Dave Ferguson asked me a provocative and intriguing question last week.
Do you know any women church planters?
For once, I was left dumbfounded.
I have never heard of a female church planter – EVER!
I asked him if I could blog this question and get feedback from you guys.
Have you ever heard of any women church planters?
If not, why do you think that is?
What do you think about the idea in general?
Comments
66 responses to “Women Church Planters?”
In a way, Elisabeth Elliot was a female church planter after her husband’s death in Ecuador. Though I believe she taught another man the sermon, so there would still be male headship in the church…
When my wife and I were processing through the EPC church planter’s assessment center with 10 or so other couples, one of our fellow church planter hopefuls was a woman from California who was also in the process of becoming an ordained teaching elder in the EPC. I believe she was the first female to attend their assessment center. Not sure what the latest is for her or whether she ever planted a church, but we sure enjoyed getting to know her and her husband that weekend. http://www.epc.org
Jimmy Davis?s last blog post..God?s Story Answers 7 Questions
Kris Anne Swartley is an acquaintance who is a woman involved in a church plant: http://krisanneswartley.wordpress.com/
Thom?s last blog post..Third Way Thursday: Baptism Must Bring Unity in Diversity
Aquila’s wife Pricilla. I think she was the last one… ;)
Jason_73?s last blog post..The counter
in Romans, there are a few early chuch ladies mentioned:
Romans 16
Greetings and Love Expressed
1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea;
2 that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a helper of many, and of myself as well. 3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles; 5 also greet the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys my beloved. 10 Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. 11 Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet those of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord. 12 Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, workers in the Lord. Greet Persis the beloved, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, a choice man in the Lord, also his mother and mine. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brethren with them. 15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.
My friend Cheri Holdridge is doing a UCC/UMC plant up in Toledo, Ohio. http://www.villageohio.org. I’m going to a Church Planter training in 2 weeks and I’m a woman. :) But you’re right, there certainly isn’t much attention/awareness of female planters. We’ll have to change that!
Jenny?s last blog post..Communicating for a Change, pt. 2
The only one I know of is Carolyn Moore, who started Mosaic Church outside Augusta, GA. http://www.mosaicumc.org/ourpastor.html
I helped plant a church. Well, my husband and I did – with five other couples. We were led by one couple in particular, and mainly, the husband. We were most definitely not being led by a woman, but we all came from a Southern Baptist church.
To keep a reallll long story short, I will say that I can see many benefits to a woman-planted church. Because people skills and communication skills sometimes come easier to women – and that’s what was lacking in our plant’s leadership.
Interesting question…
Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect?s last blog post..Makin’ a list and checkin’ it twice.
There is a Brazilian church in the next town from me that was planted by a woman and she is tje main preacher. Her husband came on staff about a year ago.
Here, I think it’s more common to send a team now, so I definitely know women who have been part of teams.
There is a UM female planting in Mansfield, Texas right now. Sheila Fiorella. See her blog newdayumc.com/blog.
Hi Anne
Great question – glad you put it up. I am a female church planter. I am planting a church in metro chicago spring of 2010. My husband Jarrett and I have had the privilege of meeting with Pete and Jenni… Hope we can meet in person someday.
Jeanne Stevens
I know dozens and dozens of female church planters. This is much more common in African American circles. Also, the group that I am a part of (http://CovChurch.org) has many female church planters as well.
Shaun King?s last blog post..10 Mistakes I?ve Made (so far) as a Church Planter
I know – and know of – women who plant churches with their husbands. My question is, why is it when a husband/wife team plant a church we call the husband the “church planter” and the wife the “wife?”
The man is often the pastor, and I’m not raising an issue there – but those wives (usually) give their all. At least let them be “church planters.” :)
Lex?s last blog post..Francis Chan at Exponential
Lydia kind of started it all fro the female perspective although I guess Paul and Silas would be credited with it but they left the meeting in the hands of Lydia in Philippi. I’m all for it. I guess there is this, oh I don’t know, religious side of me that sees the roles of relationship entering in.
