Women in Leadership Pre-Forum Conference

2012 Pre-Forum Conference Friday, 18 May - Saturday, 19 May

The Apostle Paul writes that all believers are to grow to maturity in spiritual wisdom and understanding so that they may “please God in every way” (1 Col. 1:9-10).  How do women leaders pursue spiritual growth while developing their individual gifts? What are the unique challenges women leaders face in their journey?  

To address these questions, the 2012 Women’s Pre-Forum Conference will use the strategy of discussion. Key women leaders in various roles in the church, home, and society who have wrestled with the issues first hand have developed special case studies and will be leading discussions of them so that women can talk about their concerns. Participants will rank the case studies in order of preference for study and then have an opportunity to talk about the issues they face, pray together, and have fellowship over meals.

The ultimate objective of this conference will be fourfold, as participants will 

•  Discuss challenges they face
•  Learn how to respond biblically
•  Learn how to train others to do the same
•  Press on toward maturity as women leaders
 

Women from Eastern and Southern Europe participating in the Pre-Forum Conference can join in at no cost. In addition, food and lodging from Friday 18 May through Saturday afternoon 19 May will be provided free of charge for them.

Women from Western Europe participating in the Pre-Forum Conference will pay only 20 euros for attending and for their food and lodging from Friday 18 May through Saturday 19 May.
 

RSVP:

If you want to be a part of this meeting you must write to Kevin at ksaylor(at)euroleadership(dot)org to reserve a space, meals, and room.

 

Seminar Speakers

Ann Blaser has a BS and MA in Education and was a teacher in the public school system. While raising two children she began leading and teaching in Bible Study Fellowship, a leading international organisation for getting lay Christians studying the Bible. She has taught a weekly Bible study for 400 to 500 women for 20 years, and led and trained a 60-person leadership team for this ministry. She has been responsible for recruiting and training leaders in how to understand God’s word, and how to shepherd groups of Christians to maturity.

Margunn Dahle, the co-leader of the European Media Communicators Network, is Lecturer at Gimlekollen School of Journalism and Communication, Kristiansand, Norway, where she has taught in the fields of communication, media and worldviews since 1991. She is Programme Director of the Communication and Worldviews Bachelor Program, which is designed to equip evangelical communicators and apologists in various fields for the contemporary Western cultural context. Especially connected to her Damaris involvement, she is a regular lecturer, speaker and writer in various contexts in Norway.  She formerly served as Chairman of Lunde Publishing House.

Nola Leach is the Chief Executive Officer of CARE, (Christian Action Research and Education) one of Europe’s leading Christian Charities which provides resources and helps bring Christian insight and experience to matters of public policy and practical caring initiatives. CARE undertakes a variety of social caring and educational programmes as well as research. It is represented in the UK Parliaments and Assemblies, at the EU in Brussels and at the UN at Geneva and New York. As Head of the Public Affairs team Nola leads campaigns on topics such as human trafficking, Internet pornography and the value of life from its beginning to its natural end. Nola is in increasing demand as a writer public speaker and broadcaster.

Grace Nedelcheva worked as a medical doctor for over 30 years. She currently serves in the leadership of the Bulgarian Women’s Training Program of the Bulgarian Evangelical Alliance (BEA) and is part of the Alliance’s Bulgarian Anti-Trafficking Network. In 1992 she co-founded the Bulgarian Christian Medical Association (BCMA) and for several years served as the chair, now vice-chair of BCMA. From 2002-2006 she was part of the Task Force on Abuse against Women to the Women’s Commission of the World Evangelical Alliance.  She has been married to Nik Nedelchev for 34 years. They have 2 grown-up sons and a grandson. Grace lives in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Judy Streeter and her husband Tom have worked to develop churches that emphasise worship, community, small groups, sound teaching, discipleship, and meaningful engagement with culture. Believing that evangelism and the strength of the church are only as effective as the disciple-making process, she has developed materials to facilitate women in properly nurturing growth in others.  Her book, Disciplemaking: Doing What Christ Commanded, summarises her understanding and passion in this area.  Music occupies a high place in Judy’s life in the church and as a teacher and performer. Always ready to travel, she and Tom have led Reformation tours in Europe.

Vesna Radeka is the president of Pregnancy Resource Center “Choose Life” whose aim is to raise awareness about the value of human lives, to educate youth about their reproductive health, to help women who are facing unplanned pregnancies, and to help women hurt by abortion. She attended Philosophical College, and she received a degree in Serbian Literature and Language. In 2009 she finished graduate academic studies at the Novi Sad Protestant Theological Seminary. Since 1997 she has been involved in full-time ministry. From 1997-2000 she and her family lived in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where they planted a church. From 2001-2003 she was involved in planting a church in Sombor, Serbia. In 2004 she began her work in the pro-life ministry in Serbia. Vesna is also helping her husband Nenad in establishing the New Plant Church in Novi Sad, Serbia. They have two children.

