Embrace NC Women's Ministry

One of the things Jesus tells His disciples in the “abide” passage is thatHe loves His disciples as the Father has loved Him. His disciples are tolove their fellow disciples this way, but they are also to love the worldwith the love that can come only from Christ. Sometimes it can bedifficult to love our neighbors, even when we know we are commandedto do so. How can we do this well so we might have opportunities toshare the gospel with them? This breakout session will focus on whatJesus says about abiding in His love, how His followers do this, and howHis followers can rest in Him in an effort to share the love of Christwith their neighbors.

When Paul penned his letter to the church at Colossae, he told them todevote themselves to prayer while also asking the Lord to open a door forPaul and others to “speak forth the mystery of Christ” (Colossians 4:2-4).Paul recognized the necessary role prayer plays in disciple-making, butdo we? We are often left with the desire for family and friends to comeinto a relationship with Christ, but do not know how to pray for them.This breakout session will examine what the Bible says about prayer andmaking disciples, while also providing practical tips for how to beginpraying with a disciple-making focus.

Betsy Bolick's Saturday afternoon plenary session at the 2019 NC Baptist Women's Retreat focused on the disciples abiding in Christ, Who is the True Vine. The focal passage is John 15.

Betsy Bolick's Friday evening plenary session at the 2019 NC Baptist Women's Retreat focused on the pruning the Vinedresser provides to His branches. The focal passage is John 15.

When Jesus speaks the words of John 15 to His disciples, it is the night before He is crucified and after He and His disciples have shared the Passover meal together. All four gospels provide an account of this night and John records the words of the Vine Life. This breakout session will provide an understanding of all the accounts of that evening in chronological form to provide the greater context of Jesus’ words in John 15.

Society encourages women to be independent and to do it themselves. In the eyes of culture, those who do this are viewed as successful and worthy of notoriety and emulation. Yet, Jesus says apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). Jesus says He is the Vine and His followers are the branches and if they abide, or rest, in Him they will bear fruit. His followers must be dependent on Him. This breakout session will focus on what abiding is and what it is not and practical suggestions for dependent on the Lord when the world tells them otherwise.

In John 15, Jesus says, “I AM the Vine.” In the remainder of John’s gospel Jesus says, “I AM” the Bread of Life; the Light of the World; the Gate (Door); the Good Shepherd; the Resurrection and Life; and the Way, the Truth and the Life. Essentially, Jesus is telling His followers, “I AM I AM.” These theological truths impact our lives every day as we seek to walk with the Lord, but how? This breakout session will provide an understanding of the theology of Jesus’ words and a practical application of these words for every believer – whether or not you have had formal theological training.

Many books, Instagrammers, and social media sensations spread the word, “Set your goals,” “You do you,” and “If you want it, go for it.” However, this message focuses on the individual making it happen instead of what Jesus says – Abide in Him and die to self. This breakout session will help attendees understand how to seek the will of the Lord, why obedience is important and how to obey the Lord, and why this provides greater satisfaction than doing our own thing.

Paul instructed Timothy to take the things he learned from Paul, and entrust them to others who would then teach those same precepts of the Lord to others (II Timothy 2:2). There is not a biological blood line in the verse, but four generations of believers are represented. We, too, are to produce generations of the vine as we teach others the things of God, who will then teach others, who will continue the investment of God’s Word with others. This breakout session will help you identify women around you with whom you can begin this discipling process as you teach and model the things of God for them.

In one of his last letters to his son in the faith, Timothy, the apostle Paul commended Timothy’s grandmother, Lois, and mother, Eunice, for the faith in Christ they firmly held and passed on to Timothy. Jesus’ desire is for families to invest the things of God into their children and disciple them. This breakout session will provide an understanding of the biblical mandate of why this important and helpful suggestions for ways to begin this process with your own children and grandchildren.

In John 15, Jesus tells His disciples He is the Vine and His followers are the branches and if they abide in Him, they will bear much fruit. What is the fruit He is speaking of and how do His disciples produce this? This breakout session will examine what the fruit of the Vine is and what it is not. This session will also provide suggestions that will help a follower of Christ grow the fruit Jesus is speaking of as they choose to abide in Him daily.

