Seminary and the Ministry Wife
[su_spacer]Do you have to have a seminary degree to be a pastor’s wife or ministry wife?
[su_spacer]Let me begin with a loud, resounding, “No.” Let me state it again, “No.” We have just gotten past the stereotype that we all have to sing and play the piano. I would not dare limit God’s equipping power to a seminary degree.
[su_spacer]In college, I fell in love with a preacher’s kid. That preacher’s kid accepted the call to preach before we were married. He came from an experienced “Preacher’s Family.” He knew how to serve and thrive in ministry. My church experience was very different. I remember the day I waited after church looking at my pastor’s wife from a distance. I took a deep breath, walked from the balcony at the back of the church to the front row, and said hello to her. I attended a mega-church, and she did not even know my name. I felt confident that God had called me to be his wife, but I did not feel like I was at all adequate, or equipped, for the “good work” of the pastor’s wife.
[su_spacer]Twenty-five years later, I have learned to thrive as a pastor’s wife. My spiritual, personal, and emotional growth came through so many different experiences. Godly women mentored me. I watched pastors’ wives. If I had ten dollars for every workshop, conference, and Bible Study I have participated in, I could fund a coffee habit for a year!
[su_spacer]While I can easily say that formal, seminary training is not mandatory, ministry wives should live a life committed to Scripture, spiritual disciples, and drawing close to God. We should continually grow in knowledge of Christ and maturity.
[su_spacer]In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, it is written, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” 2 Ti 3:14–17.
[su_spacer]The point is not that we each have the same experience, but that we each experience growth. In ministry, we, just like any other believer, must continue to commit to prayer and the study of God’s Word to mature as Christian women.
[su_spacer]My advice for ministry wives is three-fold: know your spiritual gifts, know your options, and prayerfully chart your path. Take spiritual inventories to identify your spiritual gifts and look for ways to develop and grow.
[su_spacer]Second, know your options. Each season in life allows for different opportunities for ministry wives. If your husband is serving in a church, actively participate in ministry. If your husband is in seminary, find out if there are any programs or opportunities for ministry wives and participate if at all possible. Many denominations and associations have opportunities for spiritual development through retreats, conferences, and workshops. Some even have gatherings specifically designed for ministry wives. Don’t miss opportunities that are available to you at this present moment.
[su_spacer]Finally, know your path. Spend time in prayer and ask God to reveal His plan to you. Seek out mentors, gatherings, and ministry opportunities that will support your calling to serve in ministry.
[su_spacer]My journey has taken me through dating a college boy turned preacher, 25 years of marriage, seven states, serving in the local church, and living at two seminaries. My husband earned multiple seminary degrees and has pastored three churches. I have spent my entire married life as a ministry wife and then a pastor’s wife. Remember where I started. I was clueless.
[su_spacer]I still don’t always understand this “ministry wife life.”
[su_spacer]There is one thing I know with certainty. I am not the same person I was over 25 years ago, not by a long shot. It was not one activity, person, or degree that brought me here.
[su_spacer]My growth happened slowly. I submitted, invested, and grew. I listened and kept a teachable spirit, and I grew. I humbled myself, and I grew. The key is that I grew.
[su_spacer]As a ministry wife, you don’t have to go to seminary, but you do need to grow. You need to call on God to help you chart a path for your spiritual development. Our husbands invest time in studying and preparing to serve God and share the gospel to a dying world. Many of them attend seminaries and dedicate years developing their call to the ministry. We should commit to do the same.
[su_spacer]Wherever your husband is serving, trust God that there is an opportunity for you to grow. Get to know sisters in Christ that are also serving as ministry wives. Ministry wives can serve as valued friends and mentors on this Christian journey.
[su_spacer]I am blessed to serve women and ministry wives at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. I invite you to visit nobts.edu to learn more about how we can serve you and help you thrive on your journey as a ministry wife.
[su_spacer]My prayer is that you live a life of no regrets and lay hold of every blessing God has in store for you.
[su_spacer]Blessings always Sisters,
[su_spacer]-Heather[su_spacer]
Heather Johnson holds tight to God’s love and cherishes her roles as wife to an amazing husband and mother of 4 engaging children. She cares deeply about the Word of God and helping women
and families develop into all God has called them to be. She recently earned a Masters of Arts Christian Education with a specialization in Women’s Ministry from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and continues her education in biblical studies. She gratefully serves in
ministry alongside her husband as the Pastor’s Wife at Edgewater Baptist Church, New Orleans, LA, and treasures the opportunity to serve ministry wives.
Lovely daughter. We are so blessed by the Godly Woman that you have become. May God keep you and your family lovingly and safely in his hands as you and your family embark on this season of his calling.
Thank you for this timely Word. Although I am not a minister’s wife, your encouragement to “keep a teachable spirit, stay humble, and grow” resonates deeply with me. As a woman in seminary, I appreciate your perspective. I also wholeheartedly agree that every women’s path will be different and the most important thing is to “continually grow in knowledge of Christ and maturity.”