I’m not one to really enjoy church conferences. I’m not into the hype or the fancy clothes; I really don’t care where people bought their new shoes or how much they paid for them. I don’t like sitting in a service, trying to listen and take notes from a preacher, while my thoughts get swallowed up in groupthink of hollered “Amen!”, “Hallelujah!”. I just want to yell at people and shout, “Keep it down, already! I’m trying to listen!” My idea of a perfect conference is one where we can avoid the chitchat, fully digest great teaching, and feel comfortable enough to truly, sincerely pray. But maybe that’s just lofty dreaming.
Yesterday, however, I finally found my conference niche.
I felt heavily led to listen to the “Passing The Mantle” service being held in Ohio at the annual Pentecostal conference. So, since I live in Alaska, I took the morning off of work, got up at 5:30AM, logged onto the live service online, and sat down in front of my stone fireplace to listen to the preaching in my pajamas. Ahhhh…. Now that’s the way to worship!
For those who were unable to watch, here’s a synopsis of the service:
The service began with several worship choruses sung by a group of young women, and then the congregation was lead in focused prayer by three Prayer Leaders. First, Elizabeth Shivers led us to recognize and pray for the hurting people around us, showing that we often see the physical wounds in people, but fail to pick up on the internal, spiritual, and emotional scars. Brooke Pamer led in focused prayer for the U.S. President and a call for a revival of righteousness in God’s people. And finally, Kim Haney spoke on the power of a hungry spirit and prayed for a deeper hunger of desperation to be placed on us all.
Beth Dillon then shared an exegesis on II Kings 2, by providing an acronym for “mantle”.
M – Ministry of a mentor
A – Apostolic authority and greater anointing
N – New dimension
T – Test of faith
L – Committed lifestyle
E – Entrustment: handing over the mantle.
Next, several amazing women were recognized for their leadership and pioneer spirit in the work of God. Nona Freeman, Else Lund, and Eunilah Mean were all ordained ministers during their day, ministering as pastors and missionaries around the world. In addition, Vesta Mangun, Jean Urshan, Sis. Chambers and others were acknowledged.
Finally, Joy Haney spoke to the women on “Your Daughters Shall Prophesy” taken from the book of Joel. She stated that there is an obligation and privilege to pass on the mantle of truth, noting that this does not mean the older generation was relinquishing their mantle, just sharing and enlarging it.
She began by identifying several mantles that people needed to pick up: Sacrifice, faith, prayer, fasting, love, hunger, and character.
While reading the story of Elijah and Elisha, she noted three places that God sent Elijah. 1) Bethel – House of God: This is the place where there was an encounter with the supernatural; a place of prayer. 2) Jericho – Fragrant: This word refers to the sweet savor of the spirit and is connected with sacrifice (Leviticus). She noted that we are to be a sweet smelling fragrance to God (Romans 12:1). 3) Jordan – Flowing down: This indicates the river flowing down from heaven. Jordan is also a place of the supernatural. However, we cannot enter into that place without faith – and faith comes by the Word of God. She emphasized that we need to develop a hunger to devour the Word of God.
She then began to reiterate that many are needed to take up the mantle of sacrifice. When we pray and fast, seeking the supernatural, we will see the power of God come forth. (Acts 4:31 – Boldness & power from prayer). Wherever we are, God will bring people to him through us, if we begin to boldly seek his face for revival. She then began to share stories of the miraculous works that God has done through women of prayer. T. W. Barnes was quoted as saying, “If we want what God wants, we must get back to old fashioned prayer and fasting.”
Declaring the need, she concluded by saying that we need to lay on the altar of sacrifice and tell God, “Whatever you require…”, and prophesied saying that if the younger generation would grasp hold of the mantle of prayer, fasting, and studying God’s work, He would pour out His spirit like never before.
At this point, she asked the younger women to take the following six vows:
1) This day, I will accept the challenge of the Spirit.
