By Laura Mott Tarro, who has been my graduate assistant at Northern Seminary now for four years. Laura is a wonderful Christian, wife and mom, student, and pastor — and I am asking you to read this and consider how you can participate, and even support, women church planters. Laura pastors
When I began to speak of my call to pastoral ministry I was told by one influential woman in our church that I was neglecting the ministry of my family. When I was led to plant a church I was told by another that I was trying to earn God's love. Fortunately, I was in an egalitarian church and this didn't come from my senior pastor. But the support of the majority body of believers certainly wasn't behind me. And financial support was nonexistent. Women in most church contexts face those obstacles of support and seeds of doubt planted within us regularly. Praying for change and the full inclusion of women's gifts released into the body of Christ. And I'm praying with and for you Laura.
Thank God for Laura Mott Tarro! And thank you, Scot, for bringing her story to us. May her tribe increase!
When I began to speak of my call to pastoral ministry I was told by one influential woman in our church that I was neglecting the ministry of my family. When I was led to plant a church I was told by another that I was trying to earn God's love. Fortunately, I was in an egalitarian church and this didn't come from my senior pastor. But the support of the majority body of believers certainly wasn't behind me. And financial support was nonexistent. Women in most church contexts face those obstacles of support and seeds of doubt planted within us regularly. Praying for change and the full inclusion of women's gifts released into the body of Christ. And I'm praying with and for you Laura.
"I feel like you are trying to pull the reins of leadership out of my hands."
Oh my - that is madness and maddening. Thank you, Laura, for your perseverance and role model.
Thanks for giving us a way to help, Laura! 💜