Editor’s Note: Christian Education and Publications oversees and coordinates the women’s ministry known as Women in the Church. WIC has been a vital part of our ministry since the beginning of the PCA. Many things have and are happening as a result of this ministry. Currently we are busily planning and anticipating the 2006 WIC International Conference in September. The following is an interview with Jane Patete, coordinator of the WIC ministry. Her vision and leadership have been one of the keys in the ’06 conference as well as WIC’s effectiveness in our overall ministry.

1. Briefly state the purpose of WIC (Women In the Church) with CE&P and the PCA.

The stated purpose of the Presbyterian Church in America’s Women In the Church, which was approved by the first General Assembly, is: that every woman know Christ personally and be committed to extending His Kingdom in her life, home, church, community and throughout the world.

Women’s ministry was designed to be an expression of the theology of the PCA. There were non-negotiables: the authority of God’s Word, a commitment to the theological standards of the PCA, and a commitment to work within the ecclesiastical structure of the PCA. We want women to love the church of Jesus Christ. We want to help women understand their rich and fulfilling role in the church in an un-ordained position. We want women to be confident that the study resources are soundly biblical. This is why the fathers of the PCA placed women’s ministry under the oversight of the Committee for Christian Education and Publications. CE&P serves local churches by providing leadership training and resources for kingdom discipleship.

2. What are some ways CE&P has provided leadership training and resources for women?

Our overarching purpose is to disciple leaders and equip them to disciple others. Specific resources that help us fulfill this purpose are: • Biblical Foundation for Womanhood curricula, a topical series of studies that teach a complementation and covenantal approach to womahood and ministry. • WIC Bible Study Series, written from a reformed, covenantal perspective, help women to apply Scripture to life. • CE&P WIC Trainers, a nationwide network of women who are equipped to present a covenantal approach to women's ministry and help local churches develop and determine the philosophy and purpose of their church's ministry.

These equipping resources are a result of our initial strategy to develop a leadership network through finding representation from each presbytery. An annual meeting, now known as the Leadership Training Conference, became and continues to be the centerpiece of CE&P’s ministry to women. In 1989, CE&P hosted the first national PCA women’s conference, which provided a connection among women with one another and the denomination.

3. How have these denomination-wide conferences, which draw women from many different countries, helped promote the purpose of WIC?

The 1989 conference was a wonderful surprise--expectations were greatly exceeded. At our 1999 Daughters of the Covenant International Conference, Susan Hunt, former Director of Women for the PCA, said: “Ten years ago, the first national WIC conference was held. We prayed for 500 women to attend… 1,700 women attended that gathering! This was the beginning of a vision that has helped us equip, encourage, build community and teach women a covenantal philosophy of womanhood. We knew that it was not enough to cast a vision. The effects of a conference would be short and shallow without ongoing teaching. There must be an educational component to our strategy.” This is still a priority for the 2006 International Women In the Church Conference. In the seminars women will be trained and equipped to go back to local churches to love and serve God’s family. For example – Dr. Ligon Duncan, 33rd Moderator of the PCA and pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, MS, will be the 2006 Pre-Conference speaker. He will be presenting “The Why of Women’s Ministry.” This plenary session will be followed by two sessions of twenty seminars full of practical equipping for local women in the church. Through these seminars women will be exhorted to tell the next generation the praise worthy deeds of the Lord and nurture the next generation for Kingdom-focused living.

4. It appears the previous WIC conferences build upon one another. Examples?

It is assumed that CE&P has a formula or schedule for planning our conferences. The truth is that the Lord has sovereignly led us to a particular need that has flowed out of women’s ministry philosophy. Let me illustrate:

 The 1989 conference was a call to PCA women to come together and celebrate our common identity in Christ; to stand firm in a changing world.  The 1992 conference focused on community. It was designed to help cultivate churches that would be a safe place for women and that would equip women to reflect and practice their redemption.  In 1995 we began spreading out regionally across the US. It was a tiring but productive effort in training and encouraging regional relationships. CE&P hosted six regional conferences. Three thousand, five hundred and thirty-five women attended one conference in six locations.  The Helpers By Design conference in 1997 challenged leadership wives of teaching elders, ruling elders or ministry staff in the church to explore the unique privileges and responsibilities of helping their husbands. CE&P hosted 750 women around this theme and instruction.  The most recent conference was the 1999 international conference that focused on compassion. It was a call to teach, equip, and encourage PCA women for ministries of mercy. They were taught that mercy begins in your home and should be carried out as a part of the total ministry of the church. We prayed for 3,000 women – God gave us 4,000.

