Starting a new ministry can feel like a daunting task. It is hard not to feel overwhelmed with what to do first, wondering if it will succeed, and then feeling uncertain if you are doing it right! These feelings are understandable. In three churches, I have had the opportunity to lead in women’s ministry. In two of those three ministries, I transitioned into an existing leadership role, and in the third, I opened a new ministry. Each time, I wondered if I was going about it wrong.

As part of the Calvary Chapel heritage, Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa has been a thriving ministry to women over the decades from Kay Smith’s Joyful Life, teaching the Bible and helping women grow in faith. Likewise, we at CGN desire to see women in our churches grow in Bible literacy and reap the benefits, which we list in our previous article, “Is Women’s Ministry Necessary?”. So, how does one go about starting a women’s ministry? Here are simple steps I have learned:

It is crucial to evaluate the season your church is in and to give thought to the timing of launching a new ministry. Do you have many new believers who are eager to get together and learn the Bible? Is your church busy with commitments? What type of obligations do the ladies in the congregation have, whether at home, work, school, etc. Would it be a good time to introduce a new women’s ministry?

As you assess the right timing, here are a few guidelines I have learned to use:

Pray

Seek the Lord’s guidance. Then invite one or two like-minded women to join you in praying for a ministry to start. Do not talk about it publicly until you speak to the leadership of your church, out of respect for their decision-making process.

Talk to the Pastor

Make an appointment and ask the pastor to discuss plans for this ministry with you. Explain what you feel God has put on your heart to do. Ask the Lead Pastor what his vision is for the church, and consider how a women’s ministry could help fulfill that vision. For example, if the vision for the church is to win souls and disciple people, a women’s ministry can help meet that.

Vision

Solidify your vision for this ministry, which means asking the question, “What would you like to accomplish in a women’s ministry?”

Leadership

The leader does not have to be the pastor’s wife, although that is often the pattern seen in our Calvary Chapel circles. If she is not called to this role, it is ok! It is a matter of gifting and calling, rather than a traditional way of fulfilling that leadership role.

Accommodation

Choose accommodating meeting places, times and frequency. I suggest taking breaks over summer and holidays to bring anticipation for the ministry, when a fall and spring semester begins! It also gives women a chance to join the group and for others to take a break, if needed, rather than seeing it as a lifetime commitment.

Plan

Decide what you will do in your meetings. This will determine if you have a Biblical and mature teacher who can “rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). If such a teacher is not available, there are many materials available for your group to use: Bible teachings on video with discussion materials, books to read through together, breakfast and prayer time, or Scripture reads and discussion.

Invite

Make the invitation for women to join the ministry in the way that your church makes announcements. Put it on social media, the church website, request a pulpit announcement, print flyers and start talking to the ladies to inform them!

Begin

Have your first meeting! Provide a little hospitality and show appreciation for each woman who joins you. Start with introductions and a little explanation of what your plan is. Don’t be surprised if you are the only one talking at the meeting, as women may need some time to get to know the group and build trust.

There is no need to think about all these steps at the same time! Just focus on one task, and when that step is complete, move on to the next one. The women will be reached through the power of Christ!

The start of this ministry may be a small group, and that’s ok! Be faithful to them, teach them, and lay a solid foundation on the Word of God. Do not “despise the day of small things” as, “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much” (Luke 16:10). The ministry will earn a good reputation if the focus is on God, and the women in your church will develop an interest in it. It is God who adds the increase, as 1 Corinthians 3:6 says.

Finally, do not hold onto this ministry as if it were your own. The women belong to the Lord, and it is His church you are serving. Keep praying as you lead, asking God to guide you, and be willing to adjust the ministry as the Lord shows you.

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Rosemary cohosts a new podcast for women in ministry titled “When She Leads.” Learn more about the podcast and start listening today! Have a topic for the show? Share it with us at whensheleadspodcast@gmail.com

How can we expect to hear the Holy Spirit when our lives are filled with constant noise?

If we would like to see the gifts of the spirit and the fruit of the spirit working in our lives then we must make a choice to turn down the noise. if we wish to hear the Holy Spirit lead and guide us, we must make the conscious, intentional choice to carve out time to be quiet and listen to Him.

Also, we must face every day, humbly willing to obey the leading of the Holy Spirit. We must put our will into submission to the Holy Spirit and commit to following His guidance.

Do you ever feel distant from the Lord?

Do you feel as though your prayers are not answered and you can’t hear Him speaking or see Him working in your life? I would suggest to you that this has more to do with your posture toward God than His posture toward you.