2) I will give myself to daily prayer and study of the Word of God.
3) I will establish times of fasting and fervent prayer in my life.
4) I will surrender my body as a living sacrifice to God.
5) I will commit myself to purity, holiness, and Godly character.
6) I will fulfill the great commission.
Finally, the older women gathered around the younger women and placed a symbolic mantle over their shoulders and began to pray that the mantle that God would choose for them, would be represented.
As I sat there on my living room floor, I grabbed the blanket off of the couch and wrapped it around my head and torso. Tears poured out of me as I plead for God’s leading in my life. There were no women praying for me, no woman to share her mantle with me, but I think that was just the way I needed it. Were I in the congregation, I might have wished the woman praying for me were someone I knew was a great warrior in the spirit, or a pioneer in adventurous faith. However, in this private and intimate ceremony, God chose the mantle he wanted for me. It was one of the most beautiful times I’ve ever experienced in God. A moment I’ll never forget.
I took the vows. I grasped the mantle. I won’t turn back.
Then… I stood up, went into the kitchen and made pancakes in my pajamas.
It was the best conference meeting ever!
Friday, September 29, 2006
Thursday, September 28, 2006
A Celebration of Women in Ministry
This week, thousands of miles away from the beautiful peaks of the North, an annual international conference of Pentecostals is being held in Columbus, Ohio! For many this will be a wonderful time of refreshing, fellowship, and inspiration. For those of us who cannot attend, it will be a week just like every other.
This year, during today's Ladies Day, there will be a special service entitled "Passing the Mantle" for women in ministry. This will be an amazing time in the spirit and an opportunity that many of us have been desperately praying for. Even though I cannot attend this year - I do not want to miss out.
So, I've proposed two things to the many women in ministry in the Alaska-Yukon Territory district...
1) For those who are in the Anchorage, AK area, they are welcome to meet me at my house at 6AM on Thursday morning, to watch this service live. We'll enjoy each other’s company, anointed preaching, and prayer for one another.
2) For those across our vast district who are unable to come, I’m inviting them to set aside Thursday to fast and/or pray for our women. We can join in prayer, even if it is remotely!
If you are a woman of the older generation, please pray for the younger women. We need your wisdom, anointing, experience and power. We need your words of faith to sweep over us like rivers and flood our hearts and minds. Pray for our vision, our strength, our homes, and our dedication. Please share your mantle.
If you are a woman of the younger generation, please pray for an acceptance of this mantle. We need to embrace the anointing that God has for us, see the future he's prepared, and run with courage. We need to learn to marry the power in apostolic history with the needs of today's generations. Please embrace the mantle.
As a united force, we need to pray against feelings of being overwhelmed, loneliness, depression, fear, and anxiety. We need to pray for a fresh awakening from God, a renewal of his call on our lives, a surge of energy, a confirmation of his provision for our homes, salvation for our families, and a joy like we've never known before.
The bottom line is that we need each other and we need God. I know I do. I'm assuming that I'm not alone.
This year, during today's Ladies Day, there will be a special service entitled "Passing the Mantle" for women in ministry. This will be an amazing time in the spirit and an opportunity that many of us have been desperately praying for. Even though I cannot attend this year - I do not want to miss out.
So, I've proposed two things to the many women in ministry in the Alaska-Yukon Territory district...
1) For those who are in the Anchorage, AK area, they are welcome to meet me at my house at 6AM on Thursday morning, to watch this service live. We'll enjoy each other’s company, anointed preaching, and prayer for one another.
2) For those across our vast district who are unable to come, I’m inviting them to set aside Thursday to fast and/or pray for our women. We can join in prayer, even if it is remotely!
If you are a woman of the older generation, please pray for the younger women. We need your wisdom, anointing, experience and power. We need your words of faith to sweep over us like rivers and flood our hearts and minds. Pray for our vision, our strength, our homes, and our dedication. Please share your mantle.
