Since one of the roles of CGN as a network is to provide care and coaching for those in ministry leadership, what is CGN doing to support women specifically, who are serving in ministry leadership?

In this episode Nick Cady and Kellen Criswell are joined by Brenda Leavenworth, who leads the Women’s Care and Coaching Team for CGN. They discuss some of the unique challenges that women face when it comes to serving in ministry, and what CGN is doing to provide resources and support to meet those needs.

They discuss some of the ways that women can be involved in leading in the local church within a complementarian framework, and Brenda shares some stories of ways in which this team has helped women, as well as how those listening can connect with what is being provided.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• The CGN Statement on Women in Ministry Leadership
• CGN Mission & Methods episode on Women in Ministry Leadership: What CGN Leaders Believe
• When She Leads Conference in Temecula, CA – October 21-22, 2022
• When She Leads Podcast

We’d love to hear feedback from you on these episodes. You can email us at CGN@calvarychapel.com

Calvary Chapel has been recognized as one of the greatest church planting movements of recent times. What are we at CGN doing to make sure we keep this aspect of our heritage alive in this generation, and in those to come? How can we, as a network, use the relationships and resources God has given us, to encourage, train, and support the planting of Bible teaching, gospel-centered churches – around the world?

In this episode Nick Cady and Kellen Criswell discuss one of the key initiatives that CGN is developing called: Cultivate. Cultivate is a program designed to assess, train, and deploy new church planters and missionaries — using the local church as the garden in which those leaders are cultivated. Kellen and Nick explain the design and heart behind the Cultivate program, as well as how to get more information and register.

Listen for a clip from Pastor Chuck Smith from the 1980’s, in which he talks about how many Calvary Chapel churches had been planted back then, and what he envisioned for the future.

New episodes come out every two weeks, on Wednesday mornings. Make sure to subscribe, and new episodes will be delivered to you as soon as they are released.

In this episode of the CGN Mission & Methods Podcast, we open our Bibles to examine the much-debated topic of the role of women in ministry leadership.

As a network, CGN churches are complementarian. In this episode, Nick Cady asks Brian Brodersen and Kellen Criswell to explain the complementarian and egalitarian positions, and why Calvary Global Network is complementarian. Further, they explain what this means for CGN churches, and where there is room for diversity of practice in this area.

Listen toward the end of this episode for a clip of Pastor Chuck Smith giving his perspective on this topic, in a recording from 2008.

Click here to read the CGN statement on Women in Ministry Leadership

New episodes come out every two weeks on Wednesday mornings. Make sure to subscribe, and new episodes will be delivered to you as soon as they are released.

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The CGN Mission & Methods Podcast is the official podcast of the Calvary Global Network (CGN). Hosted by CGN Director, Kellen Criswell, the podcast features discussions on theology and ministry practice related to three foundational aspects of Great Commission work: gospel proclamation, disciple making, and church planting. Guests include church and mission leaders, missiologists, and theologians from Calvary Global Network, and friends of CGN of diverse evangelical traditions from around the world.

Ever finished a project and thought: Is that it? The result just did not compare to the excitement that first inspired action. This is especially true if years of faithfulness, study, and prayer enabled the vision to become reality, but it was not quite what was expected. This kind of disappointment can lead to introspection.

Disappointment That Leads to Soul-Searching

I can think of a few examples in ministry such as preparing a group for outreach and then hearing about their experience of God’s great provision and the miracle of hearts touched by the Gospel. Yet, a few months after their return, the mission team’s lives do not appear to have profoundly changed as hoped. Another example might be during Bible study. A word or passage exegeted with skill opens a whole new understanding and fills hearts with joy. Then, through poor sermon delivery, lack of coffee, or lack of attendance, the whole study falls flat, and people want to flee the room as quickly as they got there. But these scenarios are not limited to ministry. Disappointment is everywhere – There is the excitement of losing weight, followed by the reality of living on a diet, paying off debt, and learning to really say no, or finishing a year-end goal at work only to realise it cost more personally in terms of health and relationships than it ever should have.