The Bible tells says in Matthew 10:29-31: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” The father is attentive to you. Psalm 139:4 tells us, “Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.” The Lord is watching you, listening to you, you are precious to Him; He attends to you. But, do you attend to Him? Do you reciprocate His attention? Does your life allow time for you to listen to His voice? Are you interested in what He has to say to you?

In the first two paragraphs, I mention two life choices that are imperative in order for us to hear from and be directed by the Holy Spirit. In the following paragraph, I will explain these choices in more detail.

Life can be noisy! I have a five-year-old and three-year-old twins. I am used to going through my days accompanied by a very loud soundtrack of requests, complaints of sibling injustices, outright tantrums and thankfully, boisterous fun and laughter, not to mention Peppa Pig or Paw Patrol blaring in the background. By the time the day is done, I feel as though all I have left is the ability to flop on the couch and watch some mindless TV.

But honestly, what does that profit me? In reality, it is only adding to the noise of my already noisy life. There is a God; His name is Jesus, and He is waiting for me to turn it down and come to Him. In Him is true rest and refreshment. In Him is the guidance of His Holy Spirit.

God tells us in Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” He also tells us in James 5:16, “The fervent prayer of the righteous man availeth much.” Just the act of getting quiet before the Lord, asking Him for His guidance, inviting Him into the challenges of your life, shows our heart that is surrendered to God. Our time seeking God’s counsel shows we are willing to listen to Him and follow His lead.

1 Kings 19:11-12 tells us, “Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” The Lord whispered gently to Elijah; He did not roar at him in the wind, fire or earthquake, but in a still, small voice. My question to you: Is your life ever quiet enough to hear the whisper of the Lord?

He is speaking to you. Can you hear Him?

Choose to turn down the noise today, give room for God’s Holy Spirit to speak into your life. If your life is anything like mine, then you desperately need His comfort, guidance and wisdom on a daily basis. He is present; you need to be present too. That is the only way to have a close relationship with God.

Secondly, we must face every day consciously submitted to the leading and direction of the Holy Spirit. For example, the spirit makes the word come alive to us, revealing God’s truth, but if we choose not to obey God’s truth, then we are like the man in James 1:22-24: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” Hand in hand with hearing the leading and direction of the Spirit of God must be a commitment to obey.

The spirit prompts. He directs. He instructs us on a daily basis; are you willing to go and speak to that person He has put on your heart? Are you willing to pray for that person He is burdening you for? Are you willing to surrender your will to His calling, the calling that keeps knocking on your door? Are you willing to obey?

In Galatians 5, we are given a list of the fruit of the spirit and then in verse 25, the text says, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” What does it mean to be “in step” with the spirit? Well, it means to walk together. You cannot walk together if you are going in different directions. Are you “in step” with God’s Spirit that dwells in you? He wants to lead you. Are you willing to walk with Him, to go when He says go, to yield when He says yield, to serve when He says serve?

Jesus loves you. As many times as that statement is made, it will be true. Jesus died for you, for you! He knows every tiny part of you, every dark corner; He knows your shame, your anger. He loves you, He died for you. He made you righteous. I just want to encourage you to remember His goodness so you can be inspired to give Him your time. Turn down your noise, and humbly commit to following His lead. There is no downside. There is no downside. There is no downside.

Nothing compares to the greatness of God. Nothing is more mind-boggling than His infinite attention toward us. No other thing in your life can compare to knowing Him. Give Him your time. Give Him your obedience, and see how He will guide you as your Good Shepherd.

We at CGN and CalvaryChapel.com were able to interview a representative of CCBC Europe, Pam Markey, about the college and biblical training opportunities under the CGN Training Initiative!

1. What is the vision of CCBCE?

The vision of CCBCE is to be instrumental in raising up, equipping and sending out Christians to fulfill the mission of God that is to take the message of the Gospel to all nations at home, near and distant. We seek to do this through a systematic study of the Scriptures, discipleship and practical opportunities to reach out into the world.

2. Is there a verse that sums up the vision of CCBCE?

While it is difficult to sum up the vision of CCBCE in a verse, 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 is one that is key when to understanding who we are in the light of the Gospel.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the ministry of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

3. What is the mission of CCBCE?

As part of our mission, we at CCBCE desire to:

. Instill students with a love for the Word and a deeper relationship with God.

. Encourage each one to have a personal encounter with Jesus.

. See them increase in the knowledge of God and His heart for the world that they too would have His love for the world. ( A love for the world and not of the world.)