I’ve always wondered if a lady is in leadership of something like a church plant, pastor, apostolic ministry, etc., what happens if her husband is out of sync with God. I mean not just attending church because who gives a rip, but if he is living sinfully in anyway. Is she to stop?
I’ve read and re read all that Paul talked about and in the Greek and so on and am convinced that he doesn’t mean women are to stay silent in church as this gender laden rule. Doesn’t make sense for him to encourage so many women in the New Testament to lead and become caretakers of the Gospel and converts as well. But the family role where it crosses lines as in the whole submission realm of man and woman? Not trying to put women down here at all. I don’t believe in the whole power trip bullcrap. Talking about roles here. I would assume if a man in leadership had a wife who was deliberately living in sin he would step down as well to respond to that issue because family is more imporatant than “what you do” in some form of ministry.
I guess my heart is that we all have gifts and abilities and if a woman has the gift or more importantly the call to plant a church then go for it? Not an issue at all based upon the gender aspect. Just some questions and thots I have. Maybe I’ve answered some of them already.
Overall I think God is just longing for people to know Him and not willing that any should be lost so let’s all get out there and establish relationship with the compassion and heart of a loving God regardless of whether or not a church plant rises up out of it. If it does then whoever takes the lead whether male or female should just go for it with the passion that is burning inside and leading them. The important thing is to listen to the voice of God for what He has called each of us to, then there is grace and the flow of power from Heaven that backs you up.
If you’d like to avoid encountering the full character of God, avoid women in leadership in the church. Avoid women church planters.
I’ve served under two women church planters. The most dynamic is currently planting a church in Garfield Park in the heart of the urban need in Chicago. http://www.c3chicago.org
We need more women church planters. We need more h/w planting teams.
Ryan Wynia?s last blog post..focus
I have never heard of anyone ever ask this question. I’m glad you did and if some people I’ve meet over the years in church read this they’d think the world is ending by just asking this question! We need more church planters in general and certainly more women. I think if there were a few women who were really successful church planters others would follow suit! Great conversation! Hats off to all the women who partner their husbands in church planting but don;t get the credit for it.
Alexpenduck?s last blog post..Do you read warning signs?
I know several significant female church planters in Africa (Kenya) one of whom has planted in the uk also. One lady has a very large church in Nairobi, and is a significant leader in the nation.
I think we will see a new generation of women church planters in the western church. I hope that some of the women on my team will be planting churches in due course.
I preached in a woman’s church in Tanzania. She was a young (30-somethings’) single church planter. She preached the house down and was wonderfully respected. I was so impressed how she would run the church and get down with the ladies to cook too. I gave her a pair or earrings upon departing and she was thrilled.
This is a great question to ask Anne! I would dare to say, i see this more in Africa and developing nations. Just my opinion.
Praise God for unsung women heros of the faith,
Marysol
Dr. Cynthia Hale in Decatur Ga is the founder and Sr. Pastor of Ray Of Hope (www.rayofhope.org) She’s single , never been married. Like Shaun mentioned, I think this is more common/accepted in the African American community.
Pastor Shirley Arnold of TLC family church – http://www.tlcfamilychurch.org/.
Crystal Guderian (Lynnwood WA) is a great example of a woman and wife that is the lead pastor and planting a church. Her husband even plays the piano. We have a good number of other women as lead pastors and church planters in the Foursquare movement. Shannon Kearney (Eugene, OR) and Serena Wastman (Seattle, Wa) are a couple standouts. Being a church that was founded by a women helps us bit.
Bishop Rosie S O’Neal
http://www.kccfamily.com/brosie.html
Cyndi?s last blog post..Monday Morning Ramblings (through the eyes of the wife).
Shouldn’t 1 Tim 2:12-15 be a factor in this discussion? If so, then I think we need be clear in our definition of church planter to avoid unnecessary confusion. If we are talking about a woman or a wife who “helps out” with a new church plant in some kind of serving role- then I think the bible clearly supports this definition of a woman church planter and I’m sure there’s been countless # of women serving in that capacity.
