Looking To Jesus, Chapter 10

By BARBARANNE KELLY|CONTRIBUTOR

On any given day, if I don’t think about it too much, I’m rather content. Now, Scripture calls us to contentment, but that’s not what I’m talking about here. Most days I’m content to simply be average: averagely comfortable, moderately productive, and conveniently involved in the lives of others. I will see what’s happening among others in my church community or ‘out there’ in the world and I can get energized or upset by current events, but only until it pushes me against my comfort zone, and then—that’s quite enough already; simmer down; back to average comfort. After all, I’m an introvert. A low-energy introvert. Don’t even talk about looking inward. This is how God made me. Leave me alone—I mean, I’m fine.

Class Notes, Chapter 10

“The church needs women who will embark on the grand and glorious adventure of knowing and serving God, and along the way they will probably be unaware that they look more and more like their Father.” [1]

by KATHY HORAN|CONTRIBUTOR

 Summer Study Groups                         

Today we concluded our book study of Women’s Ministry in the Local Church. It has been a wonderful time of study and fellowship with our sister-friends. We have learned that we must  be submissive to our leaders, compassionate with each other, have a love for the community in which God has placed us, willing to disciple and be discipled, immersed in scripture, and constant in prayer.

Love means dying to self. Really. As redeemed women we are to risk comfort, sacrifice our time and treasure, use our gifts, invest in the lives of our brothers and sisters in our local church.

From the Heart, Chapter 9

By JANA HENRY|CONTRIBUTOR

This week we learned that women’s ministry must be based on the sound truth of Scripture. There are too many competing voices in the evangelical world, not to mention the secular world, that are distorting God’s Word. Women’s ministry must aim to ground women in the full-orbed truth of Scripture so that we may grow up in every way in Christ, fulfilling our God given-design as strong “ezers” (helpers) and life-givers rather than hinderers and life-takers.

Looking To Jesus, Chapter 9

By BARBARANNE KELLY|CONTRIBUTOR

This week in our book study we are considering the importance of Scripture in the challenges the church faces in holding fast to truth in a culture of rapidly changing and declining values. Our study of women’s ministry returns again and again to keeping our understanding of biblical womanhood centered on the truth as revealed in God’s holy Scriptures. The challenges come in many shapes; the single issue at the core is: will our homes, our friendships, our fellowship, our ministry, and—frankly—even our Bible studies be shaped by the world or the Word?

Class Notes, Chapter 9

by KATHY HORAN|CONTRIBUTOR

…….our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace;　Psalm 144:12

In this week’s class, we discussed the results of biblical authority being undermined in our times. Scripture tells us to avoid those who have the appearance of godliness but deny its power. And we learn that “among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.” We see this today particularly in the issues of gender and sexuality. The church (that’s us) is under pressure to adapt to the culture, to “write off or distort biblical teaching” in this area. By buying into the world’s views, we arrogantly see ourselves as more merciful than God.

A Special Thank You

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to Martha Moore, Women’s Ministry Team Advisor for Crossroads Community Church in Fishers, Indiana. Martha graciously answered our S.O.S. on CDM’s Facebook page for a study guide for our summer book study on Women’s Ministry in the Local Church.  Martha provided us with her own outlines which have been such a help in our study.

From The Heart, Chapter 8

By JANA HENRY|CONTRIBUTOR

After discussing Chapter 7 on Community, I wrote about the golden chain that I see being woven as we learn about the biblical themes and principles that shape women’s ministry. This past week, we discussed Discipleship, and I could not help but see the beauty of the golden chain continuing to weave through the biblical call for older women to disciple younger women in the church. Susan shows us a lovely example of this from the gospel of Luke. (Note: My paraphrase of Susan’s account was given in the Tuesday lesson. I polished it up here for you as requested. The words below are 90% Scripture and Susan, and 10% me.)