If your theology pretty much matches up with mine (as outlined in the “Welcome” and “Statement of Faith” tabs) and you’d like to contribute a guest post, drop me an e-mail at MichelleLesley1@yahoo.com,
and let’s chat about it.
What I Want in a Church by Lisa Engel
1. I need the FULL counsel of God preached. I don’t need a preacher who tip-toes around certain parts of the Bible because he’s afraid to offend or appear judgmental (to those who don’t understand Matthew 7 in its context)
2. I want a church whose preacher and (male) elders warn the flock about apostasy and wolves in sheep’s clothing. They need to instill the importance of discernment because the internet and broadcast television, especially, are rampant with heretical teachings.
3. I want a church that isn’t focused on appealing to my flesh and “feelings”. I don’t need a “seeker-friendly” church. Church is a meeting place for the believer, no? We are there to be equipped to go out and seek the seekers and THEN bring them into the fold. What people are fed is what they’ll return for. The main thing needs to be the main thing and it mustn’t be entertainment and amusement.
4. After sound preaching, I need fellowship, accountability, sharpening, edification, and hopefully rebuke when necessary.
5. I’d like women’s Bible studies to be overseen by the male leaders of the church. I believe they need to use biblical discernment regarding study materials the women use. (This goes for any material any other group within the church might use) Too often, women choose their own material and choose the latest fad study that can likely be from a false teacher. And what’s wrong with just studying the Bible on its own anyway???
6. I’d like a church library where books are reviewed and discerned BEFORE being made available to the flock. There are a LOT of heretical books on the market that fill church library shelves. This shouldn’t be! Books on meditation and extra-biblical revelation are rampant. Warnings regarding so-called “Christian films” would be wise too. People are feeding on all sorts of heresy outside of their local church. Why not ongoing classes on discernment and how to to be good Bereans?
7. I need a prayer-minded church, not one where it’s more about potlucks.
8. I need a church that knows doctrine matters and makes clear their views on theology.
9. My church needs to be clear on where it stands on social issues such as gay marriage and the sanctity of life. The flock needs to hear preaching on such subjects from time to time. Too often the pulpit never touches on these things. It’s very important these days for a pastor to speak out on the issues of the day. It would be nice if the church, on its webpage, would acknowledge that it believes in the sanctity of life and traditional, biblical marriage.
10. God is Sovereign. I need my church to understand this.
11. Easter eggs and bunnies. We are to be in the world and not of it. Isn’t there enough of the Pagan Easter celebration in the world? Why on Earth would a church host Easter egg hunts??? To get the unsaved kids and their families in the church door? A terrible marketing scheme, wooing people with something OTHER than Gospel message. Is not the Gospel message enough without having to incorporate the nonsense of eggs and bunnies? It makes zero biblical sense. But churches will find a way to incorporate the eggs and bunnies into the Gospel message because they obviously don’t think the Gospel message can stand on its own. Churches only add to the confusion in doing Pagan celebrations. Scrap the eggs and bunnies for the Cross.
12. Yoga. Christianized yoga. Whatever twisted name it is given, a church that supports this Eastern religion practice is ignorant. I wouldn’t attend a church where this was endorsed or offered, any way it’s labeled.
Lisa is a wife, mom and grandma who loves her Lord Jesus Christ and wants to contend as earnestly as she can for the faith.
ALTHOUGH I DO MY BEST TO THOROUGHLY VET THE THEOLOGY OF THE BLOGGERS WHO SUBMIT GUEST POSTS, IT IS ALWAYS POSSIBLE FOR THINGS TO SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS. PLEASE MAKE SURE ANY BLOGGER YOU FOLLOW, INCLUDING ME, RIGHTLY AND FAITHFULLY HANDLES GOD’S WORD AND HOLDS TO SOUND BIBLICAL DOCTRINE.
If you are considering commenting or sending me an e-mail objecting to the fact that I warn against false teachers, please click here and read this article first. Your objection is most likely answered here. I won’t be publishing comments or answering emails that are answered by this article.
This article is kept continuously updated as needed.
Christine Caine is “an Australian born, Greek blooded, lover of Jesus, a sought-after international speaker, author and activist. Known for her ability to effectively communicate a message of hope, Christine has a heart for reaching the lost, strengthening leadership, and championing the cause of justice.” Over the last several years, Christine has become a popular conference speaker, a prolific author, a podcaster, and a social media darling.
