POPULARITY
On this episode of The More Than Mom Podcast, Lisa Theriot joins us to talk all about becoming an empty nester. Lisa is the Women's Minister at LifePoint Church in Smyrna, Tennessee and after successfully raising five kids herself, she is the perfect person to chat with us about how to find health and happiness in the empty-nester stage of motherhood. I hope this conversation is healing for those who are nearing or new to the days of having a quiet house, but I also know it will be beneficial for all of us who are actively raising children in our homes. Lisa reminded me of the importance of actively sowing into our marriages while we raise our children. After all, one day our kids will have left our home and a healthy relationship with our spouse will be instrumental to finding joy and happiness in that time. To get connected with LifePoint Church, click here. To follow along with MJ Cash and The More Than Mom Podcast on Instagram, click here. To subscribe to our newsletter, click here. Graphics by Angela VerweyMusic by Mike Lombardi
At The Table: The Podcast of the SBC Women's Leadership Network
Julie Woodruff, Women's Minister at Long Hollow Baptist Church, joins us today to talk about leading teams. Practical tips on how many times to meet, how to on and off ramp members, and most importantly how important it is to have others to seek out for wisdom and experience. Julie Woodruff realized God’s call to ministry as a college sophomore. Over the years that calling has taken the shape of youth ministry, pastors wife, women’s ministry, writing, teaching, and conference leadership. She has written Bible study curriculum and contributed numerous articles to ministry leadership magazines through the years. Julie is a graduate of Louisiana College and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Currently she serves as Women's Minister at Long Hollow Baptist Church in Hendersonville,Tn where she has been for 14 years. Julie’s passion for women’s ministry at Long Hollow is to help women find forgiveness and freedom in Christ, to be forged into the likeness of Christ and to become a force for Christ in the world. She and her husband Sid have been married for 36 years. They have two married children and six grandchildren. You can connect with Julie on Twitter @juliejwoodruff
How can we lead most effectively in a ministry role? Why is it important to do what you love and embrace your gifting instead of trying to do it all? And how can developing a team help a ministry to grow and thrive? Subscribe to the podcast here This post contains affiliate links, which means if you choose to make a purchase via one of the links, we will receive a commission at no extra cost to you. This helps to support the costs of running the podcast and blog. In this episode, I talk with Holly and our church’s women’s minister, Sandy Flewelling, about how to be an effective, God-centered leader, how to not do ministry on your own, and how we can serve the women in our church’s women’s ministry. Sandy’s Leadership Journey: Sandy says that she fell into leadership. As an introvert, she never intended to be a leader. When she moved back to Maine, she found herself increasingly getting involved in her church’s women’s ministry. She noticed that her heart came alive as she worked with and taught women. After insisting that she wasn’t a leader, she realized that she was rewriting then teaching her church’s Bible studies. She felt the Holy Spirit pressing on her that she could write her own material. Sandy felt like leadership had to look a certain way and required certain skills. She realized that she was a leader when she understood that she didn’t have to be everything. Sandy’s Mentors Her pastor’s wife saw in and called out gifts that Sandy didn’t see in herself. A women’s ministry co-leader, Karen Reynolds, was supportive and reminded her that she didn’t have to be or do everything on her own. How Sandy Embraced her Wiring as a Leader: Sandy reminds us to not take at face value that you’ll always be who you are right now. Sandy’s Advice for Younger Leaders: Focus on what you love. Work in places where you get life and energy. What if you have an idea that isn’t in your skill set for your church? Trust that God will raise up the right person. Building an Effective Women’s Ministry Team Sandy’s role at her church as women’s minister is to teach and shepherd women. She does this through event planning, overseeing women’s Bible studies, prayer groups, and small groups. She sets the vision for how women’s ministry executes the mission of the church as well as representing women to the church leadership team. How Holly and Sandy Worked Together Holly had been involved with other ministries at church, but knew they weren’t her thing. She just wanted to be around Sandy, which works out well because they are a natural fit. After Sandy’s fellow women’s ministry leader stepped down, Sandy asked Holly to help her. Sandy’s gift is teaching and setting the vision + direction. Holly’s gift is executing that vision and having a heart for the women in church. When Holly came into leading the women’s retreat, she felt overwhelmed to make it perfect. Then she realized her job was to mentor those who were supervising each area, i.e. food, registration, decoration. Her job was to set the tone for the retreat so in each meeting, she reviewed the mission and ensure that each woman on her team feel cared for and welcomed. The importance of not doing women’s ministry on your own The biggest advantage of not doing everything on your own is that you get to do what you love. What you love, you do well. Three challenges of working with a team Personalities respond and work together in different ways. This can be stressful, but as a leader, you need others. Here are some tips as you work with a team: Trust others to get things done, even if how they do ministry differs from you. Continually communicate the vision. Trust God to use the outcomes for His glory. Sometimes people have to step out of their roles (family emergency, a move, etc.) so other members of the team will need to be ready to step in. This happens through mentorship, training, and trust. Communication is always a challenge. Here are two tips: Make sure people hear what they’re supposed to execute. Explain how each piece fits within the vision. What do women need from women’s ministry? Sandy believes that what everyone truly needs is time and opportunity to be intentionally face-to-face with God. But they may not realize what they need, so you need to provide this in