Who’s Around Your Table?Gratitude, Romans, and a New Chapter in Our Family

First, a heartfelt thank you. We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love, support, and prayers following the adoption of our new daughter. If you missed the video announcement, there’s a link below. We’re honored and humbled that so many of you have followed along, celebrating with us, and praying for our family and for Em as she grows and strengthens.

Wrapping Up Romans—Five Years in the Making

This past Sunday marked the end of our journey through the book of Romans—chapter 16, the final stretch. It's taken us five years to work through this letter, and crossing that finish line is no small feat. But what stood out in this last chapter wasn’t just theological wrap-up—it was Paul’s generous outpouring of gratitude.

He names 26 people in his closing remarks. And about a third of them are women. That detail matters—not just for how we consider the role of women in our communities today, but for what it reveals about the early church, and Paul himself.

Paul at His Most Vulnerable

This final section isn’t a theological treatise. It’s a P.S.—a deeply personal set of greetings and thank-yous. It’s Paul at his most honest and human. And in that space, he honors women who served as deacons, apostles, co-workers in the gospel. That’s not a side note—it’s a lens.

It reveals a church still close to its origin point, still on the margins of power, still open to leadership that reflected talent and calling more than social status. Because when you're a marginalized community, your leadership pool isn’t defined by privilege—it’s shaped by who steps up, who leads well, who loves deeply.

Margins Create Space for the Spirit

When you're not yet mainstream—when you're still on the fringes—you see a kind of meritocracy rise. Leadership becomes more about gifting than gatekeeping. That’s why, in the early church, we see women leading in ways that would become harder as the church gained influence and began to mirror the patriarchal norms around it.

So let’s be clear: it is not the role of women to prove they belong. It’s the responsibility of those already at the table to ask: who is missing? Who haven’t we made space for? Whose voice do we need to hear?

Wrestling with Paul’s Contradictions

Yes, we also have to address the parts of Paul’s letters that seem to pull in the other direction. In Corinthians, Paul tells women to be silent. In 1 Timothy, it’s that troubling line about not permitting a woman to teach.

But we have context. In Corinthians, Paul addresses a specific situation—disruptions in worship. It’s not a universal gag order. It’s pastoral care for a community trying to find its rhythm.

And in 1 Timothy? That’s trickier. Many scholars—myself included—view the pastoral epistles as pseudepigraphal. That is, written in Paul’s name by someone else, likely a student or follower, after his death. In the ancient world, this wasn’t deception—it was devotion. A way of continuing a teacher’s work.

But the tone shifts. The cultural pressure is stronger. The church is becoming mainstream. And the radical inclusion of the early years begins to shrink under the weight of conformity.

Honoring the Text, Understanding the Spirit

This doesn’t mean we discard 1 Timothy. It’s part of our canon, part of our sacred story. But it invites us to do the work of discernment. What reflects a moment in time—and what carries the Spirit’s timeless invitation?

Because in Romans, we see Phoebe—a deacon—tasked with delivering and explaining the letter. That’s preaching. That’s pastoral authority. That’s what I do every week.

And she did it with Paul’s blessing.

Listening for the Voices We Need

At Commons, we’re blessed by the leadership of women who shape our community in profound ways. But it’s not their job to argue for their place. It’s ours to ensure they have one.

So this week, a question: who are the women forming you spiritually?

Maybe it’s Bobbi or Yelena. Maybe it’s a theologian, a writer, an Indigenous voice offering a new lens. Seek them out. Let them challenge and shape you.

I’ll post a few links below—voices worth listening to. I’d encourage you to find your own as well. Diversify the spiritual influences that guide you. Expand your table.

And if these reflections are meaningful, don’t forget to like, subscribe, or drop a comment. We love hearing from you.

Because this church, at its best, reflects the diversity of the Spirit moving among us all.