When Marisa Taylor joined the Birmingham Metro Baptist Association staff a couple of years ago as church resource specialist, one of the goals was to develop a program to connect women in the association. The pandemic slowed those plans, but the Women’s Ministry Network is finally “moving forward,” Taylor said.
A Feb. 5 meet-and-greet at Hunter Street Baptist Church in Hoover drew a cross-section of the women from the area representing 11 faith-based nonprofits in BMBA and two churches that meet in the association’s building.
The gathering included prayer time, discussion of the direction of WMN and suggestions for the future. Participants agreed the main purpose would be fellowship and forming relationships.
The ministry has several goals, including encouraging women in ministry, building relationships, networking and missions. It is available to any woman in ministry in BMBA, including church staff, pastors’ wives and women working in faith-based nonprofits.
Women today often are considered the “sandwich” generation, taking care of elderly parents while running their own home and caring for children. If they are involved in full-time ministry, there can be little time left for themselves or to build relationships with other women.
“Our leadership team is dedicated to women’s ministry,” said Debby Haralson, one of three WMN leaders. “In addition, we have a common mission as to what glorifies God, [though] finding time to meet as a group is often a challenge.”
Battling isolation
BMBA Executive Director, Christopher Crain said beginning women’s ministry in the association stemmed from the realization that many women become focused on their church and feel isolated because there aren’t as many networking groups for them.
“The BMBA has 180 churches, and the women have a need to serve,” Crain said. “I hope BMBA can be a light to other churches. We know that many small churches would not still be open today if it wasn’t for the women. They kept the doors open and prayed for their church.”
“With the 14 million members that make up 48,000 churches [in the Southern Baptist Convention,] we need to raise the visibility of women in ministry,” Crain said.
The WMN leadership team includes Haralson, who serves with The WellHouse, a center for girls and women who have been involved in sex trafficking; Stephanie Newton, with women’s ministry at Eden Westside Baptist Church in Pell City; and Adrianna Anderson, director of women’s ministry at Hunter Street Baptist.
Crain noted many Southern Baptist churches could start a WMN in their church or association, and he hopes leaders will seek opportunities to involve women and fund programs for ministry.
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