. Help them go out and be a part of teams that plant churches everywhere i.e. at home and abroad

4. What are the CCBCE beliefs?

While our student body and guest teachers come from a range of church traditions, CCBCE is an evangelical institution that is part of the Calvary Chapel family of churches.

5. What is the history of CCBCE?

Millstatt, Austria: 1994 -2002

During the years while CCBCE found its home in Austria, it was mainly a place where mature believers came to grow deeper in their knowledge and understanding of the Word in order to be raised up as passionate disciples for Christ. A high priority was placed on principles of leadership as CCBCE began to take a much more serious approach toward the discipleship and raising up of pastors and ministry leaders throughout Eastern Europe.

Vajta, Hungary: 2002 – 2017

In moving to Hungary, the focus became more missional. When we first started the program in Hungary, there would be between 30-60 Hungarians onsite who were being raised up to go plant churches or become involved in ministry at their church. Even though there was an outreach focus in Austria, outreach became more of the lifeblood of the campus when it moved to Hungary. With so many church plants so relatively close to each other, it was very easy for the students to build and grow in relationship with local fellowships and help them grow, evangelize and become healthier in general. In moving to Hungary, we truly became a birthplace of missionaries.

Budapest, Hungary: 2017 – Present (2020: new announcement!)

Over our years in Vajta, the missional focus has only grown. CCBCE is a launching pad for missionaries, church planters and leaders in this generation. It became clear that the Great Commission lived out through this ministry would be best exemplified in the heart of one of Europe’s largest cities. Budapest provides many opportunities for our students to invest themselves in the many church plants in and around the city. We are encouraged by the different seasons and locations God has taken CCBCE. Join us as we embark on this new adventure in Budapest and see the ways the Lord might use us next in this city, nation, continent and planet!

CCBCE came to Hungary from Austria, as it was expanding in discipleship and church planting Europe. The desire was to continue discipling and equipping individuals to church plant throughout the world, including the Middle East, Asia, Africa and India, to mention a few. Geographically, it is in a unique location for training in cross-cultural ministry, since it is surrounded by seven countries with their different cultures only hours away in each direction including Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Ukraine and Slovakia.

6. What degree programs are offered at CCBCE?

Currently, we are offering two programs at CCBCE:

Option one: We are offering, a two year non-accredited Bible College education that Calvary Chapel has offered for decades with an added emphasis on cross-cultural evangelism and church planting.

Option two: School of Mission. This is a two-semester, plus 40-day program, which offers more focused training and equipping for those students who feel a specific call for cross-cultural missions and church planting. As part of the program, a 40-day practicum is completed by the student under the leadership of a church chosen in agreement with the student and the leadership of the college. This practicum can be completed during the winter or summer break between semesters.

7. How would you best describe the local culture for prospective students?

Our students enjoy the benefits of living in downtown Budapest, Hungary. Hungary has an incredibly rich history, and the capital of Budapest shows it off in style. Even though the city has a population of just under two million people, the city feels much smaller and more intimate. Our students enjoy the daily benefits of ever-growing coffee culture, the beautiful Danube river cutting the city in two, and an endless number of places to explore! Above all, we have the benefit of living in an environment where we get to take the classroom to the streets daily!

8. Are there outreaches/ministry opportunities students can look forward to engaging in?

Literally, every night students have the opportunity for ministry and outreach. By living downtown, as a major European capital city, our students have opportunities to live out what they are learning in class as soon as they step out of their apartments! From working with evangelism teams, ministering at skate parks, ministering to the homeless or serving in a number of churches, there is almost an endless list of ministry opportunities. Also, as a part of our school program, students are encouraged to go on weekend outreaches to local churches throughout Hungary and our neighboring countries.

While there, the students will work alongside the church and missionaries and help impact the community and encourage people to come to church. Additionally, each semester, all of our students go on a 10-day outreach to a number of locations throughout Europe. This semester, we have students ministering in Spain, Ireland, Ukraine, Hungary and Romania. It is always an exciting time as the students are stretched in areas of serving and ministry! The churches and missionaries that we partner with absolutely love having the teams come, as they are able to do larger events for the community, such as organizing and running a VBS for the kids in the community!

9. How can people apply?

The best and easiest way to apply is through the CCBCE website.

10. What is the best way to contact CCBCE?

For all questions and any general information, our registrar can be reached at office@ccbce.com.

_{Article updated on May 8, 2020.}

A Sure Foundation

“Here I stand; I can do no other, so help me God.” These are the now infamous words uttered by Martin Luther as he faced off with the powers of Rome. With his “conscience captive to the word of God,” he stood firm in the face of a hostile crowd. Upon this act, the war cry of the Reformation was born—Sola Scriptura, “by Scripture alone.”

