RAYTOWN – Ministry wives know what it means to be devoted. They are devoted to their husbands, they are devoted to their children and they are devoted to their ministry.
“But are you fully devoted to God?” asked Kelli Jordan, leadership development manager for MOPS International, an organization dedicated to sharing the good news of Jesus with moms around the world. “It amazes me how far off track I can get when I’m busy with my other devotions and I’m not paying attention to my number one devotion. I might ignore God’s prompting to speak, or laugh at things that God doesn’t find funny. My own pride or selfish ideals become more important than what God wants.”
Jordan was the keynote speaker at this year’s Ministry Wives’ Dinner, held Oct. 24 during the annual meeting of the Missouri Baptist Convention here. This year’s theme was “Devoted — A Life That Pleases God” and Jordan said a life that is truly devoted to God will bear the fruit that is found in Galatians 5: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.
“Verse 25 says those who belong in Christ and to the Spirit, should keep in step with the Spirit,” Jordan said. “Not tripping or lagging way behind. Not running ahead or on a different path altogether. Full devotion means our lives should keep in step.”
Carrie Park, wife of Brandon Park, lead pastor of Connection Point Church here, served as hostess for this year’s dinner. She said she was blessed to have a team of people help organize, decorate and gather goodies for each of the 57 ministry wives who registered.
Beth Gross, wife of Bob Gross, pastor at New Liberty Baptist Church in Oak Grove, said the Ministry Wives’ Dinner is a great place to meet and network with other wives.
“We can lift each other up,” Gross said. “If one lady is having problems there might be someone else who can help or at least let her know she’s not alone.”
While encouraging women in their season of life and ministry is the main goal of the annual dinner, challenging them in their Christian walk is the secondary goal.
Jordan shared that there are several indicators that a person might be “out of step” or redirecting her love and devotion away from God.
“Are you listening to the wrong voice?” she said. “Friends, our society is really loud and there are a lot of voices ready to speak into you and guide you. They are the voices telling us who we should or shouldn’t be, the voices telling us what is expected of us and what is not. Sometimes the voices mean well, but sometimes they don’t.”
She said two of the loudest voices ministry wives deal with is the voice of discontentment and the voice that comes from a misplaced desire for approval. God is the one who writes each person’s story and one woman’s calling will not look exactly like another woman’s calling.
“He knows us perfectly,” Jordan said. “He knows our motives and He knows how to care for us. He withholds nothing from us. When we are fully devoted to God, we are never disappointed.”