Ministry is a loaded word, especially when the word “woman” is in the same sentence. Heated arguments and declarative statements that lack love in the form of nuance flood our social media feeds and cause divisiveness among God’s people. As a woman in an environment primarily dominated by men, I can’t avoid these conversations about women in ministry. I care deeply about the role of women in the church and in the world, and I desire to see women use their gifts for the glory of God and the good of His people. I also have a strong personal conviction to have conversations about women in ministry face-to-face, not screen-to-screen. 

I believe women can and should do ministry. Women are called to obey the same Great Commission that men are called to obey. We are all called to make disciples and serve our churches, each of us according to the gifts God gives us. 

For anyone in ministry, there are difficult seasons that can be discouraging and make us feel that we’re not equipped to do the work we’re called to do. Because “women” and “ministry” can be such a delicate subject, the church sometimes avoids the conversation altogether. 

There are women who are moms who spend every day teaching their children to love God, and training them up in righteousness. There are women who serve as deacons, women’s ministry directors, and in countless other roles in the church who spend their days working to build up the church with their gifts. There are women all across the globe who left the comforts of their homes and moved to regions where people have never heard the good news of the gospel. 

These women are hungry for encouragement and desire to be built up in their good work.

We do not want to forget women in ministry. We do not want to avoid equipping women just because it can be hard. This is why we are hosting the first-ever For The Church Women’s Pre-Conference in conjunction with our For The Church National Conference. 

This conference exists to encourage and equip women who are in the throes of ministry in their homes, their churches, and throughout the world. 

We’ve asked trustworthy women in ministry like Abigail Dodds, Trillia Newbell, Karen Allen, and Christine Hoover to come to Kansas City for a morning, and serve the women who will attend this event. 

If you are a woman in any kind of ministry, we want you at this pre-conference. We will spend time worshipping together, hearing from each of these women, and will hopefully leave encouraged and equipped to go forth in our ministries. 

We hope you’ll join us for this event, and you can find more information and register here.

Even if you can’t make the event, we hope you’ll pray for women to grow in confidence and obedience to the commands of Jesus in the home, in your church, and to the ends of the earth.

For the church and for the kingdom.