But is a woman THE church planter? Is she explicitly in a position of authority over a man in the church? Then I think a woman church planter in that sense is explicitly not biblical- especially in light 1 Tim 2: where Paul refers to God’s order of creation and fall to back up this principle. That means this teaching clearly transcends any and all historical and cultural contexts and should be obeyed by all bible believing followers of Christ. To not do so is blatant compromise.
The only female church planters I have ever heard of have been those who are planting churches in partnership with their husbands. I think it is amazing to read through the comments & hear of women who are following God’s calling on their lives to plant churches.
Paul, I also think Galations 3:28 should be included in the discussion as well:
“There is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”
I happen to believe that women can and should exercise leadership at all levels in the church. From the resurrection onwards women were involved at the very heart of the apostolic ministry, telling the world the good news that Jesus was and is alive. The societal norm in biblical times was that women were in fact inferior to men, which was reflected in many of the scriptures. However, I think this verse is powerful in the sense that it anticipated the freeing of women from these roles.
this is an issue that hits close to my heart since i am a wholehearted supporter of women in all areas of ministry. it absolutely is a “hill i would die on”.
that said…sadly, no, i never have met a female church planter.
why is that? for millenia, men (and, ironically, some women) have limited the role of women in the Church counter to what i firmly believe the metanarrative of Scripture reveals about God’s creation intent. this has led to many women wanting for the confidence/affirmation to live into their potential. now, i am not saying all women are called to Kingdom leadership – just as not all men are. but…there are women across the globe who are restrained by the “laws” of man and not the Holy Spirit.
i’d say it is clear at this point that i absolutely support the idea of female church planters.
a related question? how many female teaching pastors have you met?
yep, this one gets my bloodrate up. :)
Pastor Judi Tillett of Waynesville MO pioneered Grace Covenant Christian Center in 1987 beginning with 11 people. She is still there to this day doing a wonderful work in the area. She inspires me!
A peer and I were given the mission to plant a church in Portland while we were still in college. We knew, given our rather conservative church heritage, that we needed men in order to fill two primary roles: preaching and fundraising. Five years later the Lord put together a team of three couples, one single male, and one single female to start this church. We are celebrating our ten year anniversary this year.
I know of several other churches in the Portland area, most connected with Kairos Church Planting (http://www.kairoschurchplanting.org/), who have women in their teams – all along the spectrum of involvement and leadership. I also know of many, many church planting teams in Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda & elsewhere abroad.
Those church plants that start without women are missing out on enjoying a complete team!
Rockside Church, Cleveland, OH planted and pastored by Donna Barrett, http://www.rocksidechurch.com/default.aspx
Shane?s last blog post..Sunday Unwind
I met some very young female church planters at the Willow Arts Conference in 2007. I don’t know their names, but it was the first time I’d met a female lead pastor planting a church. (this is what I assume you meant by the question) I’ve planted a church as the worship pastor, but not the teaching pastor.
I think that this is because many churches still argue that a man has to have primary leadership and – sadly – many will not follow a woman no matter how gifted or anointed she may be. Church planting is HARD WORK and 80% of church plants fail (at least that was the % when we planted) and perhaps many denominations will not support having a woman in charge. Finally, my guess is that it just hasn’t occurred to many women. When I was called to ministry I wondered for years what exactly God was calling me to because I’d never ever seen a female hold my position in the church. In other words, it never occurred to me because I had no real model and encouragement.
I totally support women as church planters, but then again I believe they can hold any position in the church so I’m always excited when I see a woman saying a resounding “yes!” to God with her life.
Finally, GO JOHN IRELAND! Your comments made me tear up a bit. I would love to be in the rotation as a teaching pastor as well at least a few times a year but I feel very limited on this. I wonder if it’s a dream and calling I’ll ever see come to pass.