ways that will allow it to happen. Sandy and Holly both feel that what women need and want in churches are the following: Connection with each other. Depth in our relationship with God. A purpose; a place to fit in in God’s kingdom. Mentors, those ahead of us who have Bible knowledge, life wisdom, and a willingness to pour both out. Ways women’s ministry can meet these needs Ultimately, the goal of any women’s ministry is to make a place for people to be who they are, to love what they love, and to come together in a place where they feel comfortable. Depth, connection, and purpose are met in the context of small groups. Bringing together a diversity of ages in small groups helps us connect with others and Jesus. Coming together as the body of Christ is found in a larger event context. How someone can start or strengthen the women’s ministry in their church: Start praying for God to raise us who can partner with you. Don’t be afraid to partner with other Bible-believing churches. Don’t try to do everything. Actually identify the needs of your church. Do the most important things. Make a place where people can encounter the living God. Look around and see what’s already happening. Speak life over this. Encourage and pray for who is already leading well. Pour into women you’re already gathering with. Ask how you can contribute instead of being frustrated by what’s not happening. Sandy’s book recommendation: Shrink by Tim Suttle Key Quotes from this Episode: “A leader doesn’t have to be everything.” - Sandy “I don’t have to trust in myself to be able to do this job. I can trust God to empower me to do what’s not in my skill set.” -Sandy “There is no way one person can do it all.” -Holly “Be willing to jump even if you’re scared out of your mind.”- Holly “What we most need is time and opportunity to be intentionally face-to-face with God because that’s the place where healing, growth, and life happen.” - Sandy “God is in it for a relationship with you, and He wants to display His glory to other people.” - Holly “Celebrate what’s small and healthy.” -Holly Connect with Sandy: Website Sandy Flewelling is wildly passionate about helping you find freedom through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Whether speaking before a crowd in a retreat setting or sharing a conversation with one in her cozy office, her desire is to be faithful and true to the God who loves us and changes us with that love. She has been a graphic designer for 25 years and is the owner of TrueBlue Design. But smack dab in the middle of that career she decided she wanted another one, so Sandy attended The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology where she earned her Master's in Counseling. In her spare time, Sandy is a Women's Minister at Church of the Open Door in Hampden, Maine as well as a self-proclaimed toilet paper ninja and unashamed lover of two long-haired felines, Buddy and Bear. Her home is in Maine, where the tender beauty of summer makes the long winters worth enduring. Stay Connected: Subscribe on your favorite podcast app. Click here to find all the options where you can find the podcast. Join our Purposeful Leadership Facebook group! In the Facebook group, we can chat about what you need as a leader, what your challenges are, as well as celebrate the wins. This is a great community to learn and grow together. We want to get to know YOU. Other Podcast Episodes Mentioned: Episode 1: Our Leadership Journeys and What to Expect Episode 10: Finding Your Purpose Episode 19: The Value of Mentoring with Elisa Pulliam Other Ways to Connect with Esther & Holly and the Christian Woman Leadership Podcast: Esther’s Instagram Holly’s Instagram Podcast Instagram Facebook Page Episode Sponsor: Confident Leader Club Today’s show is brought to you by the Confident Leader Club. If you’re a Christian woman leading in ministry or business, and you have a desire for deeper community with other leaders, accountability towards reaching your goals, access to ALL the downloads I’ve created, monthly bonus content including workshops and trainings on specific topics, and much more, I want to invite you to check it out. Visit confidentleaderclub.com to learn more. This episode was first published on estherlittlefield.com/episode42.
Simone Halpin is the co-founder and Director of Naomi's House, a residential safe home for women who have suffered from commercial sexual exploitation. She also serves as the Director of Women's Care at The Moody Church. There, Simone founded the Precious to Him Project, an extension of the Women's Ministry, devoted to serving vulnerable and exploited women in Chicago and beyond. With a M.A. in Biblical Studies from Moody Theological Seminary, Simone teaches and trains women what it means to love and follow Jesus.
Suffering's purpose is often hidden behind a cloud of confusion about God's character and His refinement process. We brace ourselves against future suffering, cry through present pain, and heave sighs of relief post trauma. Is it possible there is a better way to face life’s trials? Severe neurological Lyme and a metabolic disorder that went undiagnosed for ten years caused Cheryl to experience years of unnecessary and seemingly endless private suffering. The trials taught her much about the love of her heavenly Father. He supplied during times of need in ways Cheryl could not appreciate or understand during times of plenty. Jesus’s earthly ministry included many miracles involving healing. Yet His message was much more profound than that of relief from physical pain. Often we look for escape from our circumstances while God is using the same to heal us at our core. Join us on September 21st to hear about a journey through intense pain to a sweet place of contentment and joy. Cheryl Scanlan, PCC, CPCC, began coaching in 2004 after a prolonged illness served as a Divine incubator growing a focused love for the Lord and His church body. She was formerly president of a multi-million dollar firm in New York. After coming to know Christ while living in Florida, she later served as Women's Minister and Care Director for a church of over 5000 in Raleigh, NC. She combines strong business acumen with a passion for Christian coaching in order to facilitate the development of confident ambassadors for Christ in both ministry and the marketplace. Cheryl’s passion is to see God's people walk in step with Him. An ardent student of scripture, she is a trained Precept Bible Teacher and has studied God’s Word inductively for over 10 years. Cheryl is married to Tom and has two teenage boys.