If you are a woman of the younger generation, please pray for an acceptance of this mantle. We need to embrace the anointing that God has for us, see the future he's prepared, and run with courage. We need to learn to marry the power in apostolic history with the needs of today's generations. Please embrace the mantle.
As a united force, we need to pray against feelings of being overwhelmed, loneliness, depression, fear, and anxiety. We need to pray for a fresh awakening from God, a renewal of his call on our lives, a surge of energy, a confirmation of his provision for our homes, salvation for our families, and a joy like we've never known before.
The bottom line is that we need each other and we need God. I know I do. I'm assuming that I'm not alone.
A friend when you need one
It’s amazing how God always knows exactly what you need, when you need it.
This past year has been an extraordinarily crazy one. There were amazing highs of excitement and devastating depths of depression. And everywhere in between. Over and over again I felt totally alone and prayed for someone to communicate with. Not necessarily to cry on their shoulder or gain great gems of wisdom. Just someone to sip a cup of tea with and chat about scripture or prayer; just to get my mind off of my reality. But no one came.
Awhile back, I decided that every time I felt miserable I’d send out emails or cards, leave voice mails to people, trying to be to others what I wanted for myself. This year I’ve sent out a record number of cards and emails. I’ve called leaders and friends, acquaintances and a couple of times, complete strangers. Still I felt alone.
The culmination of my stress came in this past two months. First, I work for BP, a company currently undergoing a tremendous amount of stress and public scrutiny, so the pressured environment at work increased with uncertainty. Second, I’ve been dealing with my grandmother’s illness, which seems to have become highly personal and emotional. Third, our small church plant has experienced the joy and pain of growth lately – a great problem. All of this, and a great deal more, threw me into a tailspin as I began to realize that the only stable force in my life is God.
My stress compounded in mid-September while I was attending a Women Training Women workshop in Anchorage, held at a local church. It was a great time of learning and networking, yet as I was in seeking new ways to reach and minister to the women in my church and community, inwardly I was dying.
It happened to be six month anniversary of the loss of our only child, Will, who died a week before the finalization of his adoption. After ten years of failed adoptions, he was our sure thing; our beautiful son. We were shell-shocked and I was devastated and broken with grief. His death occurred this past February during an annual minister’s conference that my husband and I were attending. Because of the timing, I quickly learned to hide my sorrow and tried to bravely remain silent. I'm sure there were those who thought I was aloof, snobby, or just shy. The truth was, I was desperately trying to function, walk, eat, and breathe without sobbing uncontrollably. There we were, with family, friends, and ministers surrounding us and no one, not even those who knew about our loss, spoke to us about how we were doing as church planters, people new to a remote state, or a couple who just buried their dream. We went to the services, attended the morning sessions, and ate meals with an entire group of people who were supposed to care about us, but never detected that my husband and I were dead people walking.
Six months later, there I was again: chatting with the speakers, taking notes in the classes, and sharing ideas with the attendees, when inside I simply wanted to crawl into a corner, curl up into a ball and weep. This is when God finally answered my prayers for an unlikely friend. She was a speaker at the conference, and is the Women’s Ministry leader for the Colorado Southern Baptist Convention. As we began to speak about ministry, she immediately detected that something was amiss. Our conversation quickly shifted and soon it became clear that God had provided me with the connection that I needed.
Then, Tuesday He did it again.
I was having a particularly bad day and simply wanted someone to pray with me. Not necessarily for me, but someone that I could join together with as a force of two instead of one. So, I decided to track down my wonderful friend Mary Loudermilk, a woman of authentic honesty, courage, and wisdom. After numerous phone calls, I found her in a hotel in Columbus, Ohio and tentatively dialed her number.
When she answered the phone, I apologized for not staying in touch like I should have. Many reasons. No excuses. But I told her that right now, I just needed her prayers. She didn’t ask questions, interrogate me, or berate me for my lack of communication. It just so happened that another amazing woman and friend, Gwyn Oakes, was chatting with her at the time, and instantly the two of them got on the phone and began to pray with me. It was exactly what I needed. All of this time, God knew when, where, who, and how.
