“What makes a leader a leader is his or her ability to be courageous. To stand up or take a stand,” so says Imam Yahya Hendi the American imam who is sometimes called the feminist iman.
He went on to say “Some imams and mullahs told me, ‘Imam, you are right, but we cannot say this publicly because we will be killed by the Taliban.’”
His advice to the religious leaders was to be what they are meant to be: Leaders.
I came across this story a few weeks ago and I want you to hear his words. This man is speaking out for women in Afghanistan, and in over 60 Muslim and non-Muslim countries. It is not only that he might lose his pulpit, this man might lose his life, but he continues speaking out.
He says that Islam is not against women, but that most of the people who practice it, are. Somehow I found a parallel to our own situation here. When he said that many imams and mullahs told him that he is right, but they will be killed if they say such things, I find a similarity with our own pastors. Not that they would literally be killed, but they could lose their jobs, their livelihood, and their kids college education if they speak out.
But look at what he said. “Religious leaders should be what they are meant to be: Leaders.”
Dr George Mason of Wilshire Baptist Church says the same thing. He said that God did not first call men to be pastor of Big Baptist Church, but that God called them, first, to preach his Gospel. Going to a particular church was a second calling. But their foremost calling was to preach the Gospel. And, according to Dr. Mason, that means reading the scriptures and finding that women are not limited in their calling.
He said that Baptists “ought to be the leaders, not the followers.”
Will you offer a prayer for the Leaders of churches, that they will be the men and women who lead out in removing all hindrances to women being equal in the church and in the home.
bWe Baptist Women for Equality's Blog 
He hits the nail on the head, the bull’s eye, when he said many will not speak out because of self interests. Pastors will lose their jobs, seminary professors will lose desirable assignments and opportunity to move up the ladder, big name speakers will lose lucrative speaking engagements, etc. I am not saying all are like that, but many undoubtedly have that concern. The restrictionists have power, money, clout and most of all, they seek to remain ignorant and at the same time prevent others from learning. Blessed are they who are true leaders, who do not seek to control others but be an example to them, and those who put others’ interest above their own.
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Have you invited Dr. Mason to be a Special Consultant for FreeCWC?
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I wrote Dr Mason a letter, but never heard from him. Perhaps it was lost in the mail.
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