Jesus told His followers that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath and that He is Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:27-28). In the Old Testament when the Lord gave man the Sabbath it had two purposes: trust in the Lord for His provision and man’s physical rest. Sabbath is a spiritual discipline that is necessary, but often neglected. This breakout session will provide a clear understanding of how Scripture defines the Sabbath and ways that a Sabbath rest can be implemented to grow in faith and renew us physically.

One of the things that Jesus tells His disciples in the “abide” passage is that He loves His disciples as the Father has loved Him. His disciples are to love their fellow disciples this way, but they are also to love the world with the love that can only come from Christ. Sometimes it can be difficult to love our neighbors, even when we know we are commanded to do so. How can we do this well so we might have opportunities to share the gospel with them? This breakout session will focus on what Jesus says about abiding in His love, how His followers do this, and how His followers can rest in Him in effort to share the love of Christ with their neighbors.

The storms of life will come – it is inevitable as we live in a broken world. For each person this might look differently, but Christ tells His followers to abide in Him, even as the storm rages. Sometimes this seems much easier said than done. This breakout session, led by a cancer survivor, will help attendees understand how to make practical application of God’s Word when hard situations happen in our lives and what it looks like to rest and trust the Lord through difficult circumstances.

Throughout Scripture living in community was a necessity for God’s people. The Israelites lived and served in groups of people and in the New Testament it is recorded, “And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them” (Acts 4:12) and the people day by day were with one mind and taking their meals together (Acts 2:42-47). As a result, they were bearing fruit as people were coming to faith in Christ. What does this look like in our modern context? Why is biblical community important to the life of the believer and the church? This breakout session will examine the biblical basis of community and provide practical ideas for living in community.

John begins his gospel with these words, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). John continues by explaining that Jesus is the Word made flesh and He made His dwelling among us and He is full of grace and truth (1:14). His Word is truth and He longs for His followers to trust in His Word as they trust in Him. At times, however, it can seem overwhelming to study the Word of God. This breakout session will help attendees with tools for study and interpretation so that abiding in Christ through His Word is a daily reality.

Led by Ashley Allen, this audio session teaches a learner how to study their Bible using the principles of inductive study. These include observation, interpretation and application.

Many in our churches and world today wonder how our society and culture arrived where we are currently. How can we better understand society in order to reach those who are far from God with the gospel of Jesus Christ? Ministry does not take place in a vacuum, and culture affects how people think and respond to the gospel. This breakout session recording from the 2019 Disciple Making Conference, led by Ashley Allen, provides an understanding of how society moved from a modern to postmodern culture. 

Living in a culture where living "set apart" can seem difficult, society communicates it is acceptable to step over boundaries and live as you want. Compromise seems like the only way to function in the world. But Scripture tells believers something different. This breakout session recording from the 2019 Disciple Making Conference, led by Missie Branch, focuses on how those who name the name of Christ can still live according to biblical absolutes without compromising the truth of Scripture. 

Sometimes reaching our neighbors with the gospel is hard because life can be messy. How can we reach a woman with the gospel when her life seems to to be falling apart, and we have grown weary? This breakout session by our ministry partner, Meredith Snoddy, focuses on biblical and practical ideas for reaching our neighbors and finding encouragement from God's Word for staying the course. 

Sadly, when churches say "single adult," the immediate thought is "not married," and a host of characteristics and reasons for a single status are given. Yet, single adult women are much more diverse than their marital status, and they aren't all the same. However, many don't feel welcome in a church or even that there is a place for them within the body of Christ. This recording from the 2018 NC Baptist Annual Meeting focuses on how to reach the growing demographic of "single women" without viewing them as anomalies. 

Jennifer Thoppil // This is an audio recording from a breakout at the 2018 NC Baptist Women's Retreat. The letter to the Church at Colossae has much to apply to the day-to-day living of God’s people. This breakout session recording provides the interpretation and application of the top lessons in Colossians and provides challenge for believers to live in obedience in light of the words in the Book of Colossians.

Denise O'Donoghue // This is an audio recording from a breakout at the 2018 NC Baptist Women's Retreat. Colossians 3:13 tells us we are to forgive each other, whoever has a complaint against us, and to forgive others the same way Christ has forgiven us. But, what if the person who wronged us never asks for forgiveness? The Bible speaks about forgiveness in many different forms and contexts and reminds believers forgiving others is possible because of the forgiveness God has extended to us through His Son, Jesus. This breakout session recording examines Scripture and the biblical basis of forgiveness.

