Yesterday, I taught a class on 1 Corinthians 11:2-16, on the subject of
head coverings. Really.I cannot remember ever in my life hearing
someone else teach this passage. What possible relevance could the
subject of head coverings have for a 21st century American church? Why
risk the controversy? Why bring up a difficult subject that may confuse
a lot of people? And, above all, why teach the congregation that we may
have been neglecting a command of scripture for generations?The reason
I taught the class is pretty simple. I am teaching a series on the book
of 1 Corinthians. I suppose I could have skipped this topic. But elders
are admonished not to shrink from declaring the whole counsel of God to
the church. If I choose not to teach this passage, I cannot claim to
have taught everything I have been called to teach. God devoted half a
chapter in 1 Corinthians to this subject for a reason.But if I teach a
passage of scripture, I have no choice but to teach what I believe it
says. So that is what I did.What kind of reaction would you expect to
receive from your congregation from a lesson like that? The response of
our congregation was one of keen interest, appreciation, and a desire
to study it further. After service, the auditorium was buzzing with
conversations on the topic in every aisle. Of particular interest to
me, two brothers who are native of other countries came up to me
afterward expressing their appreciation that the subject has finally
been addressed. They were raised believing this teaching. From their
perspective, the American churches have lost their way on the topic of
women. We have become saturated with the culture in which we live. The
church is becoming more and more like the secular world.We Americans
are like frogs in a pot of water. As the temperature rises to the
boiling point, we hardly notice. We don't realize that the rising
temperature will eventually kill us. To us, everything seems normal.
But to these two brothers from other countries, the insidiously gradual
secularization of the American church is obvious. We need to wake up to
what is happening.

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Posted By Alan to Christian Unity at 4/07/2008 02:33:00 PM