The Head Covering Movement does not support “Hebrew Roots” or “Torah-observant” theology. Since we view Christian head covering as based firmly in biblical theology, our response to the Hebrew Roots Movement is described in detail below.Read more
Hello everyone, today I am announcing that I am stepping down from my role as HCM Director. Effective immediately, I am transitioning leadership to David Phillips and Jessica Roldan, two long-time core members of the HCM Team.Read more
According to one worldly stereotype, the modern man is lazy, selfish, and disengaged. His wife may even feel that she needs to act like his mother in order to make him more responsible.
The maturing Christian man pushes back against this stereotype, both in his own life and in his influence with other men. “Authentic Manhood” is an excellent video series about biblical masculinity, with a frequent call to “reject passivity, accept responsibility, lead courageously, and invest eternally.”Read more
Since biblical womanhood involves submission to my husband, it makes sense that as part of that, I will obey him. Throughout all the years we have been married, my husband has never asked me to do anything wrong, which has made it very doable for me to submit to him – but I know this is not the case for all marriages.
What if your husband asked you to do something wrong? Or what if you had a serious disagreement with him over something very important to you? Should you obey him?
In this one article, it would be impossible to cover the whole range of different scenarios that might occur! However, I believe we can uncover some general guidelines that could apply to almost any situation. Read more
I began covering in the Fall of 2012, and the journey has been amazing. Where I’m standing now isn’t the same place I started, as I can see when looking back on the past nine years. Head covering has taught me some important life lessons.
And right now, I bet I already know what you’re thinking: I’m about to say that head covering helped me learn to be a more submissive wife. Though that is certainly true (and I will be coming back to that in a moment), there are actually some other ways head covering changed me that aren’t as obvious.
The Less Obvious
To start with, I used to be a little afraid to be different. I didn’t want people to think ill of me. On the contrary, I wanted to impress them with how smart and how pretty I thought I was! I can see now that I was insecure and guided by vanity. Head covering changed all that.
As a result of head covering, I’ve given up on those things. I haven’t given up on trying to look pretty or be smart, but I’ve given up on caring about people thinking that I look pretty or that I’m smart.
I suspect they think I’m a little different, maybe even ignorant and unbalanced, and I’ve arrived at the point where I’m okay with that. I don’t need their approval and I don’t care what they think of me (okay, I actually do still care — just not as much as before). What freedom to let go of the need to live up to other people’s expectations, and to not worry about their opinion of me!Read more
When I first started head covering, I temporarily experienced a bit of tunnel vision. I was still trying to clarify and solidify my beliefs, which necessitated quite a bit of time spent in focused study. I was also trying to understand (and deal with) the different reactions I got. Traversing this unfamiliar ground required extra attention, for a while. Though I was very careful to not allow this new experience to turn into a focal point of obsession, other people may have been concerned that it would.
Nine years later, I’m happy to say that it hasn’t.
Head covering has never been an issue I’ve exalted over more important matters, such as confessing sin, trusting in Christ, and loving and forgiving others, to name a few examples. I’ve always had a clear understanding of its place in my life, and of what level of priority it deserved.
Head Covering Mistakes to Avoid
Sometimes I hear it suggested that those who practice head covering are obsessive, legalistic, ignorant, or unbalanced. I know I don’t fit that caricature and I’m disappointed to be so misrepresented. And yet, I try to be patient. It doesn’t do any good to let false assumptions get under your skin. Being super-sensitive to criticism leads to problems such as bitterness and resentment, and I don’t want to give those things a foothold in my heart. So, I’ve always tried to avoid taking myself too seriously.
I take God seriously, and I take His Word seriously, but I don’t take myself too seriously. This isn’t about me.Read more
If you asked my husband what kind of wife I am, I think he would tell you the same thing he tells me: I’m devoted, loving, kind, and “the best thing that ever happened to me” (his actual words). Yet, submitting to my husband isn’t always easy.
At times, it feels like a blistering tug-of-war between my two selves: the noble, godly side of me and the not-so-noble, selfish side of me. It’s up and down. Sometimes it’s more up and sometimes it’s more down, depending on how I’m doing emotionally at any given time (if I told you that we have eight children and homeschool, that might help you understand). When I find myself in a down moment, or a whole series of down moments, there are certain things I like to tell myself in order to get back on track. I’d like to share what those things are, in the form of five helpful thoughts.
5 TRUTHS I REMIND MYSELF
Helpful Thought #1: Submission isn’t just for wives. If other people are expected to submit, so can I.
We are told to submit to the government (Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Pet. 2:13-17). When has the government ever been perfect? Never. But, we need to submit anyway (unless it involves denying Christ, Acts 5:27-32).
Servants are told to submit to their masters (Eph. 6:5-8; 1 Pet. 2:18-25). Masters (bosses, people in charge) aren’t always nice, but servants (employees) are reminded that when they do their job with a willing heart, as unto the Lord, God will reward them for it.
Children are told to honor and obey their parents (Eph. 6:1-3; Col. 3:20). I’ve never met a perfect parent, nor am I one. Though I certainly encourage honesty with my children, I don’t think it’s always necessary for them to feel that I am “worthy of respect” before they give me the respect that my position deserves. They don’t need to understand all my decisions or agree with them.Read more
