Do pastors really understand the women in their congregation? Hundreds of Alabama Baptist women decided to help make sure they do.
Earlier this year, Alabama Baptist author Denise George and The Alabama Baptist conducted a statewide survey asking women what they want their pastor to know about women in the church.
According to those survey results, George said the responses overwhelmingly convey the love and respect churchwomen have for their pastor.
She said women also pray for their pastor because they understand that serving in the ministry is a demanding job.
“While, on the whole, Alabama churchwomen are satisfied with their pastor and church, they have needs they want to share (with their pastor),” George said. The following list was compiled from the survey results.
• “When you preach, we yearn to hear the Word. We want sermons based on the Bible and deep theology. We want you to show us how to apply God’s Word to our everyday lives. We want greater theological depth in Sunday School and Bible-study programs. We come to church to learn about God and His Word and to worship Him.”
• “We hear what you preach, but we also closely examine how you live in relationship to your wife, your children and others. We want you to ‘live’ what you preach. The strength of your personal faith in God and your own character is important to us.”
• “We love and pray for you and your family. Although we can’t adequately express it, we grieve when you (or your family members) hurt.”
• “We often feel like we don’t ‘fit’ in — like we are second-class citizens — when we are single, divorced and/or widowed. Value us as much as you value married women with families.”
• “We see ‘weak’ men in Alabama’s churches. Encourage churchmen to teach children’s Sunday School, become serious church leaders and help churchwomen work in ‘traditional women’s roles.’ Teach husbands and fathers how to be the spiritual leader in the home.”
• “We question why (in some cases) churchwomen aren’t invited to participate in church leadership roles traditionally held by men. We want to serve on important church committees.”
• “We are intelligent, capable and willing to work hard. We want you to help us discern and develop our individual spiritual gifts and put us to work in the church. We are able to do more than cook, host, teach children, arrange flowers, run errands and other traditional women’s roles.”
• “Women are relationship-oriented. We need Christian fellowship/friendships with other women, as well as Bible studies, retreats and events.”
• “We are hurting in many ways. We are dealing with past pain, marital problems, infertility, parenting issues, spouse abuse, financial and job concerns, health problems, elderly parents, grief, loss, etc. We desperately need church-sponsored ‘lay’ counseling, support groups and workshops. And as women, we want female counselors.”
• “Understand that we are exhausted. As single and married women, with or without children, we carry tremendous loads of everyday responsibilities — including home, family, career, community and church. Due to physical tiredness, we can’t always attend every church-sponsored activity.”
George is currently writing a new book, “What Women Wish Their Pastors Knew About Women in the Church” (Zondervan), that will be released in 2007.
A member of Shades Mountain Baptist Church, Vestavia Hills, she is the author of 20 books, including “Secrets of Soul Gardening,” which is a four-book Bible-study series for women.
For more information on George or her book, visit www.authordenisegeorge.com. (TAB)
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