These moments of disappointment that bring us to the place of soul-searching, can be, much later, an example of the way God changes us through his sanctifying Spirit. But during our introspection, there comes a moment when we just need a word of comfort. I believe this is what Paul must have felt in Acts 23:11. “The following night the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome’” (ESV).

Would not Paul’s service in Jerusalem be considered faithful? It seems strange that the Lord would say, “Take courage,” unless he meant it, and that would imply Paul was down. I am not suggesting Paul was feeling sorry for himself. The text simply does not allow that interpretation. However, I know that in his shoes, I would be tempted and possibly give in. William Hines offers some insight:

“Self-pity comes when we are overwhelmed by how circumstances affect us. We may become irrational, emotional, depressed, angry or all of the above. When someone is involved in self-pity, he does not have God’s perspective because he is so concerned with what is happening to him he forgets to see the whole picture.”¹

Perspective Changes Everything

Again, I do not think Paul had given into this sin, but I find the way the Lord ministered to Paul echoes what we need when we fall prey to self pity. We need the Lord to stand by us, and we need to hear his Word. That is the perspective that will change everything.

In fact, consider that the Lord stood beside him. The word “Paraclete” is not used in the text, but is not this the meaning of it, “one who comes alongside”? Is not this an example of the Comforter’s ministry promised by Jesus? All this would seem heavy-handed if not for the following night in Jerusalem, when Paul wrestled through all of the disappointed introspection in his heart.

Let us review how he got there. He made a plan (Acts 19:21, 20:16), confirmed that he had heard from the Lord (Acts 20:22, 21:13), although he was warned before he arrived in Jerusalem (Acts 21:4, 11), and brought the offering that he collected (2 Corinthians 8-9). Upon arriving in Jerusalem, he fellowshipped with the Church and testified of all that God did (Acts 21:19-20a). But, while there, he was arrested as he tried to worship in the temple (Acts 21:27-33). He tried to address the crowd but could not finish (Acts 22:1, 21-22), then was given a chance to talk to the Sanhedrin but caused a riot (Acts 23:10). Certainly, there was so much more the apostle would have loved to say. Certainly, he had hoped for a better response, yet Scripture gives us every indication that he was faithful. Jesus stood next to Paul that night. He did not chide him; there was no rebuke. Rather, Paul received an exhortation to take courage and the gift of knowing his next assignment—he must testify in Rome. To me, this says that Jesus did not see Paul’s work in Jerusalem as a disappointment.

Take heart, or be of courage, in Greek is one word: θάρσει (thar-sey-i). It is in the present tense, second person singular, imperative, meaning Jesus is telling him personally, even commanding him. The root word θαρσέω (thar-sey-o), according to the lexicon BDAG, means “to be firm or resolute in the face of danger or adverse circumstances, be enheartened, be courageous.” It is the same word used in Mathew 9:2 when Jesus heals a paralytic man, and in verse 22 of the same chapter, when Jesus calls out the woman in the crowd who reached out to touch him. When Jesus says this word in the Gospels, he is not just cheering someone up: He is healing and ministering to their soul. In fact, one of the most touching uses of θάρσει in the Septuagint is in Zephaniah 3:16 where God comforts Israel with the promise of their deliverance. “On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: ‘Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak.’” I believe it is in this way the Lord speaks to Paul in the night to bring him courage.

What did Paul do after this word? He went back to work and dealt with the next bit of drama thrown his way, notably an uncovered plot of some assassins in alliance with the Sanhedrin (Acts 23:12-26). Yet, that little situation got him out of Jerusalem (Acts 23:23) and closer to the day he would appeal to Cesar (Acts 25:11), and eventually, to the place of testifying in Rome.

A Time for Introspection and a Time for Courage

I believe there is a time for introspection and a time to not be afraid of disappointment because of the courage the Lord gives. Pete Scazzero describes a similar experience that he calls “the wall”—an invisible barrier that every believer hits at one moment that leads to “the dark night of the soul.” As the believer moves through the wall, Scazzero observes: “Our great temptation is to quit or go backward, but if we remain still, listening for his voice, God will insert something of himself into our character that will mark the rest of our journey with him.”² Therein lies our hope for survival. It is what God produces in our lives. Even if we can expect to pass through these times like Paul in Acts, Luke left us an open door of hope. God’s Word is the deposit, producing healing encouragement.

