Q. You talk a lot about gender equality. Does that mean you are a feminist?

A. No. Feminism, as the word is defined today, is not the same as biblical equality. Modern feminism is a secular and non-Christian attempt to correct the injustices of gender oppression. Many feminists have admirable goals (such as eliminating sexual harassment in the workplace, for example, or inequity in wages) and they should be applauded. Meanwhile, others have hijacked the feminist movement to promote blatantly unbiblical behaviors such as abortion and same-sex marriage.

Biblical equality, on the other hand, is a Christ-centered ideal that seeks to restore a godly partnership between men and women. While feminism sometimes suggests that women should “take over,” or that women are superior to men, biblical equality states that men and women are created equal in God’s sight and together reflect His nature.
At the same time, those who believe in biblical equality must aggressively oppose religious traditions that oppress women. For centuries well-meaning but misinformed Christians have taught that women are inferior to men and that women must submit to domination, abuse and discrimination. This chauvinistic attitude has caused untold pain in the lives of women and turned many people away from the church.

As a proponent of biblical equality, Lee’s mission is to call for repentance and reformation to the church in the area of gender prejudice. This includes confronting all forms of violence against women in all cultures—wife beating, emotional cruelty, sexual molestation, rape, female genital mutilation, sexual harassment, male dominance and machismo (male pride). These evil and unbiblical behaviors often are perpetrated by Christian men (and even church leaders) but are rarely challenged.

Lee believes that part of his spiritual calling is to help Christian men learn to view women as valued and treasured equal partners. He also believes that he and the people he trains will change laws and cultural norms in many parts of the world so that women can enjoy democratic freedoms, economic and educational opportunities and spiritual liberation.