Below you’ll find the show notes for episode 109, Something Has Shifted, from the Women’s Ministry Toolbox Podcast and YouTube channel.

Something Has Shifted

This week I’m releasing a special post in large part due to the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk. God was stirring up some of these same words I’ll share before last week’s events took place. It’s clear, now is the time to share them.

I’ve spent the last few days grieving, praying, and becoming even more resolute to share my faith boldly and without apology. 

Something has shifted.

We don’t live in an area prone to earthquakes, but as I typed out the title for this post, the tremors of an earthquake are what came to mind. For years, there have been mini tremors signaling a larger quake was coming. Not physical tremors, but cracks in culture and even cracks among the church.

We are told in Mark 13:8, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, as well as famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.”

What if not all of the earthquakes that are coming are physical shifts in the earth’s crust, but shifts in the spiritual world and in the hearts of man?

Not long ago, I recorded a podcast with Cecily Corry from Barna to discuss Gen Z. We talked about the increase in men attending church and the decrease in women’s attendance. Even before Charlie Kirk’s death, God was moving in the hearts of young people. 

When a person’s world is shaken, whether that’s through a personal tragedy or a national tragedy, their hearts long to know why it happened and their souls respond. 

The faith of many has been emboldened, and the gospel is being more publicly shared, but there are also those who are responding with hatred and vitriol.

We must remember that the enemy seeks to divide and destroy. 

I want to encourage us to do three things:

1. Stand firm
2. Share the gospel
3. Love others well

Not because Charlie would have done these things (though he did and he would have), but because Christ calls us to.

This is a Spiritual Battle

Ephesians 6 begins with instructions from Paul for children to obey the Lord and honor their parents. Verses 5-9 continue with a call for all believers to serve with honor, “doing the will of God from the heart.”

10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints. 19Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should. Ephesians 6:10-20 BSB

This is a passage that is probably familiar to you. You’ve likely studied with the women of your church. You might even be able to recite the pieces of armor and their purpose. 

I think perhaps, we’ve focused too much on suiting up for personal spiritual battles and neglected the instructions at the end of the passage. I was convicted by verses 18-20. I am going to walk us through each of these verses again and challenge us with some questions.

18Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints. 

Who are these saints? The saints are fellow believers. 

Am I, and are you, alert and interceding for others? I hope you’ve seen online worship that has broken out across the world in recent days. Something has shifted. Pray for missionaries at home and abroad. Pray for believers ministering on college campuses. 

19Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should.

Are we boldly making know the gospel? Are we proclaiming the gospel fearlessly, or are we afraid of what others will think or do? I pray God will give us the words to speak and the boldness to speak it. 

If your women’s ministry offerings have been light on the gospel and God’s Word, now is the time to make a shift.

Your women and the women that will be coming are looking for hope. Your task is to tell them about Jesus. 

This week, for my Discipleship class I have to memorize Matthew 18:18-20, “18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 9:37-38 reminds us, ““The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

There is a generation of young men and women who are rising up to stand in the gap. Let’s support them and join them. 

Politics in Church

I’ve been thinking a lot, even before last week, about how much ground culture has gained. I think one of the contributing factors is most churches’ decision to have nothing to do with politics. 

I was trained years ago to set firm rules about no political discussions at Bible study. That was a mistake.

Church is precisely where we should discuss politics. Our faith should frame the way we vote. We should want leaders in government who uphold the same biblical values we do. 

We need to talk about what the Bible says about gender, life, and sexuality. We need to be able to clearly communicate these Truths with love and grace. We’ve kept quiet when we should have engaged. Satan gained ground because we were silent outside of our church walls.

But, praise God, something has shifted.

God is Moving

On Sunday morning, we drove onto our church campus to see a young man directing traffic to the lower parking lot. Most Sundays there are 3 or 4 cars in that lot, but this week it was almost full well before the start of service. Our first service was full. And while there were a few seats open in our second service, I noticed there wasn’t the usual trickle. People came early. People were thirsty for community and the Word of God. 

I’ve heard many of you had similar experiences. I pray they’ll be back next week and every week after that.

I hope you’ve seen the comments, posts, and videos on social media of people who are going to church for the first time, people who have been away from church and are coming back, people who have never read their Bible are opening it for the first time.

Something has shifted.

Are you ready? 

Today’s Toolbox Tasks

I usually end each post with 2-3 Toolbox Tasks to encourage you to apply the content. Today’s list is going to be bit longer. 

1. Create a plan with your team to welcome new women.
2. Be intentional to encourage your women to invite their neighbors and friends, even if they’ve said “no” before. 
3. Review your upcoming women’s ministry events and activities. Do they point women to Christ? Do you need to add or strengthen your plan to share the gospel?
4. Do you have a plan for following up with guests? If not, now’s a great time to create one.
5. Do you need to adjust your teaching and offerings for women who have little or no Bible background?
6. Do you need to train your team and your women to share the gospel?
7. Do you need to find creative ways to involve more younger women on your women’s ministry leadership team and at your events?

Lord, help us to love others well with grace and truth. Help us to be bold witnesses who point women to Christ. Help us to boldly make known the mystery of the gospel. May every woman who comes to our Bible studies or events, hear about the hope and life that is found in You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

My heart’s desire is for us to be found faithful. If you or your team needs some encouragement to be faithful, that is the theme of this year’s women’s ministry leader conference. 

I hope you’ll join us for the Faithful Conference on October 10^th and 11^th, live via Zoom. You can find out more information at www.womensministryconference.com. 

You may also want to read:
What Should Women’s Ministry Leaders Say on Social Media When Tragedy Strikes
Leading Through Tragedy: How to Support Your Community During Difficult Times