On Purpose

Understanding God's Freedom for Women Through Scripture

By: Julie Zine Coleman

Narrated by: Pam Ward

Many Christian women are torn between how the church has taught traditional gender roles and the liberty they see secular society afford to women. But what if the church's conventional teachings on the place of women aren't really biblical at all?

On Purpose is a serious study on the verses in the Bible that have often been interpreted to define the role of women in the church, at home, and in the workplace. Each chapter focuses on a single passage, considering what it meant to the original recipients, understanding each author's intent, and applying its true meaning in today's cultural setting. With each chapter, Julie Coleman thoroughly reveals how the timeless principles in the Bible actually teach freedom for women. In fact, when rightly understood, these verses are a wake-up call that we are handicapping the church's role on Earth by limiting women unnecessarily. Instead, men and women should be working side by side for the advancement of the kingdom of God.

Written without anger or judgment, and with no agenda but to delve deep into the Bible, On Purpose is an enlightening study offering a fresh, scriptural perspective. It's time to set women free to answer God's call on their lives—and set the church free to function the way God truly desires.

©2022 Julie Zine Coleman (P)2022 eChristian

Enlightening, encouraging and educational

Wow! I have never read a Christian book so well written. I want to read it again and go through it with all the verses and make notes. It is an easy listen but so full of “meat” or material that I think I need to read it two more times just to let all the teaching sink in. it made me so want to delve into the Bible and study it with a new and more contextual approach. It is very Christ centered and at the same time very honestly written. The author shares her background and history of her experiences within the evangelical church. I highly recommend this book for anyone wrestling with questions concerning women and their roles as Christians.

Best book I’ve read in a long time!

I’ve done quite a bit of research on both sides of this topic, and Julie Zine Coleman knocked it out of the park! She was clear and respectful while showing a more responsible way to interpret the scriptures for all time. She believes the Word of God is without error in the intent behind the words, which is how we should read anything - looking for the intent during that time and culture rather than ignoring the intent during that time and culture and reading into the text our own assumptions or desires. It’s obvious she did an incredible amount of historical and cultural research before writing this book. No other explanation of the difficult verses about women has come across as clearly, as interestingly, and as cohesively with the rest of the Bible as the one Julie presents in this book. This book should be on every church staff’s, every pastor’s, and every Christian’s to read” list.

Must read

A must read for anyone that grew up in the church because you most likely were not taught these truths.

It only makes sense

The main idea that it's not responsible to form a belief in a rule or strict principle that goes against what 99% of scripture teaches, just because it seems like a couple verses are teaching that belief, is usually applied to most topics by most Christians. Like healing and prosperity, for example.

Life Changing

She uses scripture and real info to back everything she states. Which for someone that’s seeking truth in her life after being taught “Christian doctrine” that I’ve since studied and found not to be true, this is huge for me. She’s loving and kind in her words with no vengeance against men but just bringing truth to her audience. Truth to the scriptures that have been twisted and used out of context to uphold abuse in the church for way too long. This is a must read for anyone wanting to understand the scriptures in context and seeking God’s truth and what he says about women and their role in the body of Christ.

Thank you Julie for sharing your studies so detailed with us! I felt such freedom in Christ after reading this book. The truth will set you free!

Great Salvation Message for Women AND Men

Like the author of this book, I was raised in the Christian church and was always told that women should NOT give sermons. Yet 99% of the people who taught me, whether in Sunday school or public school were women. Why would God prohibit women from leadership roles in the church? Why would He give them gifts He didn’t want them to use?

Julie Zine Coleman answers these and other questions about women’s roles in the church in this wonderfully written and imminently readable book. Her thesis is simple: patriarchy was a CONSEQUENCE of original sin, not the way God intended the social order to be. God never wanted men to LORD OVER their wives; it was merely the CONSEQUENCE of willfully entering the world of sin. Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, humanity has been unshackled from the consequences of original sin and now men and women are free to be what God intended them to be: equal partners.

Zine Coleman’s book will prove controversial for many in the church, who still hold to older, supposedly biblical mores about how to treat women. But when Christianity was born, it had a fire, a passion to break with old laws and bring back our original relationship with God, before the fall. As Paul said to the Galatians: “I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.” Like Paul before her, Julie Zine Coleman encourages women and men of faith to embrace a new covenant, and TOGETHER to seek HIS will.

Answers Most Questions in One Book

This book is easy to read yet has so much depth and care in interpreting the Bible. It is the one book you really need to read if you're struggling with traditional interpretations and views on women. And the authorhas no bitterness whatsoever. Thank God for Julie.