I believe the encouragement the Lord gave to Paul, as well as to the people Jesus healed, is also the same word he would give to us in our weakness, like in Zephaniah. Be courageous. Why? Because he is the Lord, and the work belongs to him (Ephesians 2:10). The result we are looking at in the long night of introspection and disappointment may not be accurate. Just like in the physical world, the darkness obscures our vision, and so it is in “the dark night of the soul.” In the Lord’s sovereignty, he is the Judge and the Sender. He sees clearly. That is why we can rest in his encouragement and in his peace for our soul. How do we get there? It is by means of our daily walk, trusting him implicitly. Take heart, the night will pass, and the wonderful life-giving work of the Lord will continue as we meditate on his Word, each day a little more, until his glorious coming.

NOTES

_{¹ William Hines, Leaving Yesterday Behind: A Victim No More (Oxford: Christian Focus Publications, 1997), 1463, Kindle.}

_{² Peter Scazzero, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2014), 105.}

Today on When She Leads, we talk through how to practically and effectively reach out to our communities.

There are many outreach resources we can work with through humanitarian organizations, local ministry opportunities, and partnerships with other churches. As leaders, how do we lead the charge? What does the Bible say about outreach?

Reference Article by Kelly Bell.

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The Pastor’s Wife & Friendships

• It’s been said, “Being a Pastor’s wife is the loneliest role in the church,” and we would generally agree. Although we wouldn’t say, “I’m lonely,” we often feel alone. In this episode, we talk through the complexities in navigating friendships distinctive to the Pastor’s wife.

  Reference Article by Brenda Leavenworth.

  Book Recommendations:

• Help! I’m Married to My Pastor – Jani Ortlund
• Sacred Privilege: Your Life and Ministry As a Pastor’s Wife – Kay Warren
• The Privilege: Lessons from the Heart of A Shepherdess – Kay Smith

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When She Leads is a podcast for women in ministry hosted by Brenda Leavenworth, Jenn Benham, Jody Ponce, Rosemary Cady, and Kelly Bell.

Email us at whensheleadspodcast@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram at @whensheleads

In this episode of the Leadership Collective Podcast, Ted & Rob talk candidly with Wayne Cordeiro about the nuanced process of structuring and organizing a healthy church board, identifying toxic board behavior, and prayerfully selecting board members.

References:

• Alliance Defending Freedom – adflegal.org
• Church Law Tax Report (Geographic Compensation Benchmarks) – churchlawandtax.com
• Leading With Questions by Michael J. Marquardt
• New Hope Oahu – enewhope.org

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The Leadership Collective podcast is a roundtable discussion with seasoned pastors, focusing on the nuts and bolts issues of ministry. Each month, we tackle the common challenges that leaders face and discover the practical lessons they’ve learned along the way.

Starting a new ministry can feel like a daunting task. It is hard not to feel overwhelmed with what to do first, wondering if it will succeed, and then feeling uncertain if you are doing it right! These feelings are understandable. In three churches, I have had the opportunity to lead in women’s ministry. In two of those three ministries, I transitioned into an existing leadership role, and in the third, I opened a new ministry. Each time, I wondered if I was going about it wrong.

As part of the Calvary Chapel heritage, Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa has been a thriving ministry to women over the decades from Kay Smith’s Joyful Life, teaching the Bible and helping women grow in faith. Likewise, we at CGN desire to see women in our churches grow in Bible literacy and reap the benefits, which we list in our previous article, “Is Women’s Ministry Necessary?”. So, how does one go about starting a women’s ministry? Here are simple steps I have learned:

It is crucial to evaluate the season your church is in and to give thought to the timing of launching a new ministry. Do you have many new believers who are eager to get together and learn the Bible? Is your church busy with commitments? What type of obligations do the ladies in the congregation have, whether at home, work, school, etc. Would it be a good time to introduce a new women’s ministry?

