living the Gospel in an everyday world
Bev is currently Associate Professor of Pastoral Care and Executive Director of the Women’s Center for Ministry at Western Seminary. She authored Shepherding Women in Pain and Shepherding a Woman’s Heart, Moody Publishers. Bev has established and led ministries for women in churches and communities on the west and east coasts of the U.S. and overseas.
Do you remember your first childhood loss? A missing or broken toy? Perhaps a pet that died. What was your parent’s response? “Don’t cry. We’ll get another one!” I do remember the consolation of mom replacing a little flower that I nurtured after the dog dug it up. But my first remembrance of a deep…
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I remember well the phone call. “I am Pastor _____ and I have a question for you. One of the women in our church talked with me recently and she insists we have a ministry just for women. And I don’t get it. Can’t women just join in with the rest of us as we…
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Titus lived in a decadent culture, Crete. Paul’s description of the people who lived in this society may sound familiar to us. There are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers . . . . They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach and that…
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Carol, I, as a member of Christ’s body, apologize to you and the many women like you who have experienced incredible pain, marginalization and loss from the church because we have not reached out to you in your pain with understanding and compassion. I am so sorry! May you find it in your heart to…
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Yes, yes, yes, Carol. I DO see hope in the church! I too dream of the church becoming a place where people understand pain like yours and express care to people in your situation. Certainly a new focus—a new understanding of ministry is needed. What could that look like? In two previous blogs, (please see…
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Carol’s own personal pain (see previous blog, Do You See Any Hope in the Church?) generated a penetrating question that required more than a trite response: Bev, do you ever see the church becoming a place where people understand pain like this and express care to people in my situation? Frankly, I rarely go to…
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I sat across the lunch table with a former key staff member of a well-known Christian ministry. We briefly exchanged stories and then Carol (not her real name) said, Bev, tell me the truth. Do you see any hope in the church? Hope? I asked. Carol continued. After my husband, a committed church leader, walked…
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Tears filled our eyes. The loss of a child. How does a loving parent ever recover? Our dear, dear friends were walking this painful path of life. Clearly the props of life were knocked out from under them. We arrived at their home on what would have been Kelly’s 41st birthday. They embraced us with…
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This quote grabbed my attention as the news broadcasts seem to continually bring word of major catastrophes, deaths, wars, and economic losses—amidst the US Presidential Inauguration. God allows the props to be knocked out from beneath our feet in order that we might rest our weight fully upon Him. And this is true for nations…
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Yesterday I left my hairdresser with a feeling of cloudiness surrounding me—more than the cold grey skies outside. I realized our entire conversation was about the tragedies in our world. Her final statement, “I think the next generation is without hope,” stuck like glue in my thoughts. If you want to get a take on…
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