Dawn Stephens is the Associate Minister of Local Disciplemaking and Women’s Small Groups at The Church at Brook Hills and the writer of today’s post. She gives us three dynamics for navigating challenges in ministry.
I heard my mom say the phrase, “there’s more than one way to skin a cat” over and over as a kid. She has become the “queen” of figuring out different ways to accomplish a goal or solve a problem.
As the mother of 3 kids and the CEO of a home-based business, “necessity was the mother of invention” in her world. She started a wedding cake and catering business when I was 12 years old. Often she found it necessary to be flexible and creative to answer whatever challenge she was facing at that time. I’m sure both kids and cakes gave her plenty of challenges!
That same mentality is vital if you are going to serve women, in the church or community as well!
Being able to look at a problem or challenge, and see other options of solving it will take you far in working with women, your church staff and virtually anyone on planet earth!
Here are three vital dynamics to remember as you learn to be flexible in your problem solving:
1. Its more attitude than skill:
One of my first bosses wisely told me the first day on the job, “Any job is really only 5% skill and 95% attitude!” You can learn just about any job as long as you have a positive and flexible attitude.
Great advice for any woman in leadership! Life seldom gives you clear-cut options to most of its challenges. This is where each of your unique personalities and spiritual gifts can come into play as you ask God to give you wisdom in maneuvering the current ministry challenge.
2. Try and see the motivation behind the man or woman
Another mentor and highly respected pastor in my life told our congregation often that we should look at what was the motivation behind a person’s actions and the perspective they brought to a relationship.
Remembering this will help you as you interact with many different types of personalities in your church and ministry. Trying to keep in mind that negative actions or attitudes that you might encounter with people is usually a fruit of a hurting heart and is a reaction to an internal struggle.
3. Be mindful of your heart responses to others’ choices
You may not be able to change someone’s mind on a decision that directly affects you, but you can be sensitive that your heart responds in a way that honors God and His Word. Others have to answer for their choices, we can only answer for our response to those choices.
A little word of advice, try and be as flexible as possible in your ministry life. It will help you stay faithful to the task at hand and enjoy each opportunity!
Dawn Stephens has been involved in women’s ministry in both volunteer and staff positions for many years. She is the Associate Minister of Local Disciplemaking and Women’s Small Groups at The Church at Brook Hills, in Birmingham, Alabama. Her desire is to train, equip and encourage women to use their God given gifts and abilities to show Christ’s love and grace to our world. She graduated from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Women’s Ministry certificate program, has served on the Alabama Baptist State Women’s Ministry leadership team, and serves as a LifeWay Ministry Multiplier.
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