I grew up in Southern Baptist churches. Each one offered unique experiences, and my heart was always drawn to the local church. As a small-town girl who attended Sunbeams and Girls in Action (GAs), I’m so grateful how my education at a Southern Baptist seminary has empowered my ministry.
But strangely enough, one of the most formative moments in my life and ministry happened through a seminary class that I didn’t even want to take.
One More(!?) Class
When I was in my mid-20s, I enrolled at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and I certainly fit the definition of a non-traditional student. Already married and with children, seminary was, in many ways, a journey of perseverance. Thankfully, I was able to take most of my classes at an extension location not too far from my home in Arkansas.
However, near the end of my seminary journey, I realized that I had taken too many hours at the extension location and not enough on campus. This meant I needed to take extra classes beyond my degree requirements. You can imagine how the news hit me! I wanted to quit. Thankfully, I did not.
Instead, I enrolled in Baptist History and made the long drive from Conway, Arkansas, to Fort Worth, Texas, with my husband and two small children along for the journey.
The class was a week-long format. All of the reading took place before I arrived. The midterm was on Wednesday, and the final was on Friday. Then, two weeks later, the term paper was due. It was a brutal schedule.
I can recall sitting in class, thinking I was only there to get three hours of on-campus time, only to be drawn in and moved by the rich history of our Baptist heritage. Stories of the Haystack Prayer Meeting, missionary movements, and the formation of the Cooperative Program (CP) stirred my heart and caused me to think. From the beginning of our Baptist heritage, we have prayed together, worked together, worshipped together, and funded missions together. CP simply formalized that ethos through the organized sharing of monetary resources across ministries, so that all could flourish together
I heard stories of people who sacrificed deeply to pave the way for opportunitiesI often took for granted. I heard of groups and individuals who fought through their disagreements to build something amazing together. In spite of personal differences, poverty, and even multiple wars, the work continued.
Hearing these stories had a profound impact on me. I was humbled by the sacrifice of those who blazed trails and were used by God in extraordinary ways. I was motivated to find similar ways to foster a spirit of togetherness and cooperation in my faith community. I left the class inspired and hopeful for the future, knowing that I wanted my life and ministry to leave a similar legacy.
We Can Do More Together
Fast forward ten years after graduation. I was hired to serve as the Women’s Ministry Specialist at the Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC). True to our Baptist heritage, the ABSC was in a season of blazing trails and starting ministry initiatives.
Often, my mind would go back to the stories and lessons I learned in that Baptist History class. The picture of brothers and sisters working together for a bigger impact stirred my heart.
I remembered the power of ministry partnerships in establishing the Cooperative Program. At its heart is the idea that we can accomplish more together than we can on our own. With this principle in mind, I went to my team and pitched an idea. What if we established regional women’s ministry networks led by local women ‘s ministry leaders? What if we pursued, through women’s ministry, what the Southern Baptist Convention had pioneered with the Cooperative Program?
My rationale was stirred by conviction to create a culture of collaborative work and shared ministry impact, just like my Southern Baptist forefathers and mothers. The women’s ministry leader down the street is not your competition; she is your sister and can be your friend and ministry partner. You can pray together, work together, host events together, and share resources and ideas. Additionally, offering networks provided meaningful leadership opportunities and growth for the women in our state. All of that excited me. But the rationale that stirred my heart more than anything was the fact that we could reach more women and churches by working together!
Our team began praying and searching the state for potential network leaders. We set up regional meetings and asked the Lord to bring like-minded leaders to us. Before long, eleven women’s ministry networks were established in the small state of Arkansas.
Our strategy was simple. The networks would provide opportunities for leaders to gather in regional groups, share ideas, discuss strategy, and get to know one another. The goal was to help establish a strong network of women’s ministry leaders who offered friendship and served as a resource and encouragement to one another. Just as Southern Baptists pooled our financial resources through the Cooperative Program, we would share our ministry resources through these networks.
I still remember the night the first network meetings took place. Eleven networks gathered on the same night, at the same time, covering the same material, and making lasting ministry connections. More than 250 leaders took part in that first round of network gatherings. And, as they say, the rest is history.
Something special happened with the development of the regional networks. Women had a place to gather as leaders, where they could learn and grow. They also had the chance to lean on, pray with, and enjoy life and ministry with each other. True to our heritage, we were linking arms for the Gospel.
The networks led to growth in other areas of our ministry. Our statewide Women’s Conference started selling out. The Arkansas Baptist Ministers’ Wives Group started using the same strategy to develop Fellowship Groups. And more churches and women’s ministries engaged in Great Commission work.
Ten years after I arrived at the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, I made a ministry transition to Lifeway Christian Resources, where I now serve as the director of women. Because of Lifeway’s work-from-anywhere strategy, my husband and I still live in Arkansas. You can imagine my joy as I watch the Arkansas Baptist Women’s Ministry Networks continue to serve women’s ministry leaders and local churches.
Morgan Fulcher, the current women’s ministry specialist for the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, and Shari Edwards, the network coordinator, are revamping and expanding the networking strategy as they equip and encourage leaders. Every step in the development process fills my heart with joy. I encourage you to learn more about the networking strategy at www.absc.org/abwnetworks.
Our Baptist heritage encourages us to value and embrace the beauty of cooperation. I am forever grateful that I needed more on-campus hours, and what seemed like an inconvenience that almost made me give up, ultimately led to a mighty move of God in my life and ministry. And that, my friends, may be the ultimate lesson learned from our Baptist heritage. God is always doing more than what we can ask or imagine. He is willing and able to redeem. His plans are good and we can trust Him. Of that, I am certain.
