Women Officers Grow at 'Cultivate' Preaching Seminar

Reaching one’s goals is a cause for celebration. Finally arriving at a place you’ve striven towards is an incredible achievement. But if, once you’ve succeeded, you just stop moving and simply stay in that place, stagnation and decline can creep in, possibly even causing you to lose everything you worked for in the first place. This is true for all of us, and the best way to continue being and giving our best in service to our great God is to pursue growth, to deepen our faith, and to strive to know Him more.

The Cultivate preaching seminar, hosted by the USA Southern Territory Ministry to Women Department, was created because they believe “There can be growth in every season.” In mid-September, around 120 women officers, sergeants, and cadets of The Salvation Army Southern Territory gathered on the beautiful Evangeline Booth College campus in Atlanta to cultivate their God-given potential, strengthen their preaching gifts, sharpen their abilities, and develop new skills in a supportive, Spirit-filled environment.

“As we were planning for this program year and setting goals together as a team, we felt inspired to have a focus on preaching,” Major Anne Westmoreland, territorial ministries to women secretary and secretary for spiritual life development, tells us. “Investing in our women leaders, equipping and inspiring them, is one of our top priorities.”

During the online registration process prior to the event, attendees answered detailed questions about their current preaching practice. These answers helped shape the event overall. “No matter the level of comfort one felt with preaching, we wanted everyone to feel like they belonged. Because they did, and they do. This was at the forefront in our planning,” Major Anne explains.

Over their three days together, the ladies attended main sessions and breakouts intended to refresh preaching skills, to spark creativity in research and writing techniques, and to inspire them to be bold in their calling to preach the Word of God wherever they serve. The full seminar with all sessions combined additionally counted as one continuing education credit, or CEU, for those with higher education goals and requirements.

The women were surrounded by beautiful flowers and greenery throughout their time together, a constant reminder of the theme verse, Isaiah 35:1. “The wilderness and the dry land will be glad; the desert will rejoice and blossom like a wildflower.”

With this concept in mind, the ladies were invited to create their own wildflower bouquets on their first day, selecting whatever flowers, greenery, and vases sparked their creativity and joy. Their personal flower arrangements served to remind them throughout their time together that they are beautiful, loved more deeply than the grass that God provides every needed thing for, and meant to grow in any and every circumstance.

Cultivating Courage

In Wednesday’s opening session, Commissioner Donna Igleheart, territorial president of women’s ministries, welcomed all delegates saying, “This seminar is not merely about learning techniques or polishing skills, although that is part of it. It is about discovering the courage to let God use your voice as His.”

Commissioner Donna told the story of Catherine Booth rising with courage to preach when God told her to do so, despite cultural norms and possible censure. “The Holy Spirit who prompted Catherine to rise from her seat is the same Spirit who has led you here these few days. No more silence, no more hesitation. Today you answer the call to proclaim the good news with boldness and grace. And we couldn’t be more proud of you.”

The special guest speakers, Colonel Dr. Janet Munn, Major Ruth New, Jeniffer Dake, and Dr. Nicole Martin, joined Commissioner Donna on stage for a panel discussion about calling, being women in preaching and leadership roles, and serving through all seasons of life and ministry.

Dr. Nicole Martin, Chief Impact Officer for “Christianity Today,” and national advisory board member, brought the evening’s devotion, declaring, “We preach the gospel because we firmly believe in a God who is able to restore and redeem every single part of life that is broken.”

Colonel Dr. Janet Munn then outlined the history of women in ministry culturally and throughout scripture, explaining the rich heritage of women teachers and preachers in The Salvation Army. “We have a beautiful inheritance,” she explained.

She invited attendees to come to the altar, urging them to surrender any worry or hesitation they may feel about using their voices to preach to a world in need. “This is an opportunity before God and in this community of sisters to yield to Him and say, ‘Whatever it looks like for me, God, in terms of greater involvement in preaching the gospel... I want in.’”

Cultivating Knowledge

On Thursday morning, Major Anne Westmoreland welcomed the ladies to a full day of education and fellowship saying, “The Lord takes pleasure in His people. The Lord takes pleasure in His daughters, and that is you and me.”

Through her devotional, Major Ruth New, administrator of the Miami Adult Rehabilitation Center, encouraged the ladies, “We need to be disciplined to work, intentional in growing closer to God.”

