Five Reports on "Women in the Word: A Workshop" October 29, 2008

Dear Dr. Logan,

I am one of the recipients of a scholarship for “Women in the Word: A Workshop.” I am writing to express my appreciation to you and the World Reformed Fellowship for granting me such an awesome privilege to attend this year’s conference, held October 3 and 4.

I went to the conference with the desire to learn for ministry purposes, but I am so thankful because my own life was tremendously enriched. I learn so much during both the plenary and the study group sessions.

I have a desire to bring pastors’ wives together to study the Scriptures when I return to my home country of Nigeria at the end of my seminary training. I’ve been a pastor’s wife in Gwagwalada, one of the satellite towns in the federal capital territory of Abuja, for about seven years. I know there are many churches emerging. I want to reach out to the pastors’ wives hoping that they will reach out to the women in their churches. I also hope to organize seminars and workshops for women in the churches. That is why the plenary sessions were so helpful to me, especially the teaching on biblical themes and how to develop them afterwards. I will also use the small group format to study with others because I see how rich the scripture is when studied in community.

Thank you once again for the opportunity. May the Lord continue to bless you and your precious wife and the ministry of World Reformed Fellowship.

Blessings

Esther Chukwura, Nigeria

 

 

Dear Dr. Logan,

My name is Yulin Xia and I am one of the women who received scholarship assistance from the World Reformed Fellowship in order that I might participate in “Women in the Word: A Workshop.” . Thank you very much for your support. Following is my summary of what I learned through the workshop.

As a Chinese student who almost had no experience in teaching the Word of God, I was very blessed by the workshop. Through the process of preparation for the presentation that I was required to make, I have learned to study the Word of God with a thankful, joyful, and humble mind, to pray to be transformed by His Word myself, and to be used by our Father to bring His powerful message to others. It was indeed a memorable experience, not only because I learned so much as a "teacher" myself, but also for the first time, I realized that I was capable of teaching and my gift was pointed out by my study group leader and other mature and experienced women in the group, which is very precious to me.

As an intern with the Committee of Women in the Word as well as a participant in the Workshop, I am impressed and encouraged to see how wonderfully women are gifted from God and what loving and serving hearts they have for the kingdom of God. Praise be to our Lord, for He has brought us from afar to better equip us so that we can be a blessing to others in the church. This Workshop helps me to build confidence in studying and even teaching God's Word, teaches me practical methods to approach Scripture, and strengthens sisterhood in Christ through continuous prayers.

What a wonderful Workshop it was! And it is my prayer that this kind of workshop does not only sprout in Britain and the States, but it will also encourage more Chinese women and guide them to actively study and teach the Word of God!

Finally, I would like to present my sincere gratitude to the Committee of the Women in the Word, to all the women who came with a loving heart and a desire to learn and teach God's Word, and to the World Reformed Fellowship for its strong support! May this Workshop become a blessing to more women; may all the glory be to our Lord Christ Jesus!

I wish you peace and joy in our Lord Christ Jesus!

In His abounding grace,

Yulin Xia

 

 

 

October 6, 2008

Dear Dr. Logan,

I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the scholarship I received from World Reformed Fellowship to attend the Women in the Word Workshop. What a wonderful weekend around God’s Word with other women of like mind and faith. It truly was one of the most amazing things I have ever done! The small groups were extremely helpful and the keynote speaker was constantly teaching and giving expert advice. My skills were challenged as well as my heart.

Someone asked be on Friday evening if I was nervous to give my 5 minute presentation. I could truly say that I was not that nervous because, being a workshop, I was expecting to get constructive criticism and encouragement. And that is what happened. The women were kind and extremely helpful, helping me to see things in the passage that I did not or that I could have expanded on if teaching a full study.

A few years ago I attended the PCA Women In the Church Leadership Training in Atlanta, Georgia. I sat in on a Q and A session with Susan Hunt regarding women’s Bible studies. I raised my hand and asked her a question regarding what to do if the Lord has not raised up anyone in my church to lead women’s Bible studies. She told me to pray, pray, pray and then said, “What about you? Are you willing?” I began that day, praying that the Lord would use me in what ever way he saw fit in regards to teaching the scriptures and to teach me how to do this daunting task. This weekend at the Women In the Word Workshop has helped me immensely and I plan on using the skills I learned at the workshop to challenge and stretch me in my future study and teaching.

Thank you again for your generosity to me! I wanted to attend this workshop other years but was prevented by my schedule. This year my schedule was free, but the finances were not. I have already spoken to three other women about attending to workshop with me next year.

 

Your sister in Christ,

Lisa Supplee

 

 

Dear Dr. Logan:

I am grateful to God, the World Reformed Fellowship (WRF), and the committee of Women in the Word for giving me the opportunity to be part of this wonderful workshop. I have learned a lot, and by the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I have moved another step forward in my maturity in Christ.

I hope to impart what I have learned to the women in my local church in Nigeria. I hope to teach them to read the Scripture more biblically by encouraging them to search and appreciate the background of any Bible text and to read the Bible through a Christological path. But in the meantime, I am teaching our 4 young boys how to do just that.

Thank you so much and may God bless the World Reformed Fellowship for the scholarship which enabled me to attend this conference. I am looking forward to attending the next conference in 2009, God willing!

In Christ,
Esther Kutai

 

FROM CATHERINE RENDELL, Meadowcroft Presbyterian Church:

Reflections on Women in the Word:

"I am so glad I came." That is what I left Women in the Word thinking a few weekends ago. I had never heard of this conference, put on in Willow Grove, PA and sponsored by World Reformed Fellowship, but I will be talking it up to whoever wants to listen until it comes around next year.

This conference was short and intense. Seven women from Meadowcroft attended, and there were about 60 women there. Those of us who went knew going into this that we would hear from a speaker in a large group setting, and that we would also be working in small groups, going through a passage of scripture together. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing from our large group speaker, Jayne Clark, a counselor and graduate of Westminster Theological Seminary, but the highlight for me was the work done in our small groups.

All attendees were assigned a passage of scripture to study before coming to the conference, and we were asked to prepare a five minute "lecture" or Bible study lesson for our group. Once the realization hit the seven MPC women that we would be asked to STAND UP and PRESENT our five minute lessons, panic struck. However, this scary event ended up being one of the most beneficial elements of the workshop. Carter Weeber and I were both asked to study Habakkuk 1:1-11 and having the chance to dive into a somewhat obscure Old Testament book like that was a wonderful experience.
I learned so much from the other women in our group, both through their presentations and in hearing their thoughts as we discussed the entire book over the course of four meetings. I left feeling that I had not only gained valuable tools in reading the Bible and being able to communicate it, but that I also actually knew what Habakkuk was about! And, more than that, I could see how this book fit into the big picture of the Bible and God's plan to redeem His people and His creation.

This conference was billed as one for those who want to grow in their ability to teach the Word, but after attending I know that even if no one else ever benefits from what I learned that weekend, my own study of God's Word will continue to reap the rewards for a long time. Thank you so much to Meadowcroft for helping seven of our women attend this conference where so much was gained!