5. Share a few special stories from those conferences.

There are so many!  We met a precious retired PCA pastor and his wife. They were living on a tightly fixed income, but were so thrilled with the purposes of the conference that they sacrificially gave a gift that allowed us to scholarship a woman to attend.  There was the woman who gave us the gift of prayer. Cathy Reed is one of the most joyful and faithful prayer warriors we have met. We first met her at one of the 1995 regional conferences and she became our WIC Prayer Warrior. She spent much of the year before the ’99 conference praying and writing notes of encouragement to the speakers and musicians. She is praying for us today!  One last story comes from our friend, Sharon Betters. Recently she reminded me of the ongoing kingdom fruit of the ’99 Conference in the life of her son, Dan. “A few weeks ago our son, Dan, went through licensure. When he was asked to describe his call, he shared about his growing up years and then told the story of attending the last WIC conference. He said that he watched as his family participated, his brother's involvement and concert, his mother speaking, his dad praying, his grandfather and family all attending. And he was overwhelmed with emotion, asking God to show him his place in this legacy. And that's when he knew God was calling him into ministry - he describes it as an incredibly moving moment of decision. So when you are planning all these details and thinking and praying about the best way to pass on to the next generation this legacy of faith, remember that God may have another plan in mind.”

I call these stories ‘mercy gifts’ – given by God to encourage us in the midst of so many details and tasks. It keeps our hearts soaring with gratitude to our God for the daily provisions, both physically and spiritually. It keeps our minds focused on the eternal kingdom purposes of planning a conference. It gives us joy in the journey.

6. What is the theme of the September 2006 conference?

The Women’s Advisory Sub-Committee determined that our theme would be God’s Faithfulness, Generation to Generation. This theme was validated during a CE&P devotional time focused on Psalm 71. You reminded us that David prayed God would give him the strength to pass on the faith to the next generation--to tell them of His power and might. I was reminded that this cry of David’s was the biblical model and grid through which CE&P implements its ministry and was true to the purposes for this conference. We linked the generational purpose expressed in Psalm 71:17-18 and the ongoing Titus mandate. “Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, til I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.”

7. What do you think will be the special aspect of this conference?

We are delighted to be issuing invitations to young women from the age of thirteen and up to join with us in worship, in godly covenantal fellowship, and to provide tools that will equip them to love and serve God’s church. As a generation, we have been given gospel truth that is transforming and we wanted to pass that on to the next generation in a visionary and substantive way. We long for teen women to live out their faith within their culture. We want to be obedient in raising up a generation of women who know their beliefs impact their church, families, and world.

8. What would you say to a woman trying to decide whether to attend?

Make this conference a priority in your life! Look for the women in your life and in your church who need to be part of this weekend. This is not a mother/daughter weekend – it is a celebration of the diversity of women in the PCA joining together with hungry hearts and eager minds to be filled with God’s Word. It will be a glorious opportunity for this portion of God’s family, the PCA, to be unified in purpose and for His glory.

9. What would you say to the pastors and ruling elders?

Please encourage and help the women in your local churches to attend. Read carefully our purpose and call of the conference. Value and affirm it for your women. It is a kingdom and eternal investment.

9. What difference do you think this particular conference can make in the life of the local church?

First and foremost, we are praying that it will give women in our local PCA churches a greater love for and understanding of the church of Jesus Christ. We want them to realize their local church is connected to a body of believers who may differ on procedure, but not the non-negotiables. They will meet women who share a love for the Word and for God’s glory. Women will be given equipping tools that will help them understand and be ready to meet the challenges of living in a world that needs to hear gospel truth and see transformed lives and minds. Women will be sent home with the truth of God ringing in their ears and hearts that are purposed to be kingdom disciplers.

10. Where can local women find the information on the conference and how can they register?

Brochures were sent out in November to each church and WIC contact person. I personally think the best way to keep updated and excited about what is happening is to go to the conference web sit at: www.pcacep.org/wic06 There you will find the latest information and can even register online.

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