Preparing Women for Ministry
The Lord a unique way of calling each of us to serve Him. Sometimes we settle in and build a nest, and God has to make us uncomfortable to force us into our new direction. Like Joseph, He occasionally places us in prickly circumstances to prove us and make us grow and teach us how to live by faith alone.
At other times, He leads us through steps in our journey as he did king David, who fought a lion, then a bear before tackling Goliath. He was stepping up each time by facing what was in front of him and doing the right thing at the right time. Each step prepared him for the next one. He endured and became skilled at what the Lord had for him.
As women, we often know that God has called us to serve him and we accepted the call. The ministry isn’t something that we fall into or just happens. Sometimes people seem to be standing around waiting for the Lord to drop knowledge, ability, and skills down upon them so that they will suddenly be able to do God’s work. That rarely happens. God uses women in every occupation, but he expects us to be prepared when opportunity knocks.
Paul said, “study to show yourself approved…” (II Tim 2:15). If we intend to achieve God’s plan for our lives, we must first gain the wisdom and knowledge we need for a strong foundation. When God puts a calling in us, he expects us to learn things that we don’t know.
One of the most important things Jesus did was to train the Disciples. He spent three years ministering and training them, teaching them how to minister. He walked with them daily and submerged himself into their lives. They lived their lives with him and became friends, willing to share his hardships and the burdens. They took on the vision that he had for the lost. They realized the truth of Jesus’ calling.
The ministry isn’t just the glorious, rewarding, self-fulfilling, exciting adventure that it appears to some people. We must understand the full commitment. Peter was committed to Jesus from the start. He started following Jesus because he thought that Jesus would take Israel back from the Romans. He wanted a physical kingdom.
Eventually, he realized the vision of the eternal purpose of the ministry. Peter eventually became the leader of the local church. The true purpose of the ministry became his heart’s desire. The truth was more important than his desire for the physical kingdom. To Peter, the eternal kingdom became much greater than the earthly one.
The disciples became Apostles only after Jesus called them out. The word “Apostle” means, “sent out.” They did not charge out on their own into a ministry. Jesus sent them out in agreement. In Acts (8:14) Peter and John were sent by the Apostles to Samaria. The importance of this is that one may think that he is ready for the ministry ahead of him, but only one that has been down the road knows what is needed to make the trip and what is required for the successful completion. Most ministries failed or lack in success because of the lack of training and knowledge.
When God calls a woman to the ministry, whether it is in the pulpit, the classroom, or the kitchen, he expects her to be ready or at least to be prepared to get ready. Women have more choices today than we did a few decades ago. There are online courses and lots of material available on the internet today. If you are serious about preparing for the ministry, ask another woman who has experience in the field you are called to if she will disciple you. Most mature women who serve God would be honored to help you.
The church is entering a new phase of ministry as our nation turns more and more away from God. Persecution is on the rise which will open new doors of ministry to people. People are hurting and need to hear from God as darkness closes in around us while we wait for the return of Christ. Whatever he has called you to do, do it with all your might, and he will give you what you need to get the job done.
