For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. (Psalm 96:4)

Dearest Friends and Readers of Doug’s Blog:

I recently heard the greatest conference speech in Vision Forum’s eight-year existence. The speech was entitled, “Prepared to Be the Bride of Christ: The Legacy of My Godly Father.” It was a moving tribute given by Mrs. Jennie Chancey to her late father, Jeff Ethell, at Vision Forum’s 2005 Father and Daughter Discipleship Retreat.

I think that one reason why the message so blessed me was that Jennie’s dad, Jeff, was my friend. I miss Jeff. He was one of the most likeable, unassuming, and accessible men of conscience I have ever met.

The man in the picture above was my friend, Jeff Ethell. The note on the letter is one he wrote to his eldest daughter, Jennie, who he referred to affectionately as his “Jennie B.”

I knew Jennie nearly a decade and a half ago, back in the days when she was a bona fide “Christian feminist.” The transformation of her life by the Holy Spirit from an independent conqueror-woman (her own characterization) to a Proverbs 31, Titus 2 “daughter of Sarah” (my characterization) seemed to those who knew her as a Saul-to-Paul type experience. Jennie, who serves her husband, Matt, as a wife, mother, and outstanding homemaker, honors her husband through a Titus 2 Web-based ministry of encouragement to Christian women at www.ladiesagainstfeminism.com. Jennie has also personally mentored numerous young ladies in her home, in accordance with the admonition in Scripture that reads:

That they [the older women] may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. (Titus 2:5)

Mrs. Chancey’s speech was a pièce de résistance at the greatest Father and Daughter Discipleship Retreat in the history of our ministry. Here, she stands with her husband, Matt, who, along with her father, she honors through her faithful testimony.

Though her critics include atheists, agnostics, evolutionists, and feminists of all stripes, I am not surprised to sometimes observe that the nastiest persecution comes from the wolves within the flock. Anti-patriarchs and cultural syncretists loathe Jennie and the vision of hope she communicates to Christian women. The plain teachings of Titus 2 (which are in sync with the rest of Scripture on the subject) throw a colossal monkey wrench into the pragmatic agenda of those who want to build empires of relevancy (from Christian schools to political armies) on the cheap labor source of working mothers. The ancient paths simply don’t shuck and jive with the hip and trendy, which is why some delight to mock and minimize her message to ladies with unfortunate — but all-too-typical — ungentlemanly decorum (not to mention impoverished theological banter).

This message represents the antithesis between Christianity and paganism, and notwithstanding their protestations to the contrary, syncretists by their nature oppose antithesis.

But Jennie has never been phased. She is the type of woman whose message puts fear into the hearts of those who close the womb for economic convenience, or who believe that the occupation of female tank-commander is just as blessed in the kingdom work of the Lord as that of wife, helpmeet, and mother. In short, Jennie, and women like her, are the antidote to the savorless salt of twenty-first century Evangelical womanhood.

Intelligent and articulate, submissive under authority, and genuinely gracious, Mrs. Chancey is a champion of godly, Christian womanhood. Because she is unflinching in her commitment to be a keeper at home, feministic Christians take much of their time to aim their pens at her, rather than the humanists and liberals of the world.

Matt Chancey’s mother, Bonnie (right), looks on as Jennie honors the legacy of her father.

My mission is to place this message in the hands of as many listeners as possible. Toward this end, we are delighted to be offering this CD as a thank-you gift to anyone who makes a donation in the month of April of any amount to our general fund to assist Vision Forum Ministries in the work of Christ-centered family restoration. Click here to read more.

Note: For those of you interested in Jennie’s testimony, this may be the only time she ever gives this message.