This is due, in no small part to Christine’s engaging personality. A native of Sydney, Australia, her charming accent, quick wit, and lovely smile immediately capture the attention, and her love and devotion to her husband and children are obvious and endearingly sincere. Unlike some of her over-made, over-coiffed, and overdressed peers, Christine radiates a natural, simple, unpretentious beauty that makes “middle aged” look good, and is a tacit encouragement to distinctly unglamourous women like me.
Admirably, Christine seems to have a true desire to impact the world beyond merely achieving fame and selling books, again, setting her apart from (and, in my opinion, above) many of her cohorts in evangelicalism. She and her husband have formed several different organizations for helping others both inside and outside the church world, such as Zoe Church (church planting in Europe) and Propel Women (success-building for women). But the helping organization Christine is best known for is The A21 Campaign, “an anti-human trafficking organization dedicated to abolishing injustice in the 21st century.” Human trafficking is a horrific evil, and I deeply appreciate Christine’s desire to right this wrong.
I like Christine a lot, as a person. She says she loves Jesus. She has a passion for fighting injustice, and seems like a genuine, down to earth, nice woman who would make a great friend and would be fun to hang out with. And if that’s all it took for me to recommend her to you as a teacher of God’s Word, this article would end here with a ringing endorsement.
But, as James 3:1 tells us, those who teach will be judged with greater strictness. At a bare minimum they must be expected to teach what accords with sound doctrine and to tangibly demonstrate that they love Jesus by keeping his commandments. Unfortunately, Christine’s teachings and some of her actions do not meet even these basic biblical standards, and it is my sad duty to recommend that you not sit under her teaching for the following reasons:
“Pastoring” and Preaching to Men
Christine Caine habitually and unrepentantly rebels against Scripture by preaching to and teaching men. God is abundantly clear in His word that women are not to preach to, teach, or hold authority over men in the gathered body of Believers. And though this simple instruction should be sufficient for us, God also graciously explains to us whyHe has issued this prohibition- reasons which are still in effect today. Refusing to obey God’s word is sin. And in the same way you should not follow a male pastor or teacher who lives in intentional, unrepentant sin, you should not follow a female teacher who lives in intentional, unrepentant sin.
As I have mentioned previously, teaching men is a good, fast, and easy litmus test for ruling out most female false teachers, because, almost without exception, women who have no qualms about disobeying Scripture by teaching men also teach other false doctrine. If you walked into a church sanctuary and the male pastor who got up to preach was dressed in drag or was wearing a pro-abortion t-shirt or littered his “sermon” with profanity, you would know right away that this is someone who is in disobedience to Scripture and someone you should not listen to. It’s the same way with women who preach to men. It’s easily observable disobedience to Scripture that should quickly tell you this isn’t someone you should be listening to or following, and Christine Caine’s doctrine and practices in other areas bear this out.
Currently (2022), Christine is on staff as “Teaching Pastor” and “Women’s Leadership Pastor” at Mariners Church, a multi-site organization (which employs several women “pastors”) in southern California. View her “sermons” here.
If needed, you may view additional evidence of Christine preaching to men in the “Additional Resources” section at the end of this article.
False Doctrine
In addition to the false doctrine of women pastoring / preaching, Christine Caine subscribes to and teaches Word of Faith (prosperity gospel) heresy. She is a product of, has held leadership positions at, and is closely affiliated with Hillsong², which is, undeniably, a Word of Faith “church.” Christine is a contributor to the Hillsong blog page, the Hillsong web site maintains a bio page on her, and she is a regularly featured speaker at Hillsong’s Colour Conference for women and other Hillsong events.
Formerly a pastor on staff with Hillsong, Christine still appears to maintain some sort of partnership with this organization. In 2021, she preached at the former Hillsong Phoenix (Christine Caine : Heart for the House – 2021 Year of The Bible), and said in her introductory remarks (1:17), “I’ve been part of the team at Hillsong Church in Sidney [Australia], and now kind of around the world, for the last 27 years, and second only to my salvation…that was the greatest thing in my life…”
Part of Word of Faith heresy is the habitual mishandling and twisting of Scripture while teaching: taking verses out of context, attempting to make the Bible say things it does not say in order to fit the “theology” of the teacher, and reading oneself, one’s audience, or one’s own ideas into Scripture (eisegesis). You will find multiple examples of Christine Caine teaching this way in the “Additional Resources” section at the end of this article.
