“It’s A Man’s Man’s World” Video Satire

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When I arrived at WholeLife SDA Church to join the videotaping, I was surprised to see all the cameras, lights, technicians, electrical cords, microphones, and other equipment that had taken over a large Sabbath School room. I could easily imagine I was walking onto the set of a TV sitcom. In addition, there were at least 20 other members of the congregation who had agreed to assist or become actors for a day. What followed was about six hours of practice, bloopers, laughter, slaps on the back, re-taping, and serious concentration.

The preparation for this video shoot had already occupied countless hours of work by church members who are some of the most creative, talented people I have ever met. Lyrics, instrumentation, choreography, story boarding, had all been worked out ahead of time.

After the original taping came hours of editing. All this personal investment of time and energy for a final product that only lasts about four and a half minutes.

Why all the effort? It is based on several Christ-honoring characteristics. WholeLife Church’s vision is to “Love people into a lifelong friendship with God.” It is a community that believes that truly caring for people requires doing and giving our best.

It is a place where creativity is valued and celebrated. The culture encourages innovation and supports one another in our attempts to try new approaches.

The congregation also takes very seriously Jesus’ call to make a difference in matters of justice and fairness. Women’s ordination is one of those issues. The “It’s A Man’s Man’s World” video uses satire and humor to call attention to the glaring inequity within our denomination regarding how women are currently being treated in pastoral ministry.

Withholding ordination based on a person’s gender should be unthinkable, and yet it persists. It is our hope that this video will help highlight just how absurd the denomination’s current position is and spark a renewed conversation about how people in the pews can step up and bring about much needed change. Because we love our church, we strive to make it better.

Watch “It’s A Man’s Man’s World”:

Kim Allan Johnson retired in 2014 as the Undertreasurer of the Florida Conference. He and his wife Ann live in Maitland, Florida. Kim has written a number of articles for SDA journals plus three books published by Pacific Press: The Gift, The Morning, and The Team. He has also written three sets of small group lessons for churches that can be viewed at www.transformyourchurch.com (this website is run by the Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists). He is also the author of eight "Life Guides" on CREATION Health.

Image credit: Video still

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This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at http://spectrummagazine.org/node/10250

[webEd (Website Editor)]

To watch the video, please visit this article on the Spectrum website: https://spectrummagazine.org/2020/its-mans-mans-world-video-satire

[utakatohi]

Very interesting. Will it move the consciences of the men in charge?

[efcee]

As entertaining as satire may be, it does a poor job of re-shaping those who cherish the points of view in question. It may even work to further harden and alienate those who hold to those beliefs. I doubt that anyone’s intent in making and sharing this video is to harden and alienate; but what, then, is the goal?

[Arkdrey]

I’m not really sure that these people deserve to feel less alienated than the women that they alienate.

I think that “parable satire” is a lot less confrontational way to deal with a subject that can get much more confrontational.

In the very least, this video would break the ice to serve as some conversation starter on this subject.

[cincerity (Kim Green)]

One could only hope and pray that it might open up a crack in what is otherwise some hard hearts and heads.

[simon]

both sides are praying and claiming some with hard hearts and heads
tho its a mexican prayer off and nothing else

the defining point will be those who stand up in the WORD

[cincerity (Kim Green)]

Of course…the “WORD”.

BTW…you probably meant “Mexican Standoff” instead of “prayer”. We can’t blame “Mexican prayers” on this fiasco.

[MonJohn]

Hi efcee,

Let me take a stab at some potential valid reasons for creating such a video, even if it does not convince or even hardens the position of those on the other side.

1. If we hold an issue to be both true and important, then quietly disappearing is not an option. If we hold equality in Christ to be theologically true and ecclesiologically important and we believe that the construct that keeps women subjugated is a creation of humanity and not biblically sound then it would be spiritual cowardice to sit silently on the sidelines.
2. When two sides are entrenched on an argument, the public argument is not for the purpose of convincing the opposition as much as it is to speak to those who have not yet decided where they stand and to encourage them to join the conversation.
3. Since the SDA denomination is ultimately a democratic institution, convincing an oppositional leadership is less important than informing the electorate.
4. This might be the most important reason. Those who have been disenfranchised need to be affirmed and know that there is a place and a people of God that welcomes them, their talents and their call.

[Sharyn (Sharyn Cameron)]

Thanks for posting this. The video was straight to the point, but alas I doubt it will change minds. Meanwhile I hope our women ministers feel understood and supported.

[simon]

I used a generic term not blaming

[CrazyZeke (Zeke)]

Yes, much time, talent and money went into the making of this satire video.
Unfortunately it totally misses the mark as relates to the real problem.
The problem is not women’s ordination.
The problem is Roman Catholic Ordination!

Read Protestant Reformation history.
Name one well know Reformer that did not reject Roman Catholic Ordination.
The issue is why has the SDA Church rejected one of the foundation principles of the reformation?

Roman Catholic Ordination creates a natural schism between the laity and clergy resulting in a perceived elevation of spiritual superiority of the clergy over the laity. This organizational abomination has created the building of a hierarchical structure that looks like the Papal church government without the supreme authority vested in the Pope.

But you say the SDA Church has a Representative form of church government which recognizes that authority in the church rests in the church membership.

REALLY? When was the last time you attended a church board, business, nominating committee or state conference constituency meeting run by a pastor or conference president that has served in their position for seven or more years?

During those seven years any pastor or conference president that has a desire to control, who has guided three nomination cycles will give him total control over that congregation. Just as the conference president has total control over the pastors and conference employees he has hired.

How has this happened? One, the SDA church ordained leaders have ignored the guidance of E.G. White and Two, the Resolution of the General Conference, while in session, to place time of service in a president’s or pastor’s position at 6 or 7 years.

Have you ever served on a local church “new pastor” search committee? What were the result of the search committee’s effort? Did you get the pastor the committee wanted or a pastor that the conference president wanted? The committee members were all excited about finding the right pastor for their church then realized their time and efforts were in vain.

Have you ever been to a state conference constituency meeting where there was to be a vote to replace or re-elect the president? Did it occur to you that there was no search committee, that had been working for three months, report just one or two names? Wasn’t even stranger that conference employees out numbered the local church constituents? Wasn’t even stranger still that there was no secret ballot rather voting was done by standing in front of the president their boss?

SDA Roman Catholic Ordination of pastors is a political process.
Are you aware of any uniform written guidelines that must be followed by all conferences? If so, please post a link for all to see. Power corrupts, over time a conference president driven by the desire to control has absolute power. This system selects leaders at each level of the hierarchy.

But do not despair there is a solution in fact you can find it in the bible. Fortunately there are congregations that follow the biblical guidelines when members lay their hands on individuals, females or males, deemed to have the qualifications to serve in a church position. They are ordained to serve in that position for a specific period of time. Then the individual may be asked to serve in another position for which she or he is qualified.

There are Unions in the world that have repudiated the practice of Roman Catholic Ordination in favor of the biblical practice of laying hands on individuals to serve in a specific ministry or office.