BRANCHES November 2014

BRANCHES 

SAME DIFFERENCE 

God's complementary design 

for men and women 

hasta luego, Mexico 

photos from 

Harvest HeyDay 

NOVEMBER 2014 | southwood.org

SOUTHWOOD 

contents 

ABOUT THIS ISSUE 

In 2008 we began planning how we could gather all of the things that we 

communicate about at Southwood and bring them together in one publication. 

Previous attempts at a church newsletter were made as often as quarterly, but 

we wanted to increase the frequency to be enough that it could be current and 

relevant and serve to unify our communication to each household. Six years 

later—Wow!—and we’re still producing content. Daunting at times, but month 

after month we’ve got a lot to talk about at Southwood! 

While we feel that having a print copy in your home is still helpful and pleasing, 

for years many readers have asked for a digital version. I’m thrilled to say that 

BRANCHES is now available online, including the entire archive since it began. 

Check out southwood.org/branches and grab an electronic copy on your laptop, 

tablet, or phone. There you’ll not only get to read the articles we already post on 

our website each month, but see the layout and images that correspond. 

This issue, like the ones in the past, gives a great picture into the life and 

happenings of our church—from connections in small groups, to how we serve, 

and the fellowship we have together. So keep flipping the pages and we’ll keep 

you in the loop! 

2 about this issue 

3 pastor’s note 

REFLECT 

8 same difference 

God's complimentary design for 

men & women 

RESPOND 

4 ask a pastor 

Voting as a Christian 

RELATE 

6 session update 

Officer apprenticeship 

5 hasta luego 

Mission to Mexico 

7 relationships in small groups 

Different parts of the same body 

BRANCHES 

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jonathan Barnette 

DESIGNER Phillip Lackey 

COVER PHOTO 

Taken by Daniel Brown atop an 

inflatable slide at Harvest HeyDay. 

CONTRIBUTORS 

Will Spink 

Chad Townsley 

Niña Banta 

Sarah Niemitz 

James Parker 

Andes & Susan Hoyt 

PHOTOS 

Kim Delchamps 

Pete Meenen 

Daniel Brown 

1000 CARL T. JONES DRIVE | HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA 35802 

(256) 882-3085 | WWW.SOUTHWOOD.ORG 

Jonathan Barnette, Editor 

JEAN F. LARROUX, III Senior Pastor 

MELISSA PATTERSON Executive Assistant 

ADULT MINISTRIES 

SARAH NIEMITZ Director of Community Development/Assimilation 

JAMES PARKER Chief Musician 

WILL SPINK Associate Pastor/Shepherding 

STUDENT MINISTRIES 

KIM DELCHAMPS Administrative Assistant 

NIÑA BANTA Director of Children 

NANCY McCREIGHT Assistant Director /Children/Nursery 

CHAD TOWNSLEY Associate Pastor/High-Life 

WINNIE WINFORD Assistant Director/High-Life 

MINISTRY SUPPORT 

TERRI GOOD Accountant/Bookkeeper 

JONATHAN BARNETTE Director of Communication 

PHILLIP LACKEY Graphic Designer 

JANICE CROWSON Director of Facilities/Finance 

LYNDA CLAYDON Facilities 

MIKE MARREN Facilities 

ELIZABETH BUTZ Receptionist 

12 Harvest HeyDay 2014 

Photo montage 

14 kids listening guide 

Worshipping as a family 

15 all that's fair 

I know a secret 

UPCOMING 

EVENTS 

Time Change 

November 2 

Jr. High-Life Fall Retreat 

November 7-9 

Deck the Halls 


No Christian Education 


2 NOVEMBER 2014 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG

PASTOR’S NOTE 

What Are You Really Thankful For? 

Every year at this time you can pick up a local 

newspaper or open your inbox and find a list of 

things from kindergarteners that they are thankful 

for. Sometimes you will receive an email 

oozing with pseudo-spiritual sappiness asking 

"what are you thankful for" but those usually 

end with the infamous "forward this to 5 people 

or your soul will burst into flames" salutation. 

Other than those the Thanksgiving articles and 

emails are pretty cute and fun to read. I thought 

it might be fun to ask us all to think about what 

we are really thankful for. 

I am really thankful for SEC football. I really am. 

I love the rivalries. I love the sound of cheering 

and fight songs. I especially loved sitting in the 

stands at Vaught-Hemmingway stadium when 

the Ole Miss Rebels turned the Tide against 

Alabama. A small tear came to my eye as I 

hurled myself onto the field with 25,000 other 

fans (most of whom could have been my own 

children) and embraced each other after what 

may likely be the last time in my lifetime that 

we defeat Alabama. So Hotty Toddy for now (go 

Black Bears)! 

I am really thankful that I have stopped watching 

the mainstream news. I have enough to 

worry about in my life without having Fox News 

try to convince me that there is a conspiracy behind 

everything Obama says and CNN trying 

to convince me that if we just raised taxes and 

cared more then all social injustice would disappear. 

