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Last weekend one of our pastors preached on Luke 16:1-13, The Parable of the Dishonest Manager. It’s not an easy passage. As we walked through it (exegesis), Pastor Charlie explained that Jesus was speaking about more than just being a slave to our money. We can be slaves to many things.
Luke 16:13 says, “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Pastor Charlie mentioned that believers struggle with a divided heart. We are pulled toward the world and pulled toward our faith.
My mind immediately went to the women in our churches.
Almost weekly, I’ll hear a women’s ministry leader or Bible study leader remark that the women in their church or group are apathetic. They won’t do their Bible study homework. It’s a struggle to get women to attend women’s ministry events. Women are too busy to serve. They don’t want to commit.
The women in our churches struggle to live in the freedom they have in Christ.
The pull of the world is often stronger. You probably feel the consequences of living with a divided heart too.
How can we encourage our women to live free in Christ when the world says we don’t need Christ because we are strong enough, we can do anything, we can have it all, and we need to stop apologizing?
6 Ways to Encourage Women to Live Free in Christ
- Commit to sharing stories of living a life devoted to Christ. This may include personal testimonies, stories of missionaries, highlighting women in the Bible, and learning about faithful females such as Corrie Ten Boom, Elisabeth Elliot, and Henrietta Mears.
- Anchor every women’s ministry event and activity to the Word of God. Even our fellowships need to feature our faith. Consider selecting a verse or theme from the Bible for your ministry year and weave it throughout every event and activity.
- Offer Bible studies, not just Bible study books. Women must know Christ to live free in Christ. We learn about Christ by reading and studying the Bible – the very words Jesus said. (Check out my READ Bible Study Kit for Groups – it’s a great resource for teaching women how to study the Bible.)
- Host an event focused on freedom. You may want to bring in a speaker whose story centers on finding freedom in Christ or unpack the concept during a weekend retreat.
- Encourage women through a topical study of freedom either through a small group or on their own.
- Distribute a take-home favor that reminds women that freedom can be found in Christ.
Recently I had the opportunity to review the Forgiven & Free resources from CTA, Inc.
From the CTA, Inc. website: “This theme offers a message that will touch women’s hearts. Even Christian women sometimes struggle with guilt, whether it’s nagging sin or the feeling of inadequacy in their role as a mother or wife. While that guilt weighs down their spirit, this theme will encourage women to truly trust in the forgiveness that Jesus secured for them on the cross. Then, living with a reliance on faith and forgiveness, women are free to love and serve others joyfully.”
The Forgiven & Free line includes:
- Forgiven & Free Devotional Prayer Journal
- Sticky Note Set
- Pewter Keychain and Card
- Canvas Tote Bag
- Butterfly Coin and Card
The items are available for individual purchase. The journal, tote bag, and key chain can also be purchased together as an on-the-go set.
While I love the key chain and butterfly coin for a take-home reminder at the end of an event, the Forgiven & Free Devotional Prayer Journal and pen is my favorite item in the collection.
Each journaling page features a Bible verse, a writing prompt, and a challenge or activity.
The journal walks women through ten themes:
- Freed by Forgiveness
- Free to Forgive
- Freed for Joy
- Worry-Free
- Freed for Self-Forgetfulness
- Free to Slow Down
- Free to Live on Purpose
- Free from Fear
- Free from Worry
- Forgiven and Free
Women will explore the answers to questions such as: Are you free right now? If not, what needs to end – or begin – before freedom is a personal reality? Once you have that freedom, how do you plan to use it? And where does your relationships with the Lord Jesus fit in with all this?
Women will discover what it means to be forgiven and truly free.
5 Ideas for using the Forgiven & Free Devotional Prayer Journal:
- Give every woman a journal as a take-home favor at the end of an event focused on freedom in Christ.
- Use the journal as a guide for a 5-week study, discussing two of the ten themes each week. Invite women to share what they have learned through the verses and journaling that week.
- Include the prayer journal in a retreat goodie bag. Add a guided quiet time to your retreat schedule. Encourage women to complete one page of the Forgiven & Free Devotional Prayer Journal each morning and evening.
- Include the prayer journal in a Blessing Bag or care package for women in your church that are walking through a difficult season.
- Drop a copy in the mail to a friend that needs to be reminded that they are forgiven and free.
As we and our women face the struggles of this world, may we do so boldly and with the confidence that we are free in Christ.
“Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit.” – Jeremiah 17:7-8
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. The opinions expressed are 100% mine.
These are such adaptable ideas that can be used for any event or bible study, too! I love them. The gift items from CTA Inc are something most women would love to receive.
Thanks, Patricia! 🙂