Partnering with False Teachers
Christine Caine regularly associates and partners in ministry with false teachers. The Bible clearly forbids this in a number of passages. She has preached at the aforementioned Hillsong on far too many occasions to enumerate, T.D. Jakes events events, Joel Osteenevents, Bethelevents, at Robert Morris‘ church, Rick Warren’schurch, and Steven Furtick’schurch (all to co-ed audiences) just to name a few. Paula Whiteconsiders Christine a friend. Additionally, Christine has close relationships with Beth Moore and Priscilla Shirer, frequently sharing the stage or partnering with both.
Christine Caine speaking at Bethel
But perhaps Christine Caine’s best known and most worrisome bond is with false (Word of Faith) teacher Joyce Meyer. Christine considers Joyce her “spiritual mother”:
“Oh yes I did lay my own hands on Joyce Meyer’s Bible and teaching notes and prayed for an impartation of that teaching anointing and revelation. It was a privilege and honor to shadow her this past week. Far more is ‘caught’ than is ever ‘taught’ in life!”
Christine Caine on the January 21, 2022 episode of Joyce Meyer’s show, Enjoying Everyday Life: Confronting Your Past
Featuring Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen, Lisa Harper, Christine Caine, Chris Tomlin, Tauren Wells, Brandon Lake, Phil Wickham Love Life 2022 Website
No one who immerses herself in the company of, and partnership with, so many false teachers, even considering one of the most egregious a spiritual mentor, can be trusted to teach the truth of Scripture and sound doctrine.
It’s true, Christine Caine is a lovely, charming woman with an admirable passion for helping people. But this does not excuse or make up for her disobedience to God’s word and teaching false doctrine. These are not minor “differences of opinion” that can be blithely swept under the rug. These are rebellions against the holy God of the universe.
I very much dislike having to warn women away from popular evangelical teachers, thus, it is my hope and prayer that Christine will repent of these sins, learn sound doctrine, and begin to teach it to the women in her audience who so desperately need it. Until such time, however, I regret that I must recommend that neither women nor churches receive teaching from Christine Caine or any of her ministries or materials, nor (in obedience to Scripture) participate in any way with The A21 Campaign or any of her other organizations. Do not have regard for Caine’s offerings.
Additional Resources:
Disclaimer: The specific links below are provided and endorsed as evidence pertaining to this article only. I do not endorse any of these sites in so far as any of them might deviate from Scripture or conflict with my beliefs as outlined in the “Welcome” or “Statement of Faith” tabs at the top of this page.
Preaching to Men
(See also “Partnering with False Teachers” below)
Events– The “Events” page at Christine’s website frequently lists her as preaching the “Sunday Service” or “Worship Service” at various “churches”.
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King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.3 Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.4 And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages,5 that when you hear thesound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.6 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.”7 Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews.9 They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever!10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image.11 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace.12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king.14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up?15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated.20 And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.21 Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace.22 Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.”25 He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire.27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them.28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.29 Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.”30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
1. What is the historical setting of the book of Daniel? Which nationality and religion were the Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? Nebuchadnezzar? Why do verses 2-3 list out all the specific government officials? What does this tell us about Nebuchadnezzar’s power, influence, and the reach of his edicts? Why might he have built the image and commanded everyone to worship it? (5-7, 12-15)
2. Read Romans 13:1-3. How does Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s defiance of the king compare to God’s command to obey governmental authority? Were they obeying God by refusing to worship the image or disobeying Him by refusing to submit to the king? (Hint) Can you think of any situations in the world today that might force us to disobey the government in order to obey God?
3. Was Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s obedience to God conditional (we’ll obey if God gives us the outcome we want) or unconditional (we’ll obey regardless of the outcome)? (16-18) Do you think they were scared? Are there any situations in your life in which you’re obeying God conditionally?
4. How did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s unconditional obedience to God and willingness to die for their faith impact Nebuchadnezzar? (26, 28) The officials? (27) What actions did Nebuchadnezzar take as a result? (29-30) How did these actions affect Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? The exiled Jews? The people of Babylon? How might your faithfulness to Christ impact those around you?
