Ministry Wives Podcast

Ministry often stretches us to grow in ways we never imagined, some that are hard but many that can bring us deep joy. Raising children in a completely different culture for missions is no different. Missionary wife, author, and podcaster Keri Folmar joins me to shine light on the joys she experienced raising missionary children. She shares how God used their upbringing on a different continent to te...

Clint and Jennifer Clifton spent their lives planting churches as well as pouring themselves into training and encouraging planters and their wives all over the globe. Jennifer joins the podcast to talk about the legacy of her late husband and how she sees the Lord opening opportunities for her to continue to encourage ministry wives just like us. Jennifer also shares her unique perspective on helpin...

Finding your place in ministry as a pastor’s wife or ministry wife can leave you feeling frustrated and stuck. You might feel constrained by expectations in your church, confused about where you are being called, or feeling stuck because a role you used to fulfill is no longer needed. Pastor’s wife and podcaster Angie Brown Elkins joins me today to share how she has reinvented herself in ministry ove...

As ministry wives, it’s far too easy to put ourselves inside a glass bubble with expectations that God does not desire for us. First and foremost, God calls us to be faithful Christians and church members. Pastor’s wife Jeanine Sanchez shares how she teaches other ministry wives to examine the motivations behind their internal and external expectations, focusing on God’s intentions for them in minist...

It can be difficult to fully understand the life of a pastor’s wife without being a pastor’s wife. But understanding this role can help us not only be more compassionate with one another as ministry wives, but also show us how we can better serve one another. Caroline Saunders has been a pastor’s wife for the last 14 years and shares with us the difficulties, the joys, and even some of the hilarious ...

When Covid hit, none of us could have imagined how far reaching its effects would be, nor for how long we would be grappling with the various issues raised by its influence in our lives. Toronto Send Relief Ministry Centre Director and church planter’s wife Kimberley McGibbon shares how Covid forever changed her life and ministry. She explains how God used Covid to return her identity to Christ, push...

In its most basic form, Women’s Ministry isn’t about fancy events or complicated Bible studies; it’s about meeting women’s needs where they are. Lifeway Women’s Ministry Specialist Kelly King shares how we can create a lifestyle of women’s ministry that helps get women in the Word, providing encouragement and creating a deeply desired community. Kelly also gives us some practical ideas for troublesho...

Love one another. Serve one another. The New Testament is full of commandments instructing us to engage in relationships with one another, including those of the opposite sex. The church must battle against the lie that men and women cannot operate as friends and recover brother-sister relationships within the body of Christ. Close friends and colleagues Jen Wilkin and JT English share today how thei...

Churches all over the world are dying and God longs to see His churches revitalized, brought back to life, thriving as lights for the Kingdom. But along with the excitement of revitalization can come burnout from the intense emotional, physical, spiritual, and mental work of revitalization. Today, Andrea Valenti shares how she has walked through the highs of revitalization and the lows of burnout, le...

Life as a church planter is rewarding and encouraging, but also spiritually, emotionally, and physically exhausting. It’s easy to completely burn out when we aren’t intentionally engaging in the rest Jesus commands us to take. Vance and Kristie Pitman share today how God brought them into a season of forced rest. What they found on the other side was trust in Jesus’ work in His church, stronger famil...

The enemy hates any ministry that seeks to increase the kingdom of God. How do we recognize when we are in spiritual warfare, and how do we practically fight against it? James and Desiree Westbrook, planters of The Realm Church in Oakland, California experience immense spiritual warfare every day. They share with us how they battle warfare with Christ’s love, truth, and a right perspective, remaining...

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, this episode of the Ministry Wives podcast is being released completely in Spanish. Send Network Español is a branch of the North American Mission Board’s church planting ministry, Send Network. This ministry resources and helps support Spanish speaking church plants all over North America. Today’s episode features four Spanish speaking ministry wives sharing thei...

Seeds of bitterness can grow in our hearts for a myriad of reasons. Our own insecurities, criticisms, and the sheer volume of tasks that need to be completed can harden our hearts towards those we’ve been called to serve. We can even be tempted to harden our hearts towards God in the midst of difficult ministry seasons. Author and Discipleship Director Amy Gannett shares the work God has done in her ...

Sinful comparison and competition can creep quickly into our hearts when we aren’t focused on Jesus. It’s easy to look at what other women are doing (or even what our husband is doing) and begin to compare what is “lacking” in our own life and ministry. On today’s episode, pastor’s wife Carla Sibley explains how God has taught her to shut down the world and turn her eyes on Jesus, refusing to give a ...

When we look around our communities, we so often see the suffering of those living in poverty and homelessness. The fear of not knowing what to do frequently keeps us from doing anything. Cassie Hammett, Executive Director of The Hub Urban Ministries, shares how Jesus radically changed her heart for those in distress in her city. She explains how we can engage in our own communities, building friends...

If we want to reach the culture around us with the good news of Jesus, we must first understand that culture and the motivations of those who live in it. Author Trevin Wax joins the podcast to explain how we as ministry wives can learn about the specific culture around us, enabling us to connect with and draw others to Christ.   

SHOW NOTES

• As you get to know s...

Life as a ministry wife doesn’t always look like radical revivals. Often it’s staying home while your husband leaves to minister to others or answers nonstop phone calls that interrupt family time. Unless you’re constantly lifting your eyes heavenward, it can be difficult to see eternal reward in the daily grind. Grace VanMaanen joins me today to share how prayer, intentionality, and a heavenly...

Being a ministry wife is a vocation without a job description. So often, we know exactly what our husband’s roles will be within the church, but are uncertain about how we should be operating daily in our ministry roles. Tara Dew, Director of Thrive, a training program for ministry wives at New Orleans Seminary, joins me today to discuss the importance of being a lifelong learner and the joy that com...