Jan Owen?s last blog post..To Remember I Am Not in Control
This lady is.
http://kathyescobar.com/
Hanan Merrill?s last blog post..IN but not OF the world
I am still waiting on your comment on the conversation about followers and commenting back. People have really responded to this post. I would like to hear back on your thoughts.
Joey?s last blog post..Lost In The Crowds
Thanks Paul for interjecting Biblical perspective into the conversation. We live in a culture where we are free to opine and chase our dreams to the fullest. Not necessarily a bad thing but it can be. I don’t know how many blogs I read on a daily basis where Christian brothers and sisters slice and dice a subject all day with the ruling opinion resulting in a bunch of “I feel that….”, “I think that….”, I believe that….”
Nevermind. What does God’s Word say? When we construct anything else we are walking the line on idolatry. I know this is not going to be popular but it needs to be said.
I think the heart and soul behind many plants are women but they don’t get the props for it. Main reason for this down here (I’m in Florida) is the seed money many plants get from the SBA (Southern Baptist Assoc) would probably (definitely) get pulled if a women was listed as a pastor in any capacity.
I know lots of them here in Germany, but none of them are the top leader of the church plant. Most of them are wives of pastors who also have a theological education and have their own contributions to the church plant via various ministries.
My guess is that people tend to think of whoever’s at the head of a church plant as the church planter, and everyone else as just being along for the ride. But really, a single pastor can’t plant a church by himself! Also, a lot of women church planters are actually volunteering their time and not getting paid for what they’re doing.
Hi Anne!
I know a hand-full of incredible women church planters in Southern India – they’re bold and courageous and have lived some of the most inspiring stories I’ve ever heard.
I am a church planter with World Impact, and we have LOTS of women church planters. In fact, in the past 7 years or so, I have worked with at least 10 of them, and that’s only our ministry here in Los Angeles! In fact, they make wonderful church planters, and I do not know how it could be done without their help. That’s my experience.
I attended a church while I was in college that was planted by a woman, Shirley Arnold. To move more toward where I now find myself ecclessiologically and such, there is Church of the Apostles, planted by Karen Ward, The Refuge, planted by Kathy Escobar, and a number of others within the broader emerging church that are primarily or totally led by women.
Anyway. It is true that there are fewer women church planters than there should be. There has been bad exegesis of scripture twisted out of its context and combined with an utterly unacceptable oppression of women for thousands of years, and it needs to stop.
we exist :lol: …i just did an interview with one…check it out! peace
missional girl?s last blog post..7 Questions: Women Church Planters
I just met a lady in our state who planted a church sixty years ago, and is still the pastor there!
I had never heard of anyone pastoring a church for that long, man or woman!
What a powerhouse she is, too. You should have heard her pray at our District Council this week!
Chad Payne?s last blog post..Forgiving Your Husband?s Killer
We are far and few between for sure. I planted our church over 6 years and PRAISE THE LORD, we are healthy and growing quickly! I have been looking for other female, non-denominational church planters for quite some time. We have a site for women at http://www.ChristDrivenWomen.Com.
We are having the first ever Women’s Church Planting Conference in the Fall of 2010 in Rochester, NY! It’s TIME for women to RISE UP and lead for Christ!
We train church planters here in South Africa at our Youth With A Mission (YWAM) campus here in Cape Town. Majority of our students in this specific program are men but we definitely train women also… at the moment sending them to India, Mozambique and Brazil. The women do a great job and make a lasting impact just like the men!
Hi Anne:
One two levels female lead planters are not a good idea.
First, the only way to embrace women lead planters is to adopt hermeneutical principles to explain away the plain meaning of numerous texts. However, the generation that follows will use those same hermeneutical principles to explain away the plain meaning of numerous texts on homosexuality. See Wayne Grudem, Evangelical Feminism: The New Path to Liberalism for the historical data.
Second, once you embrace female lead planters, you will lose lots of men. The church is already too feminized for many men, as David Morrow points out in Why Men Hate Going to Church. With female leaders, you will typically see 35% men and 65% women. In churches that promote healthy male servant leadership, it is closer to 50%-50%.
