I don’t have to tell you that ministry is hard and messy. But I must tell you that we cannot run this race and finish well if we are running alone.
And sis, we need you! We need you to keep showing up and to show up well. But the call to “find your people” is not simply a sticky saying meant for those you serve, it is imperative for you as well.
Do you remember the days when God first began to awaken in you the purpose and callings he had for your life? For me, that season almost immediately followed a long season of healing from the shame and baggage of my past as I was learning what it meant to live and walk in the freedom and abundance Christ offers us in this life.
Although I had served alongside my husband in ministry for nearly 10 years, those next few years I felt like a baby deer trying out my new legs for the first time. And as soon as I learned to walk, I found myself running wild and free, trying to faithfully steward the giftings, passions, and story that he uniquely purposed for me – an invitation to play a part in his epic story.
Sound familiar?
My guess is you too have had a similar experience. And if you’re a natural-born leader, if we’re honest, we tend to have a natural lean towards independence. We like to run hard and we like to run fast.
But after taking those first steps and soon experiencing some of my first falls, I distinctly remember a point in time when I started to look around for other women in my organization who looked like me.
While I found myself yearning for running mates to keep me honest and help me keep pace, I was even more desperate for a mentor to keep me humble and help point out any blindspots, warning me of the dips and turns ahead.
Throughout my leadership journey, I have been ever so grateful for the life-giving and soul-sustaining communities that I have found, like Exponential, outside of my organization. These communities have been a breath of fresh air in my lungs and a wind beneath my wings. They have helped me feel seen, been a catalyst for growth, and given me a much bigger view of God and his work in and through the global church.
Over the years, it has become a great burden of mine, due to regular conversations with women in leadership in the local church and non-profit spaces who feel extremely isolated and wake up every day wondering if they should hang up their hat and walk away, to be the big sis I wish I had.
What women are saying:
“I believe my skills and giftings would be more valued and seen in the corporate sector.”
“I constantly feel like I’m too much or not enough.”
“I am the only woman and I feel misunderstood.”
“There appears to be more opportunities for men to grow and network within my organization that inadvertently leave women out.”
“The older women on our staff seem more preoccupied with keeping their seat at the table – protecting their own power and position.”
“The younger women on our staff need to understand the struggle – I just got here and I’m being asked to pass the mic?”
Like myself, I’m sure you too have heard or believed some of these at one point in time. But we must fight the temptation to grow bitter. Instead of looking around and questioning “Does anyone see me?” I challenge us to listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit’s invitation “Who do you see?”
It was from my own need and desire that God began to plant something deep down on the inside of me.
He gave me vision for “building a bigger table”:
“Be who you wish you had – Build what you are looking for!”
All of a sudden, a flood of women’s faces who lead in ministry across my city started to flash before my eyes. I grabbed my laptop and began listing their names, ministries, and the organizations they represented. These are women I now know God brought across my path so strategically over the past 10 years – for such a time as this.
And I heard, “We are going to need a bigger table!” It was time to rally the troops!
ONE.tpa is a non-profit born out of a need for women in ministry to come together as ONE, across generations and denominations, envisioning a life-giving, multi-ethnic, missional, and multiplying movement. ONE.tpa is a safe space for women on shared mission to be encouraged, equipped, and empowered to run their race well as we fiercely fight for greater impact in our city.
We Encourage:
At the table, we have conversations surrounding ministry and life balance as we pursue healthy leadership and wholeness for the sake of our own souls, but also knowing the impact of our leadership on those we are entrusted to serve and care for.
We Equip:
At the table, we strategically map out and resource women to gain clarity in their calling and assignment based on ever-changing seasons and seats of influence. We offer cohorts to collaborate as we share tools and resources. We believe in Jesus’s multiplication model of mentorship and discipleship for both professional development and spiritual formation.
We Empower:
At the table, we believe that where there is safety and shared mission there will be authentic connection. When women are united on shared mission, we will maximize opportunities and better overcome obstacles as we work to build bridges and build the Kingdom across our city.
An invitation was made and this spring we hosted our first prayer gathering in anticipation of what God is wanting to do in and through this movement. We had more than 90 women say “I’m in!” They have committed to coming together and praying for this movement every day at noon. This fall, we will host our first “Spark” event around tables, where we will continue to share vision and facilitate leadership-in-ministry-specific conversations, uniting those who lead in the local church and non profit space across the Greater Tampa Bay Area.
Maybe you have heard the quote: “If you want to go fast go alone, but if you want to go far, go together” (African Proverb).
Over the past several years, while we have undoubtedly witnessed a move of the Spirit, strengthening his daughters, perhaps now more than ever it is crucial that we commit to coming together with intention for the transformative work that is only empowered by the unified church for the sake of bringing heaven to earth.
So if you are struggling to find your people… If you desire to be a part of a movement like this… Maybe it’s time to pick up a hammer and build the table!
If this is you, I encourage you to take a next step.
First, pray. Ask God to show you the women you are connected with who lead in the local church and non-profit space across your city.
Second, make a list. Gather names, emails, and phone numbers.
Third, pick a venue and set the date.
Lastly, make the invite.
Share your heart and vision to come together. Be sure to attach an RSVP form. Feel free to use this one as a guide!