As you assess the right timing, here are a few guidelines I have learned to use:

Pray

Seek the Lord’s guidance. Then invite one or two like-minded women to join you in praying for a ministry to start. Do not talk about it publicly until you speak to the leadership of your church, out of respect for their decision-making process.

Talk to the Pastor

Make an appointment and ask the pastor to discuss plans for this ministry with you. Explain what you feel God has put on your heart to do. Ask the Lead Pastor what his vision is for the church, and consider how a women’s ministry could help fulfill that vision. For example, if the vision for the church is to win souls and disciple people, a women’s ministry can help meet that.

Vision

Solidify your vision for this ministry, which means asking the question, “What would you like to accomplish in a women’s ministry?”

Leadership

The leader does not have to be the pastor’s wife, although that is often the pattern seen in our Calvary Chapel circles. If she is not called to this role, it is ok! It is a matter of gifting and calling, rather than a traditional way of fulfilling that leadership role.

Accommodation

Choose accommodating meeting places, times and frequency. I suggest taking breaks over summer and holidays to bring anticipation for the ministry, when a fall and spring semester begins! It also gives women a chance to join the group and for others to take a break, if needed, rather than seeing it as a lifetime commitment.

Plan

Decide what you will do in your meetings. This will determine if you have a Biblical and mature teacher who can “rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). If such a teacher is not available, there are many materials available for your group to use: Bible teachings on video with discussion materials, books to read through together, breakfast and prayer time, or Scripture reads and discussion.

Invite

Make the invitation for women to join the ministry in the way that your church makes announcements. Put it on social media, the church website, request a pulpit announcement, print flyers and start talking to the ladies to inform them!

Begin

Have your first meeting! Provide a little hospitality and show appreciation for each woman who joins you. Start with introductions and a little explanation of what your plan is. Don’t be surprised if you are the only one talking at the meeting, as women may need some time to get to know the group and build trust.

There is no need to think about all these steps at the same time! Just focus on one task, and when that step is complete, move on to the next one. The women will be reached through the power of Christ!

The start of this ministry may be a small group, and that’s ok! Be faithful to them, teach them, and lay a solid foundation on the Word of God. Do not “despise the day of small things” as, “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much” (Luke 16:10). The ministry will earn a good reputation if the focus is on God, and the women in your church will develop an interest in it. It is God who adds the increase, as 1 Corinthians 3:6 says.

Finally, do not hold onto this ministry as if it were your own. The women belong to the Lord, and it is His church you are serving. Keep praying as you lead, asking God to guide you, and be willing to adjust the ministry as the Lord shows you.

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Rosemary cohosts a new podcast for women in ministry titled “When She Leads.” Learn more about the podcast and start listening today! Have a topic for the show? Share it with us at whensheleadspodcast@gmail.com

Today, on When She Leads, we talk through the complexities and nuances of leading through seasons of doubt. We will be discussing some common “doubts” we all experience and some tools we can share with others to help them come to a better understanding of God’s goodness and sovereignty. This will hopefully help them become more confident, not in their faith, but in the object of their faith, God Himself, who continues to pour out His blessings despite our doubt.

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When She Leads is a podcast for women in ministry hosted by Brenda Leavenworth. With over 30 years of ministry experience and a degree in biblical studies, Brenda is uniquely qualified to train and guide the next generation of women leaders in the church. Co-hosts include Jenn Benham, Jody Ponce, Rosemary Cady, and Kelly Bell, each bringing their collective experiences, research, victories, and failures to consider and discuss a range of topics from a biblical and practical perspective.

Have a topic for the show? Share it with us at whensheleads@gmail.com!

The Leadership Collective podcast is a roundtable discussion with seasoned pastors, focusing on the nuts and bolts issues of ministry. Each month, we tackle the common challenges that leaders face and discover the practical lessons they’ve learned along the way.