It is natural to think that this is a social justice issue and that a women’s gifting should trump the passage that teach male leadership. “It will be easier to connect with our culture with women leadership,” we think. But, historically, it doesn’t work this way.
As the old saying goes, “He (or she) who marries the spirit of the age, will wake up and find himself (or herself) a widow”….. just ask the European church leaders of the 50s and 60s.
Jan ~ thanks for the kind words! here’s to an open door for you to join the teaching team. :)
I know of two female church planters.
Patrice Turner is in Dolton, IL and has recently opened her church. Her story if great as she was raised Muslim.
Check out Patrice’s church GracePlace http://graceplacecog.net/default.html
Also, Debbie Salters in Vincennes, IN has launched a church on Thursday nights. “Thursday Church” runs around 200+ each week.
Check out Debbie Salters church http://www.thursdaychurch.org/Home_Page.html
There are women all over sub-Saharan Africa who start and run churches. It’s pretty clear from their examples that God calls whomever God calls to do these things.
Texas in Africa?s last blog post..tourism somalia
I know one: Angela Grupe is getting a church started in Michigan City, Indiana: http://www.avenuefamily.org
Fresh out of college, she and her husband moved there with no financial support — just trusting that God was leading them to work with young people in that financially-stressed city. It’s slow and hard work, but they’re making it happen!
BTW, she’s the lead pastor. Her husband is involved as a volunteer. We’re both in the Church of the Nazarene which believes that it’s entirely biblical to recognize leadership gifts in both men and women. For those saying “that’s not biblical” there are many, many Bible-believing Christians who disagree with you, and they aren’t “explaining away” Scripture. Talk with some of them. You might be surprised.
Rich Schmidt?s last blog post..Pursuing a dream that benefits others: urban farming
This is a little late…I have been moving. This question is why I was made “for such a time as this” and the very beat of my heart. There are female church planters all over the globe, but very few here because in the American church, we tell women they CAN”T when, in fact, they can and they do. My friend, Lee Grady, editor of Charisma Magazine, travels the globe with several prominent female leaders and church planters and spreads the Biblical truth that woman can and should be leading in the church. It is time! You can check out what he does at http://themordecaiproject.com/intro.php.
beth taylor?s last blog post..Friday Jumbles
Someone just forwarded me Dave F’s blog with the brief discussion with you about female church planters in it.
I’ve asked the same question for several years wondering if I was one of only a handful of female church planters ‘out there’. Along the way I have met only 4 other female church planters. I’ve met plenty of women who are working with their husbands to church plant but when you start asking questions I’ve realized that its the husbands that are the church planters…and that’s okay, but not what I, or you, were inquiring about.
There is a strong bias against women as church planters….having attended the Exponential Conference for two years (I missed this year’s), it was easy to see that church planting is assumed to be a ‘man’s world’. Not that there is a solid reason for it to be but the concept that only men can lead churches is very prevalent out there. One of the speakers at the concluding session of the Exp. Conference three years ago made it VERY clear that church planting is for MEN ONLY. It was both surprising and shocking to have it so blatantly pushed in our faces. Bill Hybels, who followed the ‘gender non-friendly’ speaker, worked hard to be more gender inclusive in his remarks but the punch in the gut was still there!
Being a church planter is a tough job, made even harder when gender bias is at work. But, I believe that pastoring is not gender based and felt VERY called to be a church planter.
The ‘statistic’ that one of your prior entries noted as to men not wanting to be a part of a church led by a woman is off base. There are so few female church planters that any kinds of numbers gathered can be misleading. Anyway, I can say that this gentleman’s stats were not true with us. In fact, we had more ‘families’, including dads, than I’ve experienced at other churches. And, being a female, we attracted a substantial number of single parent families….male AND female. My being a female didn’t seem to bother the average person no matter what their age, color, background or culture. The ‘trick’ is that the church planter needs to be inclusive, and sensitive, to all. Just as a male pastor may be prone to asking fellow men to join him in leadership roles, the same can happen with women…..but an educated, savy, God-filled leader, of either sex, can intentionally and purposefully cross those boundaries. After all, God loves ALL…..God doesn’t favor one gender over another…so why should we???!!!!!