It once again showed me that we are never truly alone, although we may not see anyone around us. Why God chose for my support team to be located in areas thousands of miles from me, I don’t know. But He did. And I’m simply grateful.
This past year has been an extraordinarily crazy one. There were amazing highs of excitement and devastating depths of depression. And everywhere in between. Over and over again I felt totally alone and prayed for someone to communicate with. Not necessarily to cry on their shoulder or gain great gems of wisdom. Just someone to sip a cup of tea with and chat about scripture or prayer; just to get my mind off of my reality. But no one came.
Awhile back, I decided that every time I felt miserable I’d send out emails or cards, leave voice mails to people, trying to be to others what I wanted for myself. This year I’ve sent out a record number of cards and emails. I’ve called leaders and friends, acquaintances and a couple of times, complete strangers. Still I felt alone.
The culmination of my stress came in this past two months. First, I work for BP, a company currently undergoing a tremendous amount of stress and public scrutiny, so the pressured environment at work increased with uncertainty. Second, I’ve been dealing with my grandmother’s illness, which seems to have become highly personal and emotional. Third, our small church plant has experienced the joy and pain of growth lately – a great problem. All of this, and a great deal more, threw me into a tailspin as I began to realize that the only stable force in my life is God.
My stress compounded in mid-September while I was attending a Women Training Women workshop in Anchorage, held at a local church. It was a great time of learning and networking, yet as I was in seeking new ways to reach and minister to the women in my church and community, inwardly I was dying.
It happened to be six month anniversary of the loss of our only child, Will, who died a week before the finalization of his adoption. After ten years of failed adoptions, he was our sure thing; our beautiful son. We were shell-shocked and I was devastated and broken with grief. His death occurred this past February during an annual minister’s conference that my husband and I were attending. Because of the timing, I quickly learned to hide my sorrow and tried to bravely remain silent. I'm sure there were those who thought I was aloof, snobby, or just shy. The truth was, I was desperately trying to function, walk, eat, and breathe without sobbing uncontrollably. There we were, with family, friends, and ministers surrounding us and no one, not even those who knew about our loss, spoke to us about how we were doing as church planters, people new to a remote state, or a couple who just buried their dream. We went to the services, attended the morning sessions, and ate meals with an entire group of people who were supposed to care about us, but never detected that my husband and I were dead people walking.
Six months later, there I was again: chatting with the speakers, taking notes in the classes, and sharing ideas with the attendees, when inside I simply wanted to crawl into a corner, curl up into a ball and weep. This is when God finally answered my prayers for an unlikely friend. She was a speaker at the conference, and is the Women’s Ministry leader for the Colorado Southern Baptist Convention. As we began to speak about ministry, she immediately detected that something was amiss. Our conversation quickly shifted and soon it became clear that God had provided me with the connection that I needed.
Then, Tuesday He did it again.
I was having a particularly bad day and simply wanted someone to pray with me. Not necessarily for me, but someone that I could join together with as a force of two instead of one. So, I decided to track down my wonderful friend Mary Loudermilk, a woman of authentic honesty, courage, and wisdom. After numerous phone calls, I found her in a hotel in Columbus, Ohio and tentatively dialed her number.
When she answered the phone, I apologized for not staying in touch like I should have. Many reasons. No excuses. But I told her that right now, I just needed her prayers. She didn’t ask questions, interrogate me, or berate me for my lack of communication. It just so happened that another amazing woman and friend, Gwyn Oakes, was chatting with her at the time, and instantly the two of them got on the phone and began to pray with me. It was exactly what I needed. All of this time, God knew when, where, who, and how.
It once again showed me that we are never truly alone, although we may not see anyone around us. Why God chose for my support team to be located in areas thousands of miles from me, I don’t know. But He did. And I’m simply grateful.
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