A Pastor's Wife Shares her Priceless Gems
If you’re in any kind of ministry, listen up! Here’s an excerpt from an interview with an accomplished author and speaker (and British expat) now living in Wisconsin (USA).
Hi there. I’m Jill Briscoe. Seeing that I'm ancient (in my 70s), I have been around the church/mission block a few times! My husband and I experienced the business world, were youth ministry missionaries, and I have also been a PW for 38 years…We've been married 51 years. Just Between Us is our magazine to encourage ministry wives and women who serve Jesus. Check us out also at: http://www.tellingthetruth.org.
1. What do you see as the single greatest characteristic or personality aspect that every young PW should purposefully cultivate in order to fill her role according to biblical instruction?
We are disciples of Jesus disguised as Pastors' Wives - so strive to do everything a biblical disciple does. The most important thing is to grow your own soul. Be responsible for your own interior spiritual life.
2. Can you share your opinion of current Bible Study trends for women? Lots of women want to study but have difficulty committing to a long series. How would you advise young PWs to structure the bible studies they offer to women in their congregations?
The most important thing is to have a vibrant PERSONAL bible study plan, and to encourage women in your husband's church to put this first. Teach them how to study for themselves...
3. What is a primary pitfall that you would warn young PWs against?
Never use your position as an excuse NOT to do what you would do if you were weren’t a PW and were just a church member instead. Always see your position as a platform for influence. Being a PW is a privilege, not a punishment.
4. What issues do you see the younger generation of PWs facing that maybe the older generation didn't encounter? What advice would you give related to those issues?
So many young pastors today are finding spouses in Seminary or Bible College. Often both spouses are trained and young couples want to minister as a team. But when they get into a church the congregation isn’t always ready for this dual ministry. The PW feels under-utilized and frustrated that their expectations for her are so limited. Or, the church may love to have her involved, but expects her to be an unpaid co-pastor.
Obviously the opposite is also still true. Many PWs didn't have the chance to study and train alongside their spouse and as a result they feel inadequate. Sometimes this makes them want to push back against expectations.
You can read the rest of this interview at Clutch, a blog for ministry wives “clutching to God-ordained identities while supporting our husbands in service and ministering on our own, too.” Jill is the author of over 40 books. Here are brief bios of Jill Briscoe and Stuart Briscoe from their Telling the Truth website.
For PWs: Blog of the Just Between Us Magazine
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• "Caring for Ministry Wives: 25 Ways to Bless the Lady Who Loves"If you’re in any kind of ministry, listen up! Here’s an excerpt from an interview with an accomplished author and speaker (and British expat) now living in Wisconsin (USA).
Hi there. I’m Jill Briscoe. Seeing that I'm ancient (in my 70s), I have been around the church/mission block a few times! My husband and I experienced the business world, were youth ministry missionaries, and I have also been a PW for 38 years…We've been married 51 years. Just Between Us is our magazine to encourage ministry wives and women who serve Jesus. Check us out also at: http://www.tellingthetruth.org.
1. What do you see as the single greatest characteristic or personality aspect that every young PW should purposefully cultivate in order to fill her role according to biblical instruction?
We are disciples of Jesus disguised as Pastors' Wives - so strive to do everything a biblical disciple does. The most important thing is to grow your own soul. Be responsible for your own interior spiritual life.
2. Can you share your opinion of current Bible Study trends for women? Lots of women want to study but have difficulty committing to a long series. How would you advise young PWs to structure the bible studies they offer to women in their congregations?
The most important thing is to have a vibrant PERSONAL bible study plan, and to encourage women in your husband's church to put this first. Teach them how to study for themselves...
3. What is a primary pitfall that you would warn young PWs against?Never use your position as an excuse NOT to do what you would do if you were weren’t a PW and were just a church member instead. Always see your position as a platform for influence. Being a PW is a privilege, not a punishment.
4. What issues do you see the younger generation of PWs facing that maybe the older generation didn't encounter? What advice would you give related to those issues?
So many young pastors today are finding spouses in Seminary or Bible College. Often both spouses are trained and young couples want to minister as a team. But when they get into a church the congregation isn’t always ready for this dual ministry. The PW feels under-utilized and frustrated that their expectations for her are so limited. Or, the church may love to have her involved, but expects her to be an unpaid co-pastor.
Obviously the opposite is also still true. Many PWs didn't have the chance to study and train alongside their spouse and as a result they feel inadequate. Sometimes this makes them want to push back against expectations.
You can read the rest of this interview at Clutch, a blog for ministry wives “clutching to God-ordained identities while supporting our husbands in service and ministering on our own, too.” Jill is the author of over 40 books. Here are brief bios of Jill Briscoe and Stuart Briscoe from their Telling the Truth website.
For PWs: Blog of the Just Between Us Magazine
Related Articles
• "Christian Ministry Wives: Five Myths"
Stain Glass Photo: paparutzi (Flickr)
Up Next—Spiritual Growth: The H.A.L.T! Principle
What advice would you give if you were asked question #3?
3 Comments:
I love Jill Briscoe - I loved her book "There's A Snake In My Garden" One of the things I remember about her was that when she was in the UK and Stuart was away a lot she said that she would just work until she fell into bed at night (meaning that in that season of life she choose to not sit and mope around but to to proactive in ministry) She once walked into a strip club one night and somehow was able to preach to the girls in that place. Very inspiring.
#3 Pitfalls - feeling as though you have to meet every body's needs. I put immense pressure on myself feeling as though I had to please and be liked by everybody. Now I have learnt that to develop my own relationship with the Lord is the higher calling in ministry.
#3 i've never been a pw BUT i have been a pk and i liked shelleys advice...i think it could be applied to pk's as well! at least to this one!!! expectation is a huge killer....i can smell it a mile away.
Fascinating Shelley! I'm pleased you've heard of Jill Briscoe. She was rated one of the Top 25 "Preachers" by Christianity Today. Obviously, she has a large international following!
Now I have learnt that to develop my own relationship with the Lord is the higher calling in ministry. Awesome. ღ
Roo: You offer good advice to those of us sitting on the other side of the fence... in the pew. We should have more realistic expectations of PWs and PKs... ღ
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