Pastor Tony Clark of Calvary Chapel Newport News joins Rob & Ted for an honest conversation on navigating through church conflicts and splits.

CGN is a family of churches working together for Gospel-centered renewal.

One of the primary ways to see global Gospel-centered renewal realized effectively is in the formation of healthy, autonomous, Gospel-centered churches – both locally and overseas.

This fall CGN is excited to introduce and implement a new Church Planter Training Program called “Cultivate”.

The vision of Cultivate is to see these churches planted not haphazardly or in solitude, but in partnership with the local church. Thus, our mission is to create a program which empowers local churches to assess, train, and deploy new church planters and missionaries.

Coaching / Training
The process begins with a three-step assessment and is characterized throughout by a methodical, relational, and pastoral approach to training the “church planter in training” based on their unique needs, in order to equip them with the character, skills, and knowledge necessary to fulfill their calling. Training will take place via a curated experience using resources primarily (but not exclusively) from Western Seminary’s Center for Leadership Development (CLD), some of which will be designed and taught by CGN leaders. A team of CGN leaders will oversee this process in conjunction with the local church in which the church planter in training is based.

The training portion is a two-semester, eight month training, focused on the head and the heart with an optional summer internship (a four-week intensive experience) in an applicable context (e.g. urban, foreign, etc).

LEARN MORE

Enjoy episode 2 of the new When She Leads Podcast!

When She Leads is a podcast for women in ministry hosted by Brenda Leavenworth. With over 30 years of ministry experience and a degree in biblical studies, Brenda is uniquely qualified to train and guide the next generation of women leaders in the church. Co-hosts include Jenn Benham, Jody Ponce, Rosemary Cady, and Kelly Bell, each bringing their collective experiences, research, victories, and failures to consider and discuss a range of topics from a biblical and practical perspective.

Have a topic for the show? Share it with us at whensheleads@gmail.com!

Kathy Gilbert has been involved with the Calvary Chapel movement for over 50 years. Having attended Woodstock in 1969 and identifying as an “Earth Mother,” Kathy was a hippy in every sense of the word. But as she immersed herself in hippy culture, she began to feel empty. It was her encounter with Jesus Christ that gave her true and radical purpose in life. Kathy’s life was transformed and she became a “Jesus Freak,” engaging in the Jesus Movement that began to spread across the globe. She soon became connected with Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, CA, where she met Chuck and Kay Smith, with whom she began a dear and lifelong friendship. As a friend and mentor, Kay Smith made an indelible impact on Kathy. But Kay also became a key figure amid a tremendous outpouring of God’s Spirit. Her life was one of faithful, loving, service to those inside and outside the Church. In light of her recent passing into the next life, Kathy Gilbert shares thoughts about her friend, mentor, and beloved co-laborer, Kay Smith.

Why is Kay Smith such an important figure?

• Kay Smith was one of God’s key influencers in the Jesus People movement coming to Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. She passionately sought God on how He would reach and save the Hippies (and she made others, especially her husband, Pastor Chuck Smith, join her in praying for them). The rest is history.

• Her love for women and seeing them know, love, and experience the same intimacy with God as she did.

• She personally practiced and encouraged women to practice the gifts of the Spirit. She loved waiting on the Lord in prayer and in afterglows, expecting God to speak to us and through us, and He did!

• Her priority was prayer and how it is a key to making a difference in our homes, ministries, and churches.

• Kay wanted everyone who came to Calvary to be greeted, loved on, and helped.

What teaching points from Kay Smith should Jesus-followers continue to emphasize?

• Kay Smith had the ability to communicate the Word of God to all women, with a special place in her heart for pastors’ wives. She encouraged and taught us to put the Bible into practice in our everyday lives, showing us how to study it, pray it, share it, and decorate with it!

• Kay Smith had a supernatural, Holy-Spirit-anointed gift of exhortation. When she shared the heart of God with us, we said YES to Him, wanting to do it, and knowing Jesus would enable us to do it.

• Her teaching on Pleasing God was and is a key to our living an abundant, joy-filled life. All we need to do is simply ask ourselves, “Will this bring me closer to God or push me further away from Him? Will this please God or grieve His heart?”

