“Communities of faith that seek to engage the surrounding culture and empower women and men to serve together are not afraid to ask difficult questions of the text, of their culture, and of themselves. They examine and re-examine scripture closely to determine how to apply it in their particular times and places. They interact with culture to find both the needs of those around them and where God is already at work in the world….They live like pioneers settling new territory, always anticipating what adventures as well as what dangers lie ahead. They live with hope, courage, faith and confidence seeking God’s preferred future for their communities.”

“Too often, we joke around about our differences. It is much simpler to accept that women are from Venus and men from Mars than it is to work through the complexities of our interpersonal relationships. It is easier to accept long-held traditional views than it is to give attention to what Scripture has to say about how and why we come together in these important relations.”