In June 2015, about 20 women gathered in London for a meeting to discuss women’s ministries in complementarian contexts around the world. Our hope was to learn from one another and encourage each other in our task.
We heard from women in Australia, South Africa, Europe, UAE, and the USA. Led by the Proclamation Trust, we first met at The Evangelical Ministry Assembly (EMA) and enjoyed excellent teaching and fellowship. Afterward, we traveled to The Oast House Retreat Center to debrief, discuss, and get to know one another.
It was one of those gatherings that left me wanting to share with others the kingdom work being done by women in a variety of settings. I’ve asked these ladies to tell us a bit about their ministries, so that we can all glean from their wisdom and prayerfully support their labors around the world.
Today, we’ll get a glimpse into the ministry work of Colleen McFadden. She lives in the Philadelphia area and for the past ten years has worked for the Charles Simeon Trust, which equips those who teach the Bible. She also serves in the women’s ministry at her local church, Seven Mile Road Church.
Can you share with us a little about the culture where you live and the work you are doing?
Philadelphia is known as the “city of brotherly love.” But as a friendly Midwesterner, I am frequently startled by the coldness that characterizes the east coast. Therefore, our welcoming and friendly local church was a breath of fresh air when I moved here from Chicago a few years ago. We are a seven-year-old church plant, so we have lots of young people who are eager to learn and apply the Scriptures. I help run a training program to equip women with tools to study the Bible in order to communicate it to others. From this program, we see women engaged in discipleship and evangelism with their neighbors, their children, and fellow church members.
My vocational ministry work with the Charles Simeon Trust does much of the same training: equipping women to study the Bible with an eye towards teaching it in the local church. We interact with women Bible teachers around the country (and globally too), so all types of people are represented from super post-Christian cultures in the Pacific Northwest to moralistic approaches to Scripture in the Bible Belt. I’m always amazed by the various types of people coming together . . . and all for the purpose of teaching the Bible better.
What are some of the challenges of your ministry? What are some of the joys?
My greatest joy is to see a woman who is afraid to read the Bible—or certain books of the Bible such as Revelation or the prophets—realize that she can read and understand it. “The Bible has come alive to me” or “Wow, the Word is so rich and applicable” are frequent things I hear both in my local church and also through the work of the Charles Simeon Trust. This desire turns to eagerness to study more which is infectious and spreads. At the CST, we hear stories of Bible teachers passing along the tools in their local church ministries so more people can understand the Bible. Even last month we led a workshop on Apocalyptic Literature, and I know women are eagerly returning to their churches ready to launch a study in Revelation this fall. How great that women are getting into all parts of Scripture!
The challenges come when despair sets in, seeing the ways of the world at work, even in ministry. One such challenge is to encourage women that faithful local church ministry is more important than becoming a “popular” speaker. Or another challenge is to see women’s ministry outsourced to DVDs of “professional” teachers instead of the women in the church using their gifts to serve others through teaching.
In what ways have you seen the Lord at work?
I have seen women’s ministry change from craft times and teas lacking the Bible into real Word ministry in action. Women want to learn and study the Scriptures with each other. Only the Lord can give that desire! I know many women who want to see their women’s ministry move to a Word-based ministry, and my constant answer to them is to pray and wait. The Lord will work. The Word will prove fruitful; it will not return void. In the meantime, commit yourself to Word ministry by reading the Bible for yourself every day.
How have you been encouraged or supported in your ministry by pastors and elders?
I wouldn’t be doing the work I’m doing without the encouragement of my pastors over the years. My current pastors shepherd and lead and guide with humility and authority (in the best sense of the word!). One of my pastors who oversees women’s ministry regularly reaches out to me to see how things are going and offers ways to help. He meets with us to debrief and to plan for the future. His wisdom and leadership are essential to women’s ministry as he leads our church. And his Sunday morning preaching makes me a better Bible teacher.
The men I work for at the Charles Simeon Trust are also pastors in their local churches, including my former church in Chicago. When I was a young Christian there working in corporate America, they encouraged me to pursue ministry, and they trained me to do it. Robert Kinney, David Helm, Jon Dennis, Arthur Jackson, among others, have been my mentors and advocates. They taught me to listen to the Word, study the Word, love the Word, teach the Word, train others in the Word, all for the glory of God and the health of the church.
For those reading this today, what are two specific ways we can pray for your work?
1. Pray that the truth of the gospel as revealed in the Scriptures would change the hearts of many.
2. Pray I would honor the Lord with the time that I have.
Colleen McFadden trains women Bible teachers with the Charles Simeon Trust. She and her husband live in the Philadelphia area, where she helps lead the women’s ministry at Seven Mile Road Church. She earned a BS in business administration from the University of Illinois and an MDiv from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Colleen also serves on the board of Matthias Media, an evangelical publisher of gospel-centered resources.