5. What do we learn about the nature and character of God from this story? Would it call God’s character into question if He hadn’t rescued Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego?
If your theology pretty much matches up with mine (as outlined in the “Welcome” and “Statement of Faith” tabs) and you’d like to contribute a guest post, drop me an e-mail at MichelleLesley1@yahoo.com,
and let’s chat about it.
Daughters of the King Don’t Take Personality Tests by Jessica Pickowicz
Scrolling through my Facebook news feed this week I must have come across at least half a dozen personality tests all calling to me — all begging me to answer their questions so each one could tell me who I really am. Am I an introvert or an extrovert? Am I emotional or intellectual? Am I an Anna or an Elsa? (Okay, broke down and took that one!)
One test analyzed finger lengths by having the reader match her hand to various images of hands; each hand shape was assigned a different personality type.
Another test was ready to label its curious victim as a lion, golden retriever, otter, or other mammal.
And there are always those zodiacs lurking around ready to tell you exactly who you are and how you are feeling today.
So what’s the draw? Why are we (I’m speaking to women specifically) so eager to have some secular psychology test, some dim-witted computer algorithm, or some pagan superstition profile our personalities and define our character?
It’s been said that “the greatest human desire is to be KNOWN.” We just want to be known. In our broken flesh, we want to be honored, accepted, validated, and loved. And for a person who is godless, these tests are downed like painkillers. They are momentary relief, momentary security, in a world of pain, bewilderment, and fear — a world of feeling unknown.
I’ve been there myself. Before Christ, I was a junkie for this stuff. I loved my daily “horror-scope” and was especially eager to read the “love and romance” section. Why? Because when you’re lonely, when you don’t know a thing about God, His providence, sovereignty, sufficiency, and most of all His love, you reach for these things to soothe. It was a comfort to believe, even for a moment, that someone or something was steering my ship; that fate, chance, astrology, or even science could give me some direction and navigation through this life.
But here is the BIG trouble. The inexcusable rebellion is when churches pander to this. It is when churches administer these personality tests in a veiled attempt to help believers discover their spiritual gifts, identity, and purpose. It is when churches look anywhere but to His divine power for anything pertaining to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).
As Christians, ladies, we must reject this false teaching. Say it with me, “I am a daughter of royal birth. My Father is King of Heaven and Earth.” What more, in Heaven and Earth, do we need when our Father is the Most High God?! We must not search anywhere but Scripture for our purpose, calling, gifting, and direction. For “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Nothing about these personality tests are biblical or God-glorifying. And here are some reasons why.
1. Personality tests put the focus on self-identity and not on our chief end.Essentially, personality tests are egocentric. When we are self-focused we don’t see or appreciated the greater scope of God’s mighty, sovereign, and providential work in our lives. It’s a form of pride to be preoccupied with self-identification, covertly seeking one’s own glory. However, when I look beyond myself and I realize God’s plan for me isn’t really about me; it’s about Him and His glory, then my striving in this life should only be this: to be less like myself (or whatever best version of myself I am aspiring to be) and more like Christ (John 3:30; 1 Corinthians 11:1; Ephesians 5:1) because I love Him. Once we realize that creation, salvation, and consummation, are all to be “to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:6a, 12, 14), then a personality test will just look like a ridiculous waste of time.
This truth should bring you a great sense of peace, dear sister. The heavy yoke of “finding yourself” is off your shoulders, because you have already been found! Rest in this. Meditate on it.
2. Personality tests stunt sanctification.As we grow in the Lord we change to be more like Christ. These tests have a way of holding us back and pigeon-holing us to a place that might not be in line with God’s will and ultimate plan for our lives. Furthermore, it sets us up to neglect obeying God in areas that (some silly tests said) are “not within our gifting” and robs us of the blessing of serving as needs arise, as God calls. We must understand that our spiritual gifting is far less of a concern of God than our obedience. We must not operate within some comfortable sphere that some test has insulated.
3. Personality tests put man’s wisdom above God’s wisdom. This is similar to the above point. We must remember that His ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9) and our hearts are deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9). Sometimes secular psychology and man’s wisdom can seem very smart and very alluring. When it comes to parenting I’ve found myself fighting the desire to scour the internet for advice. But I know that there is no wisdom of man that can beat-out the Wisdom of God found in Scripture (1 Cor. 1:18-31). His ways are perfect (Psalm 18:30).