• Kay Smith was a true Titus 2 woman. She taught us to love God, our husbands, and our children.

Key Bible Passages, Quotes, and Recommended Reading

• One of Kay’s Favorite Bible passages:

” Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

• Quote from “Pleasing God”, by Kay Smith

“What does love for God look like? I remember when my youngest daughter first fell in love with Brian, who is now her husband. Cheryl had found her beloved. It was marvelous to be around her. Nobody had to tell her how to please him. She was constantly thinking of the food he liked to eat, the color he would like her to wear, and how she should do her hair. No one had to teach her to think of him. Clearly, no one has to tell a heart of love to please its beloved. Love’s desire is to please. And when you have the love for God that you ought to have, you will naturally desire to please Him above everything else.” – Pleasing God, p. 23

Recommended Resources by Kay Smith (All available at the KWVE Store):

. Attributes of a Godly Woman: Titus 2 Audio

. Colossians Bible Study, Book

. Dwelling in the Holy of Holies, Audio

. Heart for Ministry, DVD

. Philippians Bible Study, Book

. Pleasing God, Book and Audio

. Reflecting God, Book

These resources and more are available from the KWVE Store here.

The Expositors Collective is a growing network of pastors, leaders, and laypeople which exists to equip, encourage, and mentor the next generation of Christ-centered preachers. We provide resources through our weekly podcast, our two-day intentional training seminars, and interactive webinars.

Our next Training Weekend for young preachers (men and women 18-34 years old) at Rocky Mountain Calvary in Colorado Springs on September 17-18, 2021 will be a hybrid event: both online and in-person. In this interactive seminar, attendees will meet in groups and build ongoing relationships.

Learn More and Registration

We have a tradition in the West where the groom carries the bride across the house’s threshold on their wedding day. Do you know where that tradition comes from? In ancient Greece, women were only considered as having an existence within their family home. The domestic sphere was their life, and they existed only in relation to their father, their brother, and the “gods” of their household. Society did not believe women intrinsically had independent value or humanity. When they left their household to marry their new husband, they would have to be carried from their house to that of their husband’s because they ceased to exist in the space between households. When their husbands carried them across the threshold of their new home, they existed once more in their new domestic sphere with their husbands, fathers-in-law, and new household “gods.”¹

Often, you will hear people talk about Christianity as a misogynistic religion, but do you ever wonder where women in the West would be today if Christianity had not intervened in the Greek and Roman attitudes towards women? What changed the way society viewed women in the West? Well, many things, but inevitably, the most cataclysmic intervention in the story of women was the coming of Jesus Christ and the birth of Christianity.

From the beginning, Women have played a central role in the story of the Gospel and the Early Church’s history.

It was weeping women who first told of the resurrection of Jesus Christ when Mary sat at the feet of Jesus to learn from him with the men, while Martha inhabited the domestic sphere, Jesus said, “Mary has chosen the better part” (Luke 10:42). He did not condemn her for her desire to learn. He went out of his way to speak to the Samaritan woman at the well and sent her to become what many theologians see as one of the first Evangelists, as she went to her town and told her neighbors to come and meet the man who “told her everything she had ever done” (John 4). Phoebe carried Paul’s letter to the Romans, and as was the tradition of letter carriers at the time, it is very likely she read it to the Church on Paul’s behalf. Of the list of early church leaders, in Romans 16, 10 of the 28 leaders listed are women. Imagine a culture where women often did not receive an education and were kept almost entirely in the domestic sphere, where women had no existence outside of relational connection to their male relatives. What would it feel like to hear Paul declare that, “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.” It can be challenging to grasp how revolutionary these teachings were at that time, and how Christianity was a vital catalyst in the dignifying of women to engage their God-given gifts and be used mightily by the Lord throughout history of the church, across the globe.

