4 minute read
Mindy Rynbrandt
Director of Womens Ministries
Last summer, College Church women gathered neighbors and friends in homes to study the book of Colossians, and during this study, I encountered a text which cast a vision for me of ministry.
In everything we do within our ministries at College Church, we seek to proclaim Jesus’ name. We are Christo-centric—meaning that in every program, in every interaction, we aim to point to the person and work of Jesus. This passage fleshes out the goal of proclaiming Jesus: maturity in Christ. Certainly, we are called to share the good news to all, but it is more than simply crossing the starting line of the Christian faith. Here we see the calling to teach and exhort one another in Christ. To what end? That we may present everyone mature in Christ. Practically then, this calls the local church to more than warm social connections and an acknowledgement of Jesus’ kingship. These are good things. But our responsibility to one another within the family of God is that we use every opportunity in ministry towards spiritual maturation. Thankfully we are reminded in verse 29 that we are not left alone to fulfill the Lord’s lofty prescription. He has powerfully worked within us, enabling us through his energy. Maturity is the goal, and he has given us everything we need in Christ to equip us for this task.
When we apply this vision to women’s ministry at College Church, we see the importance of both proclaiming Jesus and exhorting each other towards Christlike maturity. The Lord is using the women of College Church to proclaim his gospel, evidenced by the women who encounter Jesus each year through Bible study and discipleship. As women claim the name of Christ, we seek to encourage our sisters beyond initial discovery, towards growth. And there is no greater means for growth than by studying and applying to life the Word of God.
In our weekly Women’s Bible Study program, we’ve experienced the transformative power of Scripture this year as we’ve studied Job and I and 2 Peter, reflecting on the role of suffering in the life on the believer. Knowing that nobody gets through life unscathed, we chose these books to equip our sisters for the inevitable suffering we face this side of heaven. In his sovereignty, the Lord alone knew we would need to draw on the truths and promises found in these texts in this spring as we process the suffering brought on by a global pandemic.
At our Monthly Gathering we experience the transformative power of the Word and the communion of saints as sisters gather each month to discuss challenging topics. This year, we’ve sought to answer the question, “How does Christ change us as believers?” Using biblical theology to root our conversations in the Scripture, we’ve discussed topics related to our identity and contentment in Christ, identifying and tearing down the idols of our hearts, and finally, how Christ changes our relationships within the family of God and with our neighbors.
At our Women’s Retreat in February, we experienced the transformative power of Scripture as we considered what it means to abide in Christ. The Lord used women from our own church family as Bible teachers, to teach us powerfully and practically what Scripture teaches about dwelling in the presence of God. Again, as we reflect on the spiritual nourishment we received back in February, we see the equipping he intended given the circumstances we’d be facing this spring. The Lord has been so generous to us, strengthening us with his Word in the calm, that we might endure the storm.
Finally, we see the transformative power of power of the Word in our mentoring and discipleship ministries of Mom2Mom, Apples of Gold and 1:1 Discipleship. Personal relationship is an extremely effective context for encouraging one another towards maturity in Christ. When we are known and can share one another’s joys and trials, we are best positioned to point our sisters to Scriptural truth and challenge our sisters to apply this truth to life. We want to be a church characterized by a disciple-making culture— presenting everyone mature in Christ.
Over these last two years, it has been my privilege to partner with women at every stage of their journeys towards spiritual maturity. It is a joy to be a part of the work that he is doing in and through the women of College Church. My prayer for this coming year is that we would continue to keep Christ at the core of all we do and press on together towards the goal of Christlike maturity.