Similarly, the church today seems to be fighting the battle on many fronts as an increasingly hostile culture encroaches upon our doors. The question we need to ask ourselves is, “will we be able to stand?” Is our foundation strong enough to withstand the onslaught from a secular world? Or have we unwittingly destroyed our own foundations? Jesus said, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24). The Word of God is the only sure foundation that can support us as we seek to combat the challenges brought against the Christian faith in our world. The moment we step off the rock of God’s Word and place a foot on the sinking sands of popular culture, or seek to add the prevailing wisdom of men to the Word of God, we compromise our foundation. Scripture must occupy the supreme position in our thinking. The respected British preacher and author Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones once said, “There can be no doubt whatsoever that all the troubles in the Church today, and most of the troubles in the world, are due to a departure from the authority of the Bible.¹

The Light Shines in the Darkness

For those of us who seek to uphold the authority of Scripture from the very first verse, we need to be aware of a new battle that is emerging with ever-increasing vigor. Not only must we engage with a culture that seeks to openly mock God and His Word—a culture that lauds the things that God opposes—we must also hold to account those from within our own ranks who claim that God’s Word in Genesis needs to be reinterpreted in light of evolutionary dogma. Theistic evolution is on the rise and, rather surprisingly, its advocates seem to set their targets more on biblical creationists than upon the spiritual war waging around us. As paradoxical as this may seem, it is where we stand today! Such an overwhelming multi-directional attack can be disheartening. Yet, at the same time, we need not be alarmed if we stand on the right foundation. The Word of God can shine brighter as the culture gets darker! The Gospel of John says that, “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). The prophet Isaiah reminds us that, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone” (Isaiah 9:2). There are no greater lights than Jesus and His Word. Why would we seek to stand on any other foundation? God is not looking for the strong or the popular, He is looking for the faithful. This is how the victory is won.

A Light from Scripture

We do not walk this path alone. We have the examples of many great torchbearers who have gone before us. The prophet Daniel was taken captive to Babylon when he was just a teenager. In the midst of that pagan culture, he was taught the literature and language of the Chaldeans. It was an attempt to re-educate him and remove any loyalty he had to the God of Israel. He was subjected to all the wisdom and culture of the Babylonians. This is a strategy that Satan still uses today. He wants us to find our identity, our entertainment and even our religion in the culture where he operates as the “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2). How did Daniel withstand such an onslaught? He gives us an enduring spiritual lesson. It says that Daniel “resolved he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank” (Daniel 1:8). He would not break the dietary laws given in the Word of God. He made up his mind beforehand that no matter the cost, he would not compromise the Word of God.

A Light from History

A little-known Reformation hero provides another clear example of how we should act in these times. Lady Jane Grey was Queen of England for nine days before she was overthrown, incarcerated and then executed by Queen Mary, “Bloody Mary.” Before her execution, Queen Mary sent her spiritual advisor, Benedictine monk John Feckenham, to persuade the 16-year-old Jane to leave her Protestant faith and return to Catholicism. In the ensuing dialogue, we are given another spiritual lesson. Feckenham pushed her regarding the sacraments:

Feckenham: “How many sacraments are there?”

Lady Jane: “Two; the one the sacrament of Baptism, and the other the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.”

Feckenham: “No, there are seven.”

Lady Jane: “By what scripture find you that?”²

Lady Jane’s piercing final question should serve as the yard stick by which we size up all the claims and debates we see around us today. “Where is that in the Bible?” “What is your biblical authority for that teaching?” When people imply that God used the evolutionary process in creating mankind, we must ask that very question: Where is that in the Scripture? This will quickly expose the foundation, be it the Word of God or the words of men.

Always Bearing Fruit

In order to stand firm in this culture, we need to make sure we stand on the Word of God. We do this every time we affirm the true history as recorded in Genesis, and by doing this, we also confirm the Gospel which is rooted in that history. From this stance, we can have full confidence that the Gospel is constantly “bearing fruit and increasing” (Colossians 1:6) throughout the whole world.

Notes:

¹ Lloyd-Jones, Martyn. The Christian Soldier: Ephesians 6:14 – The Scripture of Truth, Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2003. Pg. 210

2 Taylor, J., “How a 16 -year-old Girl Explained the Sacraments to a Catholic Interrogator”. The Gospel Coalition, www.thegospelcoalition.org, September 19, 2012.