Jesus made it possible for women to walk across the threshold; he opened the door and invited them to walk through. Now, we realize that there are many differing views on the roles women should play in the church within the body of Christ. We have hard complementarians, soft complementarians, egalitarians, and of course, those who are on the fence about where they stand. However, for women who are reading this and are already in leadership, we need to be reminded that Jesus opened the door, and we each must humble ourselves and walk through it, laying down our lives in service to him. When it comes to walking through the door of service to Christ, no one can carry us; it is for us to walk through to Christ.

As I went for an evening walk, I was praying and listening to the Lord, and I felt him speak to my heart and say, “It’s time to get serious.” I know this applies to certain aspects of my own life, but I also believe the Lord spoke about women in ministry in the church. For a long time, women have served in the church, but often, we believe the lie from the enemy that God only uses men for serious work. Often, we have not been taken seriously, and consequently, we have not considered our roles and services as important or worthy enough. Though we may have been content playing secondary, less significant roles in the past, it is time for us to get serious about our service to the Lord. God wants to use women; he has opened the way for women to be an integral part of his mission to save and renew the world.

We have been a part of it from the start, and it is now time for us to walk into our God-given callings with new vigor and anointing from the Lord.

The world has drastically changed in the past year and a half. The global coronavirus pandemic has forced the Church to rethink local church gatherings and Gospel proclamation. And this transitional moment has provided a significant opportunity for women to engage in the needs of the Church. In large part, this article is a call (and an exhortation) to women:

1. Take up your crosses and serve the Lord in whatever ways he might call you to.

2. Be ready to walk across the threshold into the call God has for you.

3. Get serious; devote time to the study of scripture and daily rhythms of devotion to Jesus.

4. Humble your heart, and be ready for service to Christ.

The church has been through a time of crisis, but as Mark Sayers says in his recent book, Reappearing Church, “Crisis precedes renewal.” For renewal to occur in the church globally, the remnant of faithful believers need to step up and move into what God has called us to at this moment; this must include women!

It is time for the equipping of women, for the service God is calling them to.

Seeing this great need, Calvary Global Network has started a “Woman in Leadership” task team to build and encourage women in leadership and ministry for the service God has called them to. Women are important to God, and training and guiding women in the service of the Lord is vitally important. I have often observed that women in ministry feel inadequately equipped, isolated, and unsupported in ministry. But if women are to take up their cross and step into their call to serve and lead, they need to be supported and equipped for the task.

“Now may the God of peace—who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21- 20-NLT).

Women who love Jesus, Jesus loves you! Jesus calls you to his service. He sees you; he knows you; he has gifted and anointed you! It’s time to get serious. It’s time to lay down what has been holding you back. It’s time to throw off your concern about what others might think of you and lay your life entirely on the altar of God. It’s time to let our lives be a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2), which is our reasonable service to our King so that we can play our part in seeing the Gospel communicated across the globe and the Kingdom of God come in all its fullness.

“Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonourable, he will be a vessel for honourable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21, ESV).

Join the conversation. In our most recent episode of “When She Leads,” a podcast for women in ministry, our team discusses “Being a Leader God Can Use.” Each month, we gather around the table to consider the complexities and realities of leading as a woman.

What do you think? If you have a topic in mind, email us at: whensheleadspodcast@gmail.com. You can also stay in touch by following us on Instagram @whensheleads

Notes

1. Siedenthorp, Larry, Inventing The Individual – The Origins of Western Liberalism (London: Penguin Books, 2014), 12

The Care & Coaching Team focuses on the needs for ministry leaders. Watch as Ted shares a quick explanation on how this team functions and desires to provide the right care and coaching for ministry leaders. Learn more at calvaryglobalnetwork.com

The Leadership Collective Podcast is a roundtable discussion with seasoned pastors, focusing on the nuts and bolts issues of ministry. Each month, Rob Salvato and Ted Leavenworth tackle the common challenges that leaders face, and share the practical lessons they’ve learned along the way.

“So far we’ve had Ed Taylor, Nate Holdridge, Mark Foreman, and Jim Gallagher join the conversation, with many more guests and episodes on the horizon.”

Enjoy the first three episodes here. You can find all episodes and listen to Leadership Collective on all podcast platforms.