Tag Archives: women’s ministry

The Healthy Church Vs. The Unhealthy Church: Children, Youth, Women & Men’s Ministries

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The Lord and I have talked about this at length, and while I might frame this as if it were my own opinion, it has been formed with talking with the Lord and hearing His heart on this matter.

For several years, I was a women’s minister in a Church of God church plant. Prior to that assignment from God, I had no idea the many hurts that women endure. Yes, I had experienced my own pains but perhaps I thought that other women had not gone through those same things. I was wrong. I would guess that about 1-in-3 women have endured some form of sexual abuse in childhood or in young adulthood.

Women confided in me. And I watched as those same women would shrink from any encounter with male pastors. Not that the pastors had abused them, but all of those women had been abused by men. It is hard for a sexually abused woman to learn from a man when there is a deep emotional wound that can forsake trusting men. Don’t hate on me for bringing this to light. Women need strong female teachers and counselors. The Bible even specifically calls for the older women to teach the younger women. There is no place in the Scriptures that says for men to teach women (unless it is their own illiterate wives). So, yes, I absolutely believe that churches should have women ministers that teach and counsel Biblically. But, please, please, please ASK GOD!

I jumped right into talking about women’s ministry because that is the category that I’m personally in. I do believe that we must have well-trained and effective Youth Ministers. We must help the younger generations know how to walk with the Spirit of God before they make monumental life decisions as young adults that could be disastrous for their futures. This is not something that should be played with. Turning youth ministry into a playground instead of an important call from God, is going to lead to a rebellion that God will not fail to judge. You can make it interesting without making it fruitless. Youth must be made aware of the spiritual war.

I believe that Children’s ministry is very important. But it should not be solely about filling time with coloring papers. Children need to learn that their place in listening to God’s voice is very important. Listen, the devil can speak to them whether you bother to teach them about the spiritual forces of evil or not. Certainly, they should be aware that God has a voice that they need to learn to recognize. I homeschooled my children for several years during their elementary education. My children received a good foundation for their Christian walk. Some of it was magnified through the church and through Christian homeschool co-ops. But for the children in public schools, they likely aren’t getting as much solid foundation. Please churches, have dedicated children’s ministers that take seriously God’s assignment in teaching children to know Him versus just knowing about Him.

Men’s ministry is also sorely needed. Men have different needs than women. It would not be appropriate to put a woman in charge of men’s ministry any more than it would be to put a man in charge of women’s ministry. Listen, men please teach men to have their own relationship with God and to also expect that women should have their own relationship with God. The foolishness of teaching that men are the only ones to have relationship with God, while insisting that women submit to the men instead of to God is rebellion against God. I promise you, He will punish you and your family line for that stupidity. Again, don’t believe me. Ask God yourself.

It is my opinion that it is reckless to refuse to have good ministers in each of the areas mentioned. They should not be just a placeholder agent. Each minister should be in their own relationship with God and hearing His voice. You cannot minister effectively without that. Also, these positions should be paid positions, if even part-time pay. I go back to talking about the Christmas shoe boxes. If your church has the money to send worthless trinkets over to other nations, then you better being paying your ministers first. If you have $60,000 to repave your parking lot, but you don’t have a Youth Minister, what the heck are you thinking?

Have you missed the point of the church? It’s not a country club for your entertainment. The church is about making disciples that follow God wholeheartedly. Are you determined for God to see you as a healthy church that seeks His heart and follows Him?

Church CHECKUP!

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God asked me to put together this visual of the differences between a healthy church and an unhealthy church. Please listen, these are based on conversations that God and I have had over the years. My hope is to express God’s heart. But I ALWAYS want each Christian to seek God and hear from Him themselves.

Some of these are written in generalized wording that could be expressed much more detailed. But let’s use it as a way to discuss these matters with God.

One area that I see a great need in is having dedicated women’s ministry especially when there is a male pastor. Women have uniquely different ministry needs that cannot or should not be discussed with a man just as men have ministry needs that should not be discussed with a woman. We need women’s ministers in this town. If your church can afford to send $70K worth of shoeboxes full of dollar store “junk” to other nations, you can afford to pay a women’s minister (at least part time).

(PS This is still in draft form. God asked me to put it out publicly before finalizing it.)

Church Assessments 12/31/24

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Women’s Ministry (Part 1 of 7)
Crossroads Community Church of God

Women need training, mentoring, and counseling just like men do. Many women have been sexually abused or traumatized by men. Have you seen the statistics? When there is not a women’s minister, and women are uncomfortable privately meeting with a male minister, the church loses its value as a place of refuge for hurting women. As far as I can tell, Crossroads Community Church of God is in need of a Women’s Ministry Director. There are no scheduled Bible studies on the calendar/website. There is no designated women’s minister listed as staff. A spiritually healthy church should have a vibrant women’s ministry.

Male ministers don’t seem to be allowed to privately message or respond to an email from women. As a female prophet trying to deliver a word from God, all that I can have are one-sided communications with men in leadership. I evidently don’t deserve a written response or an appointment for face-to-face discussion. God said that they’re intimated by me. Can’t say that I blame them. I’m so very scary! So, it seems that all women are equally ignored whether they are strong or weak.