Dr. Nicole Martin then entreated delegates to cultivate a vibrant devotional life, explaining that this is essential for sustained preaching. “Life has a way of making a devotional life with God hard… there are so many things that distract.”

Encouraging delegates to view their spirits as less like a canal that gives away everything as soon as it is given, and instead more like a reservoir, allowing themselves to be filled to the brim before serving from a place of overflow, she said, “I want to suggest to you that one of the problems in cultivating a devotional life with God is we have yet to learn the art of true surrender.” She spoke about some of the most common barriers to having a fulfilling daily devotional life, including power, ego, and time.

She explained that women in ministry also need to address their own insecurities, grounding themselves in their God-given identities as daughters of Christ. “When we don’t know who we are in God, it’s almost impossible to help other people know who they should be.”

In conclusion she urged, “You have to lead like you are loved.”

In the next session, Dr. Nicole entreated the ladies to contend for the gospel, to preach the truth of Jesus Christ to a world easily swept away by false ideologies. “Why do we preach? Because we need the world to know the authentic gospel. There is one Lord. There is one Savior. There is one God. And our job in preaching the gospel is to demonstrate this to the world.”

She continued, “If I could give any one message to women preachers, it would be that God loves you for what you do. He is grateful for the things that you do. But you are not a human doing; you are a human being. What will it take for you to keep yourself in God’s unconditional love?”

Ladies were given a full slate of breakout sessions to attend following lunch, including “Cultivating Confidence” with guest instructor Kendall Louden from The Lanier Practice, “Building a Preaching Calendar that Inspires” or “Designing Services that Echo the Sermon” with Major Ruth New, “Sermon Strategies for Cultural Engagement” or “Good News for the Wounded, the Weary, and the Wronged” with Territorial Mission, Evangelism, and Cultural Ministries Secretary Major Sandra Pawar, and “You be You, Let God be God” with guest speaker Jeniffer Dake.

With all coming back together for a main session, Colonel Dr. Janet Munn dug into the concepts of hermeneutics and homiletics, teaching different ways to approach scripture when preparing a message. She encouraged the ladies to always have their audience, congregation, or corps members in mind and urged that their message, even if it includes correction, should always be rooted in the good news of the gospel, never in condemnation.

Jeniffer Dake began the evening session by encouraging the ladies to speak the Word of God into peoples’ lives and to be real, not denying the existence of problems, but denying those problems any authority in their lives. “Your brokenness with your people allows them to see the very face of God.”

Major Sandra Pawar then facilitated a time entitled “She Speaks” where 11 women officer attendees gave a prepared 5-minute message on Luke 12:21-32, afterwards receiving constructive feedback from a group of panelists. By the end of the session, all present were encouraged to know their worth, to surrender worry and control to the One who is truly in control, and finally, not to be anxious, because we are worth far more than flowers and birds.

Cultivating Boldness

On Friday morning, Jeniffer Dake encouraged the ladies that what they do has purpose, not just here on earth, but also for the Kingdom. “When you do what you have been called to do and you serve and love people the way that you have been called to do it, you bring immense joy.”

She entreated attendees to follow God’s leading and to preach His Word regardless of their worries or concerns. “I know that sometimes all you have is the ability to show up. And I’m going to tell you, sometimes you showing up is the thing that people need more than anything else.” She continued, “It’s your voice, but it’s God’s story.”

In the final session, Colonel Dr. Janet spoke about Jesus’ disciple Mary of Bethany, encouraging all those present to follow her example of being a student, teacher, preacher, and disciple of Jesus in their own walks of life, through grief, joy, struggles, and peace.

“The Spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon us, and He has anointed us, sisters, to preach good news,” through every circumstance, she declared. “Let’s not remain silent. Spend time with Jesus. Do the beautiful thing. Do what you can at Jesus’ feet.”

Commissioner Donna then invited all to receive an anointing from the guest speakers and leaders, urging, “Receive it not as a symbol but as a divine commissioning once again. You are daughters of the Most High, leaders called not to shrink back but to advance boldly into battle… Go back into your communities not as those who serve from the margins but as anointed leaders called to the center of God’s work.”

For those unable to attend the event, recordings of the main group sessions will be available to view on Ministry Toolkit. The Ministry to Women Department desires that these teachings will help “women leaders excel and thrive in their preaching roles,” Major Anne explains. They hope to see “increased confidence, sharpened skills, inspired hearts, renewed resolve, and Holy Spirit-filled pulpits.”