Don’t get me wrong—I really do care what 

is going on in the world, I just don’t care to get 

the spin on what is going on in the world from 

Wolf Blizter or Sean Hannity. 

I am really thankful for my family. Someone 

asked me about the "stage" of life I am in 

right now—two kids in college and one about 

to graduate. My response was unrehearsed, “I 

have loved every stage of parenting, but I think 

this one is the best!” At this point the mold 

is pretty cast. There is some directing and redirecting, 

but I have the pleasure of seeing my 

young adult children make adult decisions and 

embrace (or not) the things we have instilled 

in them. I love being made fun of at the lunch 

table when they say things like, “Dad, have we 

‘ever or lately’ had this kind of chicken?” I am 

really thankful for the laughter, the life shared, 

the joy, the arguments and the reconciliation. It 

is a blessing and my greatest joy. 

I am really thankful for Southwood. Now I know 

I’m supposed to say this because I’m the pastor, 

but I am particularly thankful right now and let 

me tell you why. You will read in this issue about 

the Session’s decision to expand the host team 

duties to encompass ushering. That means that 

ushering duties will be open to both men and 

women at Southwood beginning with the next 

wave of Host Team trainees in January 2015. 

There are many sister churches who have adopted 

this same practice but for our Elders the 

decision wasn’t one of following the crowd—it 

was one of Scriptural consistency. I am really 

thankful for men who are willing to lead this 

church and say "no" where the Bible says "no" 

and refuse to draw lines where there is no Biblical 

warrant to draw them. I am really thankful to 

serve in a church where decisions can be made 

and held up to Scripture as the final authority. 

I could go on and on with my list of things I’m really 

thankful for and find myself particularly fond 

of this season where we stop and think about 

questions like this. When I was in kindergarten 

the local newspaper asked 6-year-old me to 

describe how to cook a turkey. As my mother 

retold the story, she always mentioned how I 

laid down on the ground to illustrate the manner 

in which the turkey was to be placed in the 

pan (apparently some hybrid between the fetal 

position and a diving board cannonball.) The 

retelling of that story was one of our Thanksgiving 

traditions. Let me suggest that you try 

out a new tradition this year: pray at the end of 

your Thanksgiving meal. After you’ve eaten take 

some time around the Thanksgiving table and 

ask the question, “What are you really thankful 

for?” End your meal with dessert and time in 

prayer thanking your Father in Heaven who has 

given us so many things to be really thankful for. 

Jean F. Larroux, III 

Senior Pastor 

For more from Jean, check out 

his sermons at southwood.org 

jean.larroux@southwood.org 

@jflarrouxiii 

NOVEMBER 2014 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG 3

SOUTHWOOD 

respond 

ASK A 

PASTOR 

Chad 

Townsley 

A pastor's perspective 

regarding voting 

as Christians 

VOTE? 

What are some important theological 

principles to remember as I vote as an 

American Christian? 

VOTE? 

There are two principles (or tendencies) that I think 

many of us are susceptible to as we vote and enter 

into political discourse. 

First, we must remember not to fall off into one of two “ditches” 

or extremes as voting, American Christians. These “ditches” 

are complete apathy on one end and false/total trust on the 

other. The apathetic individual says with cynicism that their 

vote and voice does not matter. This ditch denies the value 

and responsibility that God has allowed us as Americans to 

participate in a democratic system. The total trust “ditch” says 

that we live and die by the results of our voting and democratic 

system. This position places an almost fatalistic emphasis 

on the outcome of our next elected officials. As Christian 

Americans we should aim for a centered view, marked by 

thoughtful engagement without desperate clinging to the 

democratic process. This middle of the road perspective 

understands and advocates for voting rights and privileges, 

while not overemphasizing what any particular outcome might 

do for the fate of our country. 

Second, and very much connected to the first principle, is 

the importance of God’s sovereignty as we vote and elect 

government officials. Romans 13:1-7 makes it plain that 

according to God’s sovereign will and domain, there is no ruler 

or authority in power to which God has not appointed. This 

should allow us great rest as we trust in God’s care for all of life, 

including the outcome of elections. In fact, the entire political 

system in which God has placed us is the result of his sovereign 

orchestration. This means that no matter the outcome, God 

remains on the throne of heaven with Jesus as the ruler over all 

the earth (Ephesians 1:21-23). As we enter the polls to vote, we 

do so knowing that God will not be removed from power and 

that he has ordained all things that come to pass. 

How should I vote as I 

go to the polls this month? 

Along with lots of other important things like being 

educated on the issues, removing as many biases 

as possible and other general voting wisdom, go to the polls 

and vote as Jesus would. This means remembering the familiar 

yet profoundly important principle that Jesus was neither a 

Republican nor a Democrat, nor a Libertarian or Tea Party-er. As 

we go to the polls we go as Christians with an interest first and 

foremost for God’s kingdom. As we vote for people and/or law 

and principle changes, remember that God has called each of us 

to advance his will and his kingdom throughout the entire earth. 