After ‘proving myself’ I was hired as a church planter by my denomination two and a half + years ago. They ‘parachuted’ me into a rural location that was slated for a big boom in housing and growth….26,000 new homes, as a matter of fact. With 21 churches already established in the area along with numerous church plants already ‘rooting’, it wasn’t a desirous place to start as a church planter….except for the 26,000 homes to be built!
The change in the housing market over a year ago was the first hit, the dive in the economy was the second big one. No houses are being built out here and won’t be built out here for a long time, if ever. Despite having a great core group and being moderately successful with our worship services, it became clear that we just weren’t going to attract the kind of numbers, and dollars, we needed to really get off the ground…..not with such a limited number of people as potential church members.
Our last church event was last evening. A sad party and happy too… I’ve worked very hard to help everyone see this as a new beginning for each of us as disciples of Christ. I called it an Alpha and Omega Party because life is a series of endings….and beginnings with God being the ultimate A & O!
So, after 2 years and now 7 months as a church planter I will be moving on. I’ve learned LOTS and will miss it LOTS.
So, yes, there are female church planters…..and I’ve survived to tell about it!!
My apologies in advance if this comes across as an inflammatory statement. It’s not meant to be. It’s also not meant to come across as “male-bashing”.
I have to agree with Paul. Scripture says that the man is to be the head of leadership. Do I think that there are some women who’ve been called to preach or plant a church? Absolutely. On the basis that I know that there are many men being called into the ministry (and other positions within the church) and they run from the call. They are afraid of what God will ask them to do. I’m not saying that accepting the call is easy, but it’s necessary to further the gospel according to biblical standards. And if we won’t live by those, what’s the point?
I believe that God will only deal with you about serving Him in any capacity for so long. Then, He won’t ask you again. It’s called “free will”.
It’s like salvation. I know people who’ve run from salvation for so long that God has quit trying to woo their hearts. Don’t take me the wrong way. Scripture says that it’s God’s will for all men to be saved – and I fully believe that. But in the same light, would you continue to pursue a romantic crush after they’ve made it clear that they want nothing to do with you? I think not. Same principle.
Ultimately, I think that God will use those who are willing – be it a man or woman. But according to scripture, God said it is to be a man that is the head of the fellowship (and the home, for that matter).
Let me put it this way – I have no problem being submissive to a man that I know is being submissive to God.
BTW, thanks for the discussion Anne.
actually, the Foursquare denomination (www.foursquare.org) was started by a woman, and almost all of their initial plants were by women.
sadly, I think that trend has faded considerably, though I was part of a “team” of people who planted a church, led by a woman and a man…
you can read more about Aimee Mcpherson in the book, “The Vine and the Branches.”
jfrank?s last blog post..Unless Our Hearts Do First
I have enjoyed the interesting variety of responses to this question.
I have not heard of many female church planters recently, unless they are part of a husband/wife church plant team.
However, in college I worked at a Foursquare church in Garden Grove, CA that was planted by twin sisters, the Ryans back in the 20’s or 30’s. If you look back to church planting history in that time period (and the following decades) you will find that there was an large number of Foursquare churches planted by single women.
I wonder why it was common in the early to mid part of last century, but in recent days you will be hard pressed to hear of any women church planters?
I know many female church planters who have planted churches in the US and all over the globe through Antioch Ministries International out of Waco, TX. The teams do have more than just a woman, but there are def woman on the front lines!
I haven’t read any of the comments because of time but I’m praying for some church planters in Belarus and they are married couples. They are both doing it so I’m praying for both of them, not just the man or the women, both of them. They are both doing the planting. I’m am not acquainted with any singles doing it so I guess you’re focusing on the single people in planting but for what it’s worth.
