2015
Most Popular Articles of 2015
Since becoming editor of Gifted for Leadership just a few months ago, I’ve been impressed by our readers. You’re thoughtful, articulate, and wise, and you love to hear from other women in church leadership. You lead out of your calling, and you’re always looking for ways to serve more effectively. It clearly shows in the articles you read most this year. ...
Advent: Waiting for Everything to Be as It Should
Do you sense the gap between the way things are and the way they should be?
This Advent, I’ve been singing O Holy Night with new fervor:
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
‘Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
This song names the tension I feel ...
How to Make Confident Decisions
I’ve spent countless nights wide awake, mulling over a leadership decision. Did I do the right thing? Was the choice I made best for the ministry and everyone involved? Even when I feel confident making a decision, I often second-guess myself later.
I want my team to trust me. Yet my desire to earn their trust can cause me to overthink decisions and overanalyze ...
Three Lessons for Women in Ministry from Catherine Booth
Catherine Booth was born in a small town in central England in 1829. The Victorian Age wasn’t exactly the golden age for women. Yet Catherine was able to create a lasting legacy that we’re reminded of every time we hear the bell ringers calling us to drop our coins in the red kettles of The Salvation Army.
Two things hugely influenced Catherine’s formative ...
Ministry Shouldn’t Hurt
It’s true that ministry is hard. It’s true that ministry takes sacrifice. But ministry shouldn’t hurt.
We teach young women the same concept in romance: love shouldn’t hurt. We say if a man says he loves you but hits you or treats you badly emotionally or psychologically, then it isn’t love at all.
It’s the same with ministry. If ...
I’m Rare: I Haven’t Been Harassed Because I’m a Woman
I'm a rarely seen species: a woman in theology who has no sad stories to tell you about being harassed, roadblocked, or discriminated against. I've spent ten years in formal study of theology, but no one has ever made a snide remark to me about my gender. I've spent three years in professional ministry and never had anyone oppose my work, my preaching, or my ...
The Struggle to Find a Mentor
If you were to imagine your ideal mentor, what would she be like?
Let me tell you about mine. My ideal mentor would be a woman, at least a step or two ahead of me in life. She would be wise, discerning, and nurturing. She would be devoted to Christ, with a contagious faith. She would speak hard truths with gentle grace. She would also be a writer, offering insight and ...
Three Ways to Simplify Advent
Much has been written to the individual about how we should simplify holidays, but it gets a bit more complicated for those of us in ministry. We are, after all, responsible for other people whom we fear may be alone or neglected during the holidays. We also feel compelled to help others connect to God during the holidays rather than default to the culture’s interpretation ...
Troublesome Women Preachers
Editor’s Note: This year for Thanksgiving, we want you to know that we’re thankful for you! For all the work you put in, for all the awkward situations you navigate, for all the hard messages you preach. Being a woman in ministry is not always an easy path. But you are doing it. So today we offer this sermon from Rev. Tiffany Thomas to let you know just how thankful ...
Pastor or Director: Does Title Matter?
Several years ago, I had a breakfast meeting with an elder at my church. When the check came, I reached across the table to pay. But he refused and said, “I have a policy that I always pay for the pastor.” I laughed. “But I am not a pastor,” I said, using air quotes. He responded, “Yes you are. That may not be your title but it is what you do.” ...