Listen to my interview with Robert Kellemen!

Last week I had the privilege of interviewing Robert Kellemen, co-author of Sacred Friendships: Celebrating the Legacy of Women Heroes of the Faith on my blog talk show.

Robert Kellemen served for over a decade as founding Chairman of the Master of Arts in Christian Counseling and Discipleship (MACCD) Department at Capital Bible Seminary. He is now professor of large at that department and the founder of RPM Ministries.

What I enjoyed about the interview, and what I'm sure many will enjoy about the book, is that Kellemen addresses the issue of female Christian heroes in a way that transcends the traditional egalitarian/complementarian divide. Although it seems to me that Kellemen is a complementarian (meaning he sees prescribed gender roles in the family and church) what is also clear from the interview is that Kellemen also feels that women have been wrongfully silenced due to poor theology and a patriarchal culture.

The subject of women in ministry is of no passing interest to me. When I attended Christ for the Nations Institute, I sat under the teaching of Dr. Eddie Hyatt, a preacher and teacher on revival and women's issues. In Hyatt's writings (along with that of his wife Susan Hyatt), he makes a compelling argument that in every genuine revival in church history, the status of women is always elevated. Eddie and his wife are some of the chief proponents of egalitarianism (which rejects the notion of prescribed roles for women) today. Due to Eddie Hyatt's influence (and not to mention the plethora of women preachers in historic pentecostalism), my theology over the years has tended to flow in the direction of egalitarianism and I've tended to--wrongfully I think--equate the complementarian view with sexism.

Robert Kellemen has effectively shattered that stereotype for me! Judging by the book and the interview, it's clear to me that Robert Kellemen makes essentially the same argument that Eddie and Susan Hyatt write about in their books--that women are a crucial key to any genuine move of God--and they need not be silenced! Wait till you hear Kellemen's response to when I asked him tongue and cheek "Are you trying to emasculate us men?" Kellemen's reply was very revealing.

And for that, you'll have to listen to the interview.

And when you finish with the interview, don't forget to pick up the book.

Regardless of what side of the egalitarian/complementarian divide you find yourself on, I think you'll find the profiles of women Christian heroes throughout history fascinating!