NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™. Used by permission of Biblica, Inc.™. All rights reserved
worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked kjv are taken from the King James Version. Public domain.
Scripture quotations marked asv are taken from the American Standard Version, 1901. Public domain.
ISBN 978-8308-5925-2 (digital)
ISBN 978-0-8308-5719-7 (print)
Dedication
Th is book is dedicated, with gratitude, to “Esther,” Geeta, and other women
of courage who stand, not with clenched fi sts but with broken hearts, calling
the world to recognize the intrinsic worth and dignity of women. Th ank you!
Your passionate stories have compelled me to write this book.
NNuurrttuurriinnggTThheeNNaattiioonnss..iinndddd vv 33//44//22000088 1122::3322::4433 PPMM
Other Books by Darrow L. Miller
Discipling Nations, with Stan Guthrie (YWAM Publishing, 1998; second
edition, 2001)
God’s Remarkable Plan for the Nations, with Scott Allen and Bob Moffi tt
(YWAM Publishing, 2005)
God’s Unshakable Kingdom, with Scott Allen and Bob Moffi tt (YWAM
Publishing, 2005)
Th e Worldview of the Kingdom of God, with Scott Allen and Bob Moffi tt
(YWAM Publishing, 2005)
Against All Hope: Hope for Africa, with Scott Allen and the African Working
Group of Samaritan Strategy Africa (Disciple Nations Alliance, 2005)
Th e Forest in the Seed, with Scott Allen (Disciple Nations Alliance, 2006)
NNuurrttuurriinnggTThheeNNaattiioonnss..iinndddd vvii 33//44//22000088 1122::3322::4433 PPMM
Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction 1
PART 1: THE WAR AGAINST WOMEN
Chapter 1: Waking Up to the Pain 7
Chapter 2: A World of Abused Women 19
PART 2: THE LIE: THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM
Chapter 3: Th e Framework for Examining the Issue 39
Chapter 4: Th e Crushing of Women 49
Chapter 5: Th e Disappearance of Women 69
PART 3: THE BIBLICAL FOUNDATIONS
Chapter 6: Worldview and God’s Word 87
Chapter 7: Th e Trinity as a Model 93
Chapter 8: Th e Two “S” Words 105
Chapter 9: Th e Transcendence of Sexuality 123
Chapter 10: God’s Motherly Love 139
PART 4: THE TRANSFORMING STORY
Chapter 11: Th e Big Story 161
Chapter 12: Th e Creation and the Fall 171
Chapter 13: Th e Dark Years and the Coming Dawn 189
Chapter 14: Th e Coming of the Bridegroom 205
Chapter 15: Th e Bride of Christ 219
Chapter 16: Th e Wedding of the Lamb 235
Chapter 17: God’s Design for Women: Nurturers of Nations 241
NNuurrttuurriinnggTThheeNNaattiioonnss..iinndddd vviiii 33//44//22000088 1122::3322::4444 PPMM
Glossary 263
Subject Index 269
Biblical Reference Index 273
About the Authors 276
About Disciple Nations Alliance 277
NNuurrttuurriinnggTThheeNNaattiioonnss..iinndddd vviiiiii 33//44//22000088 1122::3322::4444 PPMM
Acknowledgments
M
Many people have contributed to this book—in fact, too many to name.
With fear and trembling on behalf of those I may fail to honor, I want to
acknowledge the following nonetheless:
Th ank you, Cindy Benn, Mandie Miller, Amy Carson, Lindsay Lavery,
Stephanie Shumate, Laura Robertson, and Sarah Gammill, for your day-to-
day help on this project. It never would have come to the light of day without
your eff orts.
Stan Guthrie, thank you for your heart for the things that God has put
on my heart and for your rich gift with words. You have taken my rough
musings and extensive notes and turned them into a book worth reading.
To my editor, Andrew Sloan, thank you for your keen mind and ques-
tions and for helping to fi ne-tune our fi nal product.
Many women have inspired me with their lives, told me their stories, en-
gaged me in dialogue, critiqued my work, and given me their input. Th ey have
encouraged me to put my thoughts into a book. Th ank you, Geeta, Soohwan
Park, Elizabeth Youmans, Ana Santos, Irene Tongoi, Beatrice Langa, Anna
Ho, Joanna Kim, Anu Dongardive, Wendy Davidson, Belaynesh Tadesse,
Kristina Avanesyan, Heather Hicks, Jewell-Anita Hendrix, Rosaura Mesones,
Patricia Cuba, Eli Oliveria, Kate Marsden, Karla Tesch, Ruth Mangalwadi,
ix
NNuurrttuurriinnggTThheeNNaattiioonnss..iinndddd iixx 33//44//22000088 1122::3322::4444 PPMM
NURTURING THE NATIONS
Luki Ortiz, Beth Kanda, and Midori Yanagisawa. Th ank you all for speaking
into my life.
A special thanks to Yarley Nino and her team at Youth with a Mission
in Puerto Rico. Th e work that your “kids”—Discipling Nations through the
Arts (DNA)—do has inspired me, as you challenge machismo culture in
Puerto Rico.
To two of my best friends, Bob Moffi tt and Scott Allen, thank you for
walking with me all these years. Th anks for challenging me and being a small
band of brothers who love to wrestle with ideas.
I owe a dept of thanks to two friends who have been the CEOs of the
organization in which I have worked since 1981. In their administrations,
Randy Hoag and Greg Vestri have created a space for me to write the things
that God has put on my heart. Th ank you both.
To Volney James and Angela Lewis: Th ank you for your willingness to
publish this book. As you know, this is a book that has been on my heart for
many years. Without your support, it would have limited circulation. Th anks
for taking a risk with me.
A special thanks to Marilyn, the bride of my youth, my best friend, and
my best critic. You have defi ned nurturing in the care of our children and
grandchildren; through your love, compassion, and sense of humor you have
nurtured your circle of friends. In your words and life, you have introduced
me to the maternal heart of God. ILY!
Above all, I am in debt to the One who is both Ish and the Bridegroom.
His creation and character help us to know the glory of female!
While many have helped, encouraged, and inspired me, any limitations
and errors are mine alone.
x
NNuurrttuurriinnggTThheeNNaattiioonnss..iinndddd xx 33//44//22000088 1122::3322::4444 PPMM