It was Christmas break, and my fiancée and I had just returned from a Passion conference in Dallas. After a three-hour drive back to Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, I did what most people do: I checked my phone. I had received an email from one of my favorite professors, Dr. Meredith Stone, a champion for Texas Baptist Women in Ministry. The email’s subject was “Big Question.”
Intrigued, I opened the email. A Logsdon Seminary alumnus had asked her if there was a student at Logsdon or HSU who would be interested in preaching at his church for the Baptist Women in Ministry Month of Preaching. She asked me if I would be interested in this opportunity. I squealed with excitement and shared the news with my fiancée.
As I prepared for the sermon, feelings of excitement and nervousness vied for my attention. I was so happy to have this opportunity, but my thoughts were crowded by so many questions: What will I preach about? How do I write a sermon? How will the congregation react? What will people back home think?
As I prayed and prepared for the message, God quieted my questioning. He gave me a message near and dear to my heart, entitled “The Stranger Among You” from Deuteronomy 10:12-22. Verses 18-19 had been theme verses for me the previous summer as I worked with refugees with the International Rescue Committee. The verses read, “He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.”
I preached my first sermon on February 24, 2019 at NorthHaven Church in Norman, Oklahoma. In my message, I outlined three groups of strangers that God has called us to love: orphans, widows, and foreigners. I shared personal stories with each of these groups and encouraged the congregation to open their homes and their lives to strangers among them.
What many of the congregation members did not realize was that I was a stranger among them. Not only was I not a member of their church, but I was a stranger to the pulpit. The only times I had stood behind a church pulpit were when I had sung for my church back home or given a testimony after a mission trip.
To say I was nervous was an understatement. Looking back, I laugh that I woke up three hours before I needed to be at the church. I spent the time running a lint roller over my suit, triple checking my teeth, reading over my manuscript, and praying (and praying and praying). Yet, when I stood behind the pulpit and delivered the words God had laid on my heart, my fear faded away. God strengthened my voice, giving me the confidence to deliver His word.
I was blessed to have my fiancée, brother, and sister-in-law in the audience, nodding at my points and laughing at my jokes. I found a few congregants who maintained eye contact, smiling as I spoke. After the service, each member shook my hand and thanked me for my sermon. I wanted to thank them for being such an affirming congregation. I did not have to assert my right to be there. They welcomed me with the love of Christ.
I am grateful that my first time preaching had no horrifying stories. No one criticized my outfit. No one walked out as I approached the pulpit. No one lectured me after my message. I know that such things have happened to my sisters in ministry. I am grateful to NorthHaven Church for giving me an opportunity to share God’s word and to inspire the young women in their congregation. I did not grow up in a church that had women behind the pulpit. I did not know it was even an option until a few years ago, but I hope that my presence shows young women that God can call women to all forms of ministry.
Grace Mitchell is a senior at Hardin-Simmons University, completing her student teaching. She plans to attend Logsdon Seminary in the fall.