This is the third article in a series on living holy in an unholy world. We addressed this topic at this year’s XChange, a leadership event for women’s ministry leaders of all generations. (Read parts one and two.)
We asked women’s ministry leaders: What does it mean to be holy? This is the feedback they gave us:
- Being right with God and others
- Reflecting God’s holiness in your life
- Conforming to Christ’s image (2 Corinthians 3:18)
- Our response to God’s love for us
- Set apart, sanctified (1 Corinthians 6:11)
- When your heart is focused on God’s Word
- When inward focus on God leads us to outward focus on others
- We are “living sacrifices,” holy and pleasing to God, dying to self (Romans 12:1)
- Commitment to holiness as a series of choices
- A way to honor God
How do you teach women to pursue holiness? What does holiness look like among the women in your church and ministry? This would be a great topic for small group discussion.
Leaders: Teaching women to pursue holy lives is crucial if we want to make a difference in our world. It’s getting harder by the day and yet that is why it’s so important. We must help women know what God’s Word teaches about holiness and help them see that not only does He expect His children to be holy, He empowers them to do so!
Watch for more posts in this series that will deal with how to cultivate holiness, live holy without being “holier than thou,” and other aspects of living holy.
Chris Adams is senior lead women’s ministry specialist at LifeWay Christian Resources in Nashville, Tenn. Learn more about Chris here.
Resources on Holiness:
Embraced by Holiness by Kathy Howard
Holiness: The Heart God Purifies by Nancy Leigh DeMoss
Called to Be Holy: Growing in the Likeness of Jesus by Richard Melick, Jr.
