June 16, 2008

Preparing to Serve: Why Women's Ministry Education Matters

It is my contention that as much as women can prepare for ministry through personal study and/or academic training, she will be better fit to serve the women in her congregation-pastors, you can't do it alone. Unfortunately, women don't often receive a great deal of encouragement to develop themselves in this way, the expectation just isn't there to excel as a competent theologian or expositor of Scripture. I'm here to say, with 60% of the church today being comprised of women, women in ministry have a great deal of work before them. Of these 60%, roughly 1/4 of them come to church without their husbands. These women need to be discipled so that they have every chance to know God and share Him with their husbands and children. These women and single mothers find themselves in a similar place.

The following is a short list of schools that offer educational programs in women's ministry. As I discover more Christian colleges and seminaries that make these available, I'll be sure to update the list:

Moody Bible Institute
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

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