I am a site pastor at a multi-site church. I coordinate everything at the site – communications, outreach, community relationships, leadership development, volunteers, ministries, pastoral care, etc. We have a teaching pastor that comes in on Sunday morning to do the sermon only. I could do that as well, if I wanted, but I feel my gifts are in other areas. I have been the “face with the place” for 3 years. In all that time, only one person has had a problem with my role as a woman and he simply went to another site of our church. Remarkably, we are known as the site that is the place men seem to fit in the easiest. We are very intentional about providing a place for men to connect from the very beginning.
I am happy to enrich your statistics; i am a woman church planter, single to boot. It was not until we planted a year and a half ago that i realised how much of an issue people have about this. I guess i should write a book about my experiences, will make truly rich reading.
http://www.compagnietheophile.org
I choose a simple answer and let everyone else debate.
Female Church Planter over 50, Shannon Kearney of South Hills Church in Eugene, OR http://www.southhillschurch.net. Don’t hold me to it but I think the church is around 300 or so.
Good question. It stirred me to start a list of the female church planters that we have in the Evangelical Covenant Church. ~ http://bit.ly/Rjctf
Brad Boydston?s last blog post..Female church planters in the Covenant?
I am in the midst of doing research and am looking at the opportunities and hindrances women leaders face. For those women called to be pastors that I interviewed, they said the easiest way to be appointed to a Senior Pastor position is plant your own church. Let’s just say with that reality in mind, I have met and talked to a lot of women church planters.
Hi Anne, I’m researching this very group for Leadership Network and have found 1! A wonderful women in the NY area, who would love to connect with other women church planters. I’m also researching women in the Executive Pastor role (have found about 60) and women Sr. Pastors (overlaps the Church Planters group). If you’re a women in any of these categories, I’d love to talk to you, [email protected].
I am a female church planter / Sr. Pastor, with the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel. I was doing some research on church planting and just stumbled upon your site.
At the age of 48, God called me to pastor (big surprise). After having several dreams and visions, God specifically called me to move from CA to SC to plant a church, which is now known as “The River”, North Charleston Foursquare Church. The church plant began one year ago, in our living room, with my husband and one other couple. Just one month ago we moved out of the house and into a space in the community with about 30 people.
.-= Tam´s last blog ..Healing Service =-.
I am going to plant a Vineyard.
I am a female church planter in the Covenant Church. The church I pastor is called Abbey Way. : )
I do not find it unique that there are women church planters.The good Lord has used me to plant three churches so far.I see myself as a vessel if God sees it fit to serve in that area who am i to say no
I think this is a VERY unique question and can be answered on multiple levels. Yes, I have heard of many women church planters. I myself have planted a few. BUT…I am also a westerner where that isn’t so unheard of. I think this question really depends on what angle you are looking at it from. In Ethiopia where I have church planted…..the women aren’t trained up to then reproduce and plant another church. It is done by a man usually. I wish it weren’t so, but culturally that is what they do. It may be different in South America or Europe vice Asia. Does that make sense? I have been slowly coming to a conclusion of my own lately, that if women were trained up to become church planters in other cultural parts of the world….the movement (if one starts) could become much greater. A wise woman told me yesterday at an Ethiopia Church Planting Conference that “If you educate a man, you educate an individual. If you educate a woman, you educate a community (family).” – Robert M. Maciver
We know that a church isn’t a building with walls, but is a place where people come together to worship Christ. If women were planting churches, and teaching other women to do so, this would have a greater effect on their children and grow them up in the body which will create a greater foundation in their life. In most third world countries, a child replicates what the parent does. As the child grows from his/her mother’s influence in Christ, they will replicate and reproduce the church when they are older. Then there will be no generational gaps, and us church planters and evangelists will not be back planting in 30 yrs. It will be organic in and of itself.
“All I am I owe to my mother…I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.” -George Washington