 

Schedule

Friday Evening:

The Challenge of Being a Woman in Leadership
Nola Leach

Taking the examples of some unlikely women leaders in the Bible, we will discuss some of the very real challenges Christian women face in leadership as they wrestle with discerning God’s calling; the nature of their ministry; facing opposition from society; struggling with male attitudes; the nature of compromise and the preservation of their walk with the Lord.

Saturday Morning:

I.  8:30-9:30 -- Case Study Discussion Groups

Please choose your top three preferences for case study (more may be added depending on number of registrants) discussions. You will be assigned to two discussion groups.

1. The Challenge of Singleness: TBA

Today's single, Christian woman is faced with a challenge to recognize her role in society, the work place, and the church. While juggling all the demands of life, she may desire or feel pressured to marry and bear children, even if it means compromising her faith. But what should it mean to be single in the contemporary church and society? Where do we find any patterns of single life in the Scriptures? Are there different views on singleness in the Old and New Testament? Why is it important to have families and singles within the church--the unique family in Christ? 

2. The Challenge of Marriage: Grace Nedelcheva

The married Christian woman faces challenges within her marriage, her church, and personally. She may recognise that for a time her gifts for ministry are not being utilised. The time of child rearing may leave her feeling that she speaks and thinks on the level of her children. She may feel that the partnership of marriage is weighted to her husband’s responsibilities and personal development. 

3. The Challenge of Starting a New Ministry Initiative: Vesna Radeka

Where does a woman begin with a ministry that she feels is God generated? How does the married woman approach her husband with her leading knowing that it may change the dynamic of their home? What steps must be put in place in order to give her vision a strategy?  How should she handle the difficulties, obstacles, and disappointments that will arise? What part does prayer play in the process, and how does she recruit the thinking and feedback of other Christians?

4. The Challenge of Leading in the Workplace: Nola Leach

Anna is a woman in demand. She heads up a national charity and sits on the board of a number of other Christian groups. Anna mentors an increasing number of younger women as well as having three teenage children who expect mum to be on call to talk through their problems. Sometimes weeks pass without space to reflect on her own walk with God. The men on Anna’s board question her leadership style and tend to limit her ability to make key decisions. Often Anna feels torn between different commitments and on bad days she finds herself feeling bitter about the added complexities of being both a leader and a woman. How can Anna approach these issues?

5. The Challenge of Discipling Others:  Judy Streeter

What are the characteristics of winsome discipling? How can the discipler work to create trust in the relationship? What is the role of consistency in an ongoing relationship, and how aggressive should the discipler be in maintaining that relationship? What portion of the time together should be Bible study and prayer, as compared with fellowship?

6. The Challenge of Speaking and Teaching: Margunn Dahle

How does ‘Susan’ use her gifts of speaking and teaching in the church? How can she develop these gifts with integrity and wisdom in an environment where men typically fill all speaking and teaching roles? How can she navigate personal and cultural obstacles in her church and/or Christian organisation to serve the Lord with her God-given talents?

7. The Challenge of Leading a Ministry: Ann Blaser

Is there ever a time when an individual feels adequate to do a work for the Lord?  How can a woman lead others when she recognises her own weaknesses?  As a leader of others, how can she encourage someone to be her partner and help with the work?  What skills are needed to choose other leaders, and what do you look for in a helper?  How can one ministry meet the needs of Christians at all levels of maturity? 

15-minute break

II.  9:45-10:45 – Case Study Discussion Groups

15-minute break

III. 11:00-12:00 – A One Book Woman
Ann Blaser

What book has influenced art, science, law, history, poetry, and many other disciplines?  There is only one book that has had such influence, and that is the Bible.  II Timothy 3:16 says that all Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. 

That is a powerful statement!  So powerful that it is surprising that the believer will go days or even longer without searching its pages for the wisdom needed to cope with everyday needs. So often our felt needs can overwhelm us and cause great struggle, and yet we find ourselves going to friends or family for the answers to our problems. The Bible not only gives us wisdom to cope, but to be victorious in the difficulties of life. It answers our real needs so that we don’t rely on our feelings, but apply what we have learned from God Himself. What does it mean to be a “one book woman”? Join us as we consider the best source of all for dealing with life!

Lunch

Saturday Afternoon

Pre-Forum Seminar: Introduction to "Women in the Word"
Ann Blaser

God calls all of His people to be involved in learning from His Word, not only at church, but personally and daily.  God will speak through the Bible to the one who will come seeking answers.  Many Christian women leaders are isolated and have received little leadership training.  To become the godly role models and leaders that the Lord has called them to be, they need training in how to study God’s Word for themselves, how to live it, and teach it to others.  This Pre-Forum Seminar is designed to give practical hands-on training in exactly this.

Specifically, this Pre-Forum Seminar will:
1)  Introduce a personal Bible study method and spend time practicing it together
2)  Introduce the study of Scripture for the purpose of teaching it, including methods for preparing lectures.
3)  Provide materials and methods for leading small groups
4)  Provide a twelve-week study from a book in the Bible
5)  Provide twelve sample lectures.