4. Personality tests reinforce and perpetuate a lack of trust in God. When we are looking to a man-made test for validation of our identity and worth we demonstrate distrust, because we are looking to every other place except Him. We were made in His image and likeness (Gen. 1:26-27), and in salvation, we are re-made as new creations in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). Therefore, our sole identity as believers is in Jesus Christ Himself.
5. Personality tests are man’s attempt to undermine God in His power, glory, authority, wisdom, sovereignty, faithfulness, and love. This last point culminates all previous points. If you remember nothing else, remember this.
Here’s my final thought: Earlier I quoted the secular axiom, “The greatest human desire is to be KNOWN.” To a secular world-view the assumption is to be known by other people. For Christians, this must not be our concern whatsoever. The Bible teaches that we must die to self. It teaches that we will be rejected and persecuted for our beliefs. People on this earth will not know (honor, accept, validate, or love) us. However, God knows us. And that, sweet sister, should be all the knowing we need!
“But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn your back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?” Galatians 4:9
In closing, I have a questionnaire of my own.
– Have you been saved by the grace of God through faith in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross?
– Is your chief end to glorify Him in all things and love Him forever?
– Do you believe that His power gives you everything you need for life and godliness?
– Do you believe the Bible can equip you for every good work?
– Do you trust God’s plan and will for your life?
– Is your identity in Christ alone?
If you have been born again as a Christian, and answered yes to all six questions, then you are undoubtedly a daughter of the Most High God. And as such, you are hereby exempt from all further personality testing.
God intimately knows each and every one of us. And His desire for us, for godly living, is found in His Word. As for our personalities? We are His children, made in His image. So next time you’re tempted to click “Take the Test” don’t waste your time on vain pursuits, opt out, and turn here instead:
Titus 2
Galatians 5
1 Peter 3
Psalm 139
All of Proverbs!
Oh, btw – I’m totally an Anna! (In case you were wondering.)
Jessica is wife to New England pastor Nate Pickowicz. She is a homeschooling mom of two. She is a passionate writer who has a big heart for biblical teaching and women’s ministry.
ALTHOUGH I DO MY BEST TO THOROUGHLY VET THE THEOLOGY OF THE BLOGGERS WHO SUBMIT GUEST POSTS, IT IS ALWAYS POSSIBLE FOR THINGS TO SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS. PLEASE MAKE SURE ANY BLOGGER YOU FOLLOW, INCLUDING ME, RIGHTLY AND FAITHFULLY HANDLES GOD’S WORD AND HOLDS TO SOUND BIBLICAL DOCTRINE.
If your theology pretty much matches up with mine (as outlined in the “Welcome” and “Statement of Faith” tabs) and you’d like to contribute a guest post, drop me an e-mail at MichelleLesley1@yahoo.com,
and let’s chat about it.
How to Survive a Wimpy Women’s Ministry by Kim Wine
Vanessa was excited to attend the weeknight women’s ministry event. A new friend had recently invited her to their annual women’s conference. Vanessa’s own church was extremely small and had no women’s ministry, so she was excited to attend an event that would edify her and train her in righteousness through the Word of God. She walked in with joyful expectation of tools to help her in her spiritual growth.
Upon entering the event, Vanessa was given her itinerary. The day was filled with craft projects, networking activities, and tips on how to create a more hospitable home environment. Vanessa maintained an optimistic attitude, still looking forward to the keynote speaker. Unfortunately, Vanessa left weeping, feeling discouraged and disappointed and even emptier than she felt when she walked in the event. The speaker delivered a highly motivating speech that “empowered” women and made them feel loved and accepted and “at peace” with God and each other…. And it was woefully devoid of Scripture, the gospel, or any mention of sin or repentance.
Maybe you’re like Vanessa and have experienced something similar? Have you walked away from women’s events at churches and wondered “what on earth just happened? Wasn’t I supposed to know more about my Lord at the end?” How do we change the culture of women’s ministry in today’s churches? I believe the solution lies in the discernment developed in the lives of both the ministry leader and the participant. Both participants and leaders must have a discerning mind and heart about what they’re allowing to be taught.