We vote to make a statement about his love of people, life, 

human rights as well as his care for the poor, impoverished and 

widowed. Our political and voting matrix should first be shaped 

and informed by our Christian worldview and secondarily by 

our American ideals and hopes. We go to the polls carrying our 

God’s heart in all we say, do, give, serve and vote for. This means 

that your best voting guide is the word and will of God, not your 

own preferences or political leanings. Every time you exercise 

your American right to vote, remember who first redeemed and 

reclaimed you. Vote with a heart for that loving Father and savior. 


HASTA LUEGO Andes & Susan Hoyt 

The Gospel provides a message of fixing the most broken relationship that ever existed: mankind separated from God. Last year the churches 

of the Monterrey valley invited Southwood to visit them and build relationships, and that we did: Ben, Sarah and Riley Niemitz, and us. We built 

relationships with all manners of believers and covenant families: kids, teenagers, wives and husbands, pastors and their families, Americans 

serving there, church planters, and members of the congregation. Missions are about relationship building between believers and believers, 

and non-believers and believers. There is some debate on the value of short-term missions, but if you go to build relationships based on Christ's 

love and not just solve some problem, you are going for a right reason. 

Why Monterrey? Mission to the World supports the Church Planting Institute in Monterrey that now has five local churches. Great news, great 

growth, but the field is huge. The population of the metropolis is six million people. Consider the context, Alabama is just now (yes the whole 

state) approaching five million. So to Monterrey we were invited and to the suburb of Garcia and Vida Neuva (new life) Church, we went. Christ 

said that the world will know us by our love, and love us they did. They gave us the best rooms in their houses for sleeping. They gave us hours 

of their time, transportation, great food, a wonderful worship service (all in Spanish) but most of all the joy of getting to know them. They even 

gave us a very special Super Bowl party. They cooked discalla, brought the TV to the patio, pulled blankets off the bed (it was unseasonably cold) 

and watched with us—even if it was a crummy game. 

So important is keeping those relationships going that I, an anti-Facebook person, got a Facebook account just to keep up with them. With 

whom? Teo and Bety (not misspelled) and their beautiful daughter Regina, and Hillary and Juan (Regina’s cousins) and her parents Persi and 

Jaime. The list goes on: Oscar, Edmundo, Daniel, Conchita, too many to list but names are important because they represent the people of the 

church, living stones, all with great stories about Jesus to tell. Why did we go? To encourage fellow believers and build relationships. What did 

we get? Relationships and a great view of the variety and wonder of God’s kingdom! 

“Hasta luego” we said as we departed. It wasn’t goodbye it was, “see you later.” And we really meant it. So this 

year to Mexico we return but there seems to be a catch (at least from my perspective) but not God’s! What 

next? Mexico again. Yes! Where? Where they want us to go, but not Monterrey—instead to Durango 

which is 300 miles away. That’s a bit sad because we wanted to oh-so-much see them again but in 

Durango the church is even smaller and God has a plan for that trip too. Amazing though 

is the fact that a missionary Susan and I met and supported about 20 years ago is 

now working in Durango. Yes, it is about relationships, the ones God gives 

us. Come to Durango and be part of building Christ’s kingdom by 

building relationships. 

Consider joining Southwood's shortterm 

mission team to Mexico March 

21-28, 2015. We will be serving 

alongside our church planting partners 

in Monterrey and Durango. Join us by 

the fireplace on November 2nd directly 

after the worship service for more 

information! 

Or email sarah.niemitz@southwood.org 

if you cannot attend the November 2nd 

meeting.

SOUTHWOOD 

relate 

SESSION UPDATE Chad Townsley 

As the church and its families move through the Fall semester, the 

Southwood Session is excited to see God working in our midst. At 

our October meeting, we received great reports from all ministry 

committees about the exciting events, activities and widespread 

impact that Southwood is having throughout Huntsville and 

beyond. The Session really enjoyed Harvest HeyDay and the 

great opportunity it was for our congregation to engage with the 

community by inviting neighbors to our very own backyard. This 

event embodies so much of why Southwood exists—to bless our 

local area by and with the gospel of grace. 

Along with addressing a variety of shepherding items, the Session 

was excited at its recent meeting to continue to make further plans 

to present new officer candidates to the congregation for election. 

As you may recall, the Session is currently overseeing its first ever 

class of Elder and Deacon apprentices. These men have been 

nominated by the congregation for office, have gone through the 

leadership training class, been carefully shepherded by individual 

Deacons and Elders and have received regular exposure to 

Sessional and Diaconate activities. Each man who is willing and 

desirous to stand for office will complete final vetting (including 

completion of a written exam and an interview with the Session) in 

the next few weeks. After this process is completed the Session will 

make final recommendations to the congregation for its approval. 

