Today we continue with part three of the Charisma magazine article “Overcoming the Obstacles to Women in Ministry." I will be sharing obstacles # 5 and # 6. If you have not looked at the last two week’s of blog entries, I would encourage you to go back to the March 21 and March 28 entries for background before you move on with today’s offering.  

# 5 The challenge of a unique lifestyle. The lifestyle God had specifically called me to was the fifth hurdle I had to conquer. The Lord had called me to full-time ministry, but not my husband. Bill was a businessman who loved his secular job, and I loved the kingdom’s work. The two of us did not struggle with this, but we heard and felt the opinions of others. Some said if God called the wife, He would certainly call the husband alongside. Others warned having different callings would divide our marriage. We were told God’s order was for Bill to be the head of the ministry, and I was out of order in leading. No one questions a male pastor...

Today we continue with the article I wrote for Charisma magazine titled “Overcoming the Obstacles to Women in Ministry.”  Last week I shared two obstacles with you:  The issue of submission and the idea that “women can be deceived.”  If you did not read last week’s blog entry, I encourage you to do that first before continuing on with today’s entry of obstacles # 3 and # 4 that I have faced as a woman minister and a Mother of Nations.

# 3 The fear of man. One day in the early 1970’s the Lord instructed me to call a citywide revival prayer meeting. This had never been done in my city, and I had no previous experience from which to draw. Innocently I phoned local ministry leaders to come to my home to pray on a Friday night. They came, but one man in the group immediately challenged my right to direct the meeting. Since God never said I had to be in charge, I was not threatened. But when he suggested that only the men lead each night, I was quite disheartened.

Suddenly I found mysel...

Today’s blog entry and the three that follow all come from an article I was asked to write for Charisma Magazine. The magazine wanted me to speak candidly as a female senior pastor about the intimidating barriers that I have faced in ministry and how I have conquered them to continue to impact my sphere of influence for the Gospel. Now, many years later, it is interesting to ponder if things have changed regarding the ministry world for women. Undoubtedly there are still forces that try to hinder the forward progress of today’s Christian women. Mothers of Nations, be strong and courageous and continue to press into God because we have a world to turn upside down for His glory!

And now let’s start the article as it was published in Charisma!

Everyone who answers God’s call to ministry will have obstacles to overcome, regardless of their gender. However, being a female in ministry does pose unique challenges. Looking back over my own ministry experiences, I realize there have been n...

Today we will conclude this five week discussion of the topic “radical worshippers.”  It has been refreshing for me to share with you a few of my firsthand experiences as a “radical worshipper.”  God is faithful to teach us and equip us to fulfill the callings that He has placed upon our lives. I pray through the things we have shared, you are motivated to explore more of what it means to be a “radical worshipper” in your own life.

Let’s now finish our topic with a final quality of the “radical worshipper.”

The Radical  Worshipper is a PASSIONATE Worshipper.

A final similarity I found in the dictionary definitions of the word RADICAL refers to the qualities of being “spirited, original, and marked by verve.”  Verve relates to energy, vitality, life, vim and vigor.

In John 4 we read the account of the encounter of Jesus with the woman at the well. In these two verses following, I think Jesus addresses the quality of PASSION very specifically.

John 4:23-24 (NKJV) --  “But the hour i...

Today we will continue our discussion of the theme of “radical worshippers” by looking at another quality that appears to be characteristic of such believers.

The Radical Worshipper is a CONFRONTIVE Worshipper.

The dictionary definitions I found when I was looking up the word RADICAL often included “confrontive” types of phrases such as these.

• showing a willingness to take risks or to offend people
• fearless, especially in challenging assumptions or conventions
• contemptuous of law, religion, or decorum

My goodness! What does this have to do with our worship lifestyle? Actually, it has A LOT to do with it! Many times we have to confront our flesh, our soul realm, or even the devil to press through to experiencing the Presence of the Lord. Until we learn to even be confrontive in our worship journey, we will miss precious, powerful, significant times of release, refreshment, and liberating freedom in God’s Presence.

For example, in confronting our flesh we learn that we each mu...

For the past two weeks we have been looking at the theme "radical worshippers." Let’s continue our deep dive into this topic by looking at two more characteristics of those who worship with boldness.

Bold worshippers are Pure.

Psalm 24:3-4, 6a (NKJV) -- Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully….This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face. Selah

Those who boldly enter the Lord’s Presence have learned to address their sin and shortcomings with immediate repentance. Mothers of Nations, sin separates us from God and it disrupts our communication with Him.

Isaiah 59:2 (NKJV) -- But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.

Therefore as radical bold worshippers, we must transparently open our lives to the Holy Spirit at all times, letting Hi...

Last week we started a discussion on the topic of “radical worshippers.” Specifically we addressed the idea that “radical worshippers” are characterized as bold worshippers. I would suggest you read through last week’s entry before moving on with today’s continued discussion.

As I studied the aspect of boldness in worship, the Holy Spirit shared with me several qualities of those who know how to daringly enter His Presence in worship. I would like to share these with you over the next few weeks.  

Bold worshippers are Purpose-Filled.

Bold worshippers know they are on this earth to make a difference. They have a sense of destiny. Esther 4:14 speaks to this concept when we read,  “…and who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this.”

Mothers of Nations, God has placed us here on earth to be “breakers” – bold worshippers who know how to break open the heavens with worship over our cities and nations. As the heavens break open, the glory of the Lord will be rev...

For the next few weeks I would like to delve into the phrase “radical worshippers.”  Now I know for some, the adjective “radical” being used to describe the noun “worshipper” seems misrepresented. Suggesting that we as Jesus followers could be “radical” in our worship may seem edgy or even possibly sacrilegious. But could we proceed with an open heart and an open mind and discover what the Holy Spirit might have meant when He shared this term “radical worshippers” with me years ago?

Let’s first look at a definition. The Merriam – Webster Online Dictionary says this about the word “radical:”

• Marked by a considerable departure from the usual or traditional
• Extreme
• Disposed to make extreme changes in habits or conditions
• Advocating extreme measures to retain or restore

The Encarta World English Dictionary offers this definition:

• Affecting the basic nature or most notable features of something
• Pervasive, far-reaching, thorough, favoring major changes

And finally, we find t...

Today we conclude the topic of The Power of God’s Love. Please take time to read through the first two blog entries as today’s discussion will add to some of the things we have already talked about.

God desires that we be intensely rooted and grounded in His love because His love has the power to change us and the world around us. Let’s examine a few more of the ways that the powerful love of God affects and blesses our lives.

• God's love restores us to a right relationship with Him. His powerful love rescues, repairs brokenness, and redeems our days and years of being lost. His love resurrects us, bring our deadness in sin to life in Christ. His love can even rename us as Abram became Abraham, Simon became Peter, etc. And more certainly His love places our names in the Lamb’s book of life!

During His time on earth, the love of Jesus restored sight to the blind, the ability to walk to the crippled, hearing to the deaf and more. Yet the work of the love of Jesus on the Cross resto...

Last week we started a discussion on the topic of The Power of God’s Love. I would suggest you go back and read that first blog entry as foundational information for what we will discuss today.

God’s love embodies total spiritual perfection. He wants you and me, His children, to be rooted and grounded in His love because His love has the power to change us and the world around us. Let’s examine a few of the ways that the powerful love of God affects and blesses our lives and the lives of others.

•  God's love removes all walls that may try to separate us from Him.

Romans 8:38-39 -- ³⁸ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

At the time Paul penned these verses he had suffered rejection from his friends, persecution from the government, and many months ...