Donna Navey // This is an audio recording from a breakout at the 2018 NC Baptist Women's Retreat. Throughout Scripture it is evident one generation invested the things of God into the generation that followed. God’s heart is not for disciple-making to stop with one generation, but it to follow to the subsequent generations. However, at times we can make this more complicated than it really is. This breakout session recording focuses on a clear understanding of what it means to disciple, or mentor, a sister in Christ and provide practical tips to begin and continue the process.

Anna Kilby // This is an audio recording from a breakout at the 2018 NC Baptist Women's Retreat. You might have heard the term “gospel conversations” and desire to share the gospel of Jesus Christ as you talk with people in everyday conversations, but sincerely do not know where to begin. This breakout session recording introduces you to 4-1-1, which is four questions on one sheet of paper in one hour. You will be equipped with two tools to start gospel conversations by the time you finish this recording.

Ellen Day // This is an audio recording from a breakout at the 2018 NC Baptist Women's Retreat. Prayer is communication with God and He wants to hear from His children. This breakout session recording focuses on how to pray, how to pray Scripture and why we should pray individually and corporately. God longs to hear from you; do you long to talk with Him?

Meredith Snoddy and Ann Thurston // This is an audio recording from a breakout at the 2018 NC Baptist Women's Retreat. Praying for unbelieving friends and family to come to know the Lord can be distressing at times. We may have been praying for years and still have yet to see salvation, easily making us want to give up. This breakout session recording will not only give encouragement to stay the course and not give up, but will give you tips on how to share the gospel with those close to you.

Tabatha Frost // This is an audio recording from a breakout at the 2018 NC Baptist Women's Retreat. Colossians 3:12 says that we are holy, chosen, and beloved, but what do those words really mean? And what do they have to do with our identity in Christ? This breakout session recording explains what it means to be the holy, chosen, and beloved people of God, and how this identity shapes who we are and what we are meant to do.

Meg Barnes // This is an audio recording from a breakout at the 2018 NC Baptist Women's Retreat. Some of Paul’s last words to his son in the faith, Timothy, were “discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness…[because] godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (I Timothy 4:7b-8). Holiness, or godliness, must be pursued by the believer as they desire God and seek to honor in their daily lives. This breakout session recording focuses on the role of the individual in the discipline of godliness as we allow the Holy Spirit to transform us, but recognize the responsibility we have as believers.

Lesley Hildreth // This is an audio recording from a breakout at the 2018 NC Baptist Women's Retreat. The Bible contains hundreds of different characters in which God used to accomplish his purpose, but have you ever considered the women? This breakout session recording explores select women throughout the Bible from various backgrounds and circumstances that God used in his redemptive plan, and the lessons they give us that we can apply to our lives today.

Kimberly Merida // This is an audio recording from a breakout at the 2018 NC Baptist Women's Retreat. Scripture tells us that when we receive Christ we are adopted as sons and daughters into his family. This breakout session recording discusses what our identity as children of God means, and how we can live out our daily lives in light of such an identity.

Ashley Allen // This is an audio recording from a breakout at the 2018 NC Baptist Women's Retreat. Scripture speaks much about our words. In the passage from Colossians, Paul identifies several places of speech that believers are to “put off.” In the Book of James it is also noted that our words can be sparks that can set an entire forest on fire. How do we control our tongues, though, and have our words speak life, kindness, gentleness and glory to Christ Jesus? This breakout session recording will provide practical suggestions for using our tongues and our words wisely.

Mary Wallace Wilson - Every church needs women who love to serve, yet one of the most important ways to serve is by disciple-making. The only prerequisites are obedience to Christ, a heart of love and being Spirit-filled. No seminary training is required.

Tabatha Frost - Whether you are a single woman living in a downtown apartment, a mom in the suburbs or an empty nester in a quiet rural setting, you are right where you need to be to make an impact for God’s kingdom. Join us as we explore the discipleship potential that is waiting as close as your front door.

Sarah Davenport - Second Timothy 2:2 teaches us to think about being reproducible in all we teach. In this session, we will walk through some ways to make disciples across the globe with chronological Bible storying and Henna storying.

Ashley Allen - This breakout session will offer practical and hands-on ways to equip women to engage other women in gospel conversations that are natural for casual encounters or lengthy conversations. Whether it is a family member or someone you meet in the store, learn ways to use everyday encounters to share nuggets of the gospel.