July 2017

8 Guidelines for Ministering to Men

A nuanced alternative to the Billy Graham Rule that views men—and ourselves—first as being in the image of God.
8 Guidelines for Ministering to Men
Image: iStock

My cell phone gets me. If I type the letter “B,” it knows I probably want to text my husband. If I enter the word “World,” it suggests “Relief,” knowing I’m probably headed in that direction. My phone knows how to read the room and respond accordingly. It’s a skill much of evangelical Christianity has not cultivated, particularly ...

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Find Your Place in God's Story

Like Esther, you may be exactly where you are for a specific purpose.
Find Your Place in God's Story
Image: iStock

A large group of college students gathered around a wise old woman as she spoke wisdom into their lives. Now in her eighties, she had a wealth of knowledge and experience from a life well lived. They leaned in close, for they wanted to glean from any specific lessons she had learned. Her life had been a testimony to everything they believed and wanted to be.

Growing up in the ...

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My Winding Road to the Pastorate

It was an inconvenient time to begin feeling called to co-pastor with my husband.
My Winding Road to the Pastorate
Image: iStock

There I sat. The good, supportive wife, watching my husband become the senior pastor of a rural church in Missouri. As various church members stepped forward to hand him symbolic items—a bowl and towel for servanthood, a Bible for the ministry of the Word, a chalice for the administration of the sacraments—I wept. Sobbed would be more honest. And they were not ...

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10 Ways to Help Single Women Flourish in Ministry

Whether single or married, we can all advocate for single women in ministry.
10 Ways to Help Single Women Flourish in Ministry

I am fortunate to know many amazing single women in ministry. They serve in student ministry, women’s ministry, missions, small groups, teaching roles, and church planting. I’m encouraged and challenged by their obedience to God’s call on their lives, and I have personally benefited from their ministries in countless ways. As someone who has served in several ...

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You Are Enough

Singleness doesn't make you any less of a leader.
You Are Enough
Image: iStock

This article has been excerpted from our new resource, Navigating Singleness in Ministry.

If you are a single woman in ministry, you have probably asked yourself the question, “Am I enough?” at least once―or a hundred times if you’re anything like me. The short answer is yes―you are enough just the way you are. You are called and equipped by God to lead.

Now ...

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How to Advocate for Singles in Your Church

Minding the margins to draw everyone in
How to Advocate for Singles in Your Church
Image: iStock

Based on the messaging in many evangelical churches today, one might think that Christians believe that people are only able to fully practice Christianity as spouses and/or parents. This is a bit ironic because the two men whose teachings have formed the foundations of our faith practices—Jesus and Paul—were neither! Meanwhile, the last census revealed that 45 ...

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Pariah and Paragon

Women in ministry are often held to two extremes at once.
Pariah and Paragon
Image: iStock

I went to a liberal arts college for my bachelor’s degree, and while it was a great experience in many ways, I can’t count how many classes I attended where the professor asked, “Is anyone here a Christian?” Nine times out of ten I’d be the only person who’d raise their hand. I began to dread that question because my opinions or explanations ...

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Lamenting Failure

God is doing something bigger and better than your project.
Lamenting Failure
Image: iStock

I knew my idea was going to work. The younger women were complaining they needed someone to advise and help them. The older women were sad about feeling sidelined and losing their sense of purpose. So, the obvious thing was to start a mentoring ministry. We’d pair younger women with older women and everyone would benefit.

We asked anyone interested to sign up, and we ...

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From Performer to Pastor

An interview with gospel singer—and pastor—CeCe Winans Love
From Performer to Pastor
Image: Provided by CeCe Love

CeCe Winans Love is known for many roles. With her family, especially her brother BeBe, she was a longtime fixture in Gospel music before launching a solo career. Now she’s a ten-time Grammy Award winner, a wife, a mother, a friend to many, a TV personality, a book author, the subject of a documentary, and a voice of inspiration to generations. We wanted to talk with ...

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The Problem with Colorblindness in Pastoral Counseling

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room.
The Problem with Colorblindness in Pastoral Counseling
Image: iStock

The topic of racial diversity has grown louder and stronger in recent years. As a fourth generation Chinese-American woman who was born and raised in Hawaii and currently lives in the Pacific Northwest, I am happy that race and ethnicity are being brought into the forefront, and that there are movements across the nation to increase awareness about these issues. What bothers ...

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