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When my husband and I planted a church, our entire focus was on what we could do for others. We wanted to win people to Christ, disciple them, and send them out to do the same. We became single-minded, and we worked harder than I ever thought possible.

This was all good, but somewhere along the line, I lost perspective on what I needed. I was so consumed in what others ...

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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 ...

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How would you exercise spiritual leadership if you weren’t allowed to be employed by a church, teach publicly, or attend seminary?

Sarah Edwards (1710–1758), wife of famous colonial pastor Jonathan Edwards (1703–1758), lived with all these restrictions, yet they didn’t stop her from becoming one of the most spiritually influential women in her ...

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In her landmark book, You Just Don’t Understand, linguist and researcher Deborah Tannen, noted that women tend to use communication to connect and emphasize common ground, even from a young age. Men, on the other hand, more often use communication to compete, to assert their authority. Whether these traits are inborn or simply learned at a very young age, the fact is ...

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This week, in conjunction with the most recent issue of Leadership Journal, which explores the state of the pastorate, we're featuring two articles by pastors answering one question: what is the current state of your pastorate? Click here to see all the articles in this series.

What’s the state of your pastorate? Let us know online through tweets, blogs, drawings, ...

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Many churches choose men for their lead pastor. More and more are choosing women. And some churches are opting for the best of both.

A growing trend termed co-pastoring, has churches hiring husband-wife pairs to lead together equally as pastors. To better understand the benefits and challenges that come with this emerging movement, I spoke with Robin and Marty Anderson, ...

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It was a Tuesday morning when I pulled up to the church for my first Bible study. The parking lot was full, I was late, and I still needed to check in my children for childcare. It was quiet when I entered the room, the teacher’s engaging lesson holding everyone’s attention. The room held more than 100 elderly women, and I was intimidated. But as a new Christian, ...

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“So can you help me? Please? I really need your help.”

As I stared into the eyes of my new Christian friend, I saw her struggling. She was feeling tempted to enter into a serious romantic relationship with a non-Christian. Of course I will help her, I thought. I know just what to do!

I scheduled a weekly one-on-one Bible study with her to examine the book ...

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It’s pretty easy for women in ministry to fall into adultery—much easier than you probably think.

It shocks us to hear that women leaders struggle with sexual sin, but it’s more common than we know. The problem is that no one talks about it because there’s so much shame surrounding the topic. That silence means those who struggle will continue ...

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I married a solemn man. He is an intense person who takes ministry very seriously. That intensity gave him the courage and impetus to plant a church, which he pastored for 27 years. When he resigned, it was to train pastors in third-world countries, so as I said, he takes ministry seriously.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, however you choose to look at it, he married a ...