The Participant
Let’s assume you’re just like Vanessa. You don’t feel led by the Lord to be a women’s ministry leader, but you’re desperately hungry for more from your women’s ministry. What do you do to encourage your leader to be discerning in the teaching choices she makes?
1. Become discerning yourself. It is your responsibility to be knowledgeable about the Word of God. No one else is responsible to spoon-feed you. (1 John 2:27) You have the Holy Spirit indwelling you to remind you of the things you have learned (John 14:26), but you must learn them first in order to recall them.
2. Be an active participant. (Hebrews 10:23-25) You may not like what’s going on in your women’s ministry. Tea parties and testimonies may be the last thing you want to spend your time doing. But as long as the teaching you are receiving isn’t heretical (of course you shouldn’t stick around for false teaching), being active is the only way to develop a good relationship with your ministry leader. Ladies, I realize this is a hard one. I don’t like wasting my time and I’m sure you don’t either. But developing relationships takes your presence. It is not a waste of time to form a relationship that could give you future opportunity to disciple another woman to more depth and discernment.
3. Become a trusted friend of your women’s ministry leader. Take her to coffee and get to know her with no agenda. Be a support for her. Offer to help with events. You just might find out you both have the same heart for depth and discernment and you’re striving for the same goals. Maybe she’s working toward the same things you long for as well.
4. Be patient and consistent. It takes a while to turn a whole ship around. Give her time and space to work toward something new. Depth and discernment could be something the women in your church are unfamiliar with. As long as you’re seeing growth – even if it’s incremental – stay plugged in and be her biggest cheerleader. Show her that you can be trusted. And gently, as the Lord opens doors in your relationship with your leader, make good suggestions about teachers, authors, and materials.
The Women’s Ministry Leader
If you have been given the task of leading women, you have been given a very critical role in the life of your church. Women are very easily deceived by false teaching. (2 Timothy 3:6-7) Your job is to be a second line of defense after your pastor to protect these women. Don’t take it lightly. What can you do to train your women to be discerning?
1. Bring in great speakers. Only allow speakers who saturate your women in the Truth of the Word of God. Do not allow women to hear false teaching. Test your speakers against the Word of God. (1 John 4:1) Testimonies are empowering and emotional. But testimonies can never edify like the pure milk of the Word of God. (1 Peter 2:2) Make sure your speaker is faithful to the text.
2. Spend more time on Scripture than you do on activities. Make the Word of God the central part of your ministry. Women should be able to come to any event scheduled and know that whatever the activity is, it will be secondary to the Word of God. Teach your women to crave the Word by making it the main course of every event. Always. Be consistent with this and you will start to see your women change from the inside out
3. Schedule and attend sound Bible studies within your church. Leaders, if you want your women to learn to be discerning, you must offer in-depth Bible study. You may not be able to commit to being the teacher, but you can assign a godly, mature woman to teach the study. Maybe someone like Vanessa? If you are not the teacher, make it a priority to attend at least one of the women’s studies within your church. You must lead by example. The women in your church will take their cues about what’s important from two people – their pastor’s wife, and the women’s ministry leader. Be a great example so that you can echo Paul when he told others to follow his example. (1 Corinthians 11:1, 1 Corinthians 4:16, Philippians 3:17)
4. Get involved in the women’s lives. In order to discern where your women are spiritually, you must know them well. Make yourself available for the ladies. Be approachable. If you see someone struggling, ask her how you can pray for her. Just be there. You are not going to know what to offer your women if you don’t really know your women. Acts 2:43-47 gives us a beautiful picture of the church simply “doing life” together. Emulate that in your women’s ministry.
Whether you are a participant or a leader, you can make a huge difference in the women’s ministry of your church. Be consistent. Be faithful. And, by all means, be discerning. Then teach others to replicate the pattern.
I know there are many godly women reading this post who have been “in the trenches” of women’s ministry leadership for many years. Please comment any other insight you have that would help edify our women’s ministries.
Kim Wine is a Bible study teacher and speaker whose passion is to teach women how to study the Word for themselves. She is the Women’s Ministry Director at Glory Books, a Bible study equipping website. She also co-hosts the Women’s Hope Podcast each Wednesday at Glory Books, which offers biblical solutions for tough women’s issues. You can read more from Kim on her personal blog. Connect with Kim on Twitter, Facebook, or by emailing womenshope@glorybooks.org.
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