The Lord wanted me to include this brief story. Many years ago, a pastor at a local church that I was newly attending referred to me as just some “hottie” in the church before he proceeded to livestream himself attempting to cast out a Jezebel* spirit from me. In his mind all strong or cute women must be demonically controlled. That pastor was unsuccessful at evicting the Holy Spirit from me. But Pastor Marcus lost his church shortly after, and he is dead. God doesn’t mess around with that stuff. “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.” (Psalms 105:15 NIV)

*Note: Jezebel was a Baal worshipper. She was not at any time a prophet of God, or ever claimed to be a prophet of God … in fact, she killed the prophets of God. She called herself a prophetess of Baal. There is nothing Biblical to support that she was attractive or seductive. The only mention of beauty related to Jezebel was that she “painted” her face just before she was thrown to her death to be eaten by dogs. Certainly, wearing cosmetics does not imply that a woman is possessed by an evil spirit, but persecuting prophets of God would indicate a problem. So, you go girl, and be as cute as you want!

The various denominations of the Christian religion have different doctrinal stances regarding women in leadership. The Church of God corporately promotes a good doctrine about women in leadership. In their doctrine, women are equally (to men) anointed by God in the church. In the Church of God denomination, women can be ordained and are able to teach both genders and preach.

However, in other Christian denominations, women are not seen as equals in leadership roles especially if men are present. When I led women’s Bible studies at one local church, I was not even allowed to lead a prayer if a man were present. The protocol was that I was supposed to defer to any man to speak any corporate prayers even if he didn’t know God. In another church (A Church of God denomination), an egotistic male associate minister, Scooter, thought that he had the right to be at every women’s ministry gathering and Bible study to oversee our activities. Obviously, I resigned from that church staff when he insisted on being my supervisor. He didn’t like that I wanted to teach women that God is not mute. If God couldn’t speak to His daughters, then the minister got to be the authority on all matters. Scooter quickly fractured that church, that had grown from 25 to 300 members in about a year’s time, and destroyed a beautiful women’s ministry that so many worked to create. All that destruction because he needed to lord himself over women in ministry. Too often, little men are easily emasculated by the presence of strong women. But listen, Kingdom women, don’t reduce yourself and God’s power through you to satisfy useless idiots. God wants us strong and on the battlefield against the enemy just as He leads.

I have led, hosted, or facilitated women’s Bible studies and simulcast events at the Library, YMCA, work conference rooms, and at three different churches. I’ve seen the women hungry for connection with God. I’ve seen them starved for spiritual growth in the church. I’ve seen women hurting and in need of spiritual counsel that they can’t get in the secular marketplace. I’ve seen women in need of deliverance ministry because they have not been taught the importance of covenant relationship with God. I have actively participated for more than 20 years in daily conversations with God, listening to His counsel about the doctrines in the church. God has equipped me and entrusted me with this voice of truth. I will not waste it! So, if I step on some toes along the way, well … should I say sorry in advance? Because it’s probably going to happen if you are immersed in false teaching or if you are a man/woman who has too big an ego and too little courage to seek God.

So, in summary. The Church of God has good doctrine about women in ministry and leadership. Does your church? Crossroads, you might do well to publish your specific doctrinal stance about women in ministry and leadership (under your “what we believe” section) as an example to other churches. Maybe, a reader here is a woman’s minister at a church where there is false doctrine about women’s giftedness from God (for example the Baptist Church). If you are, I encourage you to seek God about removing yourself from that church and going to a church where the doctrine is worthy of your talents and anointing. Staying where the false teaching is ignored will not end well for you or anyone you love because you are effectively complicit with false teaching. But always, seek God yourself.

Tomorrow, in Part 2 of 7, we will look at specific doctrines. I will include study pages too. I’d like to recommend one book: “10 Lies The Church Tells Women” by J. Lee Grady. It’s an easy read with much Scriptural foundation but without being overly technical. I have another book to recommend, but it reads like it was written by an attorney. So, we’ll save that one for later.

She’s Out There!

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“My child’s out there, and she desperately needs to hear what you have to say.” Those were the first words I heard the Lord say to me as I was awakened from a dream this morning.

God knows how to well place a dream, that’s for sure. I was all prepared to write about women’s ministry this morning before the dream but now I’m more inspired than ever. Please let me share the dream with you in case you are the “child” He was talking about.

In the dream, there was a little orphan girl that was being placed from home to home. When I met her she was between homes. She was put in my care for the day with the idea that I might adopt her. But it seemed like there were huge distractions with everyone vying for her attention. I decided that I would teach her to hear God’s voice in prayer so that if she went to another home she would at least hear the Father’s voice. But it was impossible, nobody would leave us alone long enough to have the conversation. The social worker swooped in and dragged her away because she knew what was best for the child. That’s when I awoke and heard the Lord say “My child’s out there, and she desperately needs to hear what you have to say.”

So we are going to discuss women’s ministry today, and every day this week until I get the message across that God wants. If you’re God’s child, and you desperately need this message, please fight the distractions, and lean in. I’m going to do my best to reach you.

This may be the only true women’s ministry that you will find in our town. There is way too much country-club religion out there that distracts us from our Kingdom purpose. Most churches devalue our anointing and destiny calling by relegating us to baking a casserole or sitting pretty and being silent. Oh honey, you were made for so much more. Over these next few days, I will be talking directly to you. I will give you Biblical facts and testimony to help you study this subject with God. I will teach you to hear God’s voice in prayer so that you are equipped to rise up and be heard. I will not be dissuaded from this message. I will not be stopped. Will you?