Each Friday, Baptist Women in Ministry introduces a gifted woman minister to you, and today we are pleased and blessed to introduce you to Betty Pugh Mills.
Betty, tell us about where you are now ministering.
I am currently serving as the pastor of Hampton Baptist Church in Hampton, Virginia. I have been here for one year and eight months, following a long-term pastorate at Grace Baptist Church in Richmond.
What have been some of the challenges you have faced in your ministry journey?
I am been extremely lucky in my ministry that the variables of gender and age have not been experienced as limiting or unfair. I have had great opportunities to learn and grow, and I am very thankful. I have experienced the fatigue and challenge that comes with doing anything for a long time and trying to re-invent self as well as be clear on the priorities for a new day in ministry. Ministry is very hard work, and it requires constant maintenance on your personal self-awareness as well as clarity about healthy boundaries.
What do you love best about your ministry position?
I enjoy the diversity of things that a part of my job description and the wide range of people with whom I come in contact. Preaching and worship, teaching, pastoral care . . . I could use a little less of the administration but that comes with the territory.
What advice would you give to a teenage girl who is sensing a call to ministry?
I think it is a good day for a young teenager who is sensing a call to ministry. There are many more support systems around as well as role models. I love reading about all the other women in the country who are doing what God has called them to do. The presence of social media is helping to make it a much more common occurrence and for young women, a much more conducive environment.