Church Planting Movements: Points of Engagement for Women Part I

Church Planting Movements: Points of Engagement for Women Part I

How do we, as leaders, enhance the stewardship of female missionaries?

In other words, how do we more effectively equip female missionaries in the processes of initiating a Church Planting Movement[1]?

►Reflecting Upon the Need

In our twenty plus years on the mission field, over sixty cross-cultural missionaries from several quality organizations have come and gone through our area. In some cases, the female missionaries who are among their number have admitted a level of regret. This regret usually is connected to their expressed lack of engagement in believing God outside of their individual comfort zones. What can be learned from their experiences which can actually help further Kingdom efforts among the unreached people groups[2]?

And so it is with a great sense of anticipation that I dare to reflect upon a glimpse of what has been left behind. In the specific area of helping equip female missionaries to delight in the glory of the Lord and to then declare His glory to the target women of their calling, I have observed a lack. What would our various fields of cross-cultural service reflect should we see the richness of the stewardship of female missionaries more deliberately challenged to engagement with the Church Planting Movement processes?

• What will be the eternal legacy in the lives of the women who are represented among the unreached people groups?

• Can we, as the collective Body of Christ, even fathom the resulting fruitfulness borne forth of female missionaries who are affirmed as well as released into their unique spiritual gifts toward Church Planting Movements? And if these ponderings excite your heart to consider female missionaries being further equipped to engage in the Church Planting Movement processes, imagine the resulting harvest of souls.  

• Will the missions community rise to the challenge of seeing more and more missionary women walk in the confidence and competence of the Lord’s favor in regards to Church Planting Movement equipping?

Imprinting what the Father would desire among national target women in missions is largely predicated upon how seriously we embrace the privilege to more effectively train and equip female missionaries to the work of His hands. 

Who then is potentially the best equipped to reach women in unreached people groups more than other women? As missions leaders consider that in target cultures typically more than 50% of their population is female, it is important that we train female missionaries to understand that women will most effectively be able to reach and disciple these target women. Sue Eigenburger expresses the desire for more intentionality needed to train and utilize the gift of women to engage in Church Planting Movements writes, “In order to determine the significance and variety of roles that women have in church planting for the future, it might be beneficial to look to the past...The roles of missionary women are critical; however, the roles of MBB (Muslim Background Believer) women are crucial to church planting in the twenty-first century.”[3] In order to consider where female missionaries can make crucial contributions in their field of service, much honest reflection and healthy evaluation is needed by missions leaders.

The contributions of women in ministry need to be affirmed and supported by both foreign and indigenous male leaders.  Most women I know don’t want to take over from men and they don’t have a feminist agenda, but they want to be able to use their gifts and abilities for His glory. They want to be appreciated for the contributions they make. Keep this in mind when considering how to view the stewardship of the rich resources of females on the mission field.

It is my intent to explore the potential of increasing our focus on more effective means of equipping female missionaries as specifically related to engaging in Church Planting Movements in this non-comprehensive but cursory attempt.

---

[1] Church Planting Movement (CPM) is defined in David Garrison’s book of same title as a “rapid and exponential increase of indigenous churches planting churches within a given people group or population segment.” Garrison, David. Church Planting Movements. Pg. 7. P.O. Box 6767. Richmond, VA. 23230-0767

[2] An unreached or least-reached people is a people group among which there is no indigenous community of believing Christians with adequate numbers and resources to evangelize this people group. www.joshuaproject.net

[3] Eenigenburg, Sue. “Sister Laborers: Partnering in the Task”, In From Seed to Fruit: Global Trends, Fruitful Practices, and Emerging Issues among Muslims edited by J. Dudley Woodbury. Chapter 5. William Carey Library, 1605 E. Elizabeth St. Pasadena, CA USA 91104. Pg. 69.