I love my job. Seriously love it. Connecting with, encouraging, supporting Baptist women ministers brings me lots of joy, but I am aware that what I do–what Baptist Women in Ministry as an organization does–reaches beyond women who are currently serving, reaches even beyond women who are discerning a call to ministry. The work Baptist Women in Ministry does, indeed the work that we all do together–has to be forward thinking. We have to look to the future. Because I have a daughter, I am reminded just about every day that this work will make a difference for our daughters.
Our churches need to be open to our daughters–they need to be places where our little girls feel comfortable in the pulpit. As Baptists, we need to celebrate when our daughters dress up like preachers for Career Day at school. We need to welcome our teenage girls into the pulpit for Martha Stearns Marshall Month of Preaching. We need to provide good reading material for our young girls and give resources that encourage them to use all their gifts. We need to put our daughters to work, painting the church walls and working in the community. We need to jump for joy when our little girls announce that God has called them to be ministers.
We need to . . . wait! The truth is we are doing all of that! And our daughters are responding to God’s voice!
Ella is the daughter of Daniel Glaze, pastor of First Baptist Church, Ahoskie, North Carolina. She likes to sit in the pulpit and color.
Dorie is the daughter of Ruth Perkins Lee, minister of students at Auburn First Baptist Church, Auburn, Alabama. Dorie dressed up as a preacher for Career Day at school.
In 2010, St. Johns Baptist Church, Charlotte, North Carolina, invited Clara Kremer, Liz Solitario, and Amy Hammond to preach for Martha Stearns Marshall Month of Preaching.
My friend, Kitt, very much enjoyed the 2010 State of Women in Baptist Life report.
Teenage girls recently painted the sanctuary walls at my church, Cornerstone Church, Grayson, Georgia.
Amanda, daughter of Natalie Kline, associate pastor of First Baptist Church, Waynesboro, North Carolina, wants to be a pastor when she grows up.
I am so thankful for churches, parents, communities, and friends, who open doors to their daughters.
Pam Durso is executive director of Baptist Women in Ministry, Atlanta, Georgia!