The Session currently plans to present these men for election at 

our stated February 2015 Congregational Meeting. Please join us 

in praying for these men and their families. Each potential officer 

will need to make careful assessments of their heart, giftedness 

and desire to serve. Please also pray for the Session as we trust 

the Father to provide wisdom and guidance as we work with these 

men. We are excited by how God has blessed us in raising up these 

future officers in his church! 

CHILI COOK-OFF WINNERS 

BEST THEME 

Despicable Me 

Jim Lancaster Small Group 

BEST CHILI 

Crossed rifles 

Mick Smith Small Group

elate 

SOUTHWOOD 

RELATIONSHIPS 

IN SMALL GROUPS Will Spink 

How has God designed the body of Christ to work, and what 

does this mean for our relationships, particularly in small 

groups? Paul pens a masterful chapter on the Body of Christ 

in I Corinthians 12 that is full of lessons for us. 

NO LONE LIMBS 

“For the body does not consist of one 

member but of many. If the foot should say, 

'Because I am not a hand, I do not belong 

to the body,' that would not make it any less 

a part of the body.” – I Corinthians 12:14-15 

Paul begins this passage by comparing 

the human body with the spiritual body of 

Christ, the Church. Both of them, he says, 

have “many members” but “one body.” 

Part of his point is that we are united and 

inextricably connected by our common 

calling to follow the Head, Jesus himself. 

And as parts of his body, we need each 

other! None of us—not the most important, 

the best looking, or the strongest—was 

designed to follow Christ on his own (vv.21- 

24). There are to be, in that sense, no lone 

limbs in the body of Christ; no Christian was 

intended to survive, much less thrive, outside 

of deep connectedness to others. 

Our dependence on the glory and strength of our 

great Head is followed closely by our inter-dependence 

upon each other as parts with different gifts, different 

roles, and different functions in the body. 

PERFECTLY ARRANGED PARTS 

“God arranged the members of the body, each 

one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, 

where would the body be? As it is, there are 

many parts, yet one body.” – I Corinthians 12:18-20 

Do you have those people in your small group or 

circle of friends that you just don’t seem to click 

with? Perhaps they never seem to understand what 

you mean. They never get excited about the things 

you get excited about. They just don’t seem to have 

anything in common with you. God’s not surprised. 

He has actually designed us uniquely to be different 

parts of his body. Some of us are hands, others are eyes, still 

others are feet. Spiritually, this means that we have different 

gifts and different functions within the body of Christ. 

Practically, it means that we see things differently and have 

personalities and preferences that often clash. 

It’s easy, in light of this reality, to get frustrated with 

the situation and work toward having churches 

(and small groups) where everyone is as much 

like “ME” as possible. We ought to get rid 

of all the difficult people (read: those who 

don’t mesh well with “ME”) and get some 

more people who enjoy the same things 

we do and look and act more like us. 

God apparently feels differently. Paul tells 

us that these unique parts God himself has 

arranged exactly the way He wants them 

to be in order to make the body of Christ. 

This means our hearts that tend to move 

away from different people and toward 

similar people need to be redirected by 

the gospel and the God who created us 

uniquely. God doesn’t make mistakes and 

has perfectly created the body of Christ so 

that it is beautiful, exactly the way He wants 

it to be. 

THE BEAUTY OF THE BODY 

“If one member suffers, all suffer together; if 

one member is honored, all rejoice together.” 

– I Corinthians 12:26 

Here’s what it starts to look like when the body made 

up of these unique members is connected the way 

God wants: Beautiful community flourishes. We 

share in each other’s lives, feel each other’s pain, and 

celebrate each other’s joys. If you’ve ever experienced 

relationships where that is genuinely how you feel 

about each other, you know how beautiful this is. 

Just this fall one of our newly formed small groups 

has grieved the loss of multiple family members as 

well as celebrated the engagement of two group 

members. All suffered. All rejoiced. The deeper our 

relationships grow, the more these realities are true 

of us and the more we become the beautiful body of 

Christ that God has redeemed us to be. 


SOUTHWOOD 

reflect 

Same 

Difference 

God's Complementary Design 

for Men and Women by Will Spink 

Gender issues are 

consistently topics of 

conversation in a variety of spheres of 

life: personal, political, social, and many others. 

But what about in the church? What does 

the Bible have to say about men and women, 

their similarities and differences, their place and 

function in the kingdom of God? There are many good 

treatments of these topics, but here I will draw largely and quote 

regularly from a lecture outline by Dr. Bryan Chapell, former president 

of Covenant Theological Seminary and current moderator of the PCA. 

The Beauty of Our Commonalities 

In Creation 

Before any discussion of differences or distinctions in roles, it is vital 

to begin by laying the foundation the Bible lays for the equivalent 

value of men and women as people created in the image of God. 

Both male and female, Genesis 1:27 says, were created by God in his 

image and thus share unique value among all of creation. Both Adam 

and Eve were a part of God’s good creation, and both were called to 

reflect his image in his world, to exercise dominion over the rest of the 

creation, to fill the earth and subdue it as God’s vice-regents. 

The value of a creature being in the image of the Creator of the 

universe is so significant that many other factors would pale in 

comparison. The worth and identity endued in that statement 

outweigh many differences that would seek to make one more 

valuable than the other. 

In the Family 

In wedding ceremonies what may often stick out to us are any 

differences in the language used to describe the husband and wife 

or promised in their wedding vows to each other. The reason those 

differences stick out, however, is the substantial amount of overlap 

between the two. Often the minister will speak of the couple living 

together as heirs of God’s grace, of the two becoming one flesh, thus 

emphasizing the unity of rather than the distinction between the man 

and the woman. 

Within the marriage relationship, I Corinthians 7 tells us that the 

physical relationship is to be a mutual one—that the husband should 

give conjugal rights to his wife and the wife to her husband since 

neither has authority over his own body but willingly gives that up to 

the other. Similarly, when children become part of the family, the Bible 

often addresses “parents,” who share a similar role in relationship to 

children, whether the parent be a father or a mother. 

In the Church 

Furthermore, when Jesus comes to redeem and begin his re-creation, 

the fact that a person is united to the Savior by faith becomes the 

fundamental identity marker. As with being created in the image 

of God, being re-created into the image of Jesus gives value on a 

different plane from other factors. As Paul reminds the Galatians, 

“there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there 

is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 

3:28). Being united to Christ brings a unity or commonality in identity 

and worth that far outweighs ethnic, social, and gender before God. 

When believers are united to Christ, they also become part of his 

body, the Church. As I Corinthians 12 teaches, this means that besides 

the Head (Jesus Christ), no part is more significant than the other. 

Further, each part has its own gifts for the building up of the body; 

men and women both have gifts of service, gifts of teaching, gifts of 

faith to be employed for the sake of the whole. 

So, Dr. Chapell writes, “Male and female possess spiritual equality 

before God that neither annuls nor devalues the different roles of 

each in family and church.” 


The Beauty of Our Differences 

In Creation 

From the beginning God’s intention was for man and woman to be 

complementary. While this is sometimes decried as old-fashioned and 

backward in an age of egalitarianism and gender neutrality, this Godgiven 

design was not, as we have seen, devaluing to either man or 

woman. God created man and woman both in his image but both also 

unique—physically, as we readily notice, and also relationally. 

In particular, when the woman is described as a “helper” fit for the man, 

a complementary companion, that Hebrew term is one of strength 

rather than inferiority. She is depicted as addressing a need in man—his 

loneliness—and the word “helper” is used of God in the Old Testament 

as the strong one who comes to help (or even rescue) his people, Israel. 

God’s design in this was for both man and woman to benefit from the 

differences of the other in a way that—physically and relationally—makes 

for a beautiful partnership. 

In the Family 

Complementarity is also characteristic of the marriage relationship, where 

husband and wife are called to different roles for the sake of the marriage 

and the family. The beauty of these unique roles is that they are not just 

capriciously assigned but that they are intentionally designed to display 

the beauty of the relationship between Christ and his bride, the Church. 

The husband exercises the role of spiritual headship in the marriage, 

following the example of Christ (Ephesians 5:23, I Corinthians 11:3). Just 

as with Jesus, this headship is not be to lorded over the wife but rather is 

to be one of sacrificial servant leadership, as the husband lays down his 

life for his wife. The wife, in response to the loving sacrifice of her husband, 

is called to a role of submissive partnership, as she willingly respects and 

follows the leadership of her husband while also employing her own gifts 

for the good of her family. The beautiful result of such a complementary 

relationship is the flourishing of both wife and husband as well as the 

reflection of the relationship between the Church and our Savior. 

In the Church 

Just as within creation and the family, the biblical evidence strongly 

suggests that within his Church God has called men and women to a 

distinction in role even when there is equality in value and even gifting. 

In particular, when Paul writes instructions to the churches about how to 

structure their leadership, he assigns the role of formal leadership and 

spiritual oversight specifically and exclusively to men (I Timothy 3, Titus 1). 

While women may indeed use gifts of teaching and leadership (among 

others) in the body of Christ, the formal, regular, authoritative teaching 

and discipline of the Church is the responsibility of men particularly 

ordained to such positions (I Timothy 2:8-15). 

Southwood 

Host Team 

If you have ever walked in a building and been 

overwhelmed, hoping someone would point you in the 

right direction, you know how our guests might feel! 

Every Sunday men and women on the Host Team work 

to make this overwhelming feeling a little bit easier 

by greeting guests at the door, making coffee, giving 

directions, selling books, and answering all sorts of 

questions. 

Our desire has always been to welcome guests well so 

that they have grace-filled encounters from the parking 

lot all the way to the pew. In the past the ushers have 

functioned to some extent as a separate team to 

welcome people into the sanctuary for worship. Now 

that men and women can serve together with ushering 

in the sanctuary area, we will be able to have a unified 

team with seamless care for people all the way through 

the building. The same people who greeted you at the 

door with a smile and helped you find the nursery might 

also greet you a couple hours later with a bulletin and 

help you find a seat. 

Everyone is invited Sunday, January 11, to learn more 

about serving with Southwood’s Host Team! Whether 

you are currently a member of the Host Team or want 

to learn more, join us during the 9:00am Christian 

Education hour to learn about the different jobs and 

fellowship with other members of the Host Team. 


SOUTHWOOD 

reflect 

Chapell writes, “The eldership is a ruling office in the church that is 

assigned to males by specific apostolic instruction, Old Testament 

pattern and necessary implication of family headship.” As Chapell 

observes from some of the key texts listed above, this is not, as 

many have argued, simply a culturally specific instruction that has 

faded with the passing of the centuries since Paul wrote under the 

inspiration of the Holy Spirit. To the contrary, the reasoning used in 

I Timothy 2, among other places, roots its basis all the way back to 

God’s creational design. 

As clear as the Scriptures seem to be in this regard, it is equally clear 

that these directives were not given to oppress women or hinder the 

use of their gifts in the Church. Examples of women prophesying and 

praying in the assembly of God’s people are present in both Old and 

New Testaments. Instances of instruction of God’s people as well as 

working alongside church leaders like the Apostle Paul himself occur 

more than once, and these are not only recorded in Scripture but also 

commended and celebrated (e.g. Romans 16:2, Acts 16, Acts 18:26). 

So, the Bible is clear that while men have a particular calling and 

responsibility for leadership within Christ’s Church, a fully biblical 

church will engage the gifts and talents of women alongside them. 

When this happens, the body of Christ can function the way it is 

portrayed in passages like I Corinthians 12, where each part does its 

work (Ephesians 4:16) in a way that is indispensable to the functioning 

of the body as a whole. As Chapell says, “for elders that would lead 

congregations well (by humbly acknowledging their limitations and 

respecting God’s purposes in dispensing different gifts throughout 

the church), godly and wise women should be sought by sessions for 

ministry advice and involvement.” 

For many years Southwood has sought, albeit imperfectly, to 

engage the gifts of such women in many aspects of church life and 

particularly alongside the elders. Women at Southwood have taught 

and co-taught Sunday School classes, chaired various committees 

of the church, and counseled alongside elders in matters of church 

discipline. Our Session has seen time and again our need for listening 

to and laboring with our women for the sake of the whole church. 

God’s design within his Church, then, mirrors the family in that men 

and women complement each other in filling different roles for the 

betterment of the whole. When leaders serve rather than lording 

their authority over those who follow (Matthew 20:25-28), and when 

congregations submit to their leaders willingly (Hebrews 13:17), there 

is a beauty evident in the Church that is both counter-cultural and 

innately attractive. 

The Danger of Excessive Distinctions 

Sometimes in an effort to guard against drift toward error or in an 

effort to display one’s biblical commitment, churches will add further 

distinctions on the role of women in the church that the Bible does 

not prescribe. While this seems like a very safe move, it can actually 

be quite dangerous. For those of us eager to hold onto the Bible’s 

authority even when it runs against culture or tradition, allowing 

culture or tradition to drive such a decision actually undermines our 

position and can hinder the proper functioning of the body of Christ. 

Chapell explains the danger this way: “Which is more wrong, to 

allow what the Bible prohibits or to prohibit what the Bible allows? 

The answer is that both are equally wrong because both cause man 

to usurp the lawgiving role reserved for God alone. Thus, before we 

prohibit anything, we must make sure that the Scriptures prohibits it. 

Simply ‘playing it safe’ by maintaining unbiblical traditions that deny 

rights without biblical warrant is not spiritually safe at all. We must be 

sure ‘God says it’ before we impose restrictions on any member of the 

body of Christ.”

Recall that men and women—both in general and in the Church—have 

significant commonality; thus, the distinctions made in Scripture are both 

intentional and important. When we create others that don’t necessarily 

or by clear implication follow from those of the Bible, we endanger the 

beauty of the complementary relationship God has designed. 

For reasons like these the Session of Southwood several years ago, under 

the leadership of then Senior Pastor Mike Honeycutt, determined that 

women should be permitted and encouraged to serve as ushers during 

the worship service. Out of sensitivity to some members for whom this 

practice was culturally unfamiliar and uncomfortable, the Session agreed 

to delay the implementation of their decision even though they felt it was 

thoroughly biblical. 

Southwood’s current Session agrees with that determination and has 

decided to allow implementation of this decision in the near future. The 

Session feels this is not only biblically permissible but also, in line with the 

reasoning above, biblically healthy and beneficial to the body. 

Chapell uses ushering among other things as an example of how 

churches can and should elevate the gifts and visibility of women in 

the church: “Where biblically appropriate the church should follow the 

New Testament example of elevating the status of women by seeking 

to communicate the value and glory of women in the home and in the 

church by not prohibiting women to do what the Bible allows for merely 

traditional reasons (e.g. allowing women to usher, greet, collect offerings, 

administer various ministries).” 

For some in the culture and perhaps in our church, such a decision as 

allowing women to usher in the worship service may seem like a small 

and insignificant step for an excessively conservative church. For others 

it may feel at first glance like a dangerous move down a slippery slope of 

liberalism. It is neither. Any time a church submits itself thoughtfully and 

intentionally to biblical principles, it is both significant and safe. 

While it is unlikely that any church ever gets it all right in the application 

of such challenging issues, the way forward for Southwood or any 

other church toward being the beautiful bride of Christ always involves 

examining itself in the mirror of God’s Word. What that means in the case 

of these gender discussions is that we must celebrate the beauty of our 

commonality as those made in God’s image, called into relationship, 

redeemed by the blood of Jesus, and gifted with and by the Holy Spirit. 

Likewise, we must celebrate the beauty of our differences as those made 

to complement each other rather than to compete with each other for our 

worth and value. 

Finally, we must celebrate the gifts and service of all members of the 

body in every possible way that the Bible approves. We must take care 

to treat each other as brothers and sisters, never merely the subjects of 

theological debates or controversies. We need each other—men and 

women laboring alongside each other as God has designed—as we seek 

together as the body of Christ to grow up into him who is our head, even 

Jesus Christ. 

Southwood 

Session 

Decisions 

Recently the Session approved the implementation of 

a longstanding decision regarding the service of men 

and women on Sunday mornings, particularly as ushers. 

In July 2007 Southwood’s Session made a number of 

determinations regarding worship services, including 

that both men and women should serve as ushers in all 

Southwood worship services. While the decision itself 

and its biblical appropriateness were never altered, the 

Session later decided to delay the implementation of 

this decision due to a desire to be sensitive to some 

members of the congregation. Men have continued to 

serve as ushers at Southwood for the past several years. 

Based upon some of the principles in the article here, 

the Session feels it is both appropriate and needful to 

exercise now the freedom given to women by the Bible 

and by past Session determination to serve in this way. 

The Session is eager to see the Host Team welcoming 

people all the way from the parking lot to the pew as 

well as to see our men and women laboring alongside 

each other in this and many other areas of service. In 

September 2014, the Session responded to a request 

in this regard from the Board of Deacons and approved 

the implementation of women serving as ushers in 2015. 

As part of that process, the Session set aside November 

9 and 16 during the Sunday School hour to meet with 

anyone who would like to discuss this issue. Please 

come talk with us if you have questions and please 

partner with us as we all seek to use our gifts to build 

up the body of Christ and see his kingdom advanced. 



Hey Day 

2014 


SOUTHWOOD 

relate 

KIDS LISTENING 

GUIDE Niña Banta 

Worshipping as a family can be where some of the 

sweetest memories are made. It's those memories 

that leave a lasting impression on a child. They 

may not remember the sermon title or a specific 

offertory song, but they'll remember the experience 

of worship. They might remember snuggling up 

next to you in a pew, a hymn that's sung often, 

perhaps a sermon illustration that really clicked, or 

even watching you take communion. Worship is an 

experience that is meant to be shared. 

All children are learning to worship by watching you 

and everyone around them. Through our worship 

as adults, we are teaching by example what it looks 

like to worship a living God. Children are sponges 

who watch and listen and then do as we do. 

Whether it's singing, praying, taking communion, 

standing at a baptism or simply listening to the 

sermon, engage your children to participate with 

you. This is also a great opportunity for you to 

encourage your children to grab a listening guide 

and take notes or simply draw a picture of the key 

point or lesson learned from the sermon. 

Southwood Kids Listening Guide is provided to 

guide children through the service. It helps them 

focus their listening. It's a teaching tool for you, as 

parents, to guide your children through corporate 

worship. Let this tool help you in discussions with 

your child after the service to dig a little deeper, 

or perhaps answer questions that they might have 

concerning the sermon or segment of the worship 

service. 

As we close our study on Jonah and end our Kids 

Moment with Pastor Will, we don't have to stop 

having teachable moments in the pews with our 

kids. Grab a listening guide on your way into the 

sanctuary and continue the momentum of your 

children engaging in worship. They are listening 

and watching whether it seems like it or not. 

Corporate worship as a family is just another way 

to experience and express grace with your children. 


elate 

SOUTHWOOD 

ALL THAT 

IS FAIR 

I KNOW A SECRET: 

A NEW ALBUM FROM 

GINNY OWENS 

James Parker 

Ginny Owens has been a familiar face in the Christian music world 

for 14 years. She has had lots of success and notoriety over the 

years. And she deserves every bit of it! She's one of the kindest 

people you will ever meet who also happens to have an impeccable 

voice and write amazing songs! She has a new album that will be 

coming out very soon. There are many reasons I'm excited about 

this release. 

For one, Ginny's albums don't dissappoint. They are chock full 

of well crafted, and well executed songs. When you listen, you 

can get a feel for how much thought goes into every aspect of the 

process; the writing, arranging, production, recording, etc... She 

lives in a pop genre that is notorious for churning out mediocre 

music for the lowest common denominator—music without much 

depth or substance, either melodically, harmonically, or lyrically. 

Ginny is an artist that bubbles to the surface, going above and 

beyond the status quo, yet still being true to what is good and 

lovely about pop music. This is not an easy thing to do. In my 

attempts at songwriting, I've often thought that it would be easier 

to write a fugue in the style of J.S. Bach that uses modern harmonic 

textures than it would be to write a simple song that is interesting 

but not too "heady", so that the average person cares about what 

they're hearing. I really can't describe how difficult it is to ride that 

line, to make art that just simply moves people. Motown is a good 

example of what is lovely about pop music. Just because the music 

isn't too complicated, or the subject matter isn't too abstract or 

esoteric, doesn't mean the product can't be weighty and classic. 

For me, Ginny is in this category. 

Another reason I'm excited about this 

new record is that I got to be a part of 

the process. I was very honored to be 

invited to play acoustic and electric 

guitar, as well as a little mandolin, on 

every song of her new record. I played 

at the initial tracking sessions with the 

other session guys and I got to do lots 

of overdubs later on. The tracking 

sessions were intimidating. It was one 

of those times when you walk into a 

room and say to yourself, "whoa... this 

is a big deal." Just about everyone in the room had produced, engineered, 

or played on a grammy winning record. These guys have worked with 

everyone... Third Day, Chris Rice, The Civil Wars, Jason Mraz, Taylor Swift, 

Keith Urban, and the list goes on and on and on... and on. Needless to say, 

I felt out classed. Sitting in a tiny glass box with headphones on and fancy 

microphones pointed at me, waiting for the count to start, in a big room full 

of that much talent... I had butterflies in my stomach for sure! But in the end 

everything came out great and I'm extremely proud of the way it sounds and 

so happy that I got to help make it happen. 

Here is a brief writeup from Ginny's website. "Ginny's eighth studio album 

I Know a Secret (out November 10 on Chick Power Music / Word / Warner) 

[is] a 14-song collection, every bit as engaged as it is introspective. 'Sure, it’s 

great to have moments when you can forget it all,' says the Nashville-based, 

three-time Dove Award-winner. 'But what does it look like to live with hope in 

spite of what we see around us? What does it look like to be moved enough 

to make a difference?'... [the overall feel] is an elegant eclecticism, reflecting 

the ‘90s singer-songwriter scene that shaped Owens early on, her lifelong 

love of weighty Protestant hymnody, the admiration for R&B she’d acquired 

at her predominately African-American high school in Jackson, Mississippi 

and her openness to freshly ear-catching textures." 

So please set aside a few dollars on November 10th and buy this new album. 

These songs will stick with you. All of them are memorable and all of them 

have something to say. You'll be glad you bought it! And in a cultural 

environment where mediocrity is ubiquitous, it is important to support 

culture makers who are truly good at what they do. It will keep us from 

becoming a bland and uninspired people if we actively value what is lovely. 

"ENOUGH SAID" 

JEAN F. LARROUX III 

If you believe that most RomCom’s are more science fiction than reality then you will 

love “Enough Said”! This 2013 film starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus and James Gandolfini 

is a real comedy and it is a real romance. It is a story of a woman (Louis-Dreyfus) who is 

divorced and meets another divorcee (Gandolfini) who have both basically given up on 

the dating scene. They are both past 40, neither is a supermodel and neither has an 

amazing job or apartment or friend group. They are normal, down the street kind of 

people. He lives in a ranch house and she drives a Prius. That is what makes this movie 

BRILLIANT. It is a real story about real people with real struggles, real issues and 

subsequently real love. Fair warning, don’t let the PG-13 rating fool you. It is a real 

movie with real-life issues. This is the perfect date night film for the couple who wants 

to laugh and remember that real love isn’t something you fall into after meeting Mr. 

Right on horseback outside a castle. Real love is something you choose when Mr. 

Right is more like the back of a horse in a stable behind the castle.

SANTA’S 

SECRET 

SHOP 

with Second Mile 

Donate new toys on Sunday, November 9th & 16th 

WISH LIST 

Girls Stuff 

[] Baby Alive: any variety of doll, different races, learning to go potty, go to doctor, etc. 

[] Make up Kits/Hair kits, shower gel/lotion kits 

[] Disney's Frozen: movie, dolls, games 

Boys Stuff 

[] Legos: Star Wars, Transformers, Large kits 

[] Axe Bodywash Kits/shaving kits 

[] skateboards & helmets 

More Stuff 

[] V-tech educational toys 

[] Bicycles (from training wheels up 

to 26” bikes) for girls & boys 

[] Alabama